An in-depth guide on Bali Transportation and How To get Around Bali effectively. We Lived in Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩 For a year as Digital Nomads, and we will tell you what we know. We also compiled several tips from our Digital Nomad friends who have lived In Bali for years to make this guide even more worth your time!
Table Of Contents
FAQS about Transportation In Bali
Most common questions that we will cover:
- Using Taxi Apps like Uber in Bali Called Grab and Gojek
- Is Uber cheap in Bali?
- Are There Ubers In Bali?
- Blue Bird Taxis In Bali
- Hiring A Car And Driver
- Taking Local Buses
- Accessible transportation in Bali
- What are your Top Tips for Traveling Around Bali, Indonesia
- Best ways of Getting Around Bali
- How to Explore More of Bali
- Best Bali Transportation Services
- Bali Public Transportation
- How Long Does It Take To Travel Around Bali
- Bali Public Bus System
- Best Motorcycle & Scooter Rentals
- Are Tourist Shuttle Buses in Bali
- Denpasar Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel or apartment
- Denpasar Departure Transfer: Apartment or Hotel to Airport
- Bali (Serangan/Padang Bai) to Gili Trawangan/Gili Air/Lombok Fast Boat Transfer
- How to Get around Bali? Transport in Bali
- Do I Need Travel Insurance?
- And a lot more
How to rent a Scooter In Bali 720,000 IDR – Rp 2,881,060($50 – $200)
How will you get around to exploring Bali? By walking, scooter, motorbike rental, Gojek, or use Grab? The best option is to rent or buy a scooter 95% of people in Bali drive scooters. It is the most efficient way to get around on the island. Scooter rental prices are cheap on the island. Depending on the bike’s size, the scooter rental will cost 720,000 IDR- 2,881,060 IDR ($50 – $200) per month.
The price could also increase during high seasons naturally. After spending a reasonable amount of time in Bali, you will find someone who knows someone who has a good scooter hook-up, which will help you find the best deal, save money, and explore Bali even more.
- Buying or renting a car can be costly and a massive risk in Bali; you are more than likely to get in a minor accident or scrape the car unless you are a local who knows how to drive in the area because of the traffic is insane. It’s primarily suitable for motorbikes, so most people use a taxi or scooters.
- Having a scooter lets you pass all the cars when the traffic is terrible and difficult to navigate. If you plan to move to Bali, it would be a better deal, and the cheapest way to buy a scooter would cost you about $300 used, or about $900 if it’s new.
- Until you find the scooter you want to buy, you can rent a scooter daily for about $5 to $12, depending on where you live. Fuel for scooters is found at your local corner shop or Toko, sold in huge old water bottles or massive vodka bottles. You can pull up to the shop, ask for 1 or 2 bottles which cost ($1), and they’ll fill up your tank for you.
- You’ll need a scooter to get around – public transport in Bali almost doesn’t exist, and there are smaller buses everywhere. There are plenty of scooter and bike taxis, which you can find on the street or with apps such as GoJek or Grab if you aren’t keen on driving in Bali yourself.
- Most Bali expats choose to rent a bike as it’s the most convenient and cost-effective way to get around the island. Scooter rental costs depend on what model you want to rent or buy, how long you want it, and how hard you negotiate for the bike. You need to add in petrol which is relatively cheap and available on many streets.
- Oh, and understand that you will have to pay for the damages if you damage the bike. It pays off to be careful. An excellent savings tip is to look in the surrounding areas. Many popular sites around Canggu Bali have cheaper suburbs or villages and can be reached by a 5-minute bike ride. How will you get around? By walking, scooter, Gojek, or use Grab?
- Until you find the scooter you want to buy, you can rent a scooter daily for about $5 to $12, depending on where you live. Fuel for scooters is found at your local corner shop or Toko, and it is sold in huge old water bottles or massive vodka bottles. You can pull up to the shop, ask for 1 or 2 bottles which cost ($1), and they’ll fill up your tank for you.
The primary transportation method for us in Bali has been a motorbike, like most people here. Almost every local use motorcycles and I believe that’s what they do. But as more travelers come to Bali, its transportation infrastructure is much improved than other islands in Indochina. It’s possible to travel around Bali without a motorbike or even take a car if that does not help your situation a lot. To aid in planning your next trip.
Before we discuss Bali’s notoriously bad roads, we’d advise avoiding the use of motorcycles and scooters. If you are a great rider, then buy or rent a scooter and drive the streets of Bali. Nevertheless, drive very defensively, take travel insurance and keep yourself out there with excellent safety
before you rent or buy a scooter, here are some things to remember:
- You should always wear a helmet. Scooter accidents are common in Bali, so make sure you have Medical Insurance by SafetyWing and Helmets. They are also enforced legally. You will get fined if you are caught not wearing one. Mopeds and Scooters are everywhere. You need to be highly aware when driving. You can’t drive crazy like back home, you need to drive like a local, and you will be ok but always stay on alert!
- Bali has made laws where Police officers CAN’T ask you for money if they pull you over on the road. But it does happen. Make sure you report the officer if this happens. Know your rights.
- The biggest threat when driving in Bali is other drivers. Crazy Drivers are everywhere. Always Stay Alert
- Please Don’t drink and drive. According to statistics and locals, the most significant deaths and accidents on the roads due to scooters are tourists because tourists get drunk when they try to drive home. There are many other cheap transport options available like Grab and Gojek.
- Try to get yourself an international driving license. They are efficient if the local police pull you over. If you don’t have this international license, you can get fined.
- Always check the motorcycle first: Take pictures of the scooter before and after and make sure that everything is working in case of issues: the entire bike, brakes, indicators, and wheels; have insurance and vehicle registration documents, All scooter drivers must wear helmets, and these should be given when you rent the scooter of rental Ensure the helmet fits correctly. If you cannot find one that fits, buy one.
Monthly Transportation in Bali: Table of Expenses in 2023
This Is a monthly expenses table for bali transportation costs from our full Cost Of Living In Bali Article
| Transportation in Bali Expenses | USD $ | Indonesian Rupiah IDR |
|---|---|---|
| Renting a Scooter in Bali | $50 – $200 | Rp 720,265 – Rp 2,881,060 |
| Buying a Scooter In Bali | $300 – $900 | Rp 4,321,140 – Rp 12,963,420 |
| Grab Scooter Taxi Ride Based On Distance | $1 – $20 | Rp 14,403.80 – Rp 288,076 |
| Grab Car Taxi Ride Based On Distance | $3 – $20 | Rp 43,211.40 – Rp 288,076 |
| Airport Taxi (Try not to take these) | $20 – $35 | Rp 288,076 – Rp 504,133 |
| Scooter Taxi Ride (Canngu To Ubud) | $10 – $13 | Rp 144,013 – Rp 187,216.90 |
Using Ride-Hailing Apps Like Grab And Gojek
Ride-hailing apps like Grab and Gojek (the Southeast Asian version of Uber; this is the official Grab website) and Gojek official site) are available in Bali, but some areas are catered to taxi drivers like bluebird, and others ban the entry of any Grab or Gojek rides. Sometimes, they literally fight the Grab and Gojek riders because Grab and Gojek take their business in the island’s locals’ eyes. Before hailing a ride from an app, find out if your destination will allow entry.
Drivers should always wear spare helmets. Also, we do not recommend car rentals. You will most likely have a scratch on the car due to the insane traffic. Bali is mainly suited for scooters and motorbikes.
Grab In Bali
Grab is inexpensive and highly reliable. Taxi prices from Denpasar airport into Canggu range from 55,000 to 75,000 IDR with Grab or taxis from Ngurah Rai International Airport to Canggu starting from 300,000. When getting off the plane, after you get your baggage, you will log in to the airport wifi and login to the Grab app, then go to the official Pick Up Station. This will be shown in the app.
Always ignore taxi drivers trying to take advantage of you because there will be a massive crowd of taxi drivers at the airport harassing you.
Here are a few things to know about Grab:
- The Taxi Locals don’t like it, and sometimes they try to fight the Grab drivers for competition reasons, so they will tell you it’s illegal for you not to use them- it’s not don’t listen to them.
- Many areas such as Canggu have official drop-off zones to limit the number of taxis. So be aware that your driver may not be able to drop you at the location you want to be dropped off at in case of altercations. But they will drop you off within a few feet away, so don’t worry.
- Grab cars are fun to ride in, and most of the drivers speak English well, are curious, and want to get to know you and chat- it’s fun to talk to a local and understand the culture. Ask them all the questions you want!
- Grab cars are slower than scooters because of traffic. It’s easier to get around on a scooter because you can go around the traffic jam. Cars can’t.
- Grab and Gojek are incredibly cheap. They are around 75% cheaper or about half the price than back home where you are from!
- Download the Grab app here: Android | Apple
Gojek In Bali
When we couldn’t find drivers nearby or grab drivers were busy, we used Gojek, which they are reliable as well. Typically Gojek was a bit cheaper than Grab However, sometimes, Gojek costs more money. It depends. I suggest downloading both apps for when you need to book a ride. Use the one that you like most.
You can download the Gojek app here: Android | Apple
BlueBird Taxi In Bali
If you can’t find anything else and need a taxi for an emergency, go for Bluebird taxis. It’s recommended for tourists and locals, and they are also metered taxis.
They’re all moderated and safe, and they have an app in which you can download and pay via credit card, just like GrabGrab.
Expect to pay twice as much using Blue Bird Taxi than Grab or Gojek- but it’s not that expensive.
Be aware other taxis look like bluebirds but aren’t and will rip you off. The bluebird taxis will have the word Bluebird written on them. They are also known as blue taxis. They are also sometimes an English speaking driver.
You can download the blue Bird Taxi app here: Android | Apple
Food Delivery Apps In Bali, Such as Grab and Gojek
For your Food Delivery Services like Uber in The United States, you Can use Grab and Gojek. They work the same way as Uber in Bali.
Car Rentals In Bali
We suggest hiring private drivers. We and Our Other Digital Nomad Friends recommend never rent your own personal car in Bali. The roads and island is catered to scooter and motorbikes. And you will more than likely scratch or hurt the car and have to pay a lot of money out of pocket to the local dealership.
Public Transport In Bali
Bus travel and Bali transport service are not very well known and developed in Bali; most of the buses you’ll see are bus charters for tourists visiting places like Uluwatu. However, there are public buses options, though.
The new Kura-Kura Bus Shuttle service is based at the Duty-Free DFS bus terminal at Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai and goes to Kuta, Seminyak, and Ubud and throughout East and West Bali.
- Tourist shuttle bus services allow tourists to travel with the least hassle and cheap. Perama Shuttle is one of the most known and established bus transportation on the island. They provide bus and ferry services spread across Bali from Canggu, Kuta to Ubud to North Bali, East Bali, and West Bali. Perama ferries also operate and take tourists off to Nusa Penida, Lombok, or Java.
- There are trains in Java, but there are no trains in Bali. Buses connect and transport to all Balinese cities. The very widely used bemo is the cheapest and most reliable transportation option available and usually costs less than $2 – $3 per hour during your travels. However, the schedule can be unpredictable. You can ask the locals when the next bus departs and to where.
Public Transport: Bemo Buses
If you want to get around Bali’s roads the cheapest way possible, consider riding one of Bemo’s minibusses that transport on set routes across Bali. The drivers will try to charge foreigners more despite the affordable prices, so you may need to haggle the price down. Brown and blue vans are called bemos and are buses in Bali.
They always have set routes they take, but they make frequent stops. You will likely have to transfer at least once. Bemos are mainly for short trips, but I would primarily use Grab or Gojek for a long journey with a private driver.
Destinations and stops are posted on the front window and in the office. Denpasar is the leading transportation destination for the entire island. A typical trip on bemo costs Rp4,000 – Rp12,000. Always try to negotiate. Negotiate before getting in the bemo to avoid an argument.
- Where are they: Bemos are Everywhere in Bali
- Cost: a short bus ride is about IDR 5,000 for short distances, but you will be charged more if you are a foreigner.
- Pros: It is the Cheapest way to get around.
- Cons: Sometimes cramped, Hot, no air conditioning, Frequent Stops.
Travel Resources For Transportation And Activities In Bali
Here are some of our are our favorite travel tips & resources for saving money and travel logistics that are relevant to this article!
- Booking Flights: To score insane flight deals, search on Google Flights, Skyscanner or kayak. Money-saving tips: fly in the middle of the week, on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline, and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
- Tours, tour packages, and activities in Bali and booking private drivers: We love booking guided tours, especially food tours and walking tours, to get a local’s perspective and a history lesson while sight-seeing! We reserve our tours using Viator, and GetYourGuide for professional service.
- Accommodations: We usually stay in budget-friendly vacation rentals, boutique hotels, or private hostel rooms. We use Booking.com to book hotels (we love their flexible cancellation policy) and Hostelworld to book hostels (low deposit, easy change/cancellation, and excellent reviews). We use Airbnb monthly for weekly or monthly rentals, where you can get an entire villa for a monthly fee in Bali for under $400 a month! You can also book vacation rentals on Expedia USA, Expedia UK, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, like Airbnb.
- Travel Insurance: We always have travel insurance monthly for international trips and living abroad. We STRONGLY suggest that you have it as well, just in case other digital nomads live abroad, and we always use SafetyWing for international travel insurance and medical concerns. SafetyWing is one of the few policies covering Covid-19, and they start at $42 a month! It’s incredible and always reliable! SafetyWing is perfect for Digital Nomads and long-term travelers!
- Travel Credit Cards
- Vaccines & Meds: We use the travel guides on the CDC website to research recommended medications and vaccines for international trips. You can get them at your primary care doctor’s office or a walk-in pharmacy.
- Transportation: We use GetTransfer, and the local Uber-type apps in different countries. Usually, that is GrabGrab.
- VPN Service: A VPN keeps your digital information (like website login details, bank info, etc.) safe, even when you’re connected to an unsecured network while traveling. Plus, it lets you use Netflix & other streaming sites abroad! We use NordVPN!
If you want to keep up with our travels, go ahead and follow us on our travel page on Instagram @onelifepassport! Comment below what else you would like to know/see about our experiences traveling the world! Also, check out our YouTube Channel!
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