FAQ – frequently asked questions about Bali

Is it possible to come to Bali individually, without buying a tour package?

Sure, it is possible. Everything depends on your primary goals and desires. If staying in a hotel seems to be more conventional for you and meets your needs – a travel agency will choose a standard group tour and a flight for you. On the contrary, if you prefer your holidays to be individual, comfortable and absolutely isolated from the eyes of a stranger, then certainly a private villa will suit you best. To rent a villa in our web site will not be very difficult. You can select tickets for suitable dates and book any villa from I Love Villa catalogue that will match your specific taste and preferences. Your choice of a villa may be accompanied with additional services such as, for example, a cook, a driver or a yoga instructor.

How to fly to Bali?

There are several options for how to get to Bali. The only difference is in time and cost. Connecting flights with several stopovers are the most economical alternative. If the amount of hours you spend in the air is your number one concern, it makes sense to choose a direct flight if any.  The flights are also carried out by Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways from United Arab Emirates, Qatar Airways from Qatar, KLM from Netherlands, Lufthansa from Germany, Singapore Airlines from Singapore, Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong, Korean Air from Korea, China Eastern and HK Airlines from China, JAL from Japan and Thai Airways from Thailand. All the airlines are flying with one or two stopovers, or three in some rare cases, and it undoubtedly affects the cost of tickets as well. The time you spend travelling may vary from 16 to 36 hours. Some flights are executed to Jakarta – the capital of Indonesia. You can fly to the island of Bali from there by local airlines – without any difficulties, fast and cheap. For instance, by Air Asia, Garuda Indonesia, Merpati, JetStar Airways or Mandala Air.

What kind of forms to fill out do I get on board of the plane?

You will be given a special form to fill out on board of the plane where you have to enter your personal data, the flight number, number of days of your visit, as well as the address of a villa or a hotel, further you will have to fill out  а customs declaration. It has to be presented when you pass custom control desk.

Do I need insurance?

Sure, you need it. Free of charge medical services in the island, to put it mildly, are inferior to European ones… Therefore it will be better if you have insurance. You can consult any insurance company, BUT!

- If you are coming to do extreme sports such as diving or surfing, then you should better get more specific information from your insurance company if sports are insurable events or it would be an additional insurance situation.

- When you choose an insurance company please keep in mind one very important factor – it is the way the insurance company cooperates with the hospitals in Bali: ask them to specify if the payment is transferred directly to a hospital by bank, otherwise you will have to make the payment of expenses by yourself first and deal with reimbursement problems when you come back and it is not really convenient and does not always turn out well.

If my passport is valid for less than 6 months after the expected arrival date what will the consequences be?

You will not get a visa. It may be discovered in the airport of departure, or in transit countries or upon the arrival in Bali. In any case, in a situation like this you will have to fly back. Travel agencies by all means should track it down when booking a tour and notify customers of the probable situations in advance.

What kind of currency is it better to bring with me to Bali?

For a short period of stay it is better to bring US dollars or euros, in cash or in a credit card. You will exchange money for the local currency – rupiah – upon arrival. Settlements in foreign currency are essentially not made. It is advisable to have savings in US dollars or euro in your credit card, it will enable you to convert them into rupiah directly in local ATMs. It is important – bank notes of the year 2006 and upwards are exchanged at lowered rate, also 100, 50, 20 US dollars denomination notes and smaller are exchanged at different rates! Therefore it is advised to bring with you currency of higher denomination.

Is it possible to use ATMs in Bali?

Yes, but ATMs of well-known foreign or Indonesian banks only. Do not use your credit card in unverified places and in dubiously looking ATMs. Be sure to notify your bank of your trip to Indonesia, otherwise you may face with the situation when you card has been blocked. You can also pay with your card in many restaurants and shops. When using an ATM it is necessary to know and remember that you can get cash in local currency – rupiah only.

What is the time difference?

The time difference with Moscow is 4 hours.

Do I have to get vaccinated before my trip to Bali?

At this point there are no epidemics in Bali. And fears concerning security of your health in Indonesia are exaggerated.

Is internet connection good enough?

Internet is one of the vital problems in the island. A limited number of operators together with moderate, by European standards, speed often stirs up resentment among tourists. Nevertheless the majority of hotels and villas have a streamlined internet channel.

Where can I find a hotspot with free Wi-Fi?

Almost at every shop, supermarket, mini-market, café or restaurant. McDonald’s and KFC are enjoying wide popularity as well.

What local mobile network operator is better to use?

Telkomsel and XL are the most popular. Alternative operators are Indosat and Tri.

How to call abroad?

To call abroad you are given a special code by mobile network operators. For Telkomsel the code is 01017, then dial (country code) (city code/cellular operator code) telephone subscriber’s number.

Should I take adapters for plug sockets along?

No. The plug sockets that are used in Indonesia are of the same type as in Europe.

Is Bali climate good for holidays with children?

It is perfect. The only compulsory condition, however for adults as well, is to use sun protection and insect repellent. Do not also forget of drinking lots of water.

Are there extra beds for children in villas?

When booking a villa you can always request an extra bed. All your preferences and wishes will be taken into account.

What area is the best for holidays with children?

Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa, Jimbaran, Sanur, Lovina. Quiet, calm areas, no big waves and shallow water – will suit perfectly for holidays with children of any age.

What are the best beaches in Bali?

The most beautiful beaches are located in the south of Bali in the district of Nusa Dua and Bukit Peninsula, as well as in the east of the island and in the Gili Islands.

Are there any dangerous animals and fishes in the ocean?

Among the dangerous animals in the marine environment sea urchins and jellyfishes are most likely to be met with, sea snakes are rarer. For the time being just isolated cases of an encounter with a shark were registered (3 attacks in 60 years). It would be better to choose popular beaches for swimming. It is important – swimming is strictly prohibited when a red flag is set up on the beach.

Why one should not swim in the ocean at night?

For the reason that it is dangerous. There are no lifeguards on the beach at night. In addition, depending on environmental conditions there might be heavy current that you may fail to notice in the darkness. Do not forget about the tempo of life of underwater animals and reptiles, night is the hunting time for them. Therefore swimming in the ocean at night is strictly prohibited.

How does one move around the island?

The most popular and convenient for tourists way to move around is a taxi. A taximeter is installed in every taxi, there are instructions in the English language in cars. If you have an international Class A driving license, then the fastest and the cheapest method of transportation, however, extremely risky is driving a scooter. It is quite difficult to get used to driving a vehicle in a left-hand traffic and on constantly tangled roads at that. But unfortunately it is very easy to spoil your holidays. If you are planning to move around a lot, then one of the most convenient and safest methods is to rent a car in Bali with a driver or without for a whole period of your vacations.

Is a driving license required to rent a scooter?

Yes, it is obligatory to have an international Class A driving license.

Is a driving license required to rent a car?

Yes, it is obligatory to have an international Class B driving license.

Is it normal to be offered illegal drugs in the street?

Indonesia is a country where distribution and possession of narcotics is punished by law: from imprisonment (up to life term) and to death penalty. But do not get scared if you see bars with a “magic mushrooms” sign in the street, hallucinogenic mushrooms in Bali are a part of local culture.

What is the situation with alcohol in Bali?

When importing alcohol to Indonesia a supplier company must pay out a duty amounting up to 300%, therefore prices for alcohol in supermarkets and restaurants may be called very high. This is with the exception of domestically produced wine and strong drinks, as well as local beer of “Bintang”, “Heineken” and “Corona Extra” brands and arrack (Indonesian vodka). Be careful! Local cheap alcohol consumption may be dangerous to your health and even to your life. Therefore it is better to consume alcohol of well-known brands and in trustworthy places.

Can I take alcohol along?

It is allowed to bring in to Indonesia 1 litre of alcoholic products per person. A fine of 15 to 70 US dollars per bottle will be imposed upon the amount exceeding the norm or customs officials reserve the right to take the whole of excess alcohol away.

Is it possible to arrange a party or a wedding in a villa?

It is possible, both by your own efforts or with the help of our company. We can help you to arrange and have an unforgettable celebration of any special day: a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, a New Year and other events.

What will we eat in Bali?

In Bali you can easily find dishes of any Asian as well as any European cuisine. Naturally, dishes of Indonesian cuisine enjoy the greatest popularity, it is is quite satisfactory in terms of quality and prices. Local cuisine is famous for its rice and noodle dishes, we do recommend to all of you to taste them.

What is the best place to try surfing?

Bali is rightly considered to be a mecca of world surfing. Here you can find spots for surf riding of great variety of levels – from beginners up to professionals – favourable waves all year round. There are ideal conditions for beginner surfers in Kuta, while there are lots of beaches for professionals in Bukit.

What is the most beautiful place for snorkelling?

The eastern coast is famed for the most popular places for diving. Amed is in the eastern part of the island, Tulamben is the northern part. The nearby islands of Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Menjangan and the Gili Islands.

Can I take a dog or a cat along?

It is prohibited to bring animals in to Bali because the island is in the state of quarantine until now after the rabies epidemic that happened 7 years ago.

Tide

Ocean with tide is a natural phenomenon being observed in some way or another in all the contiguous zones of the island of Bali. It happens due to the Moon and the Sun gravity. Tide happens twice in 24 hours – two times water goes out and two times it comes in, but the time is gradually moving with every day and because of this it is quite difficult to calculate the time-schedule on your own. However, now there are special calendars for every month where it is scheduled by hour when water will be the highest and when – the lowest, and depending on this knowledge you can choose places for swimming or surfing.

Coastal resort areas of Bali are subjected to this phenomenon in different ways:

Nusa Dua. The beach of Nikko Bali hotel is the best place for swimming at low tide. In some places due to inequality of landscape the water may be deep as well as shallow.

In Sanur and Tanjung Benoa it is shallow at low tide but quiet and calm beaches suit perfectly for holidays with children.

Jimbaran. The beach is least subjected to tidal influence.

Kuta, Seminyak. To swim at low tide you will have to walk a bit further as compared to high tide.

Canggu, Tanah Lot. Low tide is really strong, but you can swim in natural lagoons not far from the coast.

Bukit beaches (Balangan, Dreamland, Uluwatu, Pandawa and others). Low tide is very strong, but thanks to uneven landscape swimming is possible at any time.

Candidasa. The changes are nearly imperceptible.

The east and the north of the island are washed by the waters of Bali Sea, therefore tide is barely felt.