I´ve been to Bali four or five times now, and it is still one of my favorite places to visit. I notoriously organized a ~20 person trip to Bali with a beautiful villa for my 30th birthday, which happened to be in April 2020 – so you can imagine how that turned out. I don´t think I will ever get over it.
That said, I have literally planned trips big and small to Bali, and therefore, I know a lot about visiting this incredible island, the precautions you should take, and what you should think about ahead of your trip to Bali
General
When planning a trip to Bali, there are a few things you should know. Bali is very used to tourism, but that also means some tourists act poorly and some locals take advantage of tourists. Bali a very competitive market with a huge reliance on tourism, so always remember to respect the culture and people, and most likely, they will also respect you. Finally, it´s important to remember that this is an island, so if you need certain items, you should bring them with you. It is not guaranteed you will find what you need or want on the island.
Top Tips for Your Trip to Bali
Visas
Good news! Most people can get into Bali without a visa or with a visa on arrival. In fact, almost everyone needs a visa on arrival, and you wait in line and pay for it before you go through passport control. It´s about $35 per person and you can pay with a credit card. Always check if you need a visa dependent on your country, but over 90 nationalities can stay for 30 days. Check out more and buy the visa on arrival in advance here.
Getting Around
You will need to get around in a car or by motorbike in Bali. I do not recommend renting a motorbike if you don´t know how to drive. Many tourists are an extreme nuisance because they don´t follow rules, wear helmets, etc. Be respectful of the locals. It´s easy to get around via Grab or Uber and many drivers will offer you tours or daily prices. We paid about $50-60 per day for a driver and usually just asked a Grab driver that we liked.
Taxi from Airport
This situation has gotten better, but for your first entry, I recommend having the hotel send a car and driver. It is very chaotic at the exit to the airport. It will be more expensive, but it´s safer and easier to get a car from the airport for the first trip to your hotel.
Language & Currency
You can get around easily enough with English in Bali because they´re very used to tourists. The local language is Bahasa, and it´s easy to pick up a few words. The currency is Indonesian rupiah and I recommend taking out money at the airport ATMs before you leave. Some atms run out of money and some can steal your credit cards. Always make sure you go to an ATM connected to a bank if you can. You will need cash.
Sim Cards
Sim cards for a week cost about $15 and you can get them right at the airport before you exit. I recommend doing this.
Logistics, Locations, and Hotels
Bali is a small island with a lot of cars and motorbikes and no public transportation. So getting around can be a challenge. For this reason, I recommend not planning too much in one day, and sticking to certain areas for several days at a time during yout trip to Bali. Otherwise, you might feel like you´ve spent more time in the car than on an island. There are also some specific places most people stay in Bali – I´ll go over the most popular ones below.
Canggu
I´ve always really liked Canggu, and if you are in your twenties/early thirties, it´s a great place to stay. There are a ton of restaurants and cafes, beach clubs, and places to go out at night. Every time I go back it gets more popular, and it´s arguably one of the most popular places to stay now. However, it´s still a bit less crowded and built up than Seminyak or Kuta. It´s especially good with a group of friends. Some of my favorite places are Old Man´s, La Brisa Beach Club, and Indigo Luna (a clothing store). Below are a few hotel recommendations. There are so many, and at any budget, so you really can´t go wrong.
- Adepa Resort – Technically located in Keraboken, but close to Canggu, we stayed here on our honeymoon. We had a private pool villa and it was a great idyllic choice.
- Leafy Lofts Canggu – Incredibly reviews and aesthetics and located not far from Batu Bolong Road, which is the main road in Canggu.
- Amandaya Canggu – If you´re looking for more of a hotel, this was also an option I looked at for our honeymoon that is in a great location.
- Chesa Canggu – For an option closer to the beach, this is a great hotel option.
Seminyak
Seminyak is the most popular choice on the island, and you will see that it is well-developed, and more like a small city than an island paradise. It has several roads with restaurants, a mall, cafes, shops, and more. I´ve stayed in Seminyak as well and if you´re with a multi-age group it´s nice because it´s a bit easier to get around than Canggu. It is, however, full of tourists and more expensive. When in Semiyak, don´t miss Revolver Espresso – one of my favorite places.
Ubud
Ubud is also evolving, but if you´re looking for yoga retreats and a jungle paradise, it can still be found here. It´s long been a retreat for hippies and all types of yogis. It is becoming much more built up, but if you get away from the main town, you can still find your idyllic jungle paradise. It´s also one of the best places for spas in my opinion. A few of my favorite places here are Yoga Barn (a cliche, but I don´t care), Seniman Coffee Company, and Bali Botanica Day Spa. I´ve been more times than I can count!
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is often the surfer´s paradise and has a more local feel to it. Located on the Southern tip of the island, it´s a bit more isolated, has many luxury resorts, and is a good day trip at a minimum. If you want to be out of the crowds, Uluwatu is a good option. We did a day trip to Uluwatu and booked VIP day beds at Sunday´s Beach Club. This is an amazing way to spend the day. I also love Finn´s Beach Club in Canggu. I would say Sunday´s is more chill and family friendly. Finn´s becomes more like a club, but it´s pretty chill during the day.
Villa on a Rice Paddy
Located in and around all of these locations are many villas. Renting villas for a week or a month is super popular in Bali. This was my plan for my 30th birthday, and there are some beautiful options in more isolated areas that allow you for privacy but also peace. It´s a great option for a family or group of friends. You will have to arrange transport to other locations, but it´s inexpensive and you often have to do this anywhere you stay.
I hope this information helps you on your next trip to Bali! For more, check out my other Bali posts:
- Five Days in Bali – An Itinerary
- A Day at Bali Botanical Day Spa (Coming Soon)
- A Visit to a Luwak (Poop) Coffee Farm (Coming Soon)
- Spending a Day at Sunday´s Beach Club in Uluwatu (Coming Soon)
