Flights and accommodation are booked… whats next?

I recently travelled to Bali with my partner, and it was his first time there. Before we went, we sat down and went through everything we needed to organise, and this is the list we came up with. I didn’t want to make the list super long, so these are just the essential things you need to organise before your trip.

This is your checklist before travelling to Bali.

1-2 weeks before travel

Get your visa

Make sure you are on the official Bali visa website, as there are a lot of fake ones. The visa costs around $50 AUD.

Official Bali Visa website: https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/

You can get the visa at the airport, but you will have to line up. If you do it before you travel, you can scan your passport at the e-gates and go straight through immigration, which is much easier.

Ensure you have travel insurance

You absolutely need travel insurance. Do not travel without it thinking nothing will happen. As a travel agent, I have seen and heard so many heartbreaking situations — always get insurance.

You may already have travel insurance through your credit card if you pay for part of the trip on the card, so check this first. Otherwise, get quotes from a few companies and choose the one that suits you best.
If you plan on riding a scooter in Bali, make sure you add scooter/moped cover, as this is usually an extra add-on.

Organise your money

Cash: In my personal experience, you do not need to change cash before you go (I haven’t done that for years). You usually end up changing it back and losing money. I didn’t use cash a single time while I was in Bali. I’m sure there are still places that use cash, but I didn’t come across many. If you do need cash, most ATMs don’t charge fees, but always check before withdrawing.

Cards: Gone are the days you need a travel card like the old CommBank travel card. Just check your bank doesn’t charge international transaction fees and check their exchange rate.
I don’t want to give exact financial advice because things change, but I personally use my Up Bank card in every country I travel to and it has a very good exchange rate (even compared to cards specifically made for travel).
I always travel with two physical cards from two different banks, just in case one stops working.

Shop for essentials

Some things I always bring:

Diarrhoea tablets
Panadol / Nurofen
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Sleep mask
Universal plug
Portable charger

3 days before travel

Complete your Bali Arrival Card

You cannot complete this earlier than 72 hours before travel. Make sure you are on the official website, as there are fake ones.

This is a health declaration and your visa will be linked to this. When you leave the baggage claim area in Bali, someone will scan the QR code from this form.

Official website: https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/arrival-card-submission/personal-information

1 day before travel

Download these apps before you leave Australia

WhatsApp
Most businesses in Bali use WhatsApp for bookings and communication. You need to download and set this up before leaving Australia because you need to verify your phone number via SMS.

Grab & Gojek
These are basically the Uber of Bali. You can book cars, scooters, food delivery and more.
Download the apps and add your card before you leave Australia, as you will need to verify payment via SMS.

E-SIM
There are lots of e-SIM providers out there, but this is the one I’ve been using lately for my travels. An e-SIM is much easier than a physical SIM because you can get connected straight away and don’t have to line up at the airport to buy one. I recommend downloading and activating your e-SIM before you leave Australia so that when you land, you can just turn it on and have internet immediately without needing airport Wi-Fi.

When you land in Bali

One more tip I wanted to share for when you land in Bali. When you walk outside the airport, head to the left and follow the “Rideshare” signs. There is both a Grab and Gojek lounge where you can sit and wait for your rideshare driver.

Using rideshare is by far the easiest and best way to get from the airport to your accommodation. It’s organised, well priced, and much less stressful than negotiating with drivers outside the airport when you’ve just landed.

Once you’ve ticked these things off, the only thing left to do is get excited. Being organised before you leave makes the whole trip so much smoother. Do the admin before you go so that once you land you can just relax and enjoy it.