Author: Matt and Danielle
27 September 2023
You've seen all the Instagram and TikTok posts about the beautiful beaches, rice fields and waterfalls. You want a taste of that Bali life that you've seen and heard so much about. After taking the leap and buying your flight and booking your hotel you are finally heading to that beautiful island in Indonesia... Bali!
The Island Of The Gods is such a breathtaking place. It's full of so many dreamy spots, but how do you actually travel between them all? There are a few ways to get around Bali, so you can definitely find a way that works best for you. You'll be seeing all those places you've been dreaming of soon enough.
Here are all the best ways to get around the island.
If you haven't sorted out travel insurance already for your Bali trip then book that here now.
Renting a scooter is our personal favourite way to travel around Bali. By far, it gives you the most freedom. You can wake up one morning and decide then and there to go and see something you just discovered 5 minutes ago. It not only comes with the most freedom, but it is also the cheapest way to get around the island. It is important to know that it is actually illegal for tourists to ride a scooter in Bali without an international driving license. Some smaller bike rental companies will rent to you without asking to see this, but remember you always drive at your own risk. You can be subject to fines, and even jail in some cases. We are from the UK and got our licence from the Post Office. It's £5.50 and could save you a lot of hassle, so we would recommend getting this before visiting Asia in general. If you're coming from a different country then google how you can get your international license and you will be good to go.
Prices for a scooter will vary depending on how long you book, but you can get a good bike for 100K IDR per day (£5).
Always be careful when driving a scooter in any foreign country. In Bali, the roads can often be very bad. Potholes, sand, and dirt roads are common in a lot of places. It is also a very popular tourist destination, which means it gets busy. Bad, busy roads can be difficult even for experienced drivers. If you're not confident or have never ridden a bike or scooter before then don't feel that you need to hop on a scooter. There are still a lot of other great ways to travel around the island.
If you haven't guessed already, driving in Bali can be tough. You can avoid driving the dangerous and often busy roads yourself by hiring someone to do that for you. Having a driver take you around all the things you want to see and do is a great way to get around Bali. You still have plenty of freedom to start and finish at your preferred time of day, and you can hit all your top spots. It's one of the most popular options to get around, especially if it's your first time on the island. As long as you've done all your travel planning, and decided where and what you want to see then this is a great option during your stay in Bali.
It is more expensive than hiring a scooter because you also have to pay for the driver's time. A driver can cost around 500K IDR to 1.5 Million IDR per day. It all depends on how long you need them for and where you would like to go.
If you want all the freedom of getting around in Bali on a scooter, but none of the potential bumps and scrapes that can come along with it, then why not rent a car? This option is also great for families who are taking a trip to Bali. It'll help you get everyone to all the beautiful spots you've saved on your Google Maps, safe and sound. You can't scoot through the Bali traffic like you can on a bike, but at least everyone is that little bit safer. A car rental is definitely one of the safest ways to travel, but you still have to be careful of the busy roads and dreaded potholes.
Depending on the car you want, and how long you have it for will dictate how much you spend. As a rough guide, you can expect to pay about 500K IDR per day to hire a car.
Grab, Gojek and inDrive could soon become your new most-used apps in Bali. This is the easiest way to get from A to B if you're looking to take a day trip. If you're staying in any of the more popular places on the island then you can easily get a taxi to and from cafes, restaurants, bars and tourist spots. It's one of the easiest ways of getting around Bali for sure. Apps like Grab and Gojek are the most popular, however, inDrive has recently emerged as the new cheaper option. If you're looking to keep your costs low when you visit Bali then download all three to price check and pick the lowest fare.
This is the option we know the least about, as we haven't gotten much public transport in Bali. You can't get buses to waterfalls and beaches etc. but you can get them between different areas in Bali. If you're looking to travel between Uluwatu, Canggu, and Ubud for example, then you can find a bus, no problem. Getting a bus in Bali is by far the cheapest option available, but also the slowest. You can find some popular bus companies here if you're looking at ways you can travel around Bali on a budget. Buses often have many stops so be prepared to sit for a number of hours to get to even some of the closer places you may want to visit. If you're happy to spend a little bit more then it is much easier and faster to get any of the other transportation methods above.
If you're heading to Bali and planning on exploring the island as much as you can, then here are some apps to know about.
We've already mentioned the taxi apps above, but here are a few others to think about.
12Go Asia - This app is great if you would like to travel to some nearby islands during your Bali trip. If you want to take a ferry to the nearby Nusa Islands, or Gili's, then you can book it all through them.
Get Your Guide & Viator - These are both amazing for booking some of the best tours in Bali. If you're travelling in Bali and looking to take a boat trip or chase waterfalls for a day, then you can find some amazing tours here. Use both to compare prices and find the best trips.
Booking.com & Hotel World - If you're spending anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks in Bali then use these to book the best places possible. Want a villa with a pool or a cheaper hostel so you have more money to spend elsewhere? These apps will become your best friends. Always remember that Booking.com have mobile-only deals. If you book enough through them you can also get special Genius discounts.
Google Translate - The people in Bali generally know very good English so communication shouldn't be a big issue. If you want to venture out to other parts of Indonesia then you will need this.
Currency Converter - If it's your first time in Bali, or you haven't been in a while, then don't stress about paying Millions IDR for some things. Rather than frantically trying to work out how much things cost on the spot, use this super easy app. It's very accurate and works offline if you're somewhere remote. It's not specific to Indonesian currency either, it works with any currency anywhere. We use it all the time!
We hope you enjoyed our guide to getting around Bali in 2023. It is such an incredible island, and there are so many amazing things to do in Bali. Pick your preferred transportation option and then get out there and start ticking all of those spots off your bucket list. Whether you take a taxi or you end up driving a car or scooter it doesn't matter. You still get to see all the beautiful places Bali has to offer!
Looking for more information on different places in Bali? Check out our other blogs and guides here.
Have we given you the travel bug? Book your flights, accommodation and travel insurance all here.
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