Starting off and getting around

So landing in Despensar, Bali, we had no real idea of what we were in store for. We had read a few things on the island and had talked to a few people that had pointed us in the right direction but honestly we didn’t have a plan or a clue what was “Bali”. There were a few things that looking back on now I wish that we had heard or looked into. The trip up to this point has been memorable and filled with new experiences. We have done the tourist things and done things our ways, we have tried the food, used the local transportation, gotten medical attention, gotten visa extensions, paid off the police, and seen the festivities. These are some of the things that I wished we had been aware of before we got here and some tips to the next lucky traveler.

Airport Arrival: When you step off the plane in Bali, you will have to go through the Port Of Entry check as you would in any Country. There is a charge of $25 cash p/p (an extra 3% charge if you pay by card so we recommend having cash with you) for a 30 day Tourist Visa. 

Transportation: This was the biggest thing that we misunderstood. Anywhere that you look on the internet says that you should use the metered taxis, that is correct. That being said we didn’t try fixed rate ones, used only metered taxis and that was only once. We found them expensive, 45,000 fro airport to Kuta and 110,000 from Kuta to Sanur. At the airport we took our bags and walked out of the main bit of the airport and to the street where we found the metered taxis, much cheaper but it is only a few minutes ride to Kuta. To most places in south Bali take the little green bus’, the taxis do get expensive especially when you see the map and how close you were in the first place. If you do decide to get a taxi, make sure you have a pretty good idea of where you are going and have a map out to show them. If not, you will tell them a town and they will take you to the furthest point possible making you fork out the most and then hike back to the main part of town, we know that from experience.

            We had heard that renting bikes was unwise but we decided to try our hand at it anyways because we needed cheap transportation for the hospital and visa extension.  When you go to get the bike, and there are shops everywhere, take a camera and your drivers license. Take photos of the bike just to be sure, we never got into any problems that you hear about in Thailand but never the less its a good idea. We paid 40,000, that is the best rate that we could get per day, don’t pay more. In Sanur we repeatedly used Merta Nadi the owners name is Ketua. They can be found on the right hand side of the road after the first Circle K, Tel No:- 081236921052.  With the bikes we found that they have a whole fleet of them so sometimes we got a good one and sometimes we get an old bike. We did at one point get a flat, the tube inside the tire popped, and it cost us 10,000 to get a patch work. We read everywhere that you need to be careful of riding around w/o an international license. If you follow the rules: wear a helmet, have registration, and follow the rules you wont get pulled over. That being said we were pulled over once but that was while leaving the city and there was a police blockade where they let the Indonesian looking people pass and immediately told us to pull over, we are white. So upon being pulled over the police told us the ticket would cost 1,000,000RPH in Court or pay 250,000RPH on the spot, they never once looked at our registration and only asked about the international license, which we did not have. Hint, if you don’t have the money on you, they can’t take it from you. So keep small amounts of money in pockets or wallet, we paid the guy off for 60,000RPH that’s all they seemed to want seeing as they couldn’t get anymore without writing up ‘the paperwork’. We showed our empty wallets and were free to go.

            All the fuss about the bikes is what it is, you are bound to get stopped but be smart about it, they just want a little cash and its all good. With the police pulling people over they do go after tourists but then again they have the money and will probably not have all of the documents. That being said getting a bike is recommended because it makes traffic much easier to handle and makes the island much more accessible. Price of bike and gas is much cheaper than the taxis too and is much more fun and adventurous.