While Bali is a popular destination, there’s a lot which vacationers do not get to know before it’s too late. Here we have covered the essentials, suggested an itinerary which you may mix-n-match and use our #ProTips to have a super vacation! Go On…
If you were born between 1985 to 1990, the last six months would have been quite memorable for you. Especially with your Facebook timeline full of couples getting married & laid in exotic locations! Now if you cared enough to notice, you might have found ‘Bali’ getting repeated more often than other places. If it’s not the case, listen to Indonesian Tourism claim this year – “India is the fastest growing market for Bali Tourism among the world“. And yes, there are some valid reasons for it!
This article will try to explain what makes this place so different and convenient for Indian couples looking for a relaxing vacation abroad and for single wanderers who are looking for tranquility and adventure in the same spot. Before I finally chose Bali for my honeymoon destination, I researched thoroughly for one good month and ever since then I have guided people for their honeymoon in Bali. 🙂
If you’re still contemplating whether or not Bali is the destination you want to choose for your next vacation, check out what turned the scales in its favour for me. Scroll down further for a detailed itinerary for a 6N/7D Vacation in Bali as well as special #ProTips to make sure you travel like a pro.
Why I chose it
When I started looking for destinations, I had three constraints:
- Budget (capped to approx. INR 1.5 lacs for 2)
- Time (precious 6 days approved leave from work; As an MT you don’t get many!)
- Not Explored by me before (This one came from my clever better half eliminating most of the worthy Indian destinations like Kerala, North East and Andaman)
So with these constraints, I was left with South East Asia and some pieces of Europe & Africa floating in Indian Ocean. Selecting Bali out of the likes of Maldives, Seychelles, and Venice was difficult but pros of Bali were way too many for me to ignore. Here are a few:
The Convenience – Visa waived for Indian Tourist !
It can be a life saver if you don’t usually plan your vacation in advance. Just book your plane tickets and board the plane.
Tonnes of stuff to do – No compromises!
Has anyone asked you this – Are you a hill station person or a beach person? In Bali, you no longer have to make a compromise by answering such questions. From forested volcanoes to iconic beaches, from serene temples to noisy parties, from deep-sea scuba to open river rafting and from renting a city bike to cycling in a rice paddy farms, Bali has all and much more than you already knew!
Affordable Villas with Private Pool
Believe me; this is something which few places can offer at such low-cost. Private luxury villas range start from as low as Rs. 5000 per day. If you think it’s expensive, try Maldives!
The Balinese Indian Connection
Balinese likes Indians a lot. Almost every other person knows SRK & Amitabh Bachchan and can pull a ‘Kuch kuch Hota hai’ in front of you just to remind their love towards Bollywood.
The 6N/7D Itinerary & #ProTips
While that was just a short glimpse of what Bali has to offer and why it interested me in particular, here’s a detailed guide to help you plan your vacation and make the most out of it. Continue to the Itinerary & #ProTips >
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Travellers' Appetite 
Nicely explained. Very good for new persons planing to visit Indonesia…
thanks 🙂
Hi Abhinav. Where should we get the currency exchanged. I heard in Bali different money exchangers charge difference charges.
what was your total expense….excluding flight
It was around 80k for 2 persons.
How much does it actually cost with flights? (For 2)
80k means approx 1 crore 68 lack indonesian rs. You spend. Can’t you bye a big property there?
Dear Abhinav
I am traveling to bali on 2 July 2016, please advise how is the immigration process, is it true that we Indians do not require visa on arrival in Bali and we can directly go to the immigration counters for the passport stamping. How much time does the whole process take.
Kailash
Hi Kailash
Indian passport holders don’t need a visa and hence no fee. Immigration stamp would usually take 5-10 minutes depending upon the queue in front of you. Besides that there is no other formality to be completed. All the best for your trip.
Hi Abhinav,
Please clarify if there is any amount needs to be paid some (25$). One of my friend had to pay some amount as fees. Also in return around 12K Rph he paid.
Thanks
The on arrival visa was waived off some where during the year 2015. Tourist visiting before policy change should have paid. No amount to be paid if you are visiting in 2016.
hey, thanks for this article, even though there are no visa fees, do we need to carry proof of funds, other documents for the visa stamp?
Hi Abhinav,
I have two quick questions about my trip to Bali later this month.
1.) I am taking Malindo air to Bali with transit from Kuala Lumpur. The waiting time between the connecting flights is not more than 5 hours both ways and i do not intend to step out of KL airport. Do i need a transit visa in this case?
2.) I have always traveled abroad with a valid visa on my passport which has never led to a query by the Immigration at the Indian airports. In this case, since I will not have a visa stamp for Indonesia on my passport, how the immigration officer at the IGI Delhi airport is likely to react? Will he just stamp your passport and let you pass because he knows that for Indonesia visa is not required? I mean what was your experience?
Thanks in advance..
cheers
Naveen
Hi Naveen, I took the same flight from malindo with a layover at KL. No transit visa is needed as you will pass through ‘international transfers’ section of airport. Just look for the board nd keep following the direction.
For second query, immigration officer knows about visa requirement in Bali(Indonesia). Its part of his job right! In my case he just asked about details of my return flight and my duration of stay making sure I have plans to return.
Thanks so much for the info! and hey great blog though, i am taking the print out of the some pages and pro-tips along to make maximum of the given information.
cheers
Great to know! cheers 🙂
Hi Abhinav. Really great info. I am also looking forward to go to Bali for my honeymoon.
I have some questions which I am hoping you can provide some insights on.
1. I am a freelance web developer and my would be wife is a manager in a PSU bank. What documents will we need to carry with us for the purpose of visiting Bali? Since you mentioned that visa fee is waived off, does that means we just have to buy a ticket and enter the country,no documents like ITR and letter of permission from employer is needed ?
2. Regarding the currency that needs to be carried there, where should I do that? Currency conversion?
3. The sim card that you mentioned, from where you bought it and how much time it took to get activated ?
Hi Sunny
Here you go:
1) No documents are needed for you and your wife except hotel confirmation voucher & return ticket. That too will be checked at only Indian Immigration.
2) Currency conversion you can go to any official currency exchange shops. You may find one at most of the tourist spots. Ask your guide or cab driver to take you to nearest currency exchange. I bought it from one shop my guide knew on my way from airport to Nusa Dua.
3) Again, I got it from a local shop on my way to hotel. Of-course my driver knew the place.
Hai, Sunny
My name is Yoga, i would like to say thanks for interesting came to Bali,
Will make everything special for you.
Hi Yoga,
May i please get your Watsapp Number(Sorry, couldnot find it on this page). I have planned to visit Bali in October and would surely need your help!
Hi Indria,
With my pleasure i would like to share my WA number +6287861984833
Hey Abhinav,
Thanks for the detailed first hand information. Could you please help me with few quick questions please?
To give you some background, I will be travelling to Bali later this month with my wife.
1. Is there a place to store your stuff at beaches given we would have cash / mobiles / camera with us, but would also like to enjoy the water?
2. What is the best way for an airport transfer to Seminyak region? Heard Uber / Bluebird are not allowed to operate in the airport area? We plan to spend our 1st day resting at beach so hiring a full day car wouldn’t make any economic sense.
3. Is it worth visiting Mt. Batur if we are not interested in a hike? I mean its pretty far from the main city, so just want to make sure it is worth the time and money.
Thanks in advance!
Ankit
Hi Ankit
Thanks for your comment. Here you go:
1) There are no dedicated lockers for this at least in Kuta & Jimbaran beach. However, you can keep your stuff with any shack/restaurant you just had food/drinks with or keep it at an eye’s distance on beach. But for things like cash, camera & wallets you should ideally keep it in any cab you have hired for a day or at your hotel if it is at walking distance from your beach.
2) You can book airport transfers from your hotel or any other cab provider. Single transfer would cost you less than 150.000 IDR(750 INR). You may ask Yoga whose number I have shared in blog.
3) For mount Batur, you only get a mountain in your background from the viewing point which I did not find impressive. Hence, you may skip it unless you plan to hike it.
Perfect – thanks for your help Abhinav! Have booked Yoga for my trip 🙂
Great! Good to know. Happy travelling 🙂
Hey Abhinav,
Can you share Yoga’s number please? As mentioned above, I have planned to visit Bali in October and would need Yoga’s help!
Hi Indria thank you so much for interested coming to Bali. Here my WA number +6287861984833
Hi Abhinav,
I plan to visit Bali in October with my family(2adults 1 toddler 1 infant).
1.) I am travelling by Malindo air to Bali with transit from Kuala Lumpur. I know that Bali is visa free but Do i need a transit visa? Will there be a departure tax applicable, I booked my tickets in June 2016.
2.) At the airport I plan to take the airport Taxi, Is it easy to get one? Does it charge as much as the private car from the hotel?
3.) We have booked our stay between Seminyak (3nights) and Kuta (4nights). We plan to see the Zoo , Safari World & Bird Park other than hanging out on the beach. Are each of these places a whole day trip or a half day trip?Is it better to take a cab or the transport provided with the package?
4.)Do you have any recommendations of good restaurants in Jimbaran on the beach for Seafood?
5.) We want to do a half day trip to Ubud, plan to see Monkey Forest
Celuk Village / Mas Village / Ubud Market and Widya’s Batik is this worth it or should we cut off some of these places since with Kids?Will it be better to get a cab or hire a car with driver for the trip?
6.) Can you suggest some good night markets to visit mainly for food?
7.) Should we take a local sim card or can we just manage with roaming? How easy is it getting to a local phone booth to call?
Thanks in advance!
Joanna
Hi Joanna
Here you go:
1) No transit visa is needed at Kuala Lumpur. About departure tax, I am hearing about it first time. I din’t pay any tax or visa fees apart from booking my flight tickets.
2) Sorry, No idea about it. Dint take a airport taxi.
3) I dint visit these places so don’t know if you can cover it a day or half. Cab drivers in Bali are tourist guide com drivers.Hence, I suggest booking a half/full day cab will be cheaper than booking a package. You may contact Yoga on whatsapp for this.
4) Sorry, vegetarian!
5) Totally upto you, I liked Ubud Market & rice paddy fields. You can do both.
6) Only if you want to try vegan!
7) Taking a local sim card with internet pack is always a better option than local phone booth(never saw one) ! plus it does not cost much in Bali.
Thank you Joanna for willing to visiting Bali, and many thanks to Abhinav who has great explanation and answer every questions..
Hi Abhinav,
May I request advise on a few things to help plan my trip better. I am travelling with my family.
1) I would like to know what would the minimum daily expense for tourist(family of four), given that hotels are booked and Trips most are pre paid.
2) What is the approx eating expense on daily basis?
3) Is it worth while visiting a spritual healer/sharman/palmist?
4) I plan to visit Ubud on a day trip, I have heard that its better to book a private vehicle that opting to hire a taxi. Which is better?
Regards
Ryan.
1&2) Food is as expensive as in upscale Indian joints. Approx 1000Rs. per meal for 2 people.
3) No idea! I would avoid.
4) Private taxi for full day might cost 2500-3500Rs. You can decide.
Hey mate,
Can you tell me good vegetarian food options available in Bali?
Appreciate it
You can try Queen of India outlets in Bali.
Just want to update the broader audience here that I had a good time seeing around Bali with Yoga. I would recommend his car hire services if you are planning a trip to Bali..
great!
Dear Abhinav,
Thanks for detailed description of Bali trip. That’s very helpful.
However, Rs 5000 per night can’t be referred to as “as low as”. 😄
Thank you so much. It was great honor to trip you around Bali. Wish you had a excellent holiday experience. My priority is to make my clients feel wonderful..
Hope to see you again Ankit
@Indira Check out https://travellersappetite.in/2016/bali/3/ Yoga Antra (Whatsapp no. +62.878.6198.4833).
Hi Abhinav,
How much INR one should carry for a 5N trip to Bali travelling in couple taking into consideration all meals and necessary sightseeing etc ?
4k per day for Travel (taxi rent)
2k per day for food per couple
6k per day makes it 30k INR cash equivalent. You may also add 20k for water sport.
Hi abhinav,
Im venkat and im travelling to indonesia – Bali Next month, and i have some doubts
1.My Hotel was booked in Hotel : GRAND NIKKO BALI, ADReS: Jl. Nusa Dua Selatan, Benoa, Nusa Dua, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80363, Indonesia and im arrivin at Ngurah Rai International Airport from Hyderabad, may i know the cost / Charge of taxi from airport to hotel and the same from return too.
2. may i know how much the food costs out side the area near my stay.
3. as per the above quiries i came to know that visa on arrival is free of cost as my stay is 4 days
4. can i directly take a taxi outside airport or need book taxi from the airport centers only as some of my references are saying that security problem if u take outside taxies. pls confirm
Hi Venkat first of all i would like to say thank you, for interesting coming to Bali,
1. Taxi rate from airport to nusa dua is 150-250K rupiah..
2. In Nusa Dua area the food prices is range from300K rupiah
3. No idea, but i will info soon
4. You can hire taxi from airport directly, or you can use my service
Please don’t be hesitate to contact me, if you have further questions
Thank you
Hi Yoga, your service is just a transportation or will you be my guide aswell and take me to all tourist spots for the next 5 days ? ( i’m about to visit on july 2017
Guys, Yoga Antara is an awesome guy. I got his number from here and contacted him over whatsapp for our family trip in Jun 2016. The taxi was there waiting for us & the driver Rudi was again an awesome individual who connected with us instantly. Having utilised their services, these guys are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rudi never missed a chance to show something interesting & we were never overcharged in any ways.
Yoga was also helpful in arranging a hotel accomodation for us at the last minute at the most affordable rates.Thanks Yoga.. See you soon again
Correction.. I visited in Jun 2017
Hi Abhinav,
Thanks for sharing such valuable info. I have some queries regarding my upcoming Bali trip-
1. Do we need to show some proof of sufficient funds while going through immigration process??
2. What will be better option-Travelling by pre booked package from Travel agency or By own booking of flights/hotels/Taxis??
3. How much will be cost difference in both cases??
4. How is nightlife there in Bali?
5. Which type of weather will be in Bali in Dec month??
Hello everyone ..and thank you Abhinav for all your suggestion …i am travelling to bali on 21 October for 5N.If anybody has planned lets catchup there..
Hi Abhinav,
The article was beautifully written and very informative.
I am traveling with my family and friends.
Would definitely need Yoga’s help to take us around .
Sushmita
I will be more than happy to see you and trip you around in Bali.
Any further questions please don’t be hesitate to contact me..
Thank you
Hi Abhinav, thanks for sharing valuable info. with us. So what did you do for sim?..
Hi abhinav ,
Could you tell me about money exchange in Bali..did u took USD from india or u converted INR directly to IDR in Bali..
Its a good idea to carry USD and better to exchange it enroute to your hotel to get better rates.
Hi Everyone,
Me & my wife have visited Bali in Dec first week and had a wonderful time there. Mr. Yoga has provided us great support and it was good to see awesome hospitality provided by Bali people.
Tip for travelling: If you are vegetarian and want to eat veg food during flight, plz provide meal preference during flight booking only. It will be extreme difficult to get veg meal specially in those flights which are arriving & departing from Bali airport.
Hi Abhinav
Wonderful blog written.
I’m planning my honeymoon in coming Jan-2017 in Bali for 3 days. I have already done flight n hotel bookings, would request you give your opinion on following:
1. Is Visa On arrival is free for Indians or there is some VISA fee we have to pay?
2. Is Bali Safe to travel, I heard a lot that there are natural disasters and wrong activities that happen. Please advise, will it be safe place to visit for honeymoon couples.
Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Vikas,
I am Kapil Gupta, recently in first week of Dec month me & my wife have visited Bali for our honeymoon and never felt any thing like unsafe condition or situation in Bali. People are good, cooperative and always ready to help you. It is awesome place to visit for honeymoon so just visit and enjoy your time.
There is no visa fee and no airport taxes are applicable for Bali. Its Visa fee exemption for Bali and airport taxes are already included in your flight ticket amount.
I hope these details will help you for your trip.
Congratulations & Enjoy buddy.
Hi,
Did you people get to travel the gili islands ( the three parallel islands) if not why? is it worth visiting those islands .Please share your valuable information as I am travelling on the month of june 2017 to bali for seven days
Hi Abhinav,
at what time of the year you visited Bali.. i am planning to visit in July 2017 as it is my Anniversary. Could you please let me know about the tariffs and travel season in July as I’ve heard it is a peak due to Australian holidays.
Regards,
Girish
hi abhinav,
I have looked at the sticky about VOA, but I’m still not clear about when to pay the VOA.
I am travelling from india to Bali in October. I land in kuala lumpur, and in an hour I take a connecting flight to Bali.
Do I get visa procedure done in KL or Bali itself ?
Would 1 hour be enough for VOA in KL.
I would prefer VOA in Bali though.
Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn’t find a definite answer.
Hi.
If you are traveling from India, you don’t need any Visa in Bali.
When you will land in Kuala Lumpur, you will wait in the designated area of the LCCT and then go through security check again to board your onward flight to Bali.
You won’t need any type of VOA for KL or Bali.
When you will land in Bali, on immigration counter, you will present your Indian passport and it will be stamped with the date of entry.
No further formalities need to be done.
I think the information here give is incorrect. Please correct me if i am wrong. You will require transit visa to check in again in KUL airport and VOA at cost of 25 $ in bali for 30 days. Pls check visa immigration website of Malaysia & Indonesia.
Hi – no transit visa is required at Kuala Lumpur as long as you are within the same airport. All flights from India go via LCCT, with further onward flight to Bali via LCCT as well. Hence, no transit visa is required.
For Bali VOA, there is no fee payable. I visited last year and wasn’t asked for any $25 visa fee.
Hi Abhinav ,
Thanks for the detailed information. I have few questions related to bali as i am planning to go bali with my fiance so it would be great if you can sort out my queries.
1. would it be great idea to book room/hotel after reaching bali instead prior trip as i guess there might be difference in rates in hotels booking from here and there? Can you suggest some good resort or hotels for couples in bali?
2. how much it cost for two person in bali 7Days trip ?
Hi Mayank,
Booking an accommodation from here is a better idea as you get better deals. I traveled to Bali in Jun-Jul 2017 for 15 days & didn’t book a hotel for the last 7 days of my stay. When i started scouting i noticed that the online prices were high or showing no rooms, however, my taxi guy helped me and arranged a great deal at the last minute.
It depends what you expect from the hotels and what budget you have kept for the trip but Bali has great clean hotels at good prices as compared to what you will get in touristy locations in India.
I stayed in Pullman Seminyak, Adi Dharma Kuta, Ramada Encore, Sri Ratih Ubud and Kuppu Kuppu In Gill T through AirBnB and the whole idea was to experience various levels of hotels at best prices.
The trip costed me approx 2.5 L (hiring independent taxi for travel & trip to Gilli).
Hope it helps. Dont wait..reach Bali & you will plan another visit soon..
Dear Abhinav,
thanks for all the answer and information i have cleared allmost doubt. but i want to clear fews.
1) I want to book 3 days hotel in kuta and 3 days in seminayak. Goibibo or MMT will be best?
2) for sight seeing and tourist guide what should we do inter hotel transfer and local visit like tanah lot ubud kintamani what should we do do we hire taxi or blue bird taxi.
thanks in advance
Hi Bharat,
Be careful about Blue Bird taxi in Bali. You will find all taxis operating with Blue Bird on it but the real ones are with Blue Bird Group displayed and the drivers wear blue uniforms with and search internet on this topic as well.
Taxis are cheap. I took advice from Abhinav and hired a local guy from India itself and the guy was amazing. He not only took great care of us but also helped us get a good hotel deal. Contact Rudi +6281338364331
All sites are great for online booking but I personally got some good deals on hotels.com.
Hope it helps
Rajneet
Hi actually I’m planning to visit Bali on 19 th March and I have a connecting flight from Singapore.. do I need any transit visa for dt .. if stay is only for 5 hours
Hi, I am travelling from India to Bali. I have a layover of around 9 hours in Kulala Lumpur. Do i need a transit visit to leave KL airport and be back for my Bali flight?
Hey Mate,
Thanks for all the tips and posts.
I need your help to get the details of any trusted taxi driver you have in Bali. I will be travelling there in next few days.
Help me out. Cheers!!
Please get in touch with Yoga +62 878-6198-4833
Trusted and cheerful person.
Hello Yoga, Are u still around to take us around Bali, I have still planning my itinerary and would mostly be in Bali from 8th Aug – 12th Aug. I have send you my hotel booking details and the itinerary as early as i have it planned. Is your WA number still the same :(Whatsapp no. +62.878.6198.4833)- need your confirmation.
Thanks Abhinav for sharing your experience, was nice to get all the required info from your blog.
Great post, thank you! I am in Bali learning so much! I love it.