Heading to Bali? Read this first! We share our top tips for visiting Bali, from visa tips to transport options and how to avoid the dreaded Bali Belly.
We’ve been to Bali more than 10 times. However, our recent visit was the first time in nearly 10 years! So yes, a lot has changed.
One thing that has really changed is how much more efficient it is to organise things – including being able to do your visa online and use e-Gates (no long queues at immigration!) and also organising transport, tours and deliveries using apps.
There are other things that are great to know before you travel to Bali – including what to pack, how to pay for things, where to get your laundry done and my number 1 top tip to avoid being scammed when using an ATM (learn from my mistake!)
Here’s everything I wish I knew before travelling to Bali.
Table of Contents
Organise your visa & immigration documents online
First things first, you want to make your arrival as smooth as possible. To do this I recommend doing all of the following online before you go. But make sure you only use the official websites to avoid getting scammed!
I share step-by-step how to do this, with links to all the official websites in my article Bali Visa & Immigration Tips.
This allows you to skip the immigration queues in the airport, and breeze through the e-Gates on arrival at Bandara Internasional Ngurah Rai airport. On our last trip to Bali, we took just 5 minutes to clear immigration, thanks to having done all of this online before we set off.
IMPORTANT: You need to have a minimum of 6 months’ validity on your passport to enter Indonesia.
- Visa On Arrival
- Electronic Customs Declaration
- Health Pass
- Tourism Levy
You can still do Visa on Arrival at the airport: just join the queue at the airport when you land. However, I highly recommend doing this online before you go to save time.
I have written a detailed post, walking you through the above step-by-step and in detail. You can read it here: Bali Visa & Immigration Tips.
Pre-order your airport transfer
I recommend pre-booking your airport transfer prior to arriving into Denpasar International airport.
BUT I don’t recommend using your hotel transfer service. They are way more expensive than any of the following ways:
Pre-booked Klook transfer
We did this recently and it couldn’t be easier. We booked this airport transfer through Klook.
On arrival, you just make your way to the funky Klook Cafe and Lounge and meet your driver. You can sit in the lounge while your driver brings the car round.
I booked a ‘Comfort 5 seater’ from the airport to Sanur, and it cost just USD $12.00 (economy would have been $10). The hotel was going to charge $30.00.
Pre-booked Grab airport transfer
The process for doing this is the same as using Klook, except you book the transfer using the Grab app.
So you will need to download the Grab app first (I recommend you do this anyway, as it is super useful for when you are in Bali).
You can book up to 90 days in advance and can cancel up to an hour before if your plans change. Similarly to Klook, Grab has a Grab lounge in the airport.
Klook / Grab on arrival
Forgot to pre-book your transfer? No problem! You can either book a Grab on arrival using your app, or make your way to the Klook cafe/lounge and they will help you book one on the spot.
You just might need to wait a little longer than if you pre-order it online before you go.
Download these transport apps
Getting around Bali is so much easier these days with these transport apps. If you’re not familiar wth Grab and Gojek, they are the equivalent of Uber in other countries. Bluebird is the local taxi company. I recommend downloading all of these apps.
- Bluebird
- Grab
- Gojek
Just like with Uber, you can easily book a car that is nearby and get a fixed price to your destination then track where you car is. You can add your credit card for cashless payments or choose to pay cash.
With Grab and Gojek you also have the option to take a ride on the back of a motorbike. Although if you are travelling as a family, you will probably prefer to take a car.
We never had to wait more than 10 minutes to get a car and they are super cheap. For example, a comfort car from Seminyak to Nusa Dua cost us Rp 162, 700 (approx $15 AUD or $10 USD).
You can also use Grab and Gojek for food delivery and grocery shopping. My other favourite feature of Gojek is GoSend – where you can use a bike to deliver items. I mistakenly took my villa key from Uluwatu to Seminyak with me, and it cost me just $5 to send it back with a GoSend bike.
Make sure you have Whatssap
Everybody uses Whatssap in Bali, so if you haven’t already downloaded it on your phone, do it now!
We used Whatssap to talk to the hotel concierge, liaise with Grab drivers, villa staff, Gojek delivery drivers, laundry companies, food delivery drivers… it is the main method of communication, so you will need to have it.
Make sure you pack the following
You can buy most things you need in Bali. However, I recommend taking the following with you.
- Reef-safe sunscreen (it’s more expensive in Bali).
- Mosquito repellent (although some people swear by the local Soffell brand).
- Travel adaptor – Bali uses the European two round pin-style plugs (Type C).
- Lightweight long sleeves or pants for temple visits or avoiding mosquitos in the evenings.
- A sarong or shawl (for temple visits).
- Reusable water bottles (fill up at your hotel before you leave to avoid adding to plastic pollution).
- Hand Sanitiser (apply liberally on everyone’s hands before eating).
- Women’s sanitary items (tampons are difficult to find, pads are expensive).
- Basic travel first aid kit (rehydration salts, bandaids, Stingose, antiseptic cream, antihistamines etc).
Be Money-wise
We always recommend using a Wise Card when travelling overseas. This allows you to make cashless payments without being subjected to expensive overseas bank charges that a lot of banks or credit cards charge.
Most hotels, bars, restaurants, shops etc will take card, but it is always a good idea to have some cash. You will want cash for tips, markets, warungs, some beach bars, drivers etc.
ATMs are widely available in Bali. They are generally all safe, but some people prefer to only use machines attached to banks.
If you don’t want to use an ATM, then bring cash with you to change – but don’t use street money changers! Only use authorized, reputable money changers such as BMC or Central Kuta.
Avoid this common ATM mistake!
I learned this one the hard way… so now I’m sharing my experience to save you the same heartache! In Bali, the ATMs dispense cash BEFORE they return your bank card, not the other way round like in most other places.
If you are used to taking your cash last, it’s easy to just take the cash and leave, with your card still in the machine. So be prepared for this, and make sure you wait for your card.
(I did this around 18 years ago, before I had a smartphone and I didn’t realise someone had cleared out $2,000 from my bank account until I returned home to Singapore a week later)!
Organise your SIM card before you go
If you want to avoid roaming charges on your phone, then it’s easy to organise a local SIM card.
Our favourite way to do this is to get an eSIM on Klook. It’s super easy to set up and uses Telkomsel which is one of the best Telco providers. You can choose how many days you need it for and what level of data package you need.
If your phone doesn’t support eSIM, you can pick up a Prepaid SIM card at the airport or at any convenience store.
WiFi is also available in most hotels, cafes and restuarants and they will happily give you the password if you are a customer.
Take action to avoid Bali Belly
We’ve all heard the horror stories, and there’s nothing worse than a dose of gastro to ruin a family holiday. Having said that, I have been to Bali ten times and I have never got sick yet… but never say never.
Here are my tips for staying tummy bug-free when in Bali:
- Only drink bottled water (or filtered water in a reputable hotel / restaurant) – this includes brushing your teeth. Tell the kids to keep their mouths closed when having a shower.
- Think back to the pandemic days and wash your hands thoroughly, especially before eating and after travelling or handling cash.
- Carry hand sanitiser in your bag and apply liberally to everyone’s hands prior to eating.
- Some people swear by taking probiotics in the lead up to travelling to Bali. We have never bothered but you can consider it.
- Don’t put your head underwater in the beach clubs!
If you do succumb to the dreaded bug, then give these guys a call: www.balibellydoctor.com
It’s ok to have ice in your drinks in Bali!
We’ve all been told at one time or another to avoid having ice in your drinks when travelling overseas in certain countries.
Luckily, you generally don’t need to worry about having ice in your drinks when you are in Bali. Most ice is centrally made using filtered water and is strictly regulated.
Use the local laundry services
It’s so cheap to get your laundry done in Bali! Don’t use the hotel laundry, find a local service instead. It will cost around $3-5 (AUD) per kilo.
You don’t even need to leave your accommodation either. These companies will collect from you and deliver it back to you. Here are some options:
- Nikki Spa & Laundry
- Hogan Laundry (Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Jimbaran)
- Diggy Doo’s Laundry (Ubud)
Top Tip: Get all your laundry done at the end of your trip – they will return it to you clean, folded and packaged and you can just put it straight in your suitcase, ready to put away when you get home!