A question, many times overlooked, is “how do I get from A to B when I am on Bali?”.
Transportation can make or break a holiday. Whether it’s getting from the hotel to the beach, to restaurants and shops or how to get to the attractions and sites. In Bali, it’s easy to misjudge walking distance for example, and if you are not choosing your accommodation wisely you might end up walking in the heat far too long.
What method of transportation is best for you depends on factors such as your location preferences, your budget, your ability to ride a scooter, and event the time of the day.
To rent a scooter or motorbike in Bali is great. It’s fun, cheap, and gives you a lot of freedom to go to the restaurants, beaches, shops etc nearby, without always needing to find a taxi or getting Uber or Grab Taxi (which is not available everywhere). It’s also a great option to pack your backpack for a few days and go on a little island tour.
For your own safety we suggest to rent from places that have a good track record, offer insurances and support, even if this would cost a couple of bucks more than the many “hole-in-the-wall-shops” would charge you. Check out Bikago, for us the most reliable and safe rental place on the island.
The traffic in Bali is, let’s say, “different” than what most visitors are used to. It simply has nothing to do with the traffic in Australia, US, Europe, Japan etc. Particularly if you intend to rent a scooter, you need to be careful and alert and know a few things that keep you safe. We gathered a few tips for you that should help you to avoid getting injured, which is not a fun thing to do, particularly when you are far away from home.
Must-know Tips on Bali’s Traffic and on renting a motorbike/ scooter
Bali has many drivers with decent cars ready to offer you their services. You can often simply not miss them. Particularly in the more popular destinations like Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak etc. you will be asked very often by simply walking around if you need “TRANSPORT”.
These drivers are usually locals from that area where they operate and part of the local community. Some of these communities even have organised driver associations that determine the quality of the cars and check that these guys are behaving properly, and are also registered. The problem is, that it’s sometimes difficult to know what’s the correct price for your drop off; and like in any popular tourism destination in the world, travelers can get overcharged if they don’t know the fair price for a service. Particularly at night when alcohol plays a role.
Uber is not operating anymore in Bali, but there are two amazing transportation apps that allow you to rent Motorbike-Taxis and Cars online, where the prices are transparent and the service excellent. Problem is, that in some areas they are “hated” by the local driver communities and sometimes even beaten up, if they enter their “territory”. However over the last couple of years during Covid this has subdued and you can get book a transportation online without problems. In Ubud and Sanur the local drivers are still a bit problematic while actually most of them became already GoJek and or Grab drivers and therefore have to provide good service at competitive prices.
For short distances, you can order a scooter-taxi, GoJek (preferred) & Grab. They are really cheap, provide a helmet and can avoid the main roads where traffic is often too much to bare. For longer distances or if you have luggage etc then order a GoCar online.
For tours and longer distances, we recommend you to hire a car WITH driver (see below). We will soon relaunch our online shop for tours and car rentals from trustworthy operators, that pay their employees a fair salary, pay their taxes, service their cars, have all permits in place, and make sure you are well-taken care of.
The most reliable taxi company with metered taxis is BLUEBIRD. We suggest to only use them. You can stop them on the road or these days you can also order one through the GOJEK App (GO-CAR).
Taxis are plenty in the touristic areas, but often hard to come by in remote areas. Thats when you best have your GOJEK app ready and order a Go-CAR or ask the hotel reception to get you a Blue Bird Taxi.
Bali has been a major tourist destination since decades. The island can be reached quite easily from almost any place in the world. Many airlines offer direct flights or take you to Bali with one-stop (Jakarta (ID), Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hongkong, Dubai, Qatar, Mumbay, etc). Bali is also a great hub to other destinations, and many excellent low-cost carriers provide cheap flight tickets to almost anywhere in the region. India and China are getting better connections to service the increasing demand from these countries.
Have a brief look at our selection of budget airlines that service Bali Denpasar (DPS) and fly to other amazing destinations within Indonesia and “nearby”. Particularly the ones who fly between Bali and KL, Australia, and Bali and Singapore are often used.
Some travellers book a flight to Singapore, KL or even Hongkong; spend a couple of days there, then continue flying to Bali. Or take a short trip to other islands and explore more of Indonesia adding another destination during their “Bali-Trip”.
List of Best Budget Airlines flying to Bali
How to Rent a Scooter & Motor Bike in Bali
Tips on Riding Motor-Scooters Safely
Jl. Bumbak 55
Kerobokan Kelod, Bali 80361
+62 (0)813 5368 4470
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