Bali’s roads — the real reason distance doesn’t mean what it looks like on a map.
Milo’s Brief
Bali
Everything you actually need to know before traveling to Bali — without spending hours researching it.
Arrival, traffic, where to stay, transport, connectivity, money, weather, and family logistics — distilled by Milo.
“Bali looks small on a map. Traffic makes it much bigger.”
Milo’s Bali in 60 Seconds
Landing at DPS? Pre-book your transfer if you’re arriving with kids or heavy luggage — the goal is walking out of the terminal already knowing who’s picking you up.
Plan Bali by region, not distance. A short-looking drive can eat a huge chunk of your day — fewer hotel moves usually means more Bali and less time in traffic.
Traveling with a toddler to a private villa? Don’t assume it has a pool fence — confirm before you book, not after you arrive.
Bali isn’t a stroller-first destination. Sanur and Nusa Dua are easy; Ubud, Canggu, and Uluwatu can be frustrating with inconsistent sidewalks — a good carrier earns its space in the bag.
Bali runs on WhatsApp. Drivers, villa managers, and many restaurants use it constantly — have it working before you land.
Carry some IDR even if you mostly use cards — cards are widely accepted at modern places, but cash still matters for temples, parking, and smaller businesses.
Weather changes what a “good Bali trip” looks like more than people expect — dry season is easier for outdoor-heavy plans, wet season can be better value if you stay flexible.
Check Nyepi before you book flights. Bali’s Day of Silence affects movement across the whole island, including the airport — and the dates move every year.
Getting In: Immigration & Entry
Visa & entry
If your nationality is eligible, Indonesia’s e-VOA currently runs Rp500,000 and grants an initial 30-day stay. Eligibility and requirements are set by nationality, so check the current Indonesian immigration source before you book — not an old blog post.
Bali Tourist Levy
A separate Rp150,000 foreign-visitor fee, paid once per trip through the official Love Bali site. It funds cultural and environmental preservation and has nothing to do with your visa.
All Indonesia arrival declaration
A single integrated arrival system covering immigration, customs, and health information, completed online from three days before you land. Save the QR code it gives you.
Watch for fake payment sites
Only pay through the official domains below. Both are fixed-price (and the arrival declaration is free); a site charging more, or adding a mysterious “service fee,” isn’t official.
Official sources
Milo’s Take
Don’t treat an old Bali blog as immigration advice — rules like these move, and the official government source is always the final word.
Where Should You Base Yourself?
Bali isn’t one destination. It’s several different experiences connected by roads — and where you sleep determines how much of your vacation you spend in a car.
A beachfront resort pool at dusk — one version of what “base yourself well” can look like.
Sanur
Families, beach, easier walking. The lowest-friction base on the island.
Nusa Dua
Resorts, families, a calmer beach. The easiest resort-style experience.
Ubud
Culture, jungle, restaurants — amazing, but don’t underestimate how much the roads shape your day.
Canggu
Cafés, nightlife, younger travelers. Fun, but traffic can dominate the day.
Uluwatu
Cliffs, beaches, resorts — beautiful, but geographically isolated from everywhere else.
Seminyak
Restaurants, shopping, nightlife — convenient and central, but busy.
Milo’s Take
Under 5 days, one base is usually enough. 6–9 days, two bases can make sense. 10+ days, three may be worth it if the regions are genuinely different. Traveling with toddlers? Bias toward fewer hotel moves, not more.
Airport → Bali
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is usually your first encounter with Bali’s logistical personality — and navigating transport decisions with kids, luggage, and drivers waiting outside is exactly the kind of friction worth removing before you land.
Leaving DPS
Milo’s Pick
If you’re arriving with kids or heavy luggage, pre-book a private transfer.
Best for
Families and anyone with real luggage.
Alternative
Ride-hailing can make sense for a solo traveler or couple with light bags.
Watch out
Heading to Ubud or Canggu specifically? Expect the road to take meaningfully longer than the map suggests.
Milo Tip
On our own Bali trips, booking a dedicated driver for arrival day gave us more flexibility than a simple airport transfer — we could stop for groceries or supplies on the way to the villa instead of making another trip later.
Prices may vary. Milo may earn a commission if you book through these links.
Ask Milo: “I’m landing at DPS at 4pm with two kids and four bags, heading to Ubud. What transport would you choose?” →Bali Traffic
This is the biggest Bali mistake: planning by kilometers instead of time. A 15-kilometer trip can feel completely different depending on the time of day, the road, the weather, or a local ceremony closing a street.
Spending the morning in Uluwatu, lunch in Canggu, and sunset in Ubud looks entirely reasonable on a map. In Bali, it’s a day mostly spent in a car.
Milo’s Take
Group activities by region, not by what looks close on a map.
Getting Around
Private driver
Milo’s Pick
For families and full sightseeing days, one of the easiest ways to move around Bali — a spacious MPV earns its cost back the moment you’re carrying kids, strollers, and beach gear.
Book a private driver for a full dayOr browse a customizable full-day tour with stops includedPrices may vary. Milo may earn a commission if you book through these links.
Ride-hailing
Best for short trips and simple point-to-point journeys without much luggage. Pickup rules vary by location — follow the app’s designated pickup point rather than assuming a driver can meet you at every entrance.
Scooters
Everywhere, and not automatically right for you. If you don’t already ride confidently, don’t learn in Bali.
Luggage Strategy
Don’t move your luggage unless you have a real reason to move it.
Under 10 days
Two bases is usually enough — see Where to Base Yourself above.
Changing hotels
Use your driver to move luggage while you sightsee, if the route allows it.
Nusa Lembongan / Nusa Penida
Consider leaving large luggage at your Bali accommodation and taking a small overnight bag — speedboat transfers can involve uneven access and getting wet while boarding.
Connectivity
Reliable mobile data makes Bali substantially easier — navigation, ride-hailing, WhatsApp, restaurant and hotel communication, translation, and reservations all lean on it.
Milo’s pick
eSIM for most short-term travelers. Install it before departure and confirm your phone is unlocked. Test it before you need it — don’t make your first connectivity experiment at the airport curb.
Money & Basics
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Cards are widely accepted at modern hotels and restaurants, but carry cash for warungs, temples, small shops, and parking.
ATMs
Prefer machines operated by established banks (BCA, Mandiri, BNI), ideally at or near a branch rather than a standalone street kiosk.
Currency conversion
If an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, usually decline and choose IDR instead.
Tipping & service charges
Not a strict everyday requirement, though good service is appreciated. Restaurants and hotels may add tax and/or a service charge — the amount varies by establishment, so check the bill rather than assuming a fixed percentage.
Weather & When to Go
April–October
Generally drier, easier outdoor days. The best overall weather tradeoff for most travelers — expect higher prices and heavier crowds around July–August.
November–March
Wetter, humid, more variable — better value, but build flexibility into the trip rather than betting the whole itinerary on one forecast.
Bali With Kids
Villa with a toddler?
Milo’s Pick
Never assume a private villa pool is child-safe just because the villa looks family-friendly.
A private villa pool, directly accessible from the living space — exactly the kind of setup worth checking before you book with young kids.
Best for
Ask about pool fencing, gates, and direct pool access from the living area before you book.
Watch out
A villa can look perfect in photos and still be a genuinely difficult family setup.
Milo Tip
Pool safety is something you check before booking — not something you discover after you arrive.
Strollers
Sanur and Nusa Dua are easy. Ubud, Canggu, and Uluwatu can be frustrating — sidewalks are uneven, narrow, or absent. A lightweight stroller plus a good carrier beats a large stroller alone.
Water & food
Don’t drink untreated tap water — use bottled or properly filtered water for drinking and brushing teeth. Be more selective about food and ice outside established hotels and restaurants.
Baby supplies
Major supermarkets stock diapers, formula, and baby food, but selection varies and imported products can be expensive. Bring the specific item you can’t easily replace; buy the bulky everyday stuff locally.
Things We Wish We Knew
Bali runs on WhatsApp — have it working before you land.
Don’t try to see the whole island from one hotel. Group activities by region.
Don’t move hotels just because the next area looks close on the map — traffic changes the equation.
Check Nyepi before booking flights. The Day of Silence affects the entire island, including the airport.
Bring a sarong or know where you’ll get one — temple visits call for modest dress, shoulders and knees covered.
Carry tissues and hand sanitizer. Bathroom facilities vary a lot once you’re outside major hotels.
Your villa’s location matters more than its photos. A beautiful villa that costs you 30 minutes of traffic every time you leave becomes a very different vacation.
Only pay tourist-levy and arrival-declaration fees through the official government domains — fake look-alike sites that overcharge are a real, documented problem.
Milo’s Quick Picks
A few practical things worth arranging before you go.
Airport transfer
Milo’s pick for a pre-booked private transfer
Best for: Families, heavy luggage, late arrivals.
See this option →Private driver
Milo’s pick for a full sightseeing day
Best for: Families and groups exploring multiple regions in one day.
See this option →Custom day tour
Browse a flexible full-day private tour and build your own stops
Best for: Seeing the range of Bali attractions in one place and picking what actually fits your day.
See this option →Milo’s Bottom Line
Bali isn’t difficult — it’s just easy to underestimate the logistics. Plan around traffic, choose fewer bases, remove your airport decision before you land, and if you’re traveling with young kids, check the villa itself, not just the photos. Keep WhatsApp and mobile data working. Do those things, and Bali becomes a lot easier to enjoy.
Before you leave