Bali questions, answered.
Is Canggu safe at night?
Yes - Canggu is generally safe at night, including for solo female travellers.
How much cash should I bring to Bali?
Do not fly in with a wad for the whole trip.
Canggu or Uluwatu: which should I stay in?
Pick Canggu if your trip runs on cafes, coworking, gyms and meeting people - it has the deepest work-and-wellness infrastructure on the island.
Where should I stay in Bali for the first time?
Split the trip: 4-5 nights on the south-west coast plus 3-4 nights in Ubud.
Is Bali expensive in 2026?
Bali is as expensive as you decide it will be.
Can you drink tap water in Bali?
No.
How long can you stay in Bali?
For most Western and many Asian passports: 30 days on a Visa on Arrival (500,000 IDR, about 35 USD), extendable once for another 30 - so 60 days maximum per entry.
Is it safe to ride a scooter in Bali?
It depends almost entirely on you.
How do you avoid Bali belly?
Three habits prevent most cases: drink only bottled or refill-gallon water (including for brushing, if you want zero risk), eat where turnover is high - busy warungs beat empty tourist restaurants, and wash or sanitise hands before eating.
When is rainy season in Bali?
Rainy season runs November through March, with January the wettest month; dry season is April through October.
How much should you tip in Bali?
Tipping is not compulsory in Bali, but it is warmly received.
What should you wear in Bali (and to temples)?
Day to day, Bali is relaxed: light, breathable clothes, swimwear at the beach, smart-casual for nicer restaurants and clubs.
Do I need a license to rent a scooter in Bali?
To ride legally you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) with a motorcycle endorsement, carried together with your home motorcycle licence.
Grab or Gojek in Bali - which should I use?
Install both.
Is Ubud worth visiting?
Yes, Ubud is worth it - as long as you go for the right thing.
How many days do you need in Bali?
For a first trip, seven to ten days is the honest sweet spot - enough for a beach base plus a few days in Ubud without living in the car.
What is the best time to visit Bali?
The best time for most people is the shoulder season: May, June, September and October.
How do I get from Bali airport to my hotel?
The catch nobody warns you about: Grab and Gojek are banned from picking up inside Ngurah Rai airport, so you have three real options - the official Koptax fixed-fare taxi counter in arrivals, a pre-booked private transfer that meets you at the gate, or walking a few minutes past the terminal to meet a Grab or Gojek you ordered yourself.
Which SIM card or eSIM should I get in Bali?
Get a Telkomsel plan - it has the widest, most reliable coverage across Bali and the neighbouring islands.
What power adapter do I need for Bali?
Bali uses Type C and Type F plugs - the two round pins you see across most of Europe - running on 230V at 50Hz.
Do they speak English in Bali?
Yes.
Do I need vaccinations for Bali?
None are legally required to enter Bali for most travellers - the only mandatory one is a yellow fever certificate, and only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present.
Is Bali safe for solo female travellers?
Yes - Bali is one of the more comfortable places in Asia for a solo woman to travel, with violent crime rates lower than many Western cities and a large, visible community of other solo female travellers, especially in Ubud and Canggu.
Is Nusa Penida worth visiting?
Yes, for the scenery - Nusa Penida has some of the most dramatic coastline in the region: the Kelingking "T-Rex" cliff, Angel's Billabong, Broken Beach and reliable manta-ray snorkelling.
Seminyak or Canggu: which should I stay in?
Pick Seminyak if you want a polished, walkable holiday - proper resorts, upscale dining, beach clubs and a short airport transfer.
Seminyak or Ubud: which should I stay in?
If you can only pick one, pick Seminyak for beach days, sunsets, restaurants and walkable convenience, and Ubud for green quiet, culture, yoga and spa time.
How do beach clubs in Bali work, and what is minimum spend?
Most Bali beach clubs are free to walk into and you simply pay for what you eat and drink.
Where should I exchange money in Bali?
Change money at an authorised money changer holding the Bank Indonesia PVA licence, or withdraw rupiah from an ATM attached to a bank branch.
Do I need travel insurance for Bali?
Travel insurance is not legally required to enter Indonesia and nobody will ask for it at immigration.
Should I stay in a villa or a hotel in Bali?
Take a villa if you are two or more people, staying at least four or five nights, and a private pool and space matter to you - split between three or four, it is often cheaper per person than separate hotel rooms.
What happens on Nyepi in Bali?
For 24 hours the entire island stops.
Can you swim in the sea in Bali?
Yes, but the beach you choose decides the answer.
Do you need a private driver in Bali?
Not for everyday life inside one area - Grab and Gojek cover that for a couple of dollars a ride.
How this works
Our guides answer "what is the best X". This page answers everything else - the practical questions people actually type into Google before and during a Bali trip. Every answer starts with a direct short answer, then the honest detail, with sources linked and "it depends" said out loud when that is the truth.
Ask your own question below. Real reader questions get researched and published here with an "asked by a reader" note - names and emails are never shown.
Ask your own question
Real questions from readers get researched and answered on this site, marked "asked by a reader". Leave an email if you want a ping when your answer is published - it is optional and never shown publicly.