Not to worry as we've got you our Bali Survival Kit so as to keep you grounded, have an ease to your mind and enjoy your time here.
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General Tips
Prepaid SIM card
While in Bali, you will definitely need a line to call back home either cos you miss your family or you just wanna brag about you having fun in Bali. :)
For travellers,you are able to purchase a prepaid card ( kartu prabayar in bahasa) without any identification needed. Card can cost as much as 50k rp to 100k rp, in which the card itself cost 25rp and balance is credited to your prepaid card (e.g 100k rp card will have 75k rp in it).
Get a Simpati or Mentari prepaid card as they have been known to be more reliable. To save cost, you can use their VOIP(Voice over internet protocol) method of calling. Usually the VOIP code is listed on the packaging of your new card. You can refer to this article for the code.
Once you run out of credit,simply go to any phone shops (they are practically in every corner) and ask for a credit top up ( simply tambah pulsa in bahasa) and the guy at the counter will be willing to assist you with the top up.
If you are using a 3G phone,get a Mentari prepaid card as it allows you to connect to the internet with your gprs. This might me handy if you need to have an internet connection to refer to documents or maps or just plain FBing on the go.
Internet connection
If you are someone who can't live without the internet, not to worry as there are internet cafe/shops all around in Kuta/Seminyak area. If you are somewhere less developed than Kuta or Seminyak, usually you can get internet connection through the hotel but usually for quite an absurd fee. Some of these places have internet cafe/shops but usually charge a little bit higher than Kuta/Seminyak area.
Some of the restaurants also provide free Wi-Fi connection usually they'll have a sign at their shops indicating this.
Money Changer
I would recommend you to get your money change in your own country as the rates, most of the time is a little bit better of than changing in Bali. Click here to see currency exchange rates.
Be aware that some money changers do take some commission. Most of these money changers will quote you a very good exchange rate. So when you feel that something is too good to be true,just avoid them because they will then take a commission and in the end you've got a worse off rate.
Make sure that you count your money in front of money changers to show that the money exchanged is correct as there are some cases where tourist got conned or their money "magically" disappeared, getting less than they should. Take note of 10k and 100k notes as they look almost similar. Just check that you've got the right amount after any transaction.
I would recommend going to money changers inside Kodak shops usually a PT Central Kuta or PT Balidavalas money changer. They are reliable as they give out receipts and need traveler 's signature to acknowledge the transaction ( I think that this is a mechanism for their bosses to check,so there is little room to con tourists).
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Transportation
So you are wondering as to how to get around this island to places of interest or anywhere for that matter.
Taxis
Taxis are the best way to get around Bali. Most taxis are metered but somehow most of them prefer to negotiate with you to get a flat rate to the place. I assume that usually the price negotiated is more than when using a meter.
The starting flag fall charge is Rp 5,000 for the first 2 km and the meter ticks up Rp 5,000 per km after that. Waiting time is charged at Rp 20,000 per hour. Always try to get a Blue bird taxi as they are more reliable and more often then not, they'll on the meter without you prompting. You can also make advance booking with Blue bird @ +62 361 701111.
If you got other taxis, be sure to ask if the driver is ok with using meter, if not, be sure that you preagree a price (which you deemed fair of course) to your destination. Failing to do so will land you into big trouble as some of the taxi drivers may demand a hefty sum to be paid once you are at your destination and he might just create problems for you.
If you are travelling for the whole day, a day charter of the taxi or getting a personal driver would be the better choice and can be cheaper than going around Bali in metered taxis.
Personal drivers
If you are planning a day of sightseeing, getting a personal driver is your best bet. Not to worry as there are many of them around usually hustling by the roadside. Usually they will ask you if you would like to get transport...literally saying "transpot , transpot".. These are the guys you want to get a deal with.
Whole day transportation price is between 300k to 600k rp depending on the vehicle and of course your bargaining skills....hey you are in Bali, bargaining is part of the culture.
Personally I would never hire the driver if he quoted for more than 450k rp a day (usually I try to get 300k rp for the day) . But again, make the deal if you think its fair price.
Bus
What other way do you get around Bali if you are on a tight budget or when travelling alone/in pairs? Not to worry as Bali has a few private companies operating bus service to major areas.
One of the most trustworthy and reliable operator is Perama. Check out their bus fares and rates to your destination from where you are.
Bemos
Bemos are basically mini vans that operates much like your public buses. They are color coded based on the routes that they go through. Usually it is not a choice by tourist as it may be uncomfortable,slow and cramped. For those adventurous ones, click here for more details on color coding and the different bemo stops.
"Ojek" aka motor taxi
Another alternative to these transportation service is to hitch a ride on a motocyle's back or known as ojeks (motorcycle taxis). This mode of transport is best taken if you want to avoid from traffic jams and also if you are going to narrow "gangs" (street/alley). This mode of getting around is very popular around Kuta-Seminyak area.
There are official motor taxi (usually has a sign on their motorbikes and wears a vest) as well as freelanced ones. Pre agree a price before you take a ride with the ojek. Usually to somewhere near would be 10k rp. From Kuta to Seminyak you should pay around 20k rp max.
I do hear some people charter these ojek for a day trip. Usually would cost you about 100k rp per day. But since its good business for these ojeks to operate within Kuta Seminyak,I guess lesser of them would be willing to charter for a 1 day service to go around Bali. However you could ask around if any of the ojeks is willing to offer the service.
Car Rental
Fancy exploring yourselves in paradise island? There's plenty of car hire company around especially if you are in the Kuta area. You could also google on the different company providing car rental services. Most recommend autobali as their prices are good and hassle free transaction.
You'll definitely need an international driving license to rent the car and a map to aid in your journey.
Do take note that you should ask if the car is covered by insurance in case of any accidents. Also get a map or gps system to help you get around in Bali as some of the roads are confusing. Some places requires "parking fees" to the man who guides you to park your vehicles, usually fees will be around 1k to 10k rp....
Motorcycle rental
If you want to travel light and be able to explore the "untouristy" areas in Bali , get yourself a motorcycle to travel around this island. Usually will cost between 30k to 50k rp per day depending on bike condition and again you haggling skills.There's plenty bike rental services offered around Kuta, Seminyak and other touristy areas.
Be sure that you've got your driving license and wear a helmet will on the bike as the traffic police might stop you and request for your license.
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Shopping
Bargain! Bargain! Bargain!
Once you are in Bali there's always that some thing that you will want to buy as a memento or souvenir to bring back home. With various markets,factory outlets and shopping centers, you'll definitely be spoilt for choice.
One thing to note that most of the markets in Bali do not have fixed price on the items. So the price of what you are paying depends on how hard or skillful your bargaining skills are. As a general rule you should start at 50%-60% of the price being offered to you and work the price up from there. It is also important to register a price that you are willing to pay for the item, where in any case that the seller quoted more than what you are comfortable paying, just walk away from the shop and to your surprise the seller might just call you and give the price you wanted. Generally you can also get a cheaper price if you are buying something in bulk.
For those who are not comfortable bargaining there's always fixed price shop and shopping centers in Bali such as Discovery Mall. For those who still wants to shop at the markets without being overcharged, you can use Don's price guide as a reference for the prices. Do note that prices may be 5k to 10k rp more than what is on the list. Ultimately, it is what you think is fair price for the item.
Souvenir Shops
For those who are more comfortable with fixed price shopping, you might want to get your Bali mementos at souvenir shop such as Kampong Bali, Krisna, Biarritz & Hawaii Bali. My personal experience is that items are definitely much much more cheaper than the markets. So if you plan to get lots of gifts,these are the place you should head to first.
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Activities
There's always so much things to do in Bali yet so little time. Here is a compilation of some of the activities you can do while in Bali.
1. Surfing
2. Shopping
3. Water Sports
4.Snorkeling / Diving
5. Water Rafting
6. Biking
7. Trekking / Hiking
8. Sightseeing
9. Fishing
10. Just Laze around and enjoy your time in Bali
11. Cooking Lessons
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Tour Suggestions
While in Bali do carefully plan your itenary and decide on which are the places you want to visit so that you can fully maximize and utilize the time while you're there. The best way to do a tour is to get a personal driver and plan together with them as they might know some places along the way that they can bring you to.
Some of the "must go" places of interest are tanah lot,lake bratan (chandi kuning fruit market) ubud art market, kintamani and watching kecak dance at uluwatu.
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| Bali Tourist Map |
Below are some of the suggestion of tour routes from Kuta (assuming that most tourist have their base in Kuta).
- Kuta - Taman Ayun - Ubud - Tampak Siring - Tanah Lot - Kuta
- Kuta - Taman Ayun - Lake Bratan - Kintamani - Kuta
- Kuta - Tanah Lot - Kecak @ Uluwatu - Jimbaran (seafood)
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Stays
I recommend that you pre book hotels for your stay in Bali using hotel aggregator sites
1. AsiaRooms
2. Zuji
3. Agoda.
4. Villa Booking | PoolVillas
5. Losmen (Homestays)
One alternative is to rent people's home through AirBnB website.
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Eats
There are numerous restaurants, warungs or simple pushcarts where you can experiment with your taste buds from spicy local Indonesian food to western and even Japanese food. The influx of tourists to Bali create a vibrant food and beverage industry and culture.
To get to know where to dine and have your wonderful meal,check these sites out to get reviews on restaurants you wanna go to.
1. BaliEats
2. Frommers Bali Restaurant Listing
3. Bali Restaurant Finder
4. Nile Guide - Restaurants
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Contacts
While you are in Bali there are several number you should take note in case of emergencies.
Here are the numbers you need to reach the tourist police and take note of some of common criminal vices in Bali and what should you do if you encounter them.
Bali
Tourist Police Kuta (0361) 7845988
Airport Tourist Police (0361) 751023
A comprehensive contacts that you might need to know (embassies,hospitals, police) compiled by wikitravel.
A comprehensive contacts that you might need to know (embassies,hospitals, police) compiled by wikitravel.
