Bali travel guide: what to know before you go

Most visitors can get a visa on arrival in Bali. Everything important can be sorted online beforehand to skip the airport queues.

Passport

valid for at least 6 months from arrival

Visa on arrival

IDR 500,000 per person, children included; 30-day stay, extendable once for another 30 days

Bali tourist levy

IDR 150,000 per person, once per trip

Arrival card

All Indonesia Arrival Card – free, no earlier than 3 days before arrival

• We recommend applying for an e-VOA on the official site evisa.imigrasi.go.id at least 48 hours before departure. You can also pay at the airport, but expect a queue.
• You need a return or onward ticket.
• The All Indonesia Arrival Card combines the immigration, customs and health forms. Fill it in at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id or in the All Indonesia app. Every traveller, including children, gets their own QR code. Beware of unofficial sites that charge a fee.
• Pay the tourist levy on the official Love Bali portal (lovebali.baliprov.go.id) or app, and save the QR code on your phone, also as a screenshot.
• Overstaying costs IDR 1,000,000 per day.

Official sites: evisa.imigrasi.go.id (opens in a new window) · allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id (opens in a new window) · lovebali.baliprov.go.id (opens in a new window)

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Prices have lots of zeros – 100,000 IDR is a single banknote.

• Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and shops. You need cash for entrance fees, parking, markets, warungs (small local eateries) and on the islands.
• Only change money at official money changers, as the Bali Governor's guidelines also advise. Avoid “no commission” offers on the street.
• Use ATMs inside bank branches or shops rather than standalone roadside booths.
• Tipping isn't mandatory but is appreciated for good service.
• Bargaining is normal at markets – keep it friendly and fair.

Bali has no practical public transport. Visitors get around with a private driver, ride-hailing apps or by scooter.

• Grab and Gojek work as taxi and scooter-taxi apps with upfront prices, and they deliver food too.
• For full-day trips a car with a driver is the most comfortable option – transport is included on most of the tours we list.
• Scooters: the Bali Governor's 2025 guidelines prohibit foreigners from riding without a valid licence. You need a motorcycle licence plus an International Driving Permit, and always a helmet. Check that your insurance covers scooter riding.
• Fast boats run from Sanur to Nusa Penida and Lembongan, and from Padang Bai to the Gili Islands and Lombok. Sailings are cancelled in high swell.
• Traffic jams are common in the south – allow plenty of time for flights and boats.

It's warm all year round, around 30 °C. The main difference is the rain.

Dry season

roughly April – October

Wet season

roughly November – March, showers mostly in the afternoon

Busiest months

July, August and Christmas

Nyepi 2027

Monday 8 March 2027 – Day of Silence, airport closed

• It's cooler in the mountains (Batur, Munduk), especially in the mornings and evenings.
• Nyepi is the Balinese New Year and a day of total silence: nobody leaves their accommodation, lights stay off, there's no traffic and the airport closes for 24 hours (6:00 to 6:00). The evening before, villages parade giant ogoh-ogoh effigies.
• The west coast (Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu) has strong waves and currents – swim between the flags near lifeguards.

Bali is a safe destination, but the tropical climate has its own rules.

• Ask a travel clinic which vaccinations are recommended for you before you go.
• Dengue fever, spread by mosquitoes, occurs on Bali – use repellent, especially in the morning and late afternoon.
• Don't drink tap water, not even for brushing teeth. Stick to bottled or filtered water.
• Travel insurance with medical cover is essential. If you plan to snorkel, raft or ride a scooter, check that your policy covers it.
• The sun is strong even when it's cloudy – high-factor sunscreen, a hat and plenty of fluids.

Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés, but mobile data is worth having for day trips.

• The easiest option is an eSIM bought in advance, or a local SIM at the airport or in a shop (you need your passport).
• Download Grab or Gojek, offline maps and WhatsApp before you go – drivers and tour operators communicate via WhatsApp.
• Mobile internet is usually switched off on Nyepi.

Bali is a Hindu island and ceremonies are part of daily life. Respect is returned with smiles.

• Cover up for temples – a sarong and sash are often lent at the entrance.
• Don't step on the small flower offerings (canang sari) on the ground and pavements.
• No inappropriate photos at sacred sites, and don't post them – Bali enforces this strictly.
• Use bins for litter. Drug offences are punished very severely in Indonesia.
• If a ceremonial procession is on the road, wait – don't overtake it.
• Macaques in Uluwatu and Ubud grab sunglasses, hats and phones.

Bali is great for families: warm sea, animals, waterfalls and locals who adore children.

• The calmer beaches for swimming are in the south-east (Sanur, Nusa Dua). Waves and currents are stronger in the west.
• Each tour page lists the minimum age and who it isn't suitable for.
• Child car seats aren't standard – request one in advance.
• Children also need the visa, tourist levy and arrival card.

Electricity

230 V, type C and F sockets (European two-pin) – UK, US and Australian plugs need an adapter

Time zone

WITA (UTC+8), no daylight saving time

Emergency number

112