1. Hire a private driver
This sounds like it would be really expensive but it’s actually not. For 12 hours and 2 passengers, this cost us $40 USD on Klook. Typically, 12 hours is the max, but you can pay extra per hour for overtime. If you need a car for a shorter amount of time, it’s also available in 6 and 10 hour increments. In my opinion, this is the best way to get around Bali. Public transportation isn’t too widely available. It’ll be difficult (and much more expensive) to rent a car just because the roads are very narrow and it seems hard to drive around. There’s also the motor bike, which is the most popular mode of transportation for locals, and more adventurous tourists, but we are not one of them. So a private car was our best option. It was super convenient to just hop into an air-conditioned car and have someone bring you wherever you want to, as spoiled as that sounds. The driver can take you to other areas of Bali as well. We used the service to get from one town to another. You just need to confirm with the tour company beforehand how far they can drive. Just remember to tip your drivers because that is where most of their earnings come from!
2. Pre-book your airport transfer
Of course, you have the option to just call a taxi but this will be much more expensive and you run the risk of being scammed. By pre-booking on Klook, we paid a total of $5 USD for 2 people to get from Denpasar Airport to Kuta, which was about a 20 minute ride. Customs and baggage took about an hour, since they also checked health documents (as of August 2022), so be sure to take that into account for your pick-up time
3. Use what’s app to communicate with locals
This was super convenient, and FREE! We used it anytime we needed to contact our driver, or they needed to get in touch with us
4. Dress code for temples is that your knees need to be covered
This applies to both men and women. Unlike Thailand, where temples require your knees and shoulders needed to be covered, they seemed less strict in Bali. Many temples have sarongs you can borrow during your visit but if you know you have plans to visit a temple on a certain day, plan/dress accordingly
5. Canang Sari is a Balinese daily offering
You’ll find these everywhere in homes, cars, shops, and especially temples. It’s a woven basket made from banana leaves filled with things like flowers, food, incense, grains of rice, and cash. It’s meant for the Balinese to express their gratitude to the Hindu Gods. Here is a pretty extensive article on the meaning, if you want to learn more
6. Weather in August is dry and hot
The temperatures don’t really fluctuate too much year round, but there is a dry and a wet season. Dry season is April to October, and wet season is November to March. T+L has a pretty solid article on when to go, based on the activities you want to do
7. Hotels are relatively cheap at the end of August/beginning of September.
This is when high season is just ending. For a ‘Deluxe Suite Rice Terrace’, with rice terrace views at the Puri Sebali Resort in Ubud, this cost us about $83 per night including taxes, and breakfast. A lot of hotels have a breakfast add on for a few USD per person, which I highly recommend. The food is pretty good and it’s just convenient not having to look for breakfast before you start your day
8. You’ll find warungs all over the island
Warungs are little roadside stalls that can be small eateries/cafes selling a quick meal, or a shop selling household goods. Some of the better food we ate while in Bali came from warungs. Just be careful if you have a weak stomach. Keep in mind that refrigerators are not common in Bali, so if you visit a warung later on in the day, the food has probably already been sitting out all day. That being said, the best time to get food would be in the morning, when it has been freshly made
9. Food delivery is pretty popular
‘Grab’ is the delivery service that is widely used. If you’re not staying right in town, where the restaurants are easily accessible, and you don’t want to dine at your hotel’s restaurant, the Grab app is a great option. But, it can take them a while to deliver. Most of the drivers are on motor bikes, so I’m not sure if that plays a factor. We ordered twice while we were staying in Nusa Dua and both times, it took two times longer than the quoted time. That could also just be because of where our resort was located, but still something to keep in mind
10. Massages are inexpensive
It reminded me of massages in Thailand. You’ll find massage parlors on every street, and it costs about $10 USD for a Balinese massage. Just make sure you do some research beforehand to ensure it’s legit
11. Tipping is not mandatory
Most restaurants add a service charge to the bill. However, it is always nice to include a tip if you enjoyed the service – especially for masseuses and drivers
12. The currency is the indonesian rupiah
Most stores in the touristy areas will accept credit cards. But if you are going to a warung, or a small business, make sure you have some cash on hand
13. The official language of indonesia is bahasa indonesia but in bali, it’s basa balinese
Most people we’ve encountered also speak English, or at least know basic phrases – enough to communicate
14. You don’t need to apply for a visa for short stays
You can get a VOA, or Visa On Arrival, which will cost $35 USD (as of August 2022). Be sure to use the QR code to fill out form online while you’re waiting to get to customs, in order to speed up the process
15. Download the PeduliLindungi app
This is a health app that you upload your vaccination details into. Certain public places require you to show this before entering, such as malls and supermarkets. Again, this was in 2022 so as with any country, it’s important to check the health/entry requirements prior to travel
16. Badung market is the largest market in bali
Located about a 7-min drive north of the Denpasar airport, you’ll find everything here. It’s a four-story building with lots of stalls offering produce/meat, fabrics, clothing, art and souvenirs. I was able to haggle and get a great deal on some Balinese wooden housewares
17. Bali is huge
I had no idea until I started researching for this trip. You wouldn’t be able to drive around the entire island in a day. It can take 5 hours just to drive from east to west. If you only have a few days in Bali, you may want to consider staying on one side of the island, which is what we did – and we had plenty of activities. I would say pick your top attractions, and use that as your jumping point
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