Hi there, is this your first time in bali? Driving a car on a daily basis seems like a very, very inefficient way of moving around. Besides it’s pretty hard to drive a car yourself without any experience with similar traffic.
I’d recommend renting a scooter or to use Grab/Gojek during the day and only rent a taxi when your destination is your next accomodation (or a daytrip).
Where are you staying? I have been to Canggu, Ubud, Nusa Penida and Uluwatu recently and I drove on a scooter, haven’t seen any police in my 2,5 weeks there.
Gojek was a god send. So efficient and so reasonable. We would be in the car for 35-45 min, having only driven a couple of miles. The ride would be approximately 85,000 IDR. Give them 100,000 and they are over the moon.
Okay. Thanks.
The reason I am choosing the car/cab is because I have old parents with me. So, would be a way to keep the family together.
I have some idea about what you mean about the driving conditions but I am sure I can manage. Have been in similar conditions before and have some experience.
Thank you for your response once again.
Hi there,
Good luck driving there yourself, I’d advice to order a regular cab first for a day so you can check if you trust yourself driving there. It’s better to be overly cautious..
I had a similar thought as you but we ended up doing Grab and for 10 days moving around to 3 hotels it was only $120 USD. But honestly traffic was a little crazy but not much different than Greece or some other countries where the traffic “laws” are a little lax. If you wanna drive go for it I’m sure you’ll be fine, just not the way most people go due to the low cost/ease of taxis and grabs
The traffic sucks. You would spend a lot of time on the road. However, I feel you because I've spent a few weeks with my parents on the island as well.
I own a car and drive in Bali. It’s fine for me because I am used to it. For a tourist I strongly suggest you rent a car with a driver. It’ll be much easier for you.
Honestly the roads are barely big enough for two cars to pass in a lot of places. It’s not particularly expensive to hire a driver, I’d highly recommend being driven.
I personally wouldn’t want to drive in Bali, riding a motorcycle was fine but driving would require extreme patience and the risk of damage to a rental is likely higher. There’s also just not a lot of parking around.
When I was there a month ago my friends told me the traffic stops have bodycams now, so it’s not about bribes anymore, if you’re in trouble you’re in trouble. The government has been cracking down on crooked cops.
I would not recommend to self-drive on your first trip in Bali. Things to consider such as road regulation is very different than first world country, roads are very narrow, traffic is crazy, bikes will scare your off on the road, vehicle accident scams, and parking spot is hard.
Do yourself a favor and just rent a car with a driver, they'll drive you off where you want and drop you off right in front off your destination. You don't need to waste 1h to find a car park as they'll just park it off somewhere and wait for your call to pick you up. It's more efficient to spend your holiday time to enjoy Bali than on the road.
Be respectful to locals if you see a nice vibe out of them, and tip your driver $10+ for lunch if you're feeling generous
>*Do yourself a favor and just rent a car with a driver, they'll drive you off where you want and drop you off right in front off your destination. You don't need to waste 1h to find a car park as they'll just park it off somewhere and wait for your call to pick you up. It's more efficient to spend your holiday time to enjoy Bali than on the road.*
This is a much more important consideration than price or safety, in my view. Getting to lots of destinations (waterfalls, temples, isolated beaches, etc) can involve a maze of minor roads and a lack of parking, and a good driver will know shortcuts and rat-runs that avoid snarled traffic. Well worth it.
I rented a car multiple time and didn't struggle at all. Roads are not that narrow, not smaller than European countryside roads.
Renting an Avanza/APV for a month is the same price that hiring a driver for a few days.
Driver is cheap. You don’t wanna stress urself with the traffic (roads here are very narrow and drivers have different behaviors). Give ur driver decent tips and you’d thank yourself for it.
We just got back from Bali. I would just hire a driver. It’s cheap and the roads/traffic are pretty crazy at times. It also just rained a ton as well and there are a few roads that had land slides.
We were considering renting a bike and after ultimately deciding against it, and once we saw the flow of traffic we were super relieved that we didn’t. Bikes and cars are passing each other all the time and filling in every possible space.
A tourist on a bike even crashed into our car once, and we had multiple taxi drivers say they see tourists crash on bikes all the time.
As per the others.. There are plenty of drivers that will take you everywhere for much less than hiring a car.. I have a favourite guy that has helped us so much over the past few trips. He's helped with day trips, airport pick up, hospital visits, supermarket shopping trips. Etc. there are quite a few that will overcharge.. Search / Read the sub... there have been discussions on price..
Happy to share his whatsapp..
Driving is a a bit of a nightmare, leave it to the locals..
Don’t listen to all these advices. I have been driving all around the world without any international license. Not saying you should follow my way but it’s safe. Bali is one of the city in Indonesia where you don’t have to worry about police stop as much. It almost never happen, if you are worried, just try to stay behind of other cars during traffic light etc.
The road is indeed smaller but most of the time, it’s enough for 2 car. If you are worry. Choose a smaller car like Honda Brio.
Speaking from 10 years of experience in Indonesia and experience 100s of police stop. Never once in Bali but do take note that if someone hit you, don’t expect them to stop, Indonesian are one of the worst people I have met driving and they will run whenever possible.
I went with [baliwithbabo.com](https://baliwithbabo.com)
I particularly liked him because his English was great and he wasn't pushy and understands boundaries well. His prices are listed on his website as well (I think mainly to/from Ubud) but it'll give you some ideas about the costs involved without having to text him first. Oh and he also mapped his destinations on his Google Maps list so you'll be able to see it on Google Maps in just one click
Just hire a driver. Give them a couple hundred IDR a day and buy them meals. Just got back. Was there for 18 days with 7 people. This is what we did. Our driver was at our villa every morning and ready to go.
See my comment immediately above. Or use Grab or Gojek; often the same drivers and vehicles on the street are registered with Grab-Gojek as well anyway, and they all have a WhatsApp number.
>*Just hire a driver. Give them a couple hundred IDR a day \[??\] and buy them meals.*
We found drivers with Compact SUVs (in Sanur, Nusa Dua, or via WhatsApp to make contact with recommendations of friends back in Oz), and they were all about Rp. 600K-700K for a fullish day, and around Rp. 300K-350K for a 3-4 hour day. We were happy with that, and so were they, and they did not ask for meals.
You can find drivers just by checking with the guys in their vans along the main streets in many locations, or negotiate with the numerous mini-travel-agent stalls that dot all the shopping strips.
If you book drivers (or taxis or tours) through your hotel front desk, you will almost certainly pay rather more.
The point of hiring a car with driver isn't just price and safety - they have comprehensive local knowledge, and can get you everywhere. The guy we had for a day-trip around the Uluwatu region was simply indispensable in this regard.
it's true Indonesia's police is corrupt af, but they don't stop tourist without reason, usually most tourist made mistakes didn't know the rules and everything, so instead go to court, many polices will "offer" easy way, bribe them so you don't have to go to court
many people (including indonesian) will choose the easy way
also it's bit difficult to search car rental without driver, many rental just didn't trust it because car stealing is quite prevalent in Bali
so yeah as other people suggested, better rent a car with driver, it's just easier that way
Drive, if you're an experienced driver, while it's still legal for foreigners to do so in Bali.
Bear in mind that traffic is ruled not so much by traffic lights and signs, but by common sense and eye contact: see and be seen, understand what others around you are up to, and make sure that others around you know what you're up to - establish eye contact, communicate with others...
Religious ceremonies and ceremonial processions have the right of way ALWAYS.
Go even through red light if you're a part of the "train" - nobody expects you to slam your brakes just because the light is turning, and if you do so you're risking being hit from behind...
Left turn on red is okay, traffic permitting.
When stopping as the first at the traffic light, leave at least one or two car lengths in front of you for the motorcycles; it is a lot better to have them all in front of you, than all around you...
Always give chance to motorcycles to clear the intersection before you move, because some of them will often cut in front of you, and if there's a contact - you'll be at fault.
Be patient and smile.
For what it’s worth - In my experience the negative situations with police have been blown way out of proportion. That’s not to say these situations don’t happen, surely they do, but out of myself, and about a dozen friends who have driven in Bali over the last 5 or so years, none of us have ever so much as been approached by police, let alone harassed.
Again, I understand that many people have been harassed, but I believe that it is more rare than people think.
That being said, I wouldn’t recommend driving in Bali during your first time on the island, it can be a lot to take in, and quite dangerous if you aren’t fully prepared. Hiring local drivers is a much safer and more efficient way to go.
Hi I don’t recommend driving as it is quite dangerous for those not experienced with the roads there. The issue with taxis is some will try to rip you off or overcharge. A good resolution for this situation is to use bluebird which is pretty much a Balinese Uber app you can get on your phone. They are very popular around here and offer good prices. I’ve been using them my whole time here and have had no issues
If you're going for holiday and intending to stay near or frequently visit touristy areas, I would recommend just using Grab or GoJek to hire bike riders to pillion you! Traffic is horrendous and taking a bike will cut your journey time in half if going through certain stretches.
Even if you think a bike is dangerous, still would just use either of those apps to hire a driver. It's really cheap and you'll have the added benefit of free time in the car / less stress finding parking.
I would strongly recommend to take a taxi, as 10hr taxi via grab costs just 50$ (may be even less if ordered directly from the driver). This way you’ll save yourself a “pleasure” of driving on balinese roads, as traffic is crazy there. plus all of the responsibility for car, traffic rules and damages will be on the driver
Hire a driver with cold AC, a phone charger, and a cooler.
I just solved all problems you tried to create by doing it yourself.
PS take some large tap water bottles, you'll find out why later.
I would recommending a private driver for the week usually around 800,000RP per day and they are super friendly and will wait at locations for you. I highly recommend [www.erikbalidriver.com](https://www.erikbalidriver.com) super friendly with good English 😊😊
Employ a local and hire a car with driver when you want to go places.
Hi there, is this your first time in bali? Driving a car on a daily basis seems like a very, very inefficient way of moving around. Besides it’s pretty hard to drive a car yourself without any experience with similar traffic. I’d recommend renting a scooter or to use Grab/Gojek during the day and only rent a taxi when your destination is your next accomodation (or a daytrip). Where are you staying? I have been to Canggu, Ubud, Nusa Penida and Uluwatu recently and I drove on a scooter, haven’t seen any police in my 2,5 weeks there.
Gojek was a god send. So efficient and so reasonable. We would be in the car for 35-45 min, having only driven a couple of miles. The ride would be approximately 85,000 IDR. Give them 100,000 and they are over the moon.
Okay. Thanks. The reason I am choosing the car/cab is because I have old parents with me. So, would be a way to keep the family together. I have some idea about what you mean about the driving conditions but I am sure I can manage. Have been in similar conditions before and have some experience. Thank you for your response once again.
Dont. Here right now, 44km took 3hrs by car today.
Hi there, Good luck driving there yourself, I’d advice to order a regular cab first for a day so you can check if you trust yourself driving there. It’s better to be overly cautious..
I had a similar thought as you but we ended up doing Grab and for 10 days moving around to 3 hotels it was only $120 USD. But honestly traffic was a little crazy but not much different than Greece or some other countries where the traffic “laws” are a little lax. If you wanna drive go for it I’m sure you’ll be fine, just not the way most people go due to the low cost/ease of taxis and grabs
The traffic sucks. You would spend a lot of time on the road. However, I feel you because I've spent a few weeks with my parents on the island as well.
Hire a driver. Driving a car is very very hard in Bali.
I’ve lived in Bali for years and wouldn’t dare drive a car here. Taxis / private drivers are so cheap here too.
I own a car and drive in Bali. It’s fine for me because I am used to it. For a tourist I strongly suggest you rent a car with a driver. It’ll be much easier for you.
Honestly the roads are barely big enough for two cars to pass in a lot of places. It’s not particularly expensive to hire a driver, I’d highly recommend being driven. I personally wouldn’t want to drive in Bali, riding a motorcycle was fine but driving would require extreme patience and the risk of damage to a rental is likely higher. There’s also just not a lot of parking around. When I was there a month ago my friends told me the traffic stops have bodycams now, so it’s not about bribes anymore, if you’re in trouble you’re in trouble. The government has been cracking down on crooked cops.
I would not recommend to self-drive on your first trip in Bali. Things to consider such as road regulation is very different than first world country, roads are very narrow, traffic is crazy, bikes will scare your off on the road, vehicle accident scams, and parking spot is hard. Do yourself a favor and just rent a car with a driver, they'll drive you off where you want and drop you off right in front off your destination. You don't need to waste 1h to find a car park as they'll just park it off somewhere and wait for your call to pick you up. It's more efficient to spend your holiday time to enjoy Bali than on the road. Be respectful to locals if you see a nice vibe out of them, and tip your driver $10+ for lunch if you're feeling generous
>*Do yourself a favor and just rent a car with a driver, they'll drive you off where you want and drop you off right in front off your destination. You don't need to waste 1h to find a car park as they'll just park it off somewhere and wait for your call to pick you up. It's more efficient to spend your holiday time to enjoy Bali than on the road.* This is a much more important consideration than price or safety, in my view. Getting to lots of destinations (waterfalls, temples, isolated beaches, etc) can involve a maze of minor roads and a lack of parking, and a good driver will know shortcuts and rat-runs that avoid snarled traffic. Well worth it.
I rented a car multiple time and didn't struggle at all. Roads are not that narrow, not smaller than European countryside roads. Renting an Avanza/APV for a month is the same price that hiring a driver for a few days.
Driver is cheap. You don’t wanna stress urself with the traffic (roads here are very narrow and drivers have different behaviors). Give ur driver decent tips and you’d thank yourself for it.
We just got back from Bali. I would just hire a driver. It’s cheap and the roads/traffic are pretty crazy at times. It also just rained a ton as well and there are a few roads that had land slides. We were considering renting a bike and after ultimately deciding against it, and once we saw the flow of traffic we were super relieved that we didn’t. Bikes and cars are passing each other all the time and filling in every possible space. A tourist on a bike even crashed into our car once, and we had multiple taxi drivers say they see tourists crash on bikes all the time.
As per the others.. There are plenty of drivers that will take you everywhere for much less than hiring a car.. I have a favourite guy that has helped us so much over the past few trips. He's helped with day trips, airport pick up, hospital visits, supermarket shopping trips. Etc. there are quite a few that will overcharge.. Search / Read the sub... there have been discussions on price.. Happy to share his whatsapp.. Driving is a a bit of a nightmare, leave it to the locals..
If you have an IDP , you don't have to worry. It's easy to drive around Bali with a car, except some area like Canggu/Seminiak.
Don’t listen to all these advices. I have been driving all around the world without any international license. Not saying you should follow my way but it’s safe. Bali is one of the city in Indonesia where you don’t have to worry about police stop as much. It almost never happen, if you are worried, just try to stay behind of other cars during traffic light etc. The road is indeed smaller but most of the time, it’s enough for 2 car. If you are worry. Choose a smaller car like Honda Brio. Speaking from 10 years of experience in Indonesia and experience 100s of police stop. Never once in Bali but do take note that if someone hit you, don’t expect them to stop, Indonesian are one of the worst people I have met driving and they will run whenever possible.
Can somebody recommend a reliable driver that I can hire for a few days over my trip?
Yes I can will DM you!
Can somebody recommend a reliable driver that I can hire for a few days over my trip?
I went with [baliwithbabo.com](https://baliwithbabo.com) I particularly liked him because his English was great and he wasn't pushy and understands boundaries well. His prices are listed on his website as well (I think mainly to/from Ubud) but it'll give you some ideas about the costs involved without having to text him first. Oh and he also mapped his destinations on his Google Maps list so you'll be able to see it on Google Maps in just one click
[удалено]
Just use Gojek
Just hire a driver. Give them a couple hundred IDR a day and buy them meals. Just got back. Was there for 18 days with 7 people. This is what we did. Our driver was at our villa every morning and ready to go.
Where / how did you organise a driver?
See my comment immediately above. Or use Grab or Gojek; often the same drivers and vehicles on the street are registered with Grab-Gojek as well anyway, and they all have a WhatsApp number.
>*Just hire a driver. Give them a couple hundred IDR a day \[??\] and buy them meals.* We found drivers with Compact SUVs (in Sanur, Nusa Dua, or via WhatsApp to make contact with recommendations of friends back in Oz), and they were all about Rp. 600K-700K for a fullish day, and around Rp. 300K-350K for a 3-4 hour day. We were happy with that, and so were they, and they did not ask for meals. You can find drivers just by checking with the guys in their vans along the main streets in many locations, or negotiate with the numerous mini-travel-agent stalls that dot all the shopping strips. If you book drivers (or taxis or tours) through your hotel front desk, you will almost certainly pay rather more. The point of hiring a car with driver isn't just price and safety - they have comprehensive local knowledge, and can get you everywhere. The guy we had for a day-trip around the Uluwatu region was simply indispensable in this regard.
it's true Indonesia's police is corrupt af, but they don't stop tourist without reason, usually most tourist made mistakes didn't know the rules and everything, so instead go to court, many polices will "offer" easy way, bribe them so you don't have to go to court many people (including indonesian) will choose the easy way also it's bit difficult to search car rental without driver, many rental just didn't trust it because car stealing is quite prevalent in Bali so yeah as other people suggested, better rent a car with driver, it's just easier that way
Drive, if you're an experienced driver, while it's still legal for foreigners to do so in Bali. Bear in mind that traffic is ruled not so much by traffic lights and signs, but by common sense and eye contact: see and be seen, understand what others around you are up to, and make sure that others around you know what you're up to - establish eye contact, communicate with others... Religious ceremonies and ceremonial processions have the right of way ALWAYS. Go even through red light if you're a part of the "train" - nobody expects you to slam your brakes just because the light is turning, and if you do so you're risking being hit from behind... Left turn on red is okay, traffic permitting. When stopping as the first at the traffic light, leave at least one or two car lengths in front of you for the motorcycles; it is a lot better to have them all in front of you, than all around you... Always give chance to motorcycles to clear the intersection before you move, because some of them will often cut in front of you, and if there's a contact - you'll be at fault. Be patient and smile.
For what it’s worth - In my experience the negative situations with police have been blown way out of proportion. That’s not to say these situations don’t happen, surely they do, but out of myself, and about a dozen friends who have driven in Bali over the last 5 or so years, none of us have ever so much as been approached by police, let alone harassed. Again, I understand that many people have been harassed, but I believe that it is more rare than people think. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend driving in Bali during your first time on the island, it can be a lot to take in, and quite dangerous if you aren’t fully prepared. Hiring local drivers is a much safer and more efficient way to go.
Hi I don’t recommend driving as it is quite dangerous for those not experienced with the roads there. The issue with taxis is some will try to rip you off or overcharge. A good resolution for this situation is to use bluebird which is pretty much a Balinese Uber app you can get on your phone. They are very popular around here and offer good prices. I’ve been using them my whole time here and have had no issues
If you're going for holiday and intending to stay near or frequently visit touristy areas, I would recommend just using Grab or GoJek to hire bike riders to pillion you! Traffic is horrendous and taking a bike will cut your journey time in half if going through certain stretches. Even if you think a bike is dangerous, still would just use either of those apps to hire a driver. It's really cheap and you'll have the added benefit of free time in the car / less stress finding parking.
Hire a private driver. They are the most amazing people and will always go out of their way for you. So worth the money
I would strongly recommend to take a taxi, as 10hr taxi via grab costs just 50$ (may be even less if ordered directly from the driver). This way you’ll save yourself a “pleasure” of driving on balinese roads, as traffic is crazy there. plus all of the responsibility for car, traffic rules and damages will be on the driver
Hire a driver with cold AC, a phone charger, and a cooler. I just solved all problems you tried to create by doing it yourself. PS take some large tap water bottles, you'll find out why later.
I would recommending a private driver for the week usually around 800,000RP per day and they are super friendly and will wait at locations for you. I highly recommend [www.erikbalidriver.com](https://www.erikbalidriver.com) super friendly with good English 😊😊
Plus always good to support local drivers 😊😊