Indonesia Enchanted Bali - Frequently Asked Questions
TIME Bali is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States. When it's noon in Ubud, Bali, it's midnight in New York and 9p.m. in San Francisco. |
NEW YORK CITY | DENPASAR |
PACKING There are many beautiful things to bring back with you from Bali, so make sure that you have enough space left in your suitcase. You do not need formal clothing for this trip. Some people like to dress up for dinner, but it is optional. Since we'll be walking quite a bit, you should pack your most comfortable walking shoes to bring with you. Flip flops or comfortable walking sandals are a must with light clothing like t-shirts and shorts to keep you cool. Bali has tropical climate, so you will be wearing summer clothes, and don't forget a swimsuit or two. You will be asked to cover your shoulders and knees when entering temples, but sarongs are always available at the entrance. Or you can get your own for about $1. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS To enter Indonesia, visitors from the US, Canada and Australia need a passport, valid at least 6 months past the expected date of departure from the country. Your airline will NOT let you on the plane if you passport expires in less than 6 months before your expected departure date. Make sure your passport is renewed before you travel to Indonesia. Two blank passport pages are required for Indonesia entry stamp. Indonesia also requires a tourist visa to enter. To apply for the visa on arrival, you must have a passport with at least 6 months of validity from the date you plan to leave Indonesia as well as a return or onward flight booking to another country. The visa fee is 500,000 IDR ($35 USD). You can also apply for an electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) in advance. To apply online, please visit: https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/. A custom declaration will also be required. It can be completed on arrival or in advance, not sooner than 72 hours prior to arrival at: https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/. As of February 14, 2024, international visitors will be subject to a one-time fee of IDR150,000 ($10 USD). This fee can be paid via the Love Bali website: https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE INFORMATION This tour starts and ends in Denpasar (airport code DPS) in Bali, Indonesia. The tour starts at 6:00PM, Friday, March 7, 2025 in Denpasar, Bali, so your flight should arrive at Denpasar International Airport (airport code DPS) no later than 3:00PM on that day. We have arranged for individual airport transfers in accordance with your flight's arrival time, and on your arrival in Denpasar you will be met by our chauffeur, who will bring you to the hotel in Ubud (about an hour drive north). Depending on your location and the airline/route you select, you will probably depart North America in the morning of Thursday, March 6, 2025 or in the evening of Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Since it is a long flight to get to Bali, we recommend arriving a day or two earlier or stay a day or two longer and enjoy the amenities of one of the hotels where we'll be staying. Also, if you are prone to jet lag and travel fatigue, we recommend arriving at least a day early. This tour ends after breakfast on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Denpasar, Bali. You can book your returning flight at any time during the day, and we will arrange for your private airport transfer in accordance with your flight's departure time. JET LAG To avoid jet lag (common when crossing more than five time zones), you should drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids and eat light meals. Upon arrival, get exposure to natural sunlight, exercise and readjust your schedule (for meals, sleep and so on) as soon as possible. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT AND ROOMMATES To avoid paying the single supplement, we offer guaranteed roommate matching, and we will try to match you with a roommate of similar age. Otherwise, there are seven single rooms available on this tour, but they tend to fill up early. Please keep in mind that all shared rooms are non-smoking. THE TRAVEL GROUP The Enchanted Bali tour group is limited to the maximum of 16 women + the Tour Director. The minimum group size is 6 women + the Tour Director. In addition to the Tour Director, the travelers will be assisted by professional local guides and bus drivers, who will accompany the group throughout the tour. HEALTH Bali is much more developed than other regions in Indonesia and the main tourism areas match international standards when it comes to hygiene. The developed areas of Bali where we'll be staying, Ubud and Nusa Dua, have not had reported cases of malaria, dengue fever or Japanese encephalitis carried by mosquitoes. During outings into rural areas or the jungle mosquito bites should be avoided. Long sleeves and long pants and repellents that contain between 25% and 50% DEET are the most effective. You should avoid eating raw shellfish and seafood as well as Balinese arak alcohol which may contain addictives that will cause food poisoning. We recommend bringing medicine in the case of Bali Belly or diarrhea, rehydration sachets/immodium or a oral antibiotic for stomach ailments. Plenty of water, coconut water or even electrolyte tablets are recommended for the hot humid weather. Carrying antiseptic hand-washing liquid is also a good idea, as is using a sunscreen with a high protection factor and applying it liberally. There are plenty of international medical clinics in Bali - especially in Ubud and around Denpasar, Kuta, Seminyak and Nusa Dua. It is strongly advised to obtain international medical insurance to cover the costs if you need to go to hospital or otherwise require urgent medical attention. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels, otherwise they might not make it through airport security. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name. WATER Tap water is not potable in Bali. Outside of top-end hotels and restaurants, drink only beverages without ice, unless the establishment promises that it manufactures its own ice from clean water. Most ice in restaurants is fine if it is uniform in size and made at a central plant (standard for large cities and tourist areas), but avoid ice that is chipped off larger blocks (more common in rural areas). We'll be receiving daily bottled mineral water at both hotels, where we'll be staying as well as during tours on days when we tour by bus. Bottled mineral water is available everywhere and is cheap, but check that the seal is intact when purchasing. To be on the safe side, you should brush your teeth with bottled water, too, to avoid Bali Belly, a mild dysentery which can occur but passes in a few days. TOILETS Western-style toilets are almost universally common in tourist areas. Please keep in mind that some public toilets may require payment, so you should always have some coins in the local currency with you to pay for them. Always carry toilet paper with you, as many public toilets may not provide any. SAFETY Bali has always been peaceful. It is the only Hindu island in the Islamic Indonesian archipelago and up until the 2002 and 2005 Kuta bombings, planned by outsiders, nothing ever happened here. However since the attacks, the Indonesian government has taken the threat of terrorism very seriously and use measures to monitor and to prevent future attacks. As for safety in the streets, there is very little violent crime in Bali, but there is some petty theft, especially in touristy beach areas, so you should be cautious against pickpockets. With that being said, as long as you are sensible with your belongings (always put your bag strap across your body), and don't leave your things unattended, you will be fine. ATM skimming is also somewhat common, so make sure you only go to ATM machines that are directly connected to a bank or ATMs which have surveillance systems pointing at the machines. Alcohol poisoning: outside of reputable bars and resorts, avoid arak, the locally produced fermented alcohol made from rice or palm. Deaths and injuries may happen when unscrupulous vendors stretch stocks with poisonous chemicals. Traffic: In most tourist areas traffic is annoying and frequently perilous to pedestrians. Drivers think nothing of driving at high speeds through villages and towns, overtaking on bends, braking hard or swerving to avoid chickens, dogs, and potholes. Footpaths can be rough, even unusable, and sidewalks are constantly abused by cars and motorbikes who see them as quick routes when traffic is at a standstill; at night watch your step, beware of the many gaps in the sidewalk and carry a flashlight. WOMEN TRAVELERS Women traveling alone in Bali face no particular safety issues, and common sense should keep everyone safe. No particular vigilance is required for female travelers, as violent crime is minimal, but the usual precautions about walking alone at night and hitchhiking certainly apply, as anywhere. "Catcalling" happens but is rarely sinister or followed by any action. For the woman traveler, Bali is a safe island to discover on her own or in a group. On the whole, Balinese men are fairly benign to the appearance of Western women. While traveling around the island, dress appropriately so as not to offend. While tight shorts and bare shoulders are acceptable on the beaches, they are frowned upon in the more rural areas. ACTIVITY LEVEL During the Enchanted Bali tour, we will travel by private bus, while some touring will be done on foot and by boat. To be able to fully enjoy the tour and participate in scheduled activities, you need to be able to walk, at a leisurely pace, up to 4 miles throughout the day, frequently on uneven surfaces and on cobble stoned streets. You should be able to stand unassisted for up to 30 minutes, you should be able to climb stairs, get in and out of vehicles without assistance and manage your own luggage without assistance. Overall, this trip is not strenuous, although it is filled with outdoor activities, sometimes in hot weather. WEATHER Bali is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator, and it has tropical, warm and humid climate all year around with two seasons: Dry Season and Rainy Season. Bali's central mountains (volcanoes) include several peaks which reach 10,000 feet, and there, the temperatures are considerably cooler and there is much more rainfall than in the coastal areas. Bali's average year-round temperature stands at around 81°F with a humidity level of about 85-90%. Water temperatures are always pleasant. The two seasons are not clear cut and fully predictable. The end of August is considered the middle of the dry season, when the temperatures range between 75°F and 84°F, with possible showers. CELL PHONE/INTERNET Internet coverage in Bali is quite good, especially in the developed areas around Ubud and Denpasar. Coverage in the rural areas may be spotty. Both hotels where we'll be staying have unlimited free WiFi Internet for their guests. For local calls, getting a prepaid local SIM Card is the best option. SIM cards on Bali are very affordable. As long as you have unlocked phone, for 10USD you can be online for 30 days with a package of 4 GB. ELECTRICITY
Bali uses 230V AC electricity. Power outlets are usually two-pin round plugs. It uses the standard Europe non-grounded electric power plug. This adapter is also known as type C. The European grounded electric power plug is also found. This adapter is also known as type E or F. LANGUAGE Balinese or simply Bali, is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken on the island of Bali. Most Balinese speakers also know Indonesian, but they are not mutually intelligible. The local language is called Bahasa and is spoken and understood widely despite the fact that they have about 300 native dialects. However, everywhere in Bali, you will easily find people who speak English, especially in touristy areas like Ubud, and Seminyak. MONEY The currency in Bali and in Indonesia, is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR), often abbreviated to Rp. The coins come in the 50, Rp. 100, Rp. 200, Rp. 500 and Rp. 1,000 values. The banknotes come in the 1,000, Rp. 2,000, Rp. 5,000, Rp. 10,000, Rp. 20,000, Rp. 50,000, and Rp. 100,000 values. Rp. 100,000 is worth about $7US. Don’t be surprised if at a supermarket your change includes a few pieces of candy instead of Rp. 50 or Rp. 100 coins. Many small shops, warungs/restaurants run on cash only. ATM machines are everywhere on the island. They give you a good exchange rate and are convenient. ATMs dispense either 50,000 or 100,000 notes. A sticker will clearly indicate which one. Most ATMs in Bali allow a maximum withdrawal of 1,250,000 (50,000 bill machines) to 3,000,000 rupiah (100,000 bill machines) per transaction with a total maximum of 6,000,000 rupiah withdrawal a day. Money Changers are all over the island, although not all of them are trustworthy. Larger establishments, or those that say 'authorized money changer' are a safer bet. Visa and MasterCard are widely acceptable at upscale establishments. Remember to inform your credit card company about your intended trip or else you will risk getting your credit card accounts frozen because of an 'unauthorized activity'. Travelers Checks are hard to impossible to exchange. TIPPING The tour's cost includes all tips to local suppliers: restaurants, guides, drivers. When dining alone, check the bill first to see if the gratuity is already included, quite often, especially at upscale restaurants, it is. As most waiters, masseurs, guides, or taxi drivers earn under Rp100,000 a day and work long hours, an appreciative tip for their hard work is always a nice thing to do. Round up taxi bills to the nearest thousand. At the conclusion of the tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director a gratuity. We recommend $15 per person per day if you feel that her services enhanced your experience of visiting Bali. SHOPPING What should you bring home from Bali? Here are some of our suggestions: |
