If Bali is your 1st overseas journey, or even 1st time to Asia. Here is a guide to ease the culture shock after getting of the plane. A local Bali Sim Card to avoid roaming charges can be waiting for you before you leave the airport for as little as $10

This is my standard process I do each time. It can be especially stressful if you never been to Asia before having people approaching you and offered 100’s of taxi rides with stupid prices (which may seem reasonable to you compared to home but really 10x more).

Before arriving to Bali

Minimum 24 hours before I get there I like to pre-order my sim card(s) and pre-book my journey from the airport. Now there is no issue getting a taxi from the airport, I just grew tiered of the bartering and the “lots of traffic today price more expensive” story. To be honest the prices are about the same if you get real price but if your new to Bali or just want a stress free option the best way to get real price is pre-book. Again sim cards are available at inflated prices at the airport. You will find them at vendors on the street also but may not get a honest price. Recharging once have a sim card is a simpler process. Trust me I have been there and been scammed all before.

Fast Track and VIP Service Assistance

You can hire someone to take care of immigration and have VIP treatment. It’s a great way to start your holiday and avoid the line at immigration. To book this for as little as $45AUD or $30 USD p.p check it out here.

They also offer the VIP service for flight transfers International to Domestic, International to International helping you with immigration and your luggage.

Important to note – Infants & children will be charged at the same Adult rate and the price is per person.

How I book Sim Card & Airport Transfers

Take a look at the picture below and determine what zone your hotel is in. This will determine the price in next step
Note – The price does not include the road toll if you take it but dont worry its only 11,000rp = about $1. This will only apply if you are heading south Bali like Nusa Dua and the drive over the ocean is amazing! (4,500RP for motorbike)

Now click here to open a new window to book the airport transfer.

You can either press the orange button

“select options”

or just scroll down to “Package options”

select your scheduled flight arrival date and the zone you determined from above map.

You will now get the car/van size options to determine what suits you best
Now you can book the Sim card(s) here at the same time but check the book a sim card link below first as if they have a promotion on which sometimes they do the promotional price wont show up if you bundle it with airport transfer from above link. Tricky huh! But if the same just bundle it!

Organising just a Bali Sim card

To book a sim card only and pick up from the same people at Bali airport..

Portable hotspot option (Sim card wifi)

If you want just one for a group of up to 5 persons you can hire a hot spot
but do note this is a daily charge with a max 1.3gb per day for a minimum of 3 days . So good for social media and emails but definitely not enough for watching videos or Youtube. They tend to have a battery life of around 8 hours. Good for when your out and about in between places. Just make sure you connect to wifi at the Hotel and Restaurants. Also check your Auto Updates are switched off on all your phones. You will also have to return the hotspot when leaving to get your deposit back. *TIP* If you have a power bank you can charge it on the go so it will last over 8 hours.

How to recharge after the data runs out

The sim card can be recharged many places. Look for the words ” Jual Pulsa” or just “Pulsa” which means Buy(Jual) phone credit(Pulsa)
You will see these words everywhere now you know what they mean.

When arrive at Bali airport

So after you have your bags, and cleared immigration you will suddenly walk and feel the temperature change because you are outside now. There will be a rail with what seems like hundreds of people holding signs with names on. Just look for the orange shirt and red sign with either your name or KLOOK written on it. There wont be many wearing orange usually only the Klook workers. If you can’t see them which has never happened to me walk around so your on the other side which your going to have to do anyways.

Show them your booking on phone *Tip* Screen shot your booking so can find easy with no internet connection. They are going to want to take a photo of the booking for sim card. Then give them your phone and they will set up the sim card right there in front of you.

Express to hotel

Your driver will take you and your luggage to your booked vehicle. Which wont be a old bomb which can happen if you haggle with a driver because your to busy worrying about price than what vehicles going to take you there. Yep this is happened to me to. They will normally ask you to wait near the elevators if they parked a little away. This is perfect because the car should be icy cold by the time it arrives.

Hiring a driver after airport trip

A lot of airport drivers will try offer you services with them self or maybe a family member. Whilst there is no problem with that I highly recommend you use Yogi or his team from Bali Recommended Driver. I have used Yogi for many years now and find him fantastic. Recent times have used others within his company and have been magnificent. Rest assured you are in safe hands with Yogi.

Hopefully this has made the start of your holiday a stress free one

I have learnt the hard way as I had no one to guide me. Have a great time, Eat lots of Satay in Bali they are amazing , and check out my other posts on Bali

If you want to know the first restaurant and meal I eat every time I go to Bali check out this post!

Free Mega Guide

You have made it this far. A gift of my Travel Tips and how to navigate Bali like a Pro. Even if you been to Bali before you may pick up some handy tips just click picture below!

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If you want to Buy Souvenirs in Bali Krisna is the 1 stop you are going to want to make. It is a superstore that sells almost everything you will see at the markets. It is a stress-free air-conditioned warehouse where you can spend as little or as much time as you like browsing without being asked to buy things you have no intention to. If you have never been to Bali it will click what I’m talking about when you get there.

Buy Souvenirs in Bali at Krisna is so much less stressful than all the haggling and inflated prices you will find at the markets.

There are a few stores but the one I always go to is located less than 5 mins from the DPS Denpasar Airport named Krisna Toko Oleh Oleh Khas Bali.

It is huge & it is cheap! I highly recommend stopping past Krisna early if you have never been to Bali before. Get an idea of what the prices are of things. If you don’t want to cart stuff around come back before you leave.

What they don’t sell

They have no knock-off brand name stuff here. If you’re looking for fake Nike, Adidas, Everlast, Gucci, Rolex ect. You will have to head to any of the other markets. They are not hard to find. Close by you have Kuta there is an abundance of them there.

What they do sell

They sell almost everything you see around Bali. They have a large range of Instruments, Wooden souvenirs, Kites, Essential oils, cosmetics, Coffee / Kopi, Tea, Dried Fruits & nuts, In-sense and holders, Jewelry, Fridge magnets, Bali T-Shirts, Women’s Dresses & Maxi Dresses, Bathers & Swimsuits as well as much more

They also have a VIP clothing section which is just higher quality shirts with better quality prints. They have a lot of comical and joke T-shirts here. They generally range from 70-100k (A$7-$10)

Payment Options

They accept payment by card over 300k rupiah (A$30)
As well as cash.

If you’re from Australia, Be sure to check THIS POST to get the best value from your bank card with no international transaction fees & fee-free ATM withdrawals.

Opening Hours

They are open 24 hours! How convenient!

Getting There

Parking

There is a charge 2000 rupiah (A$ .20cents) for Motorbike Parking or 5000 rupiahs (A$ .50 cents) for Car.

If you’re wondering about transport options, THIS LINK will take you straight to the transport choices of Bali in my BALI MEGA GUIDE.

Photos

I have tried to include the price tags of what’s closest to me. If you need to convert the prices you can use XE.com to do your currency to INR (Indonesian Rupiah Code)
If your Australian the easiest way to get a close idea is to take the last two 0’s off the end and that’s your price in dollars and cents. Eg. 100,000 rupiah is A$10 which would look like this 100,0 just either ignore the “,” or move back one place there’s your $ & c

You can check additional photos by others on Google by CLICKING HERE and navigating to the photo tab.

Check Out All My Posts On BALI!

Click Picture Below For My Mega Bali Guide

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Every time I get to Bali ill generally stay in Kuta the first few nights to be close to the nightlife. The first place I will stop after dropping my bags at the hotel is Yulia’s Kitchen for the best Nasi Campur in Bali.

Indonesians pronounce C as Ch so pronounced Champur

If you think you know of a better one in Bali or SE Asia please do leave a comment as would love to try!

Meaning

Nasi campur literally means mixed rice.
Nasi(rice) campur(mixed)

What is it

As I have found out there is no certain thing nasi campur is going to be. Other than it’s going to have white rice. Along with rice, you will have small portions of other dishes which could be fried prawns, eggs, peanuts, all of which meats & vegetables depending on the location and vendor. At a local vendor, I have had just one dish with a prawn cracker.

Origin of Nasi Campur

Nasi campur comes from Indonesia and is commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand and Brunei. It is a staple meal for Indonesians

Hotel Available Behind Restaurant

Behind Yulia’s Kitchen in Kuta, they have accommodation. We have stayed there once before. Our stay was a little interrupted due to construction at the time but the manager was very accommodating I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.

Click to view prices of Yulias Inn

I have tried nasi campur in many places desperately trying to find a better one as I love it that much. Drop a comment below if you think you know a better one!

Look At The Restaurant

Getting There

View All Our Bali Posts

Check Our Bali Mega Guide!

Bali’s easiest souvenir shopping guide

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Did you ever dream of holding an exotic bird, maybe a macaw or a black palm cockatoo? Well, here at Bali Bird Park you can! You can even have an eagle grab some meat off you head if your the lucky one that gets picked at the show. Plan ahead and don’t miss the free flight or meet the bird stars shows!

Professional photos are taken throughout the park and the option to purchase all on CD or Print at the exit of the park is available. They will also take photos for you on your camera if you ask them nicely.

Schedule

Cheapest Ticket for Bali Bird Park

Pre-booking tickets at one of these partners is generally cheaper than at the gate. To check the prices the
official partners are, Voyagin or Klook (direct link to prices)
*Don’t book ticket labelled “domestic” unless having Indonesian Id card*

I recommend you check both sellers as they sometimes offer discounts!
For Voyagin look for the blue + sign under “see options” on the right-hand side sometimes they have coupons!

*TIP* The bird park admission includes the Bali reptile park next door. They don’t tell you so don’t throw out your ticket 2 parks for the price of one!

Photo Opportunities at Bali Bird Park

Some of the birds you can expect to see at Baki Bird Park

Getting There

The best option would be to include it in a part of a day trip. For this, I recommend Yogi and his crew.

You can catch a taxi there but it is difficult to get one back and the original taxi will probably insist on waiting for you. The cost really is not cheaper from Kuta than just hiring Yogi for a day.

Or if you are driving you can get directions below

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Bali Paradise is one of my all-time favourite hotels. I believe it consists of only 8 rooms which all come with either a distant sea view or a rice field view. All the rooms are so large with massive bathrooms.

I love the concept of this boutique hotel and would make a perfect retreat to book the entire resort if you have a large group. To me, the feeling of staying here is you are not in a hotel but staying at a friends house. There is a ping pong table as well as a pool table for some entertainment or a library for people who just want to relax with a book. They have a warm little bar which on the many occasions I have been here has been a private bar as there is no one else there.

The Chef

Then the chef who was there takes such pride in his food personally coming out to check the main courses were ok & to our liking. We often come to say here when we just want to get away from the new Bali that is so busy and hustle and bustle. To the dreamy Lovina where time feels like it slows down to a snail’s pace.

Your gonna want transport

I do recommend hiring a scooter or bicycle here if you want to explore Lovina at all as the location is a 2-minute walk to the black beach( sand is black) but down some narrow side streets to get back to the main road (about 5-8 mins) which may be daunting to some people with dogs and pets running around. The dogs generally bark more after dark if you are walking past. Don’t let this put you off staying in paradise though.

Dolphin Cruise

Reception is able to organize tickets for the dolphin watching cruise after asking around after the price was about the same as street vendors. Its a super early morning but really worth it.

How do I get to Lovina?

How to get to Lovina. Your best choice would be to hire Yogi to take you. There are some public buses if you are on a tight budget or plenty of time to spare but there are some amazing stops along the way which a bus won’t stop at. I have never caught the bus and don’t plan on it so while your waiting for it get on google 🙂

Price

Location

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Safari park is an exciting full day for all ages. Make sure you check the schedules as a couple of them are only 1 time a day. There are lots of photo opportunities as well as personal animal feedings all with additional charges should you choose to buy. The jungle hopper takes you on a little safari adventure where you drive through all the pens of the other animals. Its really pot luck how much you see, I would advise to try and get on an early one before they have been disturbed too much.

Elephant Show

The elephant show has a strong message hopefully children will understand, about the devastation humans have done to their habitat. It is very well constructed and all the animals looked happy and healthy. After the show, they invite you to the stage to have a photo with your favourite elephant.

The Bali Agung Show

The Bali Agung show is magnificent! I first thought I don’t want to see it but it is worth the ticket price alone. It’s also nice to get out of the Bali hot weather into an air-conditioned theatre for an hour. Do note, they do not allow photography and will ask you to leave if you get caught. They have a lockbox system that they will take before and return your items after the show. I don’t want to spoil it, If you love theatre one not to miss!

The Jungle Hopper

The jungle hopper is like a kids train ride in a shopping centre except it is a lot more exciting. It is well designed so they will drive you through the animal enclosures getting up and close with the animals. Its been well designed to be large enough to not stress the animals as well as so that the animals generally will be facing the path of the train not hiding somewhere to not be seen

Ticket Prices

Check the prices for tickets
Through official partners, Voyagin or Klook
*Don’t buy tickets labelled “domestic” unless having Indonesian ID*

I recommend you check both sellers as they sometimes offer discounts!
For Voyagin look for the blue + sign under “see options” on the right-hand side sometimes they have coupons!

White Tigers At Feeding Time

Elephant Bathing

Elephant Show

Jungle Hopper

Getting There

I would recommend hiring Yogi . He can come with you and help you navigate the park (at no additional charge) or will wait for you out the front. Alternatively if you have your own transport here is a map.

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Anyone who goes to Bali often tends to become friends with a driver always recommending them to their friends.
Today it’s my turn. Meet Yogi also known as Gusti
Gusti Yogi now runs a family business called Bali Driver Recommendation

I met Yogi as a Bali driver about 7 years ago after my 3rd trip to Bali. I have used him well over 30 times now and can not recommend him highly enough. I first met him when he was contracting to another company. But in the last few years, he has managed to start his own driving company where he employs his other family members. My last trip to Bali, Yogi was busy with another customer and arranged for his cousin to take us. I knew I was in safe hands and was a perfect 3 days of adventure!

Prices

I have always found Yogi’s prices to be very fair. Please discuss with him directly about what you wish to do, As I don’t want to give wrong information.

Someone you can trust!

Mr Yogi has always been honest and trustworthy I feel incredibly safe when he is driving. If there is a problem he will sort it out.

I consider him a good friend now. I wish him well for his future ventures and hope you choose his company on your next Bali holiday

Contact Information

Yogi aka Gusti From Bali Driver Recommendation +62-812-3966-2306
http://www.balidriverrecommendation.com/

Click Here For His Trip Advisor!

I find the best method is via Whatsapp (if you don’t have a local sim card/Not in Bali)
If you don’t know what Whatsapp is Ill explain.
1. Download Whatsapp on your Android or Apple Phone.
2. Save this phone number as a contact +62 812-3966-2306 “Yogi Bali’s Best Driver”
(don’t forget the plus or may not work)
3. Open whats app and set up with your number.
4. You can now send text messages to any contacts in your phone with WhatsApp for free over the internet. People with whats app will only show up in-app

Cars Available

With Gusti Yogi from Bali Driver Recommendation, you will get a clean and comfortable vehicle for your day trips in Bali

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