If you follow me on Instagram (you should if you don’t), you know I was in Bali for a few days during the month of April. As this was my first “big girl” trip, I thought I could give you some interesting insights if you are also planning to travel to Bali, but have no idea where to start.

The Weather

Bali is an island in Indonesia, and as such, it’s climate is a bit different from what we are used to over here in Europe. You will not find the traditional 4 seasons you might be used to. In Bali, you can say they have two seasons: Dry and Rainy.

Dry Season: April to September
Rainy Season: September to April

The temperature is always pretty high, between 20 to 35 degrees (Celsius), and it’s mostly always pretty humid, so get ready to sweat!

If you are scared about the rainy season though, don’t worry! Rain in Bali comes and goes really fast. It might be raining one minute and sun will come out in the next.

When to Go

I guess this would be a personal opinion, because it really depends on what you are looking to do in Bali! But I would say between late April to early June, and maybe September to November.

This way, you can avoid the rainy season and avoid the touristy season (which means more people and higher prices).

Let me just tell you though, I went in April to Bali, and noticed that some of the main tourist attractions were still not “tourism ready”. Places like Kelingking Beach or Campuhan Ridge walk were still covered in bushes and vegetations, and did not look like the typical photos you are used to see online.

Entry Requirements

I can only speak as a Portuguese national, of course, but to go to Bali you need to get a visa and take your passport with you.

This is what I did, which can differ depending on your nationality.

I was able to request a e-VoA (Electronic Visa on Arrival) through the official immigration website https://molina.imigrasi.go.id.

All you need to do is fill out a form with your personal details, the details of your trip, and submit and pay for the visa.

I paid 519 500 IDR (31.95 EUR) for the visa, which was sent to me right after the payment was accepted.

You will need to show your passport and visa before leaving the airport, but they might make some other questions regarding your stay or ask you to show them your return ticket, so make sure you have all your information ready before going through immigration.

ALSO… I got some questions via Instagram about the COVID19 requirements. Don’t quote me on this, and please make sure to check if there are any updates on this situation before you book your trip, but, as far as I know,

If you are FULLY vaccinated: You can travel to Bali, no PCR tests or quarantine required;
If you are UNVACCINATED, but have a medical exemption letter: You can travel to Bali if you are unvaccinated but have a medical reason to justify this. You will need an exemption letter from your doctor to prove this. No need for a PCR test or quarantine either.
If you are UNVACCINATED: Without the medical exemption letter, you will not be able to travel to Bali.

Transportation

This is, in my opinion, a very important subject, since you will not find a lot of public transportation in Bali. So, if you want to properly explore the island, you have a few options!

Driving

Driving in Bali basically means driving a scooter, however, it comes with a few very important ifs.

First you need to remember that in you are in South East Asia, and the way you will drive here is going to be a bit different than what you are used to back home. The roads are super small, and in some places, not the best, so driving can be challenging in itself. However, the most challenging part, in my opinion, is the traffic. Especially in areas like Canggu or Ubud, the traffic can get pretty maddening at times. You will see scooters appearing from left and right, all trying to go around cars and other scooters. A one car lane will suddenly become a 5 scooter lane, and it can get very overwhelming making sure you see everyone and what they are doing.

Depending on where you are from, you should also remember that in Indonesia they drive on the left side of the road, which can cause some extra confusion.

I would not advise you to come to Bali and rent a scooter if you do not have any practice driving one (believe me, I tried and fell). However, in case you truly must, try to book a X-hour class. There are some in Canggu on Airbnb experiences. You can book a class with someone from Bali, and in a few hours they will teach you the basics of driving a scooter.

ALSO, remember that you do need an international driving license to drive in Bali. Although no one is going to ask to see it to rent the scooter, if you are stopped by the police and are driving without it, you can get in trouble.

Overall, if you choose to drive in Bali, please be SAFE!

Taxis and Private Drivers

This would be your other option in case you do not want to go with the scooter rental option. Once you get to Bali, one thing you’ll notice is that everyone and their mother will ask you if you need a taxi. It can get borderline scary - I’ve had people following me and asking me about where I was going and who was my taxi driver.

You can negotiate a price with the drivers before you start your journey, however, since I’m not much of a negotiator (anxiety and all), I preferred Uber… or should I say, Uber-like platforms.

Uber does NOT operate in Bali, so no need to update your app before you go there. They have two very similar apps though: Graab and Gojeck. You can order a ride either by requesting a car, or a scooter. If you request a scooter, the ride will be cheaper obviously and you will ride as a passenger of your driver. If you request a car, well, you will get a car.

PRO TIP: Be careful where you are going. Some places are too isolated and the app will not find any drivers when you want to go back to the Hotel. This happened to me when I went to the mountains. I was able to get a driver to get there, but to leave, it was a big trouble. If you are going to the mountains, make sure to plan ahead. Some drivers will even give you their contact in case you need them again.

Health Insurance

Ok, story time, and don’t laugh, because this will sound pretty absurd. While I was in Canggu, I fell in a hole. Literally, a hole on the sidewalk. And it was a huge hole too, pretty sure it was the entrance to hell.

As a result, I got a bit hurt and needed to go to the Hospital.

Bali is an incredible place, truly, I cannot wait to go back again and again, but the island is actively trying to kill you ahahahaha.

Between the crazy traffic, the tropical (sometimes poisonous) animals and the holes on the sidewalk, it can be a dangerous place to be. So, as a foreigner, I made to sure to get travel Insurance before I went. Regrettably, I ended up needing it, and I was so grateful that I had it.

I was able to go to the Hospital, get an X-ray and my wounds healed, and have my Insurance provider take care of the rest.

I got my travel Insurance from Revolut (https://www.revolut.com/en-PT/news/revolut_premium_and_metal_account_holders_now_have_travel_insurance_benefits_from_allianz_partners/), and can say it was pretty easy to submit my claim. Just make sure you keep all the documentation from your visit to the Hospital!

Also, in case you don’t know how this works, you usually pay the bill yourself, and then submit a claim, in order to have the Insurance refund you the amount.

Shout out to everyone at the Hospital I went to, the BIMC Hospital. Everyone spoke great English, and the service was absolutely brilliant. Hopefully not, but if you need to go to the Hospital during your stay in Bali, I would really recommend them https://bimcbali.com.

Money

In Indonesia the official currency is IDR or Indonesian Rupiah, which means that in Bali you will make your payments in IDR. Although some areas of Bali are already a bit more developed and you will find a lot of spaces where you can make purchases with your card, some places only take cash payments. Make sure to withdraw some money whenever you can, as it is not always so easy to find an ATM machine.

Mosquitos

Be careful with the mosquitos in Bali! As this is a tropical country, you might encounter some mosquitos carrying Dengue, Zika or Chikungunya. If you are prone to be bitten by mosquitos, and even if you are not, just to be safe, make sure you take with you some mosquito repellent.

Becase I was living in Sweden before leaving to Bali, I ended up buying a roll-on repellent there. I usually used it on my skin right before going to sleep, and before leaving the hotel. It lasted the whole trip!

Pretty sure it worked too, because when I woke up, I always saw a bunch of dead mosquitos on my bed!

Pretty sure I have covered all the basics about what you need to know when traveling to Bali, but hey, if you have any questions or doubts, you can always contact me either by using the contact box on the website, or sending me a DM on Instagram! I’ll try to help as best as I can!

Anything I’ve missed? Are planning on going to Bali anytime soon? Let me know in the comments!

xo,

Leo!

Travel to Bali: what to know