Before you fly to Bali: fifteen things to do at home

Citizens of 97 countries and territories can get a Visa on Arrival (index B1): 30 days from entry, extendable once for another 30, government fee IDR 500,000. Apply online before the flight as an e-VOA on the official portal: the visa is valid for 90 days from issue, and with a biometric passport you can use the autogate. Not on the list, or staying longer? You need a visa in advance, such as the 60-day visit visa C1.Source: Directorate General of Immigration, visa B1; list of eligible countries; portal evisa.imigrasi.go.id.

Valid for at least six months on the day you enter Indonesia. A damaged passport can be refused at the border.Source: the same B1 page of the Directorate General of Immigration.

Fill in the electronic arrival card All Indonesia online before departure and keep the QR code on your phone: it is shown at immigration and customs.Source: allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id; our guide (RU): All Indonesia step by step.

IDR 150,000 per person, paid once per visit on the official Love Bali website; keep the voucher on your phone. Pay only on the official site, not through resellers.Source: lovebali.baliprov.go.id; our guide (RU): tourist levy.

For the Visa on Arrival a ticket out of Indonesia is on the list of required documents and can be asked for at check-in and at the border.Source: Directorate General of Immigration, visa B1; our guide (RU): onward ticket.

A phone brought from abroad is registered with Customs (Bea Cukai) on arrival, before you buy a local SIM; without registration local networks stop working after a while.Source: Bea Cukai, IMEI FAQ; our guide (RU): IMEI.

Buy it in an operator's own shop and register it with your passport; the operators' rules require registration for foreigners. Cards sold at kiosks under someone else's name can be blocked.Source: Telkomsel FAQ for foreigners; our guide (RU): SIM cards.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted in towns and tourist areas, but the QR payments everyone uses (QRIS) need an Indonesian e-wallet or bank app, and a foreign card cannot scan them. Bring some cash for the first days and exchange only at licensed money changers registered with Bank Indonesia (KUPVA).Source: Bank Indonesia on licensed money changers; our guides (RU): rupiah, exchange and ATMs, QRIS for foreigners.

Grab and Gojek for rides and food, Info BMKG for weather, waves and earthquake alerts from the national agency, WhatsApp for almost every booking, plus an offline map of your area.Source: Gojek help; BMKG; our guide (RU): Grab and Gojek.

Carry an International Driving Permit together with your national licence; for a scooter the motorcycle category is required. A helmet is mandatory for rider and passenger, and police do check tourists.Source: Police regulation Perpol 5/2021 on driving licences; our guide (RU): driving licences.

Take a policy that covers motorbike riding. Insurers refuse motorbike claims when the rider had no valid licence or no helmet.Source: insurers' terms, for example Kasih Ibu Hospital insurance page; our guide (RU): insurance.

112 is the single free emergency number across Indonesia, it works from a locked phone and with no credit; 110 police, 118 ambulance. Save them before you land.Source: Ministry of Communication, 112 service; our guide (RU): emergency numbers.

Swim only between the red-and-yellow flags where lifeguards are on duty; a red flag means no swimming. Rip currents on the west coast pull even strong swimmers out.Source: Badung lifeguards via NusaBali, 30 June 2026; our guide (RU): ocean and flags.

24 to 27 December 2026 is a long weekend across Indonesia. On 8 March 2027 Bali observes Nyepi, the Day of Silence: the airport closes for 24 hours and everyone stays indoors, including tourists.Source: State Secretariat, joint decree on 2027 holidays; our guides (RU): holidays 2027, Nyepi.

Order Grab or Gojek and walk to their designated pick-up point, or take the Trans Metro Dewata public bus. Ignore the touts inside the arrivals hall.Our guides (RU): arrival step by step, Trans Metro Dewata.