First Trip to Bali: Entry, Tourist Levy, Money, Getting Around and Temple Etiquette

A first trip to Bali is easy to enjoy and just as easy to overcomplicate. Most of the small frustrations visitors report have the same causes: paperwork left to the last minute, running out of small notes, underestimating traffic and not knowing the unwritten rules at temples. The tips below cover what we explain to our own guests before they land. For seasons and festivals, see our guide to the best time to visit Bali.

Before you fly: entry and the tourist levy

Indonesia’s entry rules depend on your nationality. Many visitors can use a visa on arrival, which can also be applied for online in advance as an e-VOA, while some nationalities need a visa before travel. In every case your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival and have blank pages. Check the current rules for your passport on the official Indonesian e-Visa portal, and check again shortly before departure because requirements change.

Bali also charges a tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per foreign visitor, separate from any visa. It is paid online through the provincial government’s Love Bali website, and you keep the confirmation on your phone. Paying before you fly saves time at the airport. Good travel insurance that covers medical care and activities such as snorkeling or trekking is worth arranging at the same time.

Money: rupiah, cards and small notes

The local currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR), and prices have many zeros, so take a moment to recognize the notes. Hotels, most restaurants and larger shops accept cards, often with a small surcharge. Cash is still needed for village warungs, temple donations, parking, small market purchases and tips.

• Use ATMs attached to banks or inside shopping centers, and withdraw larger amounts less often.
• If you exchange cash, choose an authorized money changer with a printed rate board and count your notes before leaving the counter.
• Keep a stack of small notes for donations and sarong rentals at temples.
• Restaurant and hotel bills often show “++”, meaning tax and service are added to the listed price.
• Tipping is appreciated but not expected; rounding up for drivers and guides is a common gesture.

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Getting around

Bali has no railway, and public buses are of little use to visitors. Distances are short but slow: the drive from the airport to Ubud usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours, and the south between Canggu, Seminyak and Kuta can be gridlocked in the late afternoon. For a first trip, a private car with a driver is the most comfortable way to move between regions, and a good driver also knows when each temple is at its quietest.

Ride-hailing apps work in the main towns, though some villages and tourist areas restrict pickups by app cars. Traffic drives on the left. Renting a scooter looks tempting, but roads are busy and uneven, an international driving permit with the right motorcycle category is required, and many travel insurance policies exclude riders without one. With children or older travelers, a car is the better choice.

Temple etiquette

Bali is predominantly Hindu, and temples are active places of worship, not museums. Ceremonies happen almost daily, and visitors are welcome as long as they follow a few rules.

Some temples ask women not to enter during menstruation, following local custom, and certain inner courtyards are open only to worshippers. Sarongs are usually available to rent or borrow at the entrance, but bringing your own is simpler. At Uluwatu, the resident monkeys snatch sunglasses, hats and phones, so keep loose items in a closed bag and never feed them.

Health and comfort

Drink bottled or filtered water and avoid ice from unknown sources during the first days, when stomachs are still adjusting. The sun is strong all year, even when it is cloudy, so reef-friendly sunscreen and a hat belong in your day bag. Mosquitoes are more active in the rainy season from about November to March; repellent in the evening is a sensible habit. Many tourist sites involve steep steps, so comfortable shoes that slip off easily, for temples, are ideal.

Practical details

• Time zone: Bali is on Central Indonesia Time (UTC+8).
• Power: 230 V with type C and F sockets, the round two-pin plugs used in much of Europe.
• Mobile data: local SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy; a SIM bought locally is registered to your passport.
• Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, usually falls in March. For 24 hours the whole island stops, including the airport, and visitors stay inside their hotel. The ogoh-ogoh parades the evening before are a spectacular sight.

Plan it with a local team

If you prefer to land with the paperwork checked, a driver waiting and the route already worked out, our Bali private tours are built around exactly that. Families can start from the 12-day Bali family holiday, from US$1,110 (confirmed in your quote), and couples often add Bali to a Vietnam journey, as in our Vietnam and Bali honeymoon.