Bali is an island in Indonesia known for its beautiful beaches, lush rice fields, and rich culture. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and for a good reason, from the surfers' paradise coastal town of Canggu with its incredible beach-side resorts and bars to the naturally beautiful yoga mecca of Ubud in the heart of the island.
Over the years, we have continuously been back to Bali time and time again, drawn to its chilled vibes, world-class food and stunning landscapes. It’s one of our favourite places to get some downtime and centre ourselves. During this time, we have compiled plenty of local knowledge and collected it together so that you can read about it here and be entirely prepared for your next trip.
Best Time To Visit
Bali has a tropical climate which brings hot temperatures all year round, but as with most tropical climates, it has both a dry and wet season.
The best time to visit Bali is during the dry season between May and October. The dry season generally brings consistent blue skies with average daily temperatures of around 29°C (84°F). The temperature in Bali stays pretty consistent year-round and hardly falls below 23°C (73°F) in the coolest month of August or exceeds 33°C (91°F) in the hottest month of April.
November to April brings the wet season. Bali remains hot throughout this time, but the humidity will increase, and you can get hit with short, heavy bursts of rain any time of day. December is generally the wettest month and can get up to 122mm of rain in 7 days. That being said, you can still get plenty of glorious blue sky days and may be an opportunity to find cheaper deals on flights and hotels, with fewer crowds than you will get for the rest of the year.
Money
The currency in Bali is Indonesian Rupee (IDR). 10 USD will get you roughly 150,000 IDR.
Cash is king in Bali, but card payments are also widely accepted. With the exchange rate from USD to IDR being so extreme, withdraw $66 from the ATM and briefly experience what it's like to be a millionaire… at least in respect of the Indonesian Rupee.
Languages
Balinese is the official language of Bali, but English is widely spoken and understood.
Main Airport
There is only one airport in Bali, Ngurah Rai International Airport. It is also known as Denpasar Airport, which is even more confusing when you realise that the airport is not actually in Denpasar!
Find Flights to Bali
Getting to/from Ngurah Rai International Airport
The airport is 20 km from the popular beach town of Canggu and 37 km from Ubud. If your hotel does not offer a transfer option, you will rely on a taxi to get you to your accommodation. However, there are three ways to book a cab, each with pros and cons.
Airport Taxi (easiest) - As you exit the airport, you will come across small kiosks offering private transfers to your destination. Whilst this is the easiest option and usually guarantees you the best service, this is also the most expensive. They will give you a price upfront based on your destination, which generally isn’t negotiable.
Local Taxi - As you exit arrivals, you will be met with the “taxi mafia”, a crowd of drivers all trying to find their next fare. It can be pretty intimidating (and annoying) if you’ve just come off a long-haul flight and are swarmed with drivers trying to get you to go with them. But they are all nice enough in their way.
The taxi drivers here do not use a taximeter and are known for jacking up the usual price from anywhere between 2-3 times the price you should pay, so be prepared to negotiate and reach a price that you are both happy with.
“Grab” Taxi (recommended) - Grab is a ride-booking app like Uber but is the major player in Bali. Booking a ride is easy, hassle-free and the cheapest way to get a taxi from the airport. You just enter your destination, the app displays the price, and you meet your driver. You will, however, need to have an internet connection and have the app downloaded on your phone.
Android App - Grab
iPhone App - Grab
Vaccinations
Hepititas A/B (Recommended) - Hepititas A and B vaccinations are recommended for all travellers.
Japanese Encephalitis (Recommended) - Most visitors do not require Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis. But, if you visit for longer than four weeks and stay in rural areas, consider speaking to your doctor.
Typhoid (Recommend) - Typoid is recommended for travellers visiting smaller cities or rural areas.
Yellow Fever (Required/Recommended) - Yellow Fever is required if travelling from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. For all other countries, it is recommended.
Rabies (Optional) - Rabies has not historically been an issue in Bali but has become a problem in recent years. While vaccination may not be recommended for many people, it’s good to understand what to do if you are bitten or scratched by an animal.
Cholera (Optional) - An oral vaccine can prevent cholera, reducing the risk of travellers' diarrhoea and significantly reducing the risk of gastro.
Zika virus - There is no vaccination for the Zika virus, but transmission is possible in parts of Bali. For this reason, it is advised not to try for a baby for six months after visiting.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-transmitted infection that is becoming a major international health concern, with increasing outbreaks in many countries, including Bali. There is no vaccine yet for people that have not had Dengue before, but prevention is advised by avoiding mosquito bites with an appropriate repellant.
As always, consult a travel health professional before travelling and ensure you have travel health insurance to cover healthcare abroad.
Internet and Mobile
Telkonsel is the most stable network provider with the broadest coverage in Bali. It may cost slightly more than other providers, but it is highly recommended. 150,000 IDR (10 USD) will get you around 25GB of data with 25 minutes of local talk time. You can pick up a prepaid tourist sim just as you exit the airport but do expect to pay a slight “airport convenience tax”.
Drinking Water
Drinking tap water in Bali is not recommended, so avoid it and stick to sealed bottled water.
Food
Indonesia is an absolute mecca for fantastic food, and Bali is no different. Local Indonesian food can be found everywhere and is packed with fresh spices and herbs that create incredible depth and flavour, making it a foodie's dream vacation. Along with magnificient local dishes, there is a wide variety of restaurants bringing the best of international food directly to the island.
Some of our favourite dishes include; nasi goreng, Indonesia’s answer to fried rice; gado gado, a traditional Indonesian salad made of a selection of blanched vegetables; and, my personal favourite, beef rendang, a type of Indonesian curry.
For truly great local Indonesian and Balinese food, seek out one of the many “warungs” found throughout Bali. Warung in Balinese means “shop” but is more synonymous with “small traditional restaurant”. In these warungs, you’ll find plenty of local dishes that you can choose from, and many allow you to construct your meal in a buffet-style fashion. Also, they are one of the most affordable places to eat out.
Dressing Appropriately
Bali is a very liberal country regarding dress codes, and it is acceptable to wear shorts, t-shirts, tank tops and sleeveless tops throughout most of the island. The only acceptions are when visiting temples or religious sites. Both men and women are expected to wear long pants below the knee and shirts covering the shoulders and part of the upper arms.
As the climate can be hot and humid in Bali, you will generally not want to wear long pants, and it is commonplace for travellers to wrap a sarong around their waist to meet the required dress code.
Is Bali Safety?
Bali is consistently rated as one of the safest places to travel in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and it is rare for tourists ever to experience any issues. Most foreign governments will advise travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” when visiting Indonesia due to the risk of terrorist attacks. But Bali is one of the safest regions in the country, and this should be seen as cautious advice rather than a deterrent to visiting.
We have been to Bali many times over the years, including living in Canggu for six months, and have only ever experienced one instance of an attempted pick-pocket. It happened late one night as we were leaving a club in Kuta, and they got away with nothing. This also happened seven years ago! In our experience, this was an isolated instance, and we have not heard anything similar happening to anyone we know since.
That being said, petty crime does occur, just like in any other country, and you should always take standard precautions.
Plug Type
You can find both Type C and Type F plug sockets throughout Bali. These are the rounded two-pin style sockets found throughout Europe. The standard voltage is 230v with a frequency of 50 Hz. A travel adaptor with surge protection is recommended.
Getting Around
Bali does not have much of a public transportation system in place, at least not one you can reliably use on a daily basis. As you travel into the island for the first time, you will see that 90% of people are travelling around on mopeds. From locals to foreigners, this is the primary mode of transport around the island. You can easily hire a moped from many locations, from your hotel to local bike shops. Just speak to your host, and they will advise you where to get one from.
Prices vary, but these are relatively cheap, paying as little as 50,000 IDR (3.35 USD) daily. For longer rentals, prices can be negotiated with the supplier.
If you aren’t comfortable riding a motorbike yourself, you can always get around using “GoJek” or “Grab”. These services are similar to Uber but allow you to book a car or a motorbike to pick you up, which you can ride on the back of. Not only is this a fun way to go about the island, but it is also cheap and allows you to weave through the unprecedented amount of traffic that builds up in the busier areas.
Visa Information
Visa on Arrival is available for 80+ countries, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. For a complete and up-to-date list of visa requirements see Bali.com. No Visa is needed for ASEAN Countries & Timor Leste.