LANGUAGE

Balinese

CURRENCY

Indonesian Rupiah

BEST TIME TO VISIT

April to September

NEAREST AIRPORT

Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

Police    110

Fire        113

Medical  119

INTERNET ACCESS

Free WI-FI is common in cafes, restaurants, hotels and malls. Internet cafes are uncommon. Internet speeds are reasonably fast, especially in south Bali and Ubud. 3G data and faster is universal.

VISA

Visas are easily obtained but can be a hassle if you hope to stay longer than 30 days.

Renewing Your Visa

You can renew a 30-day Visa on Arrival once (but not a Visa Free). The procedures are complex:

At least seven days before your visa expires, go to an immigration office. These can usually be found in larger cities and regional capitals. The best one for south Bali is the immigrasi office near Jimbaran.

Bring your passport, a photocopy of your passport and a copy of your ticket out of Indonesia (which should be for a date during the renewal period).

Wear modest clothes (eg men may be required to wear long pants).

Pay a fee of 355,000Rp.

You may have to return to the office twice over a three- to five-day period for fingerprinting, photos and other procedures.

One way to avoid the renewal hassle is to use a visa agent such as ChannelOne on Bali, who (for a fee) will do most of the bureaucratic work for you. Fines for overstaying your visa expiration date are 300,000Rp per day and include additional hassles.

Social Visas

If you have a good reason for staying longer (eg study or family reasons), you can apply for a sosial/budaya (social/cultural) visa. You will need an application form from an Indonesian embassy or consulate, and a letter of introduction or promise of sponsorship from a reputable person or school in Indonesia. It’s initially valid for three months, but it can be extended for one month at a time at an immigration office within Indonesia for a maximum of six months. There are fees for the application and for extending the visa.

Visa Types

The three main visas types for visitors:

Visa in Advance Visitors can apply for a visa before they arrive in Indonesia. Typically this is a visitor’s visa, which is valid for 30 or 60 days. Details vary by country; contact your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate to determine processing fees and times. Note: this is the only way to obtain a 60-day visitor visa, even if you qualify for Visa on Arrival (VOA).

Visa on Arrival Citizens of most countries may apply for a 30-day visa when they arrive at major airports and harbours. The cost is 528,000Rp, payable by cash (no coins) or credit card; other currencies are accepted in amounts equivalent to the fee in Rp. VOA renewals for 30 days are possible.

Visa Free Citizens of most countries can receive a 30-day visa for free upon arrival. But note that this visa cannot be extended. If you have obtained one of the coveted 60-day visas in advance, be sure the immigration official at the airport gives you a 60-day tourist card.

HOTEL

Bali has a huge range of great-value accommodation for any budget. If visiting in the peak periods of August and Christmas, book three or more months ahead. These excellent hotels and villas are located in the top tourist areas of Bali, including Ubud, Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta:

The Kunja Villas & Spa: boutique luxury villas in Seminyak, attentive staff, open-air lounges, private pools, in-room dining, complimentary car service.

Villa Saraswati: mid-range luxury in Ubud, five-minutes by complimentary shuttle to town, delicious breakfast, beautiful pool, outdoor showers.

Seaside Suites Bali: affordable rates in Legian, beach views, seaside restaurant, inviting pool, great-value.

Hotel Terrace at Kuta: budget rates, walking distance to Kuta beach and entertainment, central pool, breakfast buffet.

COST OF LIVING

Bali is already the most expensive tourist destination in Indonesia and is slowly becoming more expensive as tourists discover more of Bali, but cheap food and accommodation are still widely available if you don’t mind basic accommodations, stick to your budget, and bargain respectfully for prices. Beer in Bali is pretty cheap, unless your after imported beer. The average price for local beer is anywhere from Rp15,000 to Rp90,000. By western standards, Indonesia is an extremely cheap country to live or travel in. Although there is a slight step up in the prices on Bali and (to a certain extent) Lombok, these islands are still far from expensive. Taxis are the most expensive transport around here. Renting a motorbike is the ‘way’ of Bali and very cheap. You can hire one for 30,000-50,000 IDR ($3-$5 USD) a day. Taxis are the most expensive, and Uber is somewhat banned by a monopoly on taxi service. We often eat in restaurants, mid-range, and a main course is around $5-7.