Before you go…

Visas & Passports

To enter Indonesia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.

E-visas
You can apply for an e-visa before arrival on the Indonesian immigration website. Validity of Visa on Arrival is 30 days & 60 days
– For 30 days e-VOA, can be extended for a period of 30 days online or at Local immigration office (not advisable). If you stay more than 30 days and max 60 days, best to arrange e-VOA with 60 days
– Cost IDR 500.000 per person for 30 days stay and IDR 1.000.000 for 60 days stay. This e-VOA can be paid via Mastercard, Visa, or JCB credit card

TIP: To speed up the immigration process at the Airport, advisable to arrange e-VOA.
– Applied 14 days before arrival via here. Please note that account will be verified by the Directorate General of Immigration before you can start to apply for the e-VOA
– FAQ about the -VOA can be find here

Visas on arrival
British nationals who visit Indonesia for the following reasons can also apply for a visa on arrival at a cost of 500,000 Indonesian rupiah:

• tourism
• official visit or government duties
• business or official meeting
• procurement of goods
• transit
  The visa is valid for 30 days. It can be extended once (for a maximum of 30 days) by making an application to an immigration office within Indonesia. Make sure you extend your visa within the initial 30 days to avoid an overstay fine of 1 million rupiah a day.

• Electricity – is 220v and European plug adaptors usually work
• Health – make sure you have a good tropical strength insect repellent and spray on during the day as this is when the dengue mosquito is out. Bali has firmly resolved to be rabies-free by the year 2015, in order to maintain its reputation as the world’s most famous resort island. Most areas of Bali are malaria free.
• Currency – there are plenty of exchange facilities all over Bali’s main tourist areas, most of them accepting currencies like the US dollar, Australian dollar, and UK pound. The honest dealers operate alongside shady money changers, and it’s very hard to tell one from the other.  It is best to exchange money at the banks or you can withdraw from a bank ATM using your debit or credit card (please notify your bank that you will be using your card abroad). Many hotel front desks permit currency exchange, but offer lower exchange rates compared to banks and regular money changers. Bank Indonesia-authorized money changers advertise their status as Pedagang Valuta Asing Berizin or PVA Berizin (Indonesian for “Authorized Money Changer”) with a green PVA Berizin
• Clothing – opt for light, cotton clothing(except for the mountains when an extra layer of clothes will be needed); jeans will be hot and heavy for most circumstances. You won’t need as much clothing as you would expect; keep your packing simple and purchase items locally if you run out of outfits to wear. If on an extended trip, you’ll find plenty of places that do laundry for a fee based on weight. A pair of reliable flip-flops  is  best for footwear.
• Driving Licence – When renting a car, you’ll need to show an international driver’s licence. If you don’t have one, you can get a tourist driving licence at the police station at Denpasar. The licence is valid for one month’s use.

While you are there

Laws & Customs

Bali has a Hindu dominated culture and a calm attitude is highly admired. Wear a sarong and cover your arms when visiting a temple. Women menstruating  are requested not to enter temples. The head is considered sacred and should never be touched. Shaking hands is common but only with the use of the right hand
Indonesia has zero tolerance for drug using. Indonesian drug laws prescribe the death penalty for narcotics trafficking.

Time difference 

Bali’s 8 hours ahead of London during standard time, and doesn’t have daylight saving so during DST (some time in March to some time in October), Bali’s only 7 hours ahead.

Prices

Try to shop on your own rather than in a group, if possible, shop in the morning. Most shops love to make an early in the day first sale and will be more likely to give a great bargain during that time. Always ask for the “harga” (price) “pagi”, (morning) i.e. the morning price.  Unless the item is tagged, which is becoming more and more common in Bali these days, try to have a price in your mind before asking the price.  Remember there is nothing wrong with paying full price if in your mind it is fair and you are happy to pay the asking price.

Dining out – there are fantastic restaurants of all different budgets and you will be absolutely spoiled by the choice. We will send a list of our recommended restaurants before your travel.

• Vegetarian food – Bali is a vegetarian’s delight. While the menus are largely meat-orientated, with pork considered a mainstay of many meals, there’s still lots to choose from.
• Tipping – Tipping is not customary and it is not mandatory. However, if you receive good service, you can still choose to leave a tip to
  show your appreciation. Here is some general information that might help:
  – Restaurants: Some high-end restaurants in tourist areas may include a service charge on the bill, typically around
  10%. In this case, tipping staff is not expected, but it is appreciated.. If a service charge is not included, a tip of 5-10%
  is generally appreciated or rounding up the bill is common.
  – Hotel staff: Bellhop or porter 10,000 – 20,000 IDR per bag, and the housekeeping staff 30,000 – 100,000 IDR per day
  (you can leave on your bed)
  – Tour guides: your private tour guide 100,000-200,000 IDR per day. Guides on transfers and join-in activities 50,000-
  100,000 per day
  – Driver: full day trip 100,000 – 150,000 IDR per day and transfers is 30,000 – 50,000 per transfer
  – Spa and massage services: a tip of 50,000 – 100,000 IDR per service is reasonable.
  – When visiting a village, local house or temple it is customary to leave a donation.