7 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Bali

With it’s super friendly people, beautiful scenery and vibrant cafe culture, Bali sure is paradise when it comes to holiday destinations. During our month on the island we learnt a lot, and there were a few things that would have made life easier had we known about them in advance.

So if you’re planning a trip to Bali anytime soon, keep reading to make sure you know everything you need to before visiting!

Uluwatu (Bali, Indonesia)

1. Gojek

This is essentially the Uber of Indonesia. Make sure to have downloaded the app and signed up before arriving in Bali, so that you can easily order a Gojek from the airport without paying for an overpriced taxi.

The awesome thing about Gojek is that you can order pretty much everything you would need via the app (not just transport). For example, you can order takeaways, groceries, medical/pharmacy supplies etc. You can also choose whether you want to pay via cash or credit card which is very handy. My fiance and I were in Bali for a month and we used Gojek every single day that we were there.

2. Cash

To ensure you don’t get stuck, you need to make sure you have cash on you at all times while in Bali. In NZ/Australia you would typically never need cash since almost all businesses accept card, however this isn’t the case in Bali. We almost always paid for things with cash except for at nicer bars/restaurants where they do take card payments. There are ATM’s everywhere so no need to stress, although it is a good idea to exchange at least a small amount of cash at the airport if you don’t know how close an ATM will be to your accommodation.

I’d also recommend always trying to have smaller change on you and handing over the exact amount when paying. Many times locals won’t have change to give you (or at least they say that they don’t so that they can keep a sneaky tip). For example, if something costs 450000 IDR and you hand over 500000 IDR, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get given your change.

3. Added taxes

In Bali, it’s common that a 10% value added tax (VAT) + a service charge (5-10%) is added to the bill. We found this was most common at larger cafes and restaurants. It’s just something to be made aware of so that there are no suprises when it comes to paying at the counter, sadly dining out isn’t quite as cheap as you think.

French Toast at Sari Kitchen, Canggu

4. Be cautious of wild animals (i.e monkeys)

There are monkeys to be found in most areas of Bali and if you don’t want any of your personal belongings stolen (who does), it’s best to be extra cautious. While I was at the popular tourist destination of Uluwatu Temple, a monkey actually took my sunglasses off my head, ran up the tree and completely chewed them up. We bribed him with food before eventually getting them back but it was too late, they were destroyed. RIP $400 sunglasses :(

We also witnessed another lady’s wallet being taken and heard many more similar stories. Also, if you go to Monkey Forest in Ubud, leave your phone/cameras at home if you can to be on the safe side.

5. Whats App

Whats App is the biggest communication tool in Bali, everyone uses it. Make sure to have it set up on your phone so that you can message businesses and ask them questions, make reservations for tours etc.

We found businesses don’t use email much and it would take several days to get a response, whereas when using Whats App to message, we’d often get a reply instantly.

6. Hard Water

Never drink the tap water in Bali as it is unsafe and could make you very sick. The last thing you’d want on your holiday is suffering from Bali Belly! Also steer clear of brushing your teeth with tap water or washing fruits etc with it and opt for sealed bottled water instead. Since the water there is hard, it is also quite drying on the skin and hair so it’s a good idea to stock up on high quality moisturisers and hair products for added protection.

7. Roads are not pedestrian friendly

Bali’s roads can be challenging to navigate to say the least. A lot of areas have basically no sidewalks or very narrow ones where you’ll be walking right next to scooters speeding past. The area we stayed in in Canggu had huge open holes in the ground almost everywhere we looked, and if we looked up for a split second too long we’d probably have crashed into a steel pole or something of the like.

Hope these tips help and have the best time in Beautiful Bali!