There are many ways to get around Bali, namely:
Scooter/Motorcycle
A scooter is the fastest, cheapest (except if you rent a bicycle or you go on food), but also the most dangerous way to move around the island. It will cost, depending on the place and renting company, around 3-5 euros per day. The longer you rent a scooter, the cheaper it will get. Petrol can be bought in almost every shop (often on the streets), this costs on average is 45 cents per liter.
Note:
- everywhere in Indonesia, you have to drive on the left site of the road! Officially, an international driving license is required, but this is not strictly followed. A local drivers license can be picked up at the police station in Denpasar (where the international airport is located). This is the only place that sells these local drivers licenses to tourists, which costs on average 10 to 20 euros. An International driving license costs 20 euros and can be collected from the municipality in your city.
I must be honest, we didn’t had a local or international drivers license. Most tourists rent a motorbike and are usually not informed about the regulation of driving licenses. - Another aspect is insurance. In my opinion it is not necessary to get an extra local insurance by the company that rents the scooters. Most of the accidents happen by the drivers themselves (slipping, react wrongly and fall, …). If you want to know more about this topic, go to the website of your health insurance.
Local Traffic in Yogyakarta
Traffic in Indonesië
Local Bali Taxi
This is the most expensive option! Taxi is not the most pleasant way to get around, because you always have to negotiate about the price. Especially when you are tired and you just want to go to your hotel, this is often too much. Everywhere you’ll find local taxis, so you certainly do not have to search for them. The prices vary a lot and depend on the location, distance and the taxi driver himself. The official taxis with a good reputation are the so-called ‘Bluebird Taxis‘. These taxis have a official meter, work correctly but are much more expensive than Uber or Grab taxis. The starting amount is 0.50 euro and costs 0.40 cents to 0.65 cents per kilometer.
Of course, the prices are not that expensive compared to Belgian standards. Transportation costs can be quite high, compared to the other daily costs of living.
Uber or Grab Taxi
A Uber or Grab taxi is in our opinion the most efficient and a fairly cheap option. In Java, we have always ordered an Uber or Grab taxi. The app wil give all the information you need about which taxis are nearby, who can pick you up, how much the ride will cost and when the taxi will arrive. They will send you the correct license plate, so that you can recognize your taxi. Furthermore, you can always communicate via messages (from the app) to say for example that you are at the agreed place and how the driver can recognize you. We have never had to pay more than 5 euros for 20 km.
Note:
Local taxis don’t like the Uber and Grab taxis, because they are much cheaper and are interpreted as unfair competition. It happens sometimes that their windows are smashed or the taxis are damaged. It’s 2 to 3 times cheaper, if you choose an Uber or Grab taxi. In certain touristic areas, they are officially forbidden. In Ubud and Semynjak we did have some difficulties ordering an Uber.
It is always possible to order a Uber or Grab at the airport, but you have to take into account that they can’t pick you up on the gate. Usually you agree on a spot a little further (100 meters), so they can easily pick you up.
The amazing environment
Ricefields along the way
Shuttle Bus
Shuttle busses are offered by hotels to get their guests to the city center on fixed hours. This is usually free and easy to use!
Bicycle
For the sports enthusiasts among us, you can always rent a bike. This is the cheapest and most ecological way to discover the island. Renting a bicycle costs on average 2 euros a day. This option is used less often, because on the one hand it is very hot and on the other hand it can be ‘hilly’. In Ubud and Lovina you can certainly rent a bike, but to discover the whole island , this is a difficult and sometimes dangerous option.
Car
We did not consider hiring a car, given the hectic traffic in Bali. It costs on average 18 to 55 euros a day, without petrol. You have complete freedom, but it seemed pretty stressful to drive a car in such a hectic traffic. For more information, please visit https://www.tripsavvy.com/renting-a-self-drive-car-in-bali-1629081.
Authentic car
| Price | Pros | Cons | |
| Scooter | € | Freedom, fast | Dangerous |
| Local Taxi | €€€€ | Easy, fast, everywhere available | Expensieve, sometimes you have to negotiate for a long time |
| Uber/Grab Taxi | €€ | Cheap, fixed price, fast | Sometimes you have to walk a little bit to the agreed place |
| Shuttle Bus | € | Easy, fast | Shared, at fixed hours and trajectory |
| Bicycle | € | Ecologic, Sportif, cheap | Dangerous, within a certain range |
| Car | €€€ | Independent, fast | Dangerous, stressful, expensive |
Read here our practical Bali tips!
Material
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