Transportation in Bali comes in plenty of flavors, some more tourist-friendly than the others. If you're not relying on your hotel to get you around - not that there's anything wrong with that - you can get around town on foot, on rented bike or motorbike, or via bemo.
If you're seeking to go between towns, you can catch a ride on a public bemo, a public bus, or charter a private bemo, a taxi, a car/driver rental package, or rent a car to drive.
Due to its large and spottily-regulated tourist industry, Bali hosts an endless number of short- and long-distance transport entrepreneurs, each jostling to get your business. Some of them are honest brokers, some are… not. Follow our tips to ensure you don't get ripped off by unscrupulous Bali transportation providers.
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| Bali Transportation |
Taxis in Bali
Riding a taxi in Bali works the same way it does everywhere else - you hail a taxi from the curb, a taxi stops to pick you up, and off you go.
Some taxis are not very honest: a few favorite tricks are claiming to have a broken meter, or taking the long way around, among others. The blue taxis marked "Bali Taxi" (known as Blue Bird Taxis) are the most honest, so much so that other taxi operatorstry to make trouble for these guys.
- Range: Limited to within South Bali and Ubud
- Cost: Flag-down rate of IDR 5,000 (about fifty cents' equivalent in U.S. currency), then IDR 2,500 (about a quarter equivalent) for every added kilometer
- Pros: Best way to get around South Bali - fast and available everywhere
- Cons: Limited mostly to South Bali, so if you're planning to go to Kintamani or somewhere similarly distant, you're out of luck
For more information, tips on taxis in Bali, and phone numbers of reliable taxi operators, read our article: How to Ride a Taxi in Bali, Indonesia.
Car Rentals in Bali
If you have cash to spare, you can hire a car in Bali, with the option to drive it yourself. If you rent from a reputable car company, you can have the benefit of driving your own vehicle to Bali's less-traveled destinations, with your range being limited only by your gas budget.
Don't bother, though, if you're not used to driving a right-hand-drive car, or panic easily when other motorists break the road rules. Bali's traffic is both chaotic and dangerous - get a car with a driver if you can't handle it.
Many independent contractors offer themselves and their vehicles as a car-and-driver combination; this arrangement is good if your contractor is trustworthy, but God help you if your driver gets a commission from bringing tourists to certain restaurants or shops; you will be guaranteed unwanted detours to these places.
- Range: Anywhere in Bali you can drive a car through, as far as your gas budget will permit
- Cost: Daily rates range from about $20 for a small car to about $60 for a large van; gas not included
- Pros: Great way to explore Bali on your own; allows you to create your own itinerary and bring your friends/loved ones along for the ride
- Cons: Expensive way of getting around; only right-hand-drive vehicles available; not recommended for newbie car drivers unused to Bali's chaotic driving conditions
For more information about renting a car in Bali, tips on driving on Bali's notoriously dangerous roads, and a list of car rentals, read this article: Renting a Self-Drive Car in Bali, Indonesia.
Motorcycle & Scooter Rentals in Bali
We've mentioned Bali's notoriously bad roads before, which should give you pause before you consider striking out on your own with a rented motorcycle or scooter in Bali. If you're a really good rider - or if you're not, but you're considering a particularly painful, disfiguring type of suicide - then by all means rent a motorbike and try riding through Bali's roads. Be a very defensive driver if you do this, make sure you have travel insurance, and be very, very careful out there.
- Range: Anywhere in Bali, as far as your gas budget will permit
- Cost: daily rates range from about $4 to $10 depending on the engine displacement; gas not included
- Pros: Great way to explore Bali on your own; allows you to create your own itinerary and explore the roads less-traveled at your own pace
- Cons: Bali's dangerous roads make this option absolutely not recommended for newbie scooter or motorcycle riders
For more information on motorbiking your way around Bali, with tips and contact details of motorbike rental agencies, check out this article: Renting Motorcycles & Scooters in Bali, Indonesia.
Bicycle Rentals in Bali
Rent a bicycle if you want to see Bali in the most earth-friendly way possible. If you choose to ride independently, you can see the Balinese countryside first-hand on your own schedule. Bali's bike tracks come in many forms, from paved roads to off-road tracks.
Organized bike tours of Bali are also available, catering to all types of bikers of all ages. Tour packages usually include meals, safety gear, and return trips from and to your hotel.
- Range: Generally limited to country roads in and around Ubud and Lovina - stay off of the highways in the south to be safe
- Cost: Tour operators may rent out bikes for about $2.50, or IDR 25,000 a day; package costs for day tours of certain Bali areas may cost more
- Pros: Biking is an environmentally-friendly way of exploring Bali, with greater range than just walking around
- Cons: Bali's main roads are too dangerous to visit. Inclement weather may also get in the way
For more information on exploring Bali via bike, read this article: Bicycle Rentals in Bali, Indonesia
Public Transport in Bali - Bemo
To get around Bali with the least expense, try riding one of the minibuses called bemo that run on set routes around the island. Despite the low prices, drivers will still charge more for foreigners - break out your haggling skills.
- Range: Everywhere in Bali
- Cost: starts at about IDR 5,000 for short distances, but you'll be charged more if the driver knows you're not from around town
- Pros: Cheapest way to get around
- Cons: Hot, dusty, open to the elements, and can be a hard slog between towns if you're riding long distances
