Bali Experience

HealthyTraveling

Bali is getting better in terms of hygiene and medical facilities but it still has a way to go. You do not want to have a medical emergency here. Play safe and make sure you have medical insurance before you come. Best to have insurance that will evacuate you if you get terribly sick or have a serious injury and need airlifted to Singapore or home. Here are a couple of other common sense points that should keep you in good shape and enjoying your visit. Drink plenty of fluids (water and fruit juices) to avoid dehydration.

Getting Around

You will find a range of chauffeur driven cars, self-drive cars, taxis and hotel courtesy cars.  Traveling around Bali is made all the easier because everywhere you go you will find friendly people only too happy to give you advice and directions on how to get where you want to go.

Driver’s License

If you wish to hire a car you must be over 18 years of age and posses an International Driver’s License or license from ASEAN countries.

Clothing

Light, airy, casual clothes are the most practical and you’ll find natural fibers like cotton or linen are the most comfortable in Bali’s often humid conditions. Waist sashes should be worn when visiting temples.

MoneyMatters

You can exchange most major world currencies (cash or travelers checks) easily into the local coin, the Indonesian Rupiah. Hotels generally give less favorable exchange rates (the price of convenience).First, the rate posted on the door usually is for amounts in notes of US $100. - Lesser denominated notes (i.e. $50.00) will be given a less favorable rate. Next verify the exchange calculation (ask to use the calculator or - better yet - bring your own) and count your change before you leave the window.

Tipping

Tipping is relatively new in Bali. Most large hotels and restaurants will automatically add a service charge of between 5 & 10 percent to your bill which is quite sufficient. Smaller restaurants generally don’t add anything extra but considering the waiter’s wage may well be less than $1.00 a day - a tip of 10 percent is very much appreciated.

Bargaining

Difficult for many first timers but once you get the hang of it you’ll never pay retail again! However, not everybody wants to bargain anymore. Many of Bali’s finer retailers now refuse (price tags generally signify a fixed price) but bargaining is still the norm in the art markets, trinket and T-shirt shops. A general rule is pay 50% of what they tell you the price is.

StreetWise