Everything You Need to Know Before Travelling to Bali

No matter how many times you've been, the promise of a blissed-out island break is pretty much impossible to resist. And, with international travel firmly back on the cards and the island back in full swing – there’s never been a better time to visit. 

But before you pack your bags and hop on a flight, there are still some requirements and regulations you need to prepare for – to make sure your arrival is a breeze.

So, what's the deal?

What are the testing requirements for travelling to and from Indonesia?

Travellers no longer need to carry out PCR testing or provide proof of vaccination.

Get your head around the current visa situation:

Thanks to Bali's newly reinstated Visa on Arrival (VOA) program, you'll fill out the paperwork and pay the fee (IDR 500,000) once you get off the plane. This visa is valid for 30 days, with the possibility to extend it for a further 30 days – through an agent or directly at the immigration office. If you’d prefer to skip the line and do it before, there’s also the option to apply and pay online before your arrival. The 86 nationalities eligible for the Visa On Arrival are specified here.

Any travellers who aren't eligible for the Visa On Arrival, or are planning to stay for longer than 60 days will need to pre-apply for the Single Entry B211 Tourism e-Visa permit instead. This visa costs USD 295, is valid for 60 days and allows you two 60-day extensions – totalling a six-month stay period.

In order to obtain the B211 Tourism Visa, you must have a sponsor in Indonesia – a process that can be easily completed with the help of a visa agent in Bali. This means you do not have to visit the Indonesian embassy in your home country, or when you arrive in Bali. When applying, you’ll need to state whether you require the “Business Visa” or the “Tourism Visa”. But, be mindful that both visas are for the purpose of tourism and do not allow you to work and earn money in Indonesia.

What is the new Bali Tourism Fee?

From February 14th 2024 onwards, all international tourists arriving in Bali will need to pay a one-time fee of IDR 150,000 per person. You can pay this on arrival, however, we recommend pre-paying this fee via the Love Bali website or via the app to avoid any delays at the airport. All you need to do is enter your passport number, name, email address, and arrival date – and pay using a credit card, bank transfer, virtual account, or QRIS code. Once you have paid for the tourism levy via the website, you will receive a voucher by email, which will be scanned upon arrival at the airport.

Be prepared with this handy pre-flight checklist:

• Don’t forget to have your documents in order. You’ll need the correct visa – either a pre-applied visa or a Visa On Arrival. You’ll also need at least 6 months of validity left on your passport, and you’ll need proof of a booked flight leaving Indonesia before your visa’s end date. Plus, valid travel insurance – don’t forget that. 

• We’d recommend printing out your visa (if applicable) and your return flight details.

• To save you some time at the airport, fill in the online Customs Declaration Form before you land. Only one declaration is required per family and you can complete the form up to 2 days before your flight. You’ll then be issued a QR code which you can show to the customs officer after baggage claim.

• From February 14th 2024 onwards, all international tourists arriving in Bali will need to pay a one-time fee of IDR 150,000 per person. You can pay this on arrival, however, we recommend pre-paying this fee via the Love Bali website or via the app to avoid any added delays.

• Trust us when we say that you will want to have pre-booked your airport transfers – especially if you’re travelling with a large group or young children. Avoid haggling for a reasonable price, dodgy drivers, broken aircon, uncertainty and all the other chaos you don’t need after a long flight and book your VIP airport transfer here. 

Everything you need to know about the extra-marital bonk ban:

Sure, we all heard the news. So to set the record straight, no – tourists in Bali don’t need to worry about being jailed for bonking outside the bounds of marriage (except in very specific circumstances). Under the new criminal code, adultery is a crime punishable by up to one year in prison. And while this does apply to foreigners, the law stipulates that only immediate family members (spouse, parents, or children) who may be negatively impacted by adultery, can report somebody for the crime. To put that into perspective, the only scenario in which two unmarried tourists could fall onto the wrong side of the law is if they brought their families along with them and one of their family members reported them to the Indonesian police. Unlikely, right?

So, what are you waiting for? ​​Whether you’re dreaming of cheap Bintangs, stunning scenery, epic tours or 'gram-worthy places to stay, it’s time to submit that annual leave request and book yourself a beachy Bali holiday!

Looking for exclusive discounts you won’t find anywhere else? Start here. 

This article was updated on February 16th 2024 to reflect the latest guidelines around Bali travel.