Only a few weeks until Bali. You can’t believe how excited I am. I’ve never been to Indonesia before. So, it will be a completely new experience for my boyfriend and me. I talked to friends and people who have been to this country before and read blogs to get well-prepared for this trip and to get some inspiration to write my Bali travel tips. Unfortunately, I got food poisoning when I was in Thailand and in the Philippines. That’s why I want to be 100% sure, that this time everything will be fine since these countries are similar to Indonesia.

So, I made a long list of things I will need or take with me and what to organize before. Here I won’t just share with you what I’ve done providently, but also what I will pack (read here my ultimate packing guide), which apps I’m going to download and what my plans for Bali are. Let’s get started!

Bali travel tips

Things I need to do before going to Bali

• A passport that is valid for at least 6 months
• Visa: Because we will be in Bali for just 2 weeks, we get the free “Visa on Arrival” at the airport. But if you are there for more than 30 days, you need to apply for a 60-day tourist visa 4 weeks in advance.
• Vaccinations are important. So, here are the ones you need: tetanus (not older than 9 years), hepatitis A and B (for longer stays), diphtheria and typhus (every 3 years)
• Cheap flights: I booked via idealo because they had the best prices. From Munich, we only have one stop in Doha (Qatar) to get to the international airport of Bali. All in all, the flight cost us around 615€ per person.
• Getting an international driver’s license: We don’t know if we want to rent a roller to get around the island, but to have an international driver’s license is always good to have. You get it at the local driver’s license office in your city. Prices for this can vary between 15 and 20€ (in Germany). But I know you can also rent private taxis to get around Bali if you prefer it more convenient.
• Suitcase or backpack? We decided on a backpack because we don’t want to stay in one place for longer and also want to explore Nusa Penida.

Important things I will have in my backpack

I’m just listing here the things that are relevant to mention:

• Credit card to get cash
• Passport and copy of it (in case of theft or loss)
• Umbrella and rain clothes since it will be the rainy season (October to April)
• A scarf for temples
• Sweater and pants for cooler nights and to protect against mosquitos
• Swimsuits and thin surf clothes (you don’t need a wetsuit)
• Turkish towels (absorbent, lightweight and versatile)
• Flip Flops, sandals, walking shoes
• Sun blocker and bug spray against mosquitos and the usual travel medicine
• A small shoulder bag for cash, passport, phone and small things (I usually wear it under my clothes)
• Chargers for all electronic devices. Be aware that in Bali they have type C and type F plugs. In Germany, we use type F so I won’t carry an adapter with me. But if you are from America or Australia, you should get one.

Preliminary travel route

• On the first days, we will stay in Ubud to explore the surroundings and the rice terraces. From there we will travel to Canggu, Nasa Penida and to Uluwatu. I will post my photos on Instagram. So stay tuned!
• While traveling I want to do yoga classes and go surfing (will see how it works in Indonesia during wet season :D).
• Read more about my final travel route, what I’m going to explore and further Bali travel tips on my blog soon.

Helpful apps

Last but not least, you find here some helpful apps that we will use in Indonesia:

• Mapsme is a free app for iOS and Android. You can download maps to use them offline. It’s great for orientation and saving places for your next time.
• XE Currency is a free app for iOS and Android that calculates the currency of every country.
• GoJek is a free app for iOS and Android and a real time saver. You can easily order a taxi or car within a short time (I read that Uber and Grab is not well-received).
• KamusKu is also a free app for iOS and Android and an offline English-Indonesia dictionary to look up words in case of need.
• booking.com is a free app for both iOS and Android and perfect to book hotels.
• Foursquare is also a free app for iOS and Android and a good food guide. With the app, you can discover the best cafés and restaurants in every city.

You see, I literally can’t wait and hope to be well-prepared for Bali. Although I already have a long list of Bali travel tips, I’m always up for some pieces of advice. So, if you can recommend anything, let me know!