Bali Travel Tips

Bali is a beautiful combination of lush landscapes, sandy beaches and turquoise seas. You can shop for wonderfully cheap goods, lose yourself in spectacular forests, or just relax and soak up the sun. To ensure that you have the best experience possible, we ask that you read the following information carefully. Do not hesitate to Contact us if you have any queries

Visa Regulations

A 30-day visa on arrival is obtained in the arrival hall for and must be in USD $25.00. It is recommended that travelers have the exact US dollars cash available as not all entry points have bank facilities.

Departure Taxes

From Indonesia IDR200,000 (around $20) as at 1st April 2014

Currency and Exchange

The unit of currency is Indonesian Rupiah which is abbreviated to ‘IDR or Rp.’ Currency notes are issued in denominations of Rp 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000. Coins are issued in Rp 5,10,25,50 and 100. As at 1st April 2014 exchange rate was AUD$1 = 10,500 Rp.

Changing Money

There are a great number of registered money changers that offer very competitive exchange rates. We recommend changing money at BMC money changers as they are honest, have the best rates and are air conditioned.

Like many places around the world low life’s have put skimmers on ATM’s so try and use ATMs that have security guards on duty and if you must use another make sure you cover your hand when keying your pin.

[notification type=”notification_warning”]WARNING: When changing money, be very careful to check that correct money is given. Many money Changers will try to ‘confuse’ you and give less money than what is due. REMEMBER: IF IT LOOKS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS AND A FEW HUNDRED RUPIAH IS ONLY A FEW CENTS.[/notification]

Shopping

Some of the best buys in Bali include furniture, home wares, leather clothing, bags and wallets, casual clothing, paintings, wood and stone carvings and beautiful handcrafted gold and silver jewelry

Food

Bali has some of the world’s best restaurants, when you browse through our website, you can find plenty of information including our restaurant and shopping reviews. Our reviews will save you a heap of time as we constantly update the list. To eliminate or reduce the risk of Bali belly, use hand sanitiser before eating. Some of our must tries are Ultimo, Mamasan, Dahana, Sea Circus, Black Pepper, Beach House at Echo Beach, Gateway to India.

Climate

Straddling the equator, Indonesia tends to have a fairly even climate year-round, with an average temperature of about 28C. In the dry season between April to September, the weather is clear and dry. During the wet season, between October and March, the weather alternates between sudden showers and bright sunshine. It is a lot more humid during the wet season and that makes it seem hotter. In the mountain areas, the weather is cool and exhilarating.

Electricity

Electric power in Bali is 220 volts. All good hotels provide adapters, but it is advisable to take your own international plug converter. Normal outlets are plugs with two rounded pins.

Internet

Most restaurants, cafes and hotels have complimentary wifi the quality varies and can be very slow.

Mobile phone

Local prepaid Sim Cards are available at very reasonable rates, we use Simpati which has good rates and coverage. The cost is between Rp15,000 and 50,000 (AUD$1.50 to $5) with some credit and top ups are available everywhere. If calling overseas from Bali there is a cheap prefix 01017 then country code then number.

Taxis

We only use Blue Bird taxis as they are professional and won’t rip you off. There are many other taxis in Bali but many of them have dodgy meters, cars and can be very rude and aggressive. Flag fall is Rp5,000 and if you book by phone the minimum charge Rp25,000 which is about AUD$2.50. An example from Seminyak to the airport is around Rp60,000.

Private tour guides

There are many Tour guides or private drivers in Bali and of course the quality of service varies. Recommendations are the best way of finding a good driver, so talk to hotel staff or other guests and ask them. A general guide for price for 8 hours is Rp450,000 to 500,000, extra hours are an extra charge. Remember: that is only around AUD$50 for 8 hours so that is extremely good value for money.

Personal Safety

Bag snatchers are operating in Bali as they are in many other tourist hotspots around the world. Whether you are on foot or on a motorbike, secure your bag by having the strap over your head and keep the bag in front of you. If you are walking along the footpath, keep the bag on the opposite side of the traffic. Always use the safety deposit box supplied in your room by all good hotels.