Since you can’t completely avoid the heavy traffic or the hassle, you can keep this checklist in mind to make the most of your Bali trip and avoid frustrations:
- Transportation from the Airport: try to book an accommodation where Airport pick-up service is included. This is the most convenient way to start your Bali trip. Arriving at the airport can feel a bit overwhelming and this way you can avoid the hassle of trying to find transportation. If you really need to arrange transportation on your own, you could walk to the Grab lounge, just outside the arrival area, in front of the parking garage. The fares from the airport are fixed and more expensive than what they normally charge, because of the agreement Grab has with the ‘taxi mafia’. Don’t be concerned by the term ‘taxi mafia’; is just how it’s called and it means that they simply are responsible for price manipulation. They make sure that ride sharing companies like Grab and Gocar can’t operate in the airport area. So, you most likely are overpaying for the ride, but other than that, taxis are safe.You can book a taxi via the Taxi counter. Taxi fares from the airport are always fixed and can’t be negotiated. Blue Bird is the most reliable and honest taxi company. All of their taxis are metered so you don’t have to worry about being scammed. They are not allowed at the airport arrivals due to taxi mafia control.But if you really want to get a Blue bird taxi to pay the normal fare, you can walk 10 to 15 min towards the main road and hail one there. Don’t do this if you have a lot of luggage and make sure you have cash.
- Use ride-hailing services like Grab, Gojek or Uber. To download Grab and Gojek, you will need an Indonesian SIM card. To use the app, you will need to register a local phone number
- Plan your trips wisely and avoid rush-hours (8 am- 10 am / 4 pm-7 pm). Either leave very early or very late
- Don’t be fooled by the distance you see on Google maps; it might seem close in distance but it might take forever to get there. It helps to let go of the expectation of arriving on time, and just go with the flow.
- Stay where you want to be/; whether it’s a lively part of the island (where you can easily walk to find bars/restaurants/shops), or chillin ’in and around your accommodation to rest and relax
- Hire a local driver (including private car). It’s really worth consideration; it’s convenient and not that expensive (cost indication 150.000 IDR/day for the driver, 300.000 IDR for the car, type Avanza, food for driver: 50.000 IDR, when you rent it’s excluding food expenses and gasoline. For a whole day, total indication 750.000 IDR): They know the traffic patterns and back roads to avoid heavy traffic. At least you don’t have to stress about it yourself and it’s more efficient. If you are lucky, the driver will also be a fun company throughout the day. When the area you are visiting is far away and you’re visiting for multiple days, it sometimes is more efficient to let the driver also stay in the area so they can be on standby without the hassle of distance and traffic. In that case, you will pay for their accommodation. It will cost you around 150.000 IDR per night, and you they will make sure they find their own accommodation.
If you’re looking for a car rental company / driver for your trip, we recommend Bali Reborn Tour & Vehicle Rentals
- Food delivery services (GoFood) can be a nice alternative to eat nice food if you don’t feel like being in traffic too long.
- When you leave Bali, make sure that you leave in time: be at the airport 3 hours before for intercontinental flights and 1,5 hour before for domestic. I personally prefer to book my last accommodation in an area closer to the airport (Seminyak, Jimbaran)
- Go by motorbike if you’re comfortable enough to participate in the crazy traffic. Or order a gojek ride. And please be aware that honking is usually not meant to be rude, but to keep the traffic flow going. Don’t forget to get your international driving permit, otherwise you will have no insurance if anything happens. TIP: it might help to use the walking route on Google Maps
- Always wear a helmet on a motorbike
