How to Best Get Around Bali

Getting around Bali isn’t as straightforward as in other places around the world, in part because there are so many options to choose from and it isn’t always clear which is the best one. There are regular taxis, those you can hire using a ride-hailing app such as Gojek and Grab, private drivers that can take you sightseeing, and although renting a car isn’t generally recommended in Bali, renting a scooter is however a very popular option. To help you navigate these options and decisions, we put together this guide on How to Best Get Around Bali, where we detail important aspects and details of each transportation method while highlighting their respective advantages and drawbacks. Unfortunately, public transportation in Bali is very limited and not particularly tourist-friendly at the moment, and therefore won’t be covered in this guide.

Table of Contents — How to Best Get Around Bali – A Travel Guide

Disclosure: This page (How to Best Get Around Bali – A Travel Guide) may contain product affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. More details can be found on our disclosure and policies page.

You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali

We also highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.

A Word on the Bali Road Network

Although for the most part, the roads are in good condition, there are very few highways apart from in the south near the airport and the capital Densapar, which means that getting from A to B generally takes a lot longer than you would think when looking at a map. Further complicating matters is that most roads go through towns as opposed to around them, creating additional slowdowns.

Also important The majority of the roads in Bali are in the North-South direction, running parallel to the island’s many rivers. The main consequence of this is that there are far fewer roads running in the East-West direction, making it often longer to travel in that direction.

All of this is to say that, for a given distance, you shouldn’t expect transit times as short as you would get in North America or Europe. In fact, you might have to double them. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it will allow you to better enjoy the scenery and the many beautiful landscapes that Bali has to offer. It is just something that is good to know when planning your Bali itinerary and the various day trips you have in mind.

A Word on the Bali Traffic

Both the local population and tourism have significantly grown over the years, and the road infrastructure unfortunately hasn’t been adapted to follow the growth rate. So whether you are riding your own scooter or being driven around, another important challenge of getting around Bali will be the traffic, particularly around the morning and afternoon rush hours. This is particularly true of the more populated areas of south Bali (Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu) and Ubud. Traffic is rarely a concern outside of these regions.

In Ubud, we found that the morning traffic wasn’t so bad, but the afternoon/evening traffic could be quite horrible. When leaving on a day trip, we highly recommend trying to leave early (7-8 am) and returning by mid-afternoon at the latest (3-4 pm) to avoid the worst of it.

A Word on Driving in Bali

If you decide to drive in Bali, whether it be in a car or on a scooter, there are a few important things you should know:
– Driving takes place on the left-hand side of the road in Bali (and in all of Indonesia for that matter)
– By law, all drivers should have a valid driver’s license and an international driver’s permit (IDP)
– Outside of South Bali, traffic lights are few and far between, which makes navigating intersections quite challenging for the novice Bali driver
– The roads are dominated by scooters, which means that a single road lane can easily turn into a two- or three-road lane and that you are often as likely to be passed on the left as you are on the right by a faster scooter.
– Recent laws in Bali mean that police officers cannot ask you for money when and if they pull you over on the road

Taxis

Metered taxis in Bali are incredibly cheap, and you’ll only pay a fraction of what you would pay in the rest of the world. However, not all taxis are metered, so you may have to be prepared to negotiate a rate before embarking in the cab – this is particularly true when departing a popular tourist attraction. Even if you have to negotiate a rate, taxis remain very inexpensive relative to other destinations.

The one thing you don’t want to do is get into a taxi without having checked if it is metered or having agreed on a flat fee with the driver, as this is when you might end up with an unhappy surprise once you arrive at your destination. Although most taxi drivers aren’t trying to rip you off, you still might end up in a delicate situation and having to pay a price significantly greater than you had anticipated. The most trusted taxi company in Bali is Bluebird Taxis – be sure to look for their logo though, since most taxis in Bali are painted in blue color.

Using Taxis to Leave the Airport

We don’t recommend using taxis to leave the airport after you arrive in Bali, and even if you really want to, it might be difficult to pull off as there are no taxi ranks. You will however encounter a sea of individuals wanting to offer you a ride in an unofficial taxi, hoping to take advantage of your fatigue following a long flight and your desire to get to your hotel quickly. You will also see many many drivers holding up signs with tourist names on them – these are drivers that you can book ahead via a private transfer, a process that we described in further detail below.

Long Distance Taxi Rides

For distances over 5-10 km, a metered taxi in Bali will start to run you over what a private car and driver would cost. That being, using them is still going to be cheap by any standard.

For longer distances (that typically over an hour, such as going from the airport to Ubud), a negotiated rate is to be expected, and it is best to settle this ahead of time by booking a private transfer (see below) to avoid unwanted surprises.

Taxi Advantages:
– Inexpensive transport option, especially for short one-way trips.
– Easy to find throughout Bali

Taxi Drawbacks:
– Negotiation may be required if there is no meter
– Prices can be outrageous if not negotiated beforehand
– Expensive over long distances

Ride-Hailing Apps (Gojek and Grab)

When in need of a quick ride, we think it’s generally preferable to use one of the Bali ride-hailing apps such as Gojek or Grab over taxis, both of which are very similar to Uber in many respects. You’ll know the cost upfront and you won’t have to spend time trying to find a taxi. That said, there are a few exceptions which we will get to below.

You can download the apps here: Grab (Apple | Android) or Gojek (Apple | Android) – you’ll need to create an account before your first use. It is also ideal to make sure you have access to mobile data across the island – we always use an Airalo eSIM card.

When booking a ride, you can select a regular car, a large van or a scooter taxi. Scooter taxis are generally cheaper and will often get you to your destination more quickly in congested traffic, whereas cars and vans are ideal if you are carrying luggage and will generally provide you with a more comfortable ride. It’s also good to know that Grab and Gojek scooter taxis are required to carry an extra helmet for passengers. They may not always offer this to you as it could be stored inside the seat, but make sure you ask for one.

One of the main drawbacks of using ride-hailing apps is their limited use in some areas of the island, including Ubud and Padang Bai where cartels of local drivers have a monopoly on taxi services. The same is true of several of Bali’s tourist attractions, including most waterfalls, temples, and beach clubs. While Gojek or Grab rides can get you to those areas, they are generally not permitted to come pick up passengers. Those who either have to use one of the local taxis or have pre-arranged for a private car and driver (more on this option further below). Grab & Gojek rides are rarely available in towns north of Ubud, and when they are, you might have to wait significantly longer if the ride wasn’t previously scheduled.

Like taxis, Gojek or Grab are more difficult to come by when it rains. Some scooter drivers prefer not to drive in wet weather and there’s much more demand for regular car taxis since many pedestrians will pivot to a taxi to avoid getting wet.

Grab/Gojek Advantages:
– Fixed price known beforehand
– Can be easily scheduled ahead of time

Grab/Gojek Drawbacks:
– Can be slightly more expensive than taxis
– Can’t pick up customers in some of the most popular tourist areas and attractions

Private Transfers

Private transfers are in our opinion the best choice for a few specific situations:
-Getting from the Airport to your hotel/accommodation (or vice-versa)
-Moving from one area of Bali to another (one-way)

The vast majority of private cars are comfortable, air-conditioned and will easily fit at least 3 passengers (with options for larger vehicles for larger groups). A popular route is from the airport to Ubud, for which a private transfer takes about an hour and typically costs IDR250-300k (15-20 US$/€) (2025) for up to three people.

If you are unsure where to book your private transfer, we highly recommend using those booked through the Get Your Guide platform. It can transport people to most of Bali’s popular destinations from the airport, including Kuta, Legion, Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Sanur, Canggu, Ubud, Candidasa and Padang Bai:

Although you don’t need to book private transfers long in advance, we still recommend booking them as soon as you have booked your flights and hotels to avoid having to search for last-minute options.

Private Car and Driver

An extension of the private transfer, hiring a car and driver to explore Bali can be a practical and cost-efficient way to experience a full or half day of sightseeing. Although this option is more expensive than renting a scooter (see below), you don’t have to worry about navigating Bali’s roads and traffic. Also, most cars are modern and air-conditioned, which is welcome in Bali’s humid heat, and the local drivers always know the best routes to take and can optimize your ideal itinerary to maximize your time exploring Bali’s fantastic sights and attractions. Even better, your driver will wait for you while you explore sights and attractions, and you can store your gear and belongings in the car instead of having to lug them around all day.

Hiring a private car and driver for the day (typically 8-10 hours) will typically cost between 700k and 1,000k IDR (40-60 US$/€) (2025), depending on where you book and your starting point (and you can expect roughly half that amount for a half-day itinerary). The total cost will typically include fuel costs, and will also often include the cost of parking at major sights and attractions for the day, but will not include any entrance fees or any meals. Many drivers also bring free bottled water in their cars for guests.

Again we highly recommend booking your private car and driver via the Get Your Guide platform:

There’s also a second booking option available on the platform for those based specifically in Ubud, which also offers half-day tours in addition to full-day ones:

We hired a private car and driver on multiple occasions during our time in Bali and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. With a full day of exploring, it was typically possible for us to hit 4 to 6 sights and attractions per day (temples, waterfalls, rice terraces) while spending about 45 minutes to an hour in each place. We typically recommend booking a car and driver a few weeks ahead of time. It is sometimes possible to book one up till the day before you want the day trip, but this might be difficult to pull off during the high tourist season.

It’s also a good idea to work collaboratively with your driver to come up with your itinerary and not blindly follow their recommendations. Unfortunately, some drivers may receive commissions to take you to specific commerces or attractions (this is particularly true of several of the coffee plantations around the island), so don’t be afraid to say “no thanks” to suggestions that aren’t to your liking. Rather, we think it’s best to use the local driver’s knowledge of the area to help tweak or optimize your ideal itinerary based on your preferences and the time you have at your disposal. If you would like some day trip itinerary ideas, check out our guides on the Best Day Trips from Ubud and the Best Day Trips from Sidemen.

Car and Driver Advantages:
– Stress-free and peace of mind
– More freedom and flexibility than organized tours
– Can leave luggage and other items in the car while sightseeing
– Saves time, since drivers know the best routes

Car and Driver Drawbacks:
– Slightly more expensive than organized tours (see below), and more expensive than renting your own transport (scooter – see below)
– Less freedom and flexibility than using your own transport

Rent A Scooter

Renting a car in Bali is generally not recommended due to the lack of traffic signs and stop lights, the small roads, and the chaotic traffic. For those who are really keen on exploring the island on their own, the best option is to rent a scooter, which is more manageable given the small roads and at times chaotic traffic. In fact, most locals get around by scooter and not by car.

Once you get to Bali, you’ll quickly realize that scooter rental operators are everywhere. Although most street-side vendors will regularly be the cheapest option, they come short in several other aspects compared with more reliable and established vendors. For instance, most won’t offer roadside assistance or insurance that covers theft, nor do they regularly sanitize the helmets or have their scooters undergo regular maintenance. For this reason, we highly recommend using Bikago for your scooter rentals. Renting from them might be slightly more expensive (but still can be rented for as low as 12-15 US$/€ per day) but you get great peace of mind as among many other perks, all scooters undergo extensive quality checks.

What you get with your Bikago rental:
-Helmets
-Full tank of petrol and unlimited mileage
-Free Delivery and Collection at your Hotel
-24/7 Roadside Assistance and First Aid Medical Kit
-Charging Mobile Phone Holder

That being said, if you haven’t ridden a scooter or motorcycle before, Bali is definitely not the best place to learn. The local traffic conditions can be exceptionally challenging for a novice driver and will often appear chaotic to the outsider. The roads are narrow and often twist in turn in the more mountainous areas, and many locals will drive much faster than you will be comfortable with given that they know the roads. Here are some other important considerations:
– Stop lights are a rarity in Bali, particularly north of Densapar, making driving in these areas somewhat challenging. If you are not assertive, you might be stuck at intersections for a while.
– Traffic signs aren’t very prominent either outside of southern Bali, so it’s ideal to have a co-pilot with you to monitor the itinerary on their phone with Google Maps so that the driver can keep their eyes on the road.
– It’s also important to point out that Indonesia drives on the left-hand side of the road (such as in the UK, India, Australia, Thailand, Japan, and several southern African countries).
– Drivers are allowed to pass both vehicles either on their left-hand or right-hand side, which is further complicated by the absence of proper lanes in many places. A standard 2-lane road will often end up with 4 to 6 improvised scooter lanes.
– Finally, know that to legally operate a scooter in Bali you will need to have with you at all times an international driving permit (IDP).

We are not trying to discourage anyone from renting a scooter, we only want to make sure that those who do are sufficiently well-prepared and in the know. For anyone with no experience, we highly recommend practicing at least for a few hours back home so that you are familiar with the scooter handling prior to embarking on Bali roads.

If you would really like to experience a scooter adventure but are unsure of yourself, we recommend looking into one of three options:
– Have your first scooter experience on the nearby small island of Nusa Lembongan. The island is quite small, easy to navigate, and has almost no traffic when compared to Bali.
– Join a scooter group tour such as this one departing from Ubud, where you ride on the back of a scooter while a guide takes care of the driving:

– Take an official two-hour scooter course while in Bali:

Scooter Advantages:
– Full freedom and flexibility
– Cheaper than hiring a private car and driver
– Generally quicker than a car as you can more easily bypass traffic jams

Scooter Drawbacks:
– Greater risks involved, particularly for novice users
– Not ideal for use in inclement/rainy weather.

Group Tours

If you are looking for peace of mind and a lesser impact on your wallet, group tours might be the way to go. There are tons of great ones to choose from, and take care of all planning and driving aspects for a stress-free fun adventure shared with others. While the obvious drawback of group tours is the lack of freedom and flexibility as they might not exactly be tailored to your specific interests, you are still quite likely to visit many of the places and attractions that you would have otherwise done on your own.

There are several great tour options available departing from either, and these are some of the most popular that mix temples, waterfalls and rice terraces (the majority of which depart from Ubud):

Fast Cruise Pick-Up and Transfer Services

When heading to the nearby Gili Islands or Nusa Islands, the most convenient and time-efficient manner to get there is to use one of the several fast cruise companies that depart from Sanur or Padang Bai. If you need to get to these ports from your hotel, know that most companies offer pick and drop-off services to hotels across most major tourist towns in Bali. This service will cost extra but will be roughly in line with what you would pay for a private transfer and everything is handled by the company. We recommend booking through 12go.asia – the go-to platform for booking ferries and cruises throughout Asia.

We primarily recommend one of three fast cruise companies for these Bali sea journies: Rocky Harbor Cruises (Nusa), Blue Water Express (Gili, Nusa) and Ekajaya (Gili, Nusa). Although you might find slightly cheaper companies, we recommend paying a few extra dollars as these three are the most reliable, have the best customer service, and the best traveller reviews. For more information on these fast cruise companies, check out our Gili Islands and Nusa Islands guides.

Getting Around Bali – Summary

We realized we just shared A LOT of information, and it might be confusing or difficult to decide on the best option for your specific situation. To further help you out, here are our suggestions for the best transportation option depending on your need:

– Going for a night out or dinner: Grab or Gojek

– Getting to the Airport / Leaving the Airport: private transfer

– Heading to a major Port (Sanur, Padang Bai): cruise company transfer

– Day of sightseeing: hire a private car and driver or rent a scooter

So in our view, the only real decision is between hiring a private car and driver or renting a scooter for your days of sightseeing. There is no wrong choice here, and it really comes down to a personal decision based on your preferences.

Photography Gear

If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.

Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug

Other Travel Essentials

Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.

e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.

Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.

Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).

Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).

Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)

Photography Prints

If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.