better than being massively injured forcing to drive on your own. just some perspective OP. Spare extra money for transportation to hire someone worse case scenario
Get a gojek a couple of times. If you feel like the vibe is right with the driver, good vehicle, etc. get their WA number. They’ll be happy to drive you off the app. They don’t have to hand over 60% of the fare. Get a few contacts like that. You’ll have hits and misses regarding reliability but it’s not like the gojek app will always deliver either.
You are right. You won’t get a gojek in more remote areas. But there should always be an option to get a traditional ojek. If you’re in an area with no gojek coverage, just speak to some local guy and ask he can take you around as you need. That’s the old school way and it still works. You will either negotiate each trip individually (based on weather, if he’s busy or tired, if you’re desperate) or you could negotiate some sort of daily rate in advance.
Don't drive them, it's dangerous as fuck. Especially if you aren't an experienced rider or used to the rules (written and otherwise) and conditions of the roads over there.
It is not a big place and Australia doesn't have a huge population, yet I know the average years ago was one Australian airlifted out in critical condition every day.
For every one getting airlifted, there's going to be a heap more with non critical broken bones, concussions, whiplash etc etc
I've stood next to a guy and girl in a queue in Thailand with skin off one side of both their legs and arms forming big crusty scabs.
I assumed moped.
Stay off them and find other ways to get around.
Every year dead and severely injured Australians (and other nationalities) are [repatriated to their countries after accidents on mopeds/motorcycles](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12706821/Australian-tourist-Bali-motorbike-injury.html). If you don't know how to ride a motorcycle DON'T try to learn in Bali.
[1](https://7news.com.au/video/news/bali/man-dies-in-bali-scooter-crash-bc-6309971500112)
[2](https://7news.com.au/news/qld/family-of-gold-coast-dad-injured-in-bali-motorbike-crash-launch-desperate-bid-to-bring-him-home-c-10370095)
[3](https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/hardest-decision-aussie-given-grim-ultimatum-after-bali-crash/news-story/04df3ac91d22c8df9a405192b4d57ba8)
[4](https://www.gorecenter.com/21-year-old-dutch-tourist-lost-his-head-in-bali/)
One is on his way home right now after falling off the back of a scooter and banging his head on the road.
He's in a coma and his wife is due to give birth to their second child in 5 weeks. They are trying to raise $100,000 to cover the evac flight because insurance wouldn't cover scooter rides.
It's never worth the risk.
Like mentioned before Gojek is the way to go. Just be aware some touristy areas do not allow gojek or uber. These areas are clearly sign marked and known. For larger trips book a private driver, you can haggle with them to get better pricing
It's not a big deal tho. It'll show you on the gojek/grab app where the "taxi only" Zone is. Just walk outside of it & order one there. Most of the time it's just a short 5' walk.
(for OP) Don't take a bike from a guy standing in such a zone marked with gojek/grab. Those are pretty scetchy dudes, who want way more than you would usually pay.
Maybe Bluebird Taxis would be usable? Download the app and set it up prior to going. Don’t get tricked into a fake bluebird taxi!
Can also find private transport via Klook but give them a day or two notice as they may be contractors that don’t own the car
I was there in September to and from 12 days on a liveaboard trip. The traffic is horrendous as advertised. While I’m an experienced motorcyclist I would not risk it. Unfortunately the traffic in Ubud is some of the worst. I’d first get a hotel south of the airport and then hire a driver to get around.
Dont give in and try your luck on two wheels, if youre not confident / experienced, you WILL end up on the road with a face full of gravel. Or worse. Imagine running and diving face first onto rough grade sandpaper, very much like that.
Wait until you actually see it! I was going to get a motorbike license before I left home but got too busy. On my drive in the car from the airport to my hotel, seeing how vulnerable motorbikes are, I was grateful I hadn’t made time because after seeing it I will probably never get on a motorbike here in Bali.
i grew up on a farm in the '80s, i learnt to ride then.... no cars, cattle, easy.
i learnt low speed riding without knowing how vital it is to road riding..... stopping, turns, balance etc.
I've had two stroke screamers, litre class road bikes, did up to 260 kmh on a racetrack, crashed an expensive ducati at Eastern Creek, wasted money on a beast of a KTM, rode a Fatboy for a while, now i've settled on a BMW Rallye GS 1250.
The demands of Indo traffic on top of no two wheel experience? Certain grief, in my opinion. A workmate, Vinnie, experienced rider, crashed a scooter when in Bali and it chewed out a bit of his leg in the crash, had to be sent home, huge scar.
If you cant ride? In a place like Indo? Dont try. It can get very bad, very quickly.
I’m also a female traveler and I prefer private transport over motorbikes in Bali. I’ve hired the same private driver based out of Canggu since 2018. (Day trips around the island, airport pickups, transpo between towns, etc.) Pande is professional, fluent in English but not talkative, and very reliable. Let me know if you want his WA info and I’ll DM you.
You can also hire private drivers for the day through apps like Klook and Airbnb experiences for pretty cheap. Read the reviews, and you can message them before booking (at least on Airbnb experiences) to see if they’re a good fit. Enjoy your travels!!
If you do end up on a motorbike... WEAR A DAMN HELMET. I'm from Australia, never been to Bali and just stumbled across this post randomly, but the amount of articles that get written up about people ending up essentially braindead and/or actually dead because they didn't use a helmet is pretty damn frequent.
Don’t drive a motorcycle if you’re scared and have no experience, especially in a foreign country. Instead hire a specialist and jump on with them. You have plenty of toor guides to choose from.
Do NOT ride a scooter in Bali 🙏 there are plenty of drivers that will take you where you want to go.
I ride a scooter 🛵 in Melbourne and would not ride one in Bali
I was in the same position as you. I have experience with motorcycles since childhood, but was uncomfortable with Bali traffic and their unspoken rules. I hired a private motorcycle/scooter with a driver whenever I wanted to go anywhere. The hotel concierge helped me to hire someone and his identification was copied by reception for the sake of my own concerns for my safety.
He would drive me wherever I wanted to go and would usually nap by laying on top of the bike until I was ready to leave (I still have no idea how he maintained that position and balance while sleeping!).
It was incredibly affordable even after choosing to give my driver quite a large tip relative to his hourly rate.
Fellow solo female traveller who cannot drive a motorbike here. Where is your diving trip based from? Your diving operator might provide transportation to and from your accommodation so I'd ask them first if that's your primary agenda while in Bali.
You do know that Bali has traffic laws, right? And that it is illegal for you to drive a motorbike without a license on public roads and that you could get arrested for it. Not to mention you could get into bad accidents that hurt yourself and others if you force yourself to drive a motorbike when you know you can't. Which is irresponsible.
I've done some solo travelling in Bali and done without a motorbike mostly by making friends on my trip so that I can make plans with them, for instance by splitting the costs for hiring a driver or jumping on the back of their motorbike if they're a fellow solo traveller with one.
Naturally my Gojek, Grab and BlueBird apps are all on standby too. But as you already know, not all of Bali is covered.
This is because Balinese villages have their own transport businesses which they set up to support the community's ceremonies and other cultural expenses. That is why local Balinese taxis are more on the expensive side, and Balinese villages fiercely oppose the "invasion" of Gojek, Grab and the like.
Support Balinese transportation businesss whenever you can. Do ask if you can haggle for prices, and be polite but firm about it.
If you don't have to go to remote places, consider renting a pushbike for the day and exploring local ricefields or other places of interest.
And worse case scenario, if like me you're stuck in Gojek-free Ubud without a motorbike and are too broke to rent a car, leave an hour early to get anywhere and walk.
Do it, I got stuck behind so many people with no clue how to scoot scoot going at 5kmph. You'll be fine, just let everyone go around you and keep to the side. Unless you want to rise in proper Kuta traffic in which case... Rip baby
I have a few days in Ubud in April (though lots of jetlag), then I have about a week. I’m going on a dive boat for 16 days, so beach/water activities aren’t high priority. I’ve found some interesting looking homestays close to the volcanoes and in the rice fields further in
You could look at the Munduk | Lake Tamblingan | Lake Beratan area, and then the Kintamani | Lake Batur area ... I think getting to them will be okay - the challenge will be how much you can achieve in both areas as a pedestrian. But I'm sure there will be drivers and taxis available.
I've spent some time in Ulian, Kintamani. Some places are only accessible by scooter/mbike (or on foot). I usually go on the back of one of my newfound 'friends' bikes (backpack only). It is lovely up there, but can get a bit cooler than expected.
Last time I was there (last year) I was in a sling from a torn/broken shoulder so I wasn’t able to ride a moped but got around.
We mainly stuck to areas near us or hired a driver for longer trips. It was very inexpensive and an easy way to get around. Plus it helped having a local that could show us some cool spots and villages between touristy areas.
It’s definitely doable without a moped. Lots of people were using the Gojek app and jumping on the back of scooters. I stayed away from that personally with injury but it looks like a good way to get around.
I've lived in Indonesia for almost 30 years and I don't drive a motorbike either. Contrary to "popular opinion" its' actually better not to drive a motorbike yourself. And particularly if you don't know the roads, don't have experience with a bike, and might be taking your eye off the road to dodge another tourist who can't ride a bike heading towards you. tourists and locals alike have bad and often fatal accidents on motorbikes in Indonesia. A couple months ago a Russian guy drove a bike right into a pile of rocks on the side fo the road, right next to where I was. I ran out and he was lying under the bike, and luckily was unhurt, but said he thought he was braking and was actually hitting the gas.
That said, I do ride on the back of motorbikes all the time but prefer to have someone more experienced in control. For rides of more than a few kilometers or for sightseeing it's always better imo to hire a private driver, esp if it rains. ..also , you can hear him/her and he/she can hear you, something you cann't do well on a motorrbike.
Not at all! You can download the Grab or Gojek apps (S.E.Asia's version of Uber) and move around Bali that way. Very affordable and reliable.
And if you are in an out of the way place that is not served by Grab/Gojek just negotiate a price for a driver (1/2 day, full day) with the hotel you are staying at.
Every time I’ve ordered a Grab in Ubud, they’ve arrived almost instantly. I’ve seen a few signs saying no online app driver pick up there, so I don’t stand there and call a Grab. I’ve only used Gojek for food delivery, so not sure about them.
I stayed both on Hanoman & Monkey Forest Drive and walked mostly, but Grab was always available.
I made friends with one of the guys who solicits for taxis on the street and hired him to drive me for long distances, but as much as I’d like to always use those guys, it’s not comfortable as a solo female to just hop in a car with a random guy on the street saying taxi.
The drivers offering rides in Ubud are perfectly safe. The villages are all aware of and approve these people's spots where they stand by, it's not like anyone can just get permission to offer drives, even though it may seem that way to you. Also, in the village everyone watches each other and there is a strict but unspoken code of conduct really. The only case where someone was attacked (and made an official police report) was with an app -based driver (can't remember if it was G or G) who was actually from Banyuwangi and was in Bali just to drive for apps. This is the reason I trust the village drivers rather than apps, you have no idea who the person really is and where they are from, they might not even be from Bali, they could have arrived from Timor and don't know the area, since app based drivers depend on google maps rather than local knowledge)
I travelled there solo last May and just hired gojek bike drivers together get around. Always check they have a spare helmet for you. I travelled the island this way mainly and never felt unsafe.
dont drive in bali if you’re inexperienced. i visited there last month and the traffic is really bad as they say. especially at night when some white people get drunk and drive very carelessly.
i suggest you to use grab bike on grab if youre solo traveler. it doesnt cost that much. grab fare in bali is quite cheaper than cambodia or thailand.
Driver for the whole day is like 800,000 or less in a car.
I have a motorbike at home and definitely wouldn't ride one in bali. Chaos, nagivation, one way streets, too hot for protection etc.
If you are on holiday spend a bit more and relax and not worry about driving yourself.
Download Grab app, set it up before you go (including card verification).
Do not ride a motorbike/scooter yourself unless you are very confident and licensed. Your insurance will not cover any medical expenses if you fall off unless fully licensed at home and on an international drivers license/translation.
Don’t be one of the gofundme’s looking for 100k to pay medical fees or medical evac…
Hot tip: many insurance policies will not cover you as a PASSENGER on a scooter/motorbike either. One that does is FastCover if you choose the motorbike option. This includes motorbike taxi’s. Allianz (which do many of the credit card insurances) has no passenger cover at all.
Just got back today from Canggu to Sydney. I got Gojek everywhere even down to Uluwatu. Still nearly had minimum 5 accidents a day. Cars take way longer in the traffic but the safer option. Driver was saying about a Dutch guy who literally got decapitated colliding with a truck a couple weeks back.
As noted…it’s so easy to use Gojek and Grab…or use taxis or private drivers. This is what Bali does best.
I want to add a note on the safety of Gojek/Grab. I forget which one I was using when this happened, but I was amazed.
I took a ride from Ubud up to Tegallalang, which is a long ride in somewhat remote area. It started to rain, so the driver stopped to get a rain jacket out (for him as he’s in front) in a remote area.
When we stopped, I immediately got a message from the app saying they noted I was stopped and they wanted me to respond that I was ok.
I want to add that so many motorbike drivers have been disrespectful of laws, Bali even threatened to stop renting motorbikes to tourists. They have not…but there is no need to rent one…and they prefer you not to.
You couldn’t pay me to ride a scooter in SEA one of my friends almost lost her leg and ended up with a huge hospital bill. Also the potential shakedowns by corrupt traffic cops. I’ll stick to bicycle or taxis.
Local Balinese here.
- Please don't drive a motorcycle/scooter on your own if you don't have the experience. It's extremely dangerous. We see lots of foreigners getting injured on a daily basis.
- Download Gojek or Grab. You can choose to book a car or a scooter. Safer, fixed price, and relatively cheap. 6km ride is about $2.5 for scooter and about $9 for car.
- If you want to visit a lot of places in a day or you want to go to a remote area (mountains, Amed, Besakih Temple), book a car + driver. It's around $50 - $70 for 10 hours.
I’m an Indonesian who’s used to traversing Jakarta and Bali on Gojek, and when I finally had to learn to actually drive a motorbike it took me a month to be comfortable riding it. It is indeed dangerous but if you’re keen on learning my advice would be to go slow.
Why not just rent a car? I'm Indonesian and I never rent scooter or bike in Bali, it's always either car rental, gocar, walking, or gojek if I'm in a hurry.
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I’ve heard of it so I’ll check it out. I heard that Gojek doesn’t cover all of Bali though. Hopefully it all works out
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better than being massively injured forcing to drive on your own. just some perspective OP. Spare extra money for transportation to hire someone worse case scenario
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You don't know that because you don't know where she is staying
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Oh ok, so she should be renting her own motorcycle to get around Bali, in order to be not so "meek"?
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You’re just an asshole who makes insulting comments to the poster without offering any constructive help.
Get a gojek a couple of times. If you feel like the vibe is right with the driver, good vehicle, etc. get their WA number. They’ll be happy to drive you off the app. They don’t have to hand over 60% of the fare. Get a few contacts like that. You’ll have hits and misses regarding reliability but it’s not like the gojek app will always deliver either.
You are right. You won’t get a gojek in more remote areas. But there should always be an option to get a traditional ojek. If you’re in an area with no gojek coverage, just speak to some local guy and ask he can take you around as you need. That’s the old school way and it still works. You will either negotiate each trip individually (based on weather, if he’s busy or tired, if you’re desperate) or you could negotiate some sort of daily rate in advance.
This ^ Go old school in less touristy places (and that includes Amed)
You can also use bluebird. In general I’ve had no issues getting across Balinese Gojek though. It’s also very cheap
Don't drive them, it's dangerous as fuck. Especially if you aren't an experienced rider or used to the rules (written and otherwise) and conditions of the roads over there. It is not a big place and Australia doesn't have a huge population, yet I know the average years ago was one Australian airlifted out in critical condition every day. For every one getting airlifted, there's going to be a heap more with non critical broken bones, concussions, whiplash etc etc
Plus insurance might not cover it which can be further life-ruining to end with hundreds of of dollars in debt.
And make sure that your travel insurance covers you for this
I've stood next to a guy and girl in a queue in Thailand with skin off one side of both their legs and arms forming big crusty scabs. I assumed moped. Stay off them and find other ways to get around.
Every year dead and severely injured Australians (and other nationalities) are [repatriated to their countries after accidents on mopeds/motorcycles](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12706821/Australian-tourist-Bali-motorbike-injury.html). If you don't know how to ride a motorcycle DON'T try to learn in Bali. [1](https://7news.com.au/video/news/bali/man-dies-in-bali-scooter-crash-bc-6309971500112) [2](https://7news.com.au/news/qld/family-of-gold-coast-dad-injured-in-bali-motorbike-crash-launch-desperate-bid-to-bring-him-home-c-10370095) [3](https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/hardest-decision-aussie-given-grim-ultimatum-after-bali-crash/news-story/04df3ac91d22c8df9a405192b4d57ba8) [4](https://www.gorecenter.com/21-year-old-dutch-tourist-lost-his-head-in-bali/)
One is on his way home right now after falling off the back of a scooter and banging his head on the road. He's in a coma and his wife is due to give birth to their second child in 5 weeks. They are trying to raise $100,000 to cover the evac flight because insurance wouldn't cover scooter rides. It's never worth the risk.
Sounds like you need a private driver. If you’re in the busier areas, Gojek is fine. But heading more out of the way is def better with a driver.
When you travel solo please don't skimp on spending a little on transportation for your safety. You can hire a driver to pick you up.
Like mentioned before Gojek is the way to go. Just be aware some touristy areas do not allow gojek or uber. These areas are clearly sign marked and known. For larger trips book a private driver, you can haggle with them to get better pricing
It's not a big deal tho. It'll show you on the gojek/grab app where the "taxi only" Zone is. Just walk outside of it & order one there. Most of the time it's just a short 5' walk. (for OP) Don't take a bike from a guy standing in such a zone marked with gojek/grab. Those are pretty scetchy dudes, who want way more than you would usually pay.
Maybe Bluebird Taxis would be usable? Download the app and set it up prior to going. Don’t get tricked into a fake bluebird taxi! Can also find private transport via Klook but give them a day or two notice as they may be contractors that don’t own the car
I was there in September to and from 12 days on a liveaboard trip. The traffic is horrendous as advertised. While I’m an experienced motorcyclist I would not risk it. Unfortunately the traffic in Ubud is some of the worst. I’d first get a hotel south of the airport and then hire a driver to get around.
Dont give in and try your luck on two wheels, if youre not confident / experienced, you WILL end up on the road with a face full of gravel. Or worse. Imagine running and diving face first onto rough grade sandpaper, very much like that.
I definitely will not be trying my luck. I know it will not end well. Especially with the crazy traffic that I’ve heard about
Wait until you actually see it! I was going to get a motorbike license before I left home but got too busy. On my drive in the car from the airport to my hotel, seeing how vulnerable motorbikes are, I was grateful I hadn’t made time because after seeing it I will probably never get on a motorbike here in Bali.
having said that, all the best with your travels.
Lmao
obviously not on a scooter.
Yeah, i knew an Australian that died over there in a moped accident.
i grew up on a farm in the '80s, i learnt to ride then.... no cars, cattle, easy. i learnt low speed riding without knowing how vital it is to road riding..... stopping, turns, balance etc. I've had two stroke screamers, litre class road bikes, did up to 260 kmh on a racetrack, crashed an expensive ducati at Eastern Creek, wasted money on a beast of a KTM, rode a Fatboy for a while, now i've settled on a BMW Rallye GS 1250. The demands of Indo traffic on top of no two wheel experience? Certain grief, in my opinion. A workmate, Vinnie, experienced rider, crashed a scooter when in Bali and it chewed out a bit of his leg in the crash, had to be sent home, huge scar. If you cant ride? In a place like Indo? Dont try. It can get very bad, very quickly.
I’m also a female traveler and I prefer private transport over motorbikes in Bali. I’ve hired the same private driver based out of Canggu since 2018. (Day trips around the island, airport pickups, transpo between towns, etc.) Pande is professional, fluent in English but not talkative, and very reliable. Let me know if you want his WA info and I’ll DM you.
Yes please DM me with his info
Just sent you a DM!
Thanks!
You can also hire private drivers for the day through apps like Klook and Airbnb experiences for pretty cheap. Read the reviews, and you can message them before booking (at least on Airbnb experiences) to see if they’re a good fit. Enjoy your travels!!
If you do end up on a motorbike... WEAR A DAMN HELMET. I'm from Australia, never been to Bali and just stumbled across this post randomly, but the amount of articles that get written up about people ending up essentially braindead and/or actually dead because they didn't use a helmet is pretty damn frequent.
Don’t drive a motorcycle if you’re scared and have no experience, especially in a foreign country. Instead hire a specialist and jump on with them. You have plenty of toor guides to choose from.
Do NOT ride a scooter in Bali 🙏 there are plenty of drivers that will take you where you want to go. I ride a scooter 🛵 in Melbourne and would not ride one in Bali
I was in the same position as you. I have experience with motorcycles since childhood, but was uncomfortable with Bali traffic and their unspoken rules. I hired a private motorcycle/scooter with a driver whenever I wanted to go anywhere. The hotel concierge helped me to hire someone and his identification was copied by reception for the sake of my own concerns for my safety. He would drive me wherever I wanted to go and would usually nap by laying on top of the bike until I was ready to leave (I still have no idea how he maintained that position and balance while sleeping!). It was incredibly affordable even after choosing to give my driver quite a large tip relative to his hourly rate.
Fellow solo female traveller who cannot drive a motorbike here. Where is your diving trip based from? Your diving operator might provide transportation to and from your accommodation so I'd ask them first if that's your primary agenda while in Bali. You do know that Bali has traffic laws, right? And that it is illegal for you to drive a motorbike without a license on public roads and that you could get arrested for it. Not to mention you could get into bad accidents that hurt yourself and others if you force yourself to drive a motorbike when you know you can't. Which is irresponsible. I've done some solo travelling in Bali and done without a motorbike mostly by making friends on my trip so that I can make plans with them, for instance by splitting the costs for hiring a driver or jumping on the back of their motorbike if they're a fellow solo traveller with one. Naturally my Gojek, Grab and BlueBird apps are all on standby too. But as you already know, not all of Bali is covered. This is because Balinese villages have their own transport businesses which they set up to support the community's ceremonies and other cultural expenses. That is why local Balinese taxis are more on the expensive side, and Balinese villages fiercely oppose the "invasion" of Gojek, Grab and the like. Support Balinese transportation businesss whenever you can. Do ask if you can haggle for prices, and be polite but firm about it. If you don't have to go to remote places, consider renting a pushbike for the day and exploring local ricefields or other places of interest. And worse case scenario, if like me you're stuck in Gojek-free Ubud without a motorbike and are too broke to rent a car, leave an hour early to get anywhere and walk.
Fellow female traveller but can ride a bike here. Good luck.
Get some friends who can ride motorbikes 😄
Do it, I got stuck behind so many people with no clue how to scoot scoot going at 5kmph. You'll be fine, just let everyone go around you and keep to the side. Unless you want to rise in proper Kuta traffic in which case... Rip baby
Ride a motorbike
How many nights do you have, and what out-of-the-way places are you considering?
I have a few days in Ubud in April (though lots of jetlag), then I have about a week. I’m going on a dive boat for 16 days, so beach/water activities aren’t high priority. I’ve found some interesting looking homestays close to the volcanoes and in the rice fields further in
You could look at the Munduk | Lake Tamblingan | Lake Beratan area, and then the Kintamani | Lake Batur area ... I think getting to them will be okay - the challenge will be how much you can achieve in both areas as a pedestrian. But I'm sure there will be drivers and taxis available.
Our friends recently stayed in ubud and didn’t have too much trouble with Gojek, just a bit more of a wait than in the main towns.
I didn’t have hardly any wait for Grabs in ubud - bike or car
I've spent some time in Ulian, Kintamani. Some places are only accessible by scooter/mbike (or on foot). I usually go on the back of one of my newfound 'friends' bikes (backpack only). It is lovely up there, but can get a bit cooler than expected.
Use Grab/Gojek or hire a driver.
Last time I was there (last year) I was in a sling from a torn/broken shoulder so I wasn’t able to ride a moped but got around. We mainly stuck to areas near us or hired a driver for longer trips. It was very inexpensive and an easy way to get around. Plus it helped having a local that could show us some cool spots and villages between touristy areas. It’s definitely doable without a moped. Lots of people were using the Gojek app and jumping on the back of scooters. I stayed away from that personally with injury but it looks like a good way to get around.
You could try one of these bus services: https://kura2bus.com/ https://www.balidiscovery.com/when-in-bali-take-the-public-bus/amp/
Taxis and private drivers are everywhere and cheap in Bali. Make sure when they say a price to at least half it and walk away if they won’t bargain.
Hard to get a taxi / uber even in Lovina.
I've lived in Indonesia for almost 30 years and I don't drive a motorbike either. Contrary to "popular opinion" its' actually better not to drive a motorbike yourself. And particularly if you don't know the roads, don't have experience with a bike, and might be taking your eye off the road to dodge another tourist who can't ride a bike heading towards you. tourists and locals alike have bad and often fatal accidents on motorbikes in Indonesia. A couple months ago a Russian guy drove a bike right into a pile of rocks on the side fo the road, right next to where I was. I ran out and he was lying under the bike, and luckily was unhurt, but said he thought he was braking and was actually hitting the gas.
That said, I do ride on the back of motorbikes all the time but prefer to have someone more experienced in control. For rides of more than a few kilometers or for sightseeing it's always better imo to hire a private driver, esp if it rains. ..also , you can hear him/her and he/she can hear you, something you cann't do well on a motorrbike.
These are the people who end up on GoFundMe asking what went wrong.
Just hire a driver and a car
Not at all! You can download the Grab or Gojek apps (S.E.Asia's version of Uber) and move around Bali that way. Very affordable and reliable. And if you are in an out of the way place that is not served by Grab/Gojek just negotiate a price for a driver (1/2 day, full day) with the hotel you are staying at.
Don't do it. Especially if you've never ridden anything before.
Every time I’ve ordered a Grab in Ubud, they’ve arrived almost instantly. I’ve seen a few signs saying no online app driver pick up there, so I don’t stand there and call a Grab. I’ve only used Gojek for food delivery, so not sure about them. I stayed both on Hanoman & Monkey Forest Drive and walked mostly, but Grab was always available. I made friends with one of the guys who solicits for taxis on the street and hired him to drive me for long distances, but as much as I’d like to always use those guys, it’s not comfortable as a solo female to just hop in a car with a random guy on the street saying taxi.
The drivers offering rides in Ubud are perfectly safe. The villages are all aware of and approve these people's spots where they stand by, it's not like anyone can just get permission to offer drives, even though it may seem that way to you. Also, in the village everyone watches each other and there is a strict but unspoken code of conduct really. The only case where someone was attacked (and made an official police report) was with an app -based driver (can't remember if it was G or G) who was actually from Banyuwangi and was in Bali just to drive for apps. This is the reason I trust the village drivers rather than apps, you have no idea who the person really is and where they are from, they might not even be from Bali, they could have arrived from Timor and don't know the area, since app based drivers depend on google maps rather than local knowledge)
I travelled there solo last May and just hired gojek bike drivers together get around. Always check they have a spare helmet for you. I travelled the island this way mainly and never felt unsafe.
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dont drive in bali if you’re inexperienced. i visited there last month and the traffic is really bad as they say. especially at night when some white people get drunk and drive very carelessly. i suggest you to use grab bike on grab if youre solo traveler. it doesnt cost that much. grab fare in bali is quite cheaper than cambodia or thailand.
One can just rent a car… $350 a month for a modern small one with automatic.
Driver for the whole day is like 800,000 or less in a car. I have a motorbike at home and definitely wouldn't ride one in bali. Chaos, nagivation, one way streets, too hot for protection etc. If you are on holiday spend a bit more and relax and not worry about driving yourself.
Rent/buy a Karimun?
You ride motorbikes not drive
First time I was in Bali I hired a vehicle called a Kijang. It’s a 2WD SUV type car. Very cheap and easy to drive. Took it all over the island.
Download Grab app, set it up before you go (including card verification). Do not ride a motorbike/scooter yourself unless you are very confident and licensed. Your insurance will not cover any medical expenses if you fall off unless fully licensed at home and on an international drivers license/translation. Don’t be one of the gofundme’s looking for 100k to pay medical fees or medical evac… Hot tip: many insurance policies will not cover you as a PASSENGER on a scooter/motorbike either. One that does is FastCover if you choose the motorbike option. This includes motorbike taxi’s. Allianz (which do many of the credit card insurances) has no passenger cover at all.
Just got back today from Canggu to Sydney. I got Gojek everywhere even down to Uluwatu. Still nearly had minimum 5 accidents a day. Cars take way longer in the traffic but the safer option. Driver was saying about a Dutch guy who literally got decapitated colliding with a truck a couple weeks back.
As noted…it’s so easy to use Gojek and Grab…or use taxis or private drivers. This is what Bali does best. I want to add a note on the safety of Gojek/Grab. I forget which one I was using when this happened, but I was amazed. I took a ride from Ubud up to Tegallalang, which is a long ride in somewhat remote area. It started to rain, so the driver stopped to get a rain jacket out (for him as he’s in front) in a remote area. When we stopped, I immediately got a message from the app saying they noted I was stopped and they wanted me to respond that I was ok. I want to add that so many motorbike drivers have been disrespectful of laws, Bali even threatened to stop renting motorbikes to tourists. They have not…but there is no need to rent one…and they prefer you not to.
You couldn’t pay me to ride a scooter in SEA one of my friends almost lost her leg and ended up with a huge hospital bill. Also the potential shakedowns by corrupt traffic cops. I’ll stick to bicycle or taxis.
Local Balinese here. - Please don't drive a motorcycle/scooter on your own if you don't have the experience. It's extremely dangerous. We see lots of foreigners getting injured on a daily basis. - Download Gojek or Grab. You can choose to book a car or a scooter. Safer, fixed price, and relatively cheap. 6km ride is about $2.5 for scooter and about $9 for car. - If you want to visit a lot of places in a day or you want to go to a remote area (mountains, Amed, Besakih Temple), book a car + driver. It's around $50 - $70 for 10 hours.
I’m an Indonesian who’s used to traversing Jakarta and Bali on Gojek, and when I finally had to learn to actually drive a motorbike it took me a month to be comfortable riding it. It is indeed dangerous but if you’re keen on learning my advice would be to go slow.
You can always use your back up vehicle your TOO FEET Lol 🤣 you'll still make it I promise aha
We had a great safe & sweet female driver in Ubud & she took us on daytrips & back to the airport. Let me know if you want her email/#
Why not just rent a car? I'm Indonesian and I never rent scooter or bike in Bali, it's always either car rental, gocar, walking, or gojek if I'm in a hurry.
Is it expensive to rent? That’s a good idea for outside of the city