Thinking about backpacking in Bali? Well, you should! This beautiful island is the ideal place for a low-cost holiday in the sun.
There are gorgeous beaches, impressive temples, lush rice paddies, cultural and sporting activities, and so much more to see and do in Bali and most of it is very accessible to an intrepid backpacker.
Our guide to backpacking in Bali will help you plan your trip, know what to expect when you get here and much more!
Why Backpacking In Bali Is A Great Idea
Some may say that backpacking is dying out in Bali, Indonesia and even the wider Southeast Asia.
This region of the world is becoming more developed every day and there’s certainly an emphasis at the governmental level to focus on higher-income tourists.
Yet, for now, Bali remains an amazing place for backpackers. While you may not be able to rent a villa in Canggu for $400 a month anymore, you can still find great value accommodation here and almost half of the island still sees very few visitors.
You can pick up a meal for around $1 USD in most areas and certainly, you don’t need to spend more than $2 anywhere to get a decent plate of food.
Alcohol is a little more expensive than in some other Southeast Asian nations but it’s still cheaper than it is at home and unlike in Thailand, alcohol promotions are common in Bali keeping the cost of a few drinks to a minimum.
There’s more to it than cheapness though, Bali has a wealth of things for you to see and do and it’s all based on a rich culture that is completely unique anywhere in the world.
You can enjoy white and black sand beaches, turquoise seas, volcanoes and mountains, rice paddies and terraces, temples, museums, and so much more and all of it is within a relatively short drive of everything else – Bali isn’t a very big island and you can drive from one end to the other in just a few hours.
Bali is also one of the most welcoming destinations on the planet, the entire economy is based on tourism and the people take their responsibility as hosts very seriously indeed.
Visas For Backpacking In Bali
One of the best things about coming to Bali is that there’s a visa to suit nearly every length of stay and if you want to spend a few months here doing Bali on a budget, you can.
Less Than 30 Days In Bali
In 2016, Bali introduced a program to offer free visas for tourists visiting the island for less than 30 days.
Unfortunately, this program was cancelled during the pandemic years and while there have been murmurings about its reintroduction, for the moment, only tourists from the ASEAN nations can collect a free visa on arrival for 30 days.
Everyone else will need to either book an e-visa online or purchase a visa-on-arrival at the airport.
The good news is that these visas are very easy to obtain and cost just 500,000 IDR (that’s about $50 USD or $70 AUD).
These tourist visas can be purchased up to 90 days before you enter Indonesia and are valid for a period of 30 days in the country.
30-60 Days In Bali
If you want to stay for a bit longer, then you can renew your e-visa or visa-on-arrival for a period of 30 days.
To do this, you can either visit the immigration offices in Bali or you can do what most people do and visit an agent to do this on your behalf.
Using an agent costs slightly more but can save you hours of time in the immigration office.
You can only do one such extension, however, and once your 60 days (the 30 days of your initial visa and 30 days of your extension) are up, you must leave Indonesia.
If you wish to return to Bali, you can then get another visa while outside of the country and come straight back to this island paradise.
60+ Days In Bali
If you wish to stay for longer than 60 days in Bali, there are many different options for doing so, however, by far, the most common is to pick up a social visit visa or a business visa through one of the many agents on the island.
These visas allow you to enter the country for a period of 60 days and can be renewed twice for a period of 60 days per renewal, allowing for 180 days to visit Bali before you have to leave.
However, we would urge you to be cautious with your choice of agent if you opt to go this route, while some agents have a great track record of processing visas correctly, others do not.
We don’t sell visas and cannot offer any assurances for a particular agent but please do your homework before parting with any money.
Currently, the Indonesian authorities have a fairly liberal visa regime and you can easily apply for another visa and return to Indonesia after using any visa. It’s worth noting though that this could change (as it has in other Southeast Asian nations) at any time.
It’s best to ensure that you get up-to-date information regarding visas every time that you apply.
Vaccinations For Backpacking In Bali
Unless you are travelling from a yellow fever zone, in which case you will require a current certificate of yellow fever vaccination to enter Indonesia, there are no legal requirements for vaccination prior to entering Bali.
The mandatory COVID jabs have long since been repealed and you do not need a COVID vaccine certificate.
However, Australian doctors recommend the following vaccinations for all travellers:
Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) – most people have this as a child but if you haven’t had it, it’s a good idea to get it.
Tetanus-Diptheria-Pertussis – ask your doctor if you need a booster for these common childhood vaccines.
Polio – there is no requirement to show a vaccine certificate for polio when leaving Indonesia (as we saw on another site) but polio outbreaks do occur in this part of the world and it’s a good idea to get a booster for this before you travel.
Influenza – if you need an influenza vaccine at home, you should probably get one before you travel to Bali.
In addition, you may want to consider the following vaccines:
Hepatitis A – this disease is spread through contaminated food, water or contact with people who are infected. It’s extremely common and most doctors recommend you take a Hep A vaccine prior to any travel in this region.
Typhoid – this is extremely common in Bali and Indonesia and it’s easy to transmit from person to person (and a person may not even know they are infected). If you’re going to eat street food or stay for an extended period, typhoid vaccines are a good idea.
Rabies – rabies is a real problem in Bali and most of the rest of Indonesia. However, you probably don’t need to vaccinate against it in advance unless you intend to spend a lot of time in rural areas. But if you’re bitten by any kind of mammal during your trip, you must immediately visit a hospital and get the vaccine to prevent the onset of rabies symptoms. As once the symptoms arrive, the condition is 100% fatal.
Japanese Encephalitis – most people are at a very low risk of catching this mosquito-borne disease but if you visit other parts of Indonesia, you might want to consider getting vaccinated as the disease can be very serious if you do get it.
Hepatitis B – this disease is caught via bodily fluids and if you intend to be sexually active in Bali, you should strongly consider this vaccine as Hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage.
Note: FINNS is the world’s best beach club and not the world’s best medical advice team. We would strongly urge you to discuss vaccination issues with your doctor or physician before you travel as the advice above may or may not apply to you.
Do You Actually Need A Backpack For Bali?
We like to think that in 2024, “backpacking” refers to a certain mindset when it comes to travel rather than to the type of luggage that you bring with you.
In the main, you do not need to carry a backpack anywhere in Bali and, in fact, there are advantages to using wheeled suitcases instead.
A suitcase tends to fit more easily in cargo holds and luggage compartments, a hard shell case will offer more protection to your possessions than a rucksack can, and it’s much easier to roll your luggage from one place to another than it is to carry it on your back.
The times that you really need a rucksack are if you intend to get a long way off the beaten path (where surfaces are likely to be unfit to roll a bag on) or if you want to travel regularly from place to place on a motorbike or scooter (it’s much easier to wear a backpack than to carry a suitcase on a bike).
Most people who come to Bali for a few days are going to be better off with a suitcase than a backpack, but those seeking to spend more time and visit more out-of-the-way places may prefer a backpack.
We tend to use a halfway approach between the two and carry our main luggage in a suitcase but use a smaller backpack for our cabin luggage and as a day pack while exploring Bali.
When’s The Best Time To Go Backpacking In Bali?
There is no bad time of year to visit Bali. Yes, there’s a rainy season but it doesn’t rain all day long at this time of year and on average we still see 8 hours of sunshine a day or more.
The advantage of coming in the rainy season is that flights, day tours, hotels, etc. are cheaper as (apart from the Christmas to New Year Period which is very busy in Bali) it’s off-season.
If you want an infinity pool but aren’t sure that you can afford a hotel with one, you may find that the wet season offers your best opportunity to be able to afford one.
However, the downside is that it will rain more often, it’s hotter and it’s usually more humid than in the dry season.
Conversely, the dry season is cooler, less humid and yes, drier but it’s often more expensive and sometimes, it’s much more expensive than in the wet season.
How To Get Around Bali While Backpacking
The traditional way for backpackers to get around Bali is by renting a scooter, but we really don’t recommend this.
Going from the South Coast to East Bali or Northern Bali on a scooter is dangerous.
It’s hard to be road-legal when you use a scooter (you need an International Driving Permit and a license in your home country with a motorbike endorsement and you must be sober, properly dressed and wear a helmet) and if you’re not road-legal, your insurance is worthless as it won’t pay out in the event of an accident.
Even a journey around a smaller area like Kuta Beach or the Sacred Monkey Forest is fraught with peril as the roads are poorly finished and local driving standards are non-existent.
The only time you should use a scooter here is if you are a very experienced rider and fully insured.
Otherwise, we’d recommend that you rely on the ride-sharing apps of Grab and Gojek (they’re Bali’s answer to Uber). You can hail a car cheaply and easily with these apps and for a fixed price.
This is much safer than using a taxi service (Bali’s taxis are somewhat infamous for changing the price of a journey when they reach the destination agreed upon) and usually cheaper too.
You might also, occasionally, consider hiring a private car and driver for the day.
While you won’t need this service all of the time, it can come in very handy if you want to reach all the sights in a particular area, and it’s a fixed-price service, so you can be certain that you know what you’re paying in advance.
Where To Backpack In Bali – The Best Areas To Be In
Bali is a small island that feels like a very big place and there are plenty of areas that are great to stay in while you backpack here.
We’d advise that you spend 2-4 days in each of your preferred areas before you move on.
You don’t want to turn backpacking here in Bali into some sort of endurance sport where you try and tick off as many things as possible in the shortest time, that’s exhausting and it’s nowhere near as much fun as it might first appear to be.
While you can book all your accommodation, tours, etc. in advance, we’d advise giving yourself some flexibility (particularly in the off-season where you’re unlikely to find anything is sold out or fully booked) so that you can change your plans if you really love one place and want to stay a bit longer or dislike another and want to move on early.
One thing we do want to stress is that there’s no “best place in Bali”. We’re all different and what we want out of a backpacking holiday in Bali is going to vary dramatically between individuals.
Some people will find the party scene of Kuta the best thing that they’ve ever experienced and others will find it no fun at all.
So, make sure to pick the areas you stay in based on the fun you want to have, rather than basing your choices on where’s the most popular or famous place to stay.
Canggu – Hipster Central And Home Of FINNS Beach Club
We’re biased but we think Canggu is the ultimate place to be a backpacker in Bali at the moment. That’s because it’s got something for everyone.
There’s a shopping scene, an arts scene, accommodation that ranges from hostels to posh villas, places to party, culturally exciting venues like Tanah Lot temple, rice fields, great co-working spaces, and so much more.
It’s like taking everything that Bali has to offer and condensing it into one spot. This does mean, however, that Canggu is far more popular than it once was and prices have gone up a little in recent years.
The best thing about Canggu is that it’s the home of FINNS Beach Club. FINNS is the world’s best beach club and there’s no better place on the island to enjoy a cold beer at sunset, listening to amazing tunes while watching the ocean crash over the sand while soaking in an infinity pool.
We’re not saying “don’t go anywhere else”, far from it, but we think everyone will find something in Canggu that they enjoy before they explore the rest of the island.
Ubud – The Spiritual Heart Of The Island And Mecca For Digital Nomads
Ubud is home to the world famous Sacred Monkey Forest and most people consider it to be the spiritual heart of the island.
If you’re looking for somewhere a little cooler (temperature-wise) than the beach towns and would appreciate some culture, arts and temples, then Ubud might be the place to go.
It’s definitely a popular spot for the modern-hippie crowd and there are yoga classes and meditation retreats galore in the area.
Ubud has, however, become much more expensive than it once was and the price of trendy cafes replacing old-school warungs is reflected in their menus.
We’d still recommend a trip to Ubud to everyone, particularly to check out the royal palace and the art market there, but there’s no escaping that it’s a much more commercial place than it was a few years ago.
Amed – Amazing Diving And Far From The Beaten Path
Amed is one of the less visited beach towns on the island and it’s on the east coast far from Kuta, Canggu, Legian and Seminyak.
The beaches of Amed are black sand and they are great for swimming and sunbathing but the real highlights of this area are found a bit further offshore and require scuba gear to explore.
The good news is that you can easily find a dive school in Amed that will be happy to help you get your PADI certification and then you can go and swim at the dive sites which include a sunken boat and an artificial reef.
Because Amed’s not as popular as some of the other beach towns in Bali, you can get more value for your money when you stay in the area and everything from accommodation to food is cheaper here.
You won’t want to stay in Amed for more than a few days because there’s not that much to see, but it’s a great introduction to the quieter side of island life.
Lovina – The Chance To Frolic With Dolphins In North Bali
One thing we know that many visitors to Bali would love to experience is dolphins. Dolphins are considered to be the smartest creatures on the planet after human beings and they are social, playful and charming.
If you put Lovina in the north of Bali on your itinerary, you can join the boat parties on the beach in the mornings heading off to see dolphins in the wild.
The happy cetaceans will swim alongside your boat as it courses through the warm inviting water of the Indian Ocean.
Lovina is also a great area for exploring this part of Bali and you can easily reach Singaraja, the island’s second-largest city, from the Lovina Beach area on a day trip.
This region also has some of the best views of Bali’s volcanoes and mountains and it can be a landscape photographer’s dream destination.
As with Amed, Lovina is usually cheaper than the other more popular parts of Bali.
West Bali National Park – Bali’s Only National Park
If you love to go hiking, then a trip to the island’s only national park ought to be high up on your list of places to go to when you come to Bali.
The area is full of gorgeous hiking trails in the wilderness with access to the best of Bali’s wildlife including herds of deer and the critically endangered Bali Mynah (or Bali Starling).
There are evergreen forests, jungle, mangrove swamps and more to experience here and it has the most varied flora of anywhere on the island.
You do need to hire the services of a local guide in the park but this is reasonably priced and provided by the official park office on a transparent scale of fees.
You might also consider heading out to Menjangan Island which is one of the island’s top diving sites and a great place to get away from the crowds of Bali.
Kuta Beach – The Original Tourist Destination In Bali
Speaking of crowds, if you prefer to be among the hustle and bustle of island life, there’s no better place to be than the Kuta Beach area.
Kuta was the original Bali tourist destination and it’s home to an incredible amount of hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars. It also has quite a lot of the best shopping opportunities in Bali.
The beach itself is very pleasant though, unfortunately, it can get quite messy, particularly during the rainy season when trash washes up on the shore from the ocean – there are regular clean-up crews but they can’t work 24 hours a day.
But most of all, people go to Kuta for the nightlife. The nightlife in Kuta is cheap, cheerful and plentiful and whether you want live music or a nightclub, there’s something to keep you entertained.
Most visitors probably wouldn’t want to spend more than 3-4 days in Kuta unless they’ve got a constitution of iron and never stop partying, but it’s an interesting experience and great value for money.
Seminyak – Flashpackers Only As Affordable Prices Are Scarce
Seminyak is a very popular area of the island with the young, hip and trendy but it’s definitely not a place for bargain-seeking backpackers.
While flashpackers will love the luxury resorts and designer boutiques that make Seminyak the island’s most popular shopping destination, many backpackers will find them too expensive.
The beaches at Seminyak are generally well-maintained and the white sands are pleasant underfoot, so if you don’t stay in Seminyak, you might want to visit and it’s easily accessible from neighbouring Kuta or Canggu (in fact, if you like a challenge, you can walk along the beach from either Kuta or Canggu to get to Seminyak).
Seminyak also hosts some of the best fine dining restaurants on the island and it’s something of a foodie’s paradise.
It’s also home to some of the most upmarket nightlife on the island and again, it’s probably more expensive to party in Seminyak than most backpackers are going to enjoy. Fortunately, things are more affordable in nearby Canggu or Kuta.
Bedugul – Volcanoes And Temples
This part of Bali is just starting to appear on the tourist trail and the most famous sight in the area is Ulun Danu Beratan Temple which is the floating temple on the shores of Lake Beratan.
However, the whole area is gorgeous and because it’s mountainous it’s a bit cooler than it is in the beach towns.
The accommodation options aren’t as varied as they are in the beach towns, but they are cheaper in a like for like manner and if you want your money to go further without compromising on your quality of life, Bedugul is a great place to visit.
Kintamani Highlands – As Far Out As It Gets
If you want a remote place that’s amazing value for money and offers truly stunning scenery in a totally authentic Balinese environment, you should consider heading to the Kintamani Highlands.
This is right on the edge of “developed Bali” and there’s not a huge amount of accommodation and much of it is quite basic, but if you want gorgeous views of volcanoes, amazing hiking territory and friendly and kind locals around you, you can’t go wrong here.
Best of all, it’s one of the kindest options for your budget.
Sidemen Village – Ubud Before It Got Famous
If you’re disappointed to learn that Ubud has become a commercial area, you will be very happy to find Sidemen instead.
This area has only recently been discovered by tourists and it’s often considered to be like Ubud before Ubud became a profit centre on the balance sheet.
It’s surrounded by lovely countryside and the hotels and resorts in this area are great value for money and there are some amazing infinity pools to be found at them.
But it’s the village of craftspeople and the Sidemen Valley that bring people to this area as it’s a way to experience the authentic side of island life.
Uluwatu – A Surfer’s Paradise With Fire Dancing
Uluwatu is one of the more popular beach towns in Bali for two reasons. The first is the surfing which is some of the best in the world and Uluwatu sees more than its fair share of international surfing tournaments.
The second is the Uluwatu Temple which is famous for its monkeys (not only do the monkeys steal from tourists at Uluwatu but they’ve learned how to value items and will return them for appropriately generous offerings of food) and its fire dancing (kecak dancing).
Kecak dancing is a unique Balinese performance conducted on the cliff tops at sunset and it’s one of the most dramatic and interesting experiences in Bali.
The only downside of staying in Uluwatu is that everything is a bit spaced out and there’s not much in the way of Grab or Gojek service either. So, despite our earlier warnings, you might need a scooter to get the most out of it.
Nusa Islands – Getting Offshore In Bali
The Nusa Islands, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida are all part of the administrative region of Bali and are a great way to get off the mainland and enjoy small island life.
Nusa Lembongan is the most popular of the three islands but they’re all great.
It’s a superb area for snorkelling and diving and it’s the only part of Bali where you can swim with manta rays or the giant sunfish (mola-mola fish).
We’d recommend not doing a day trip but staying out on the islands as the best time of day is when the majority of tourists go home and you get these islands and their dramatic sunsets all to yourself.
Gili Islands – Visit Bali And A Bit Of Lombok
The Gili Islands (Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan or “Gili T” as it’s popularly known) aren’t technically in Bali at all, they’re in Lombok the neighbouring province.
However, as they’re very close to Bali and many people visit the Gili Islands by catching a boat or ferry from Bali, we’ve included them in this guide anyway.
Gili T is a party island and it’s one of the most popular places with young backpackers in Indonesia. It’s cheaper than the mainland for accommodation and local food and crammed with hostels and guesthouses.
Gili Meno is the ideal place for a honeymoon, it’s small, quiet and relaxing and it’s our favourite place to go when we need to completely wind down from the hectic pace of working life.
Gili Air is kind of a cross between the two and it’s becoming more popular now that Gili T is
Great Places To Stay While Backpacking Bali
There are plenty of accommodation options for the intrepid backpacker in Bali and some of the most popular choices include:
Glamping
Glamping can vary a lot in Bali. Some of the tents are quite basic and equivalent to private rooms in a hostel, others can be very upmarket, indeed and there are glamping resorts here on a par with 5-star luxury.
In general, as with most things on a Bali trip, you will get what you pay for and the more you pay for a glamping holiday in Bali, the more luxuries that you can expect.
Villas
Villas are often the most expensive option for accommodation in Bali and there’s no doubt that a villa in Seminyak or Canggu is likely to cost a minimum of $100 a day and could be significantly more than that.
However, if you want budget-friendly villas, you can always head to places like Bedugul or Amed and you will find villas that are much cheaper and still come with a swimming pool and all the other luxuries you might expect even, sometimes, with their own private fancy restaurants.
Hotels/Resorts
There is such a wide range of hotel and resort accommodations in Bali that you can spend pretty much whatever you want on it.
In popular areas like Ubud, Canggu and Seminyak these options are more expensive than elsewhere on the island but you can still, easily, find something very nice for $30 a night or more in these areas. This will normally come with a free breakfast and free Wi-Fi too. Most hotels will have a swimming pool as standard.
You really don’t need to spend a fortune unless you want to. Of course, Bali has more $1,000+/night hotels than anywhere else in the world, so you really can spend that fortune if you put your mind to it.
Hostels
Hostels are a relatively new thing in Bali and there aren’t as many on the entire island as you might expect to find.
However, there are enough hostels in the more popular destinations that you can certainly enjoy an authentic experience in a very special hostel.
The big advantage of hostels is that they let you meet fellow travellers easily and many are set up with some sort of social scene in addition to the accommodation side of things.
It’s important to be careful when choosing a hostel as a backpacker though as they each tend to aim for a different group of people, you might find that being trapped among a group of 20-somethings on a 5-day party a bit much or conversely, be frustrated to learn you’re among 40-somethings seeking a spiritual retreat when you want to party.
Fortunately, most hostels are quite explicit about the groups they attract and if they’re not, you can usually work it out from online reviews.
Cheap Guesthouses
The traditional home of backpackers in mainland Bali is not the hostel as it is in other parts of the world but the guesthouse.
These are usually small, family-owned businesses with just a few rooms available. Guesthouses tend to offer private rooms rather than dorms but given how cheap they tend to be, this won’t matter.
You need to check what’s on offer carefully when booking a guesthouse as some many not offer air conditioning or hot showers, but you can be sure of a warm welcome, a safe place to stay and the chance to experience real local hospitality when you opt for a guesthouse.
In the least visited parts of the island, such as Padang Bai, your best and often only option for a place to stay will be a guesthouse.
Budgeting For Backpacking In Bali
Not every backpacker is worried about cash. The term “flashpacker” was coined for folks with backpacks with plenty of budget to spend, but some are and the best way to ensure you have a good time when cash is tight is to come up with a budget.
We’d say that if you want a comfortable backpacking budget here, then $30-$50 is going to be about right.
For that, you can stay in a hostel dorm or in a guesthouse, eat a variety of food, have a few beers, travel safely and see the sights.
If you wanted to really save money, you could always stay in the cheapest hostels, cook your own food or only eat local, skip the most expensive activities and rent a scooter for transport and you could, perhaps, get your budget down as low as $20 a day, though for most people that wouldn’t be that much fun.
If you have more than $50 a day for spending money, you can stay in the best hostel room or even in a nice hotel/resort, you can enjoy Bali’s beautiful beaches, delicious food, famous rice terraces, etc. without a care and you can spend on a few luxuries too such as snorkelling trip in the Gili Islands or a yoga class.
There really is no upper limit on how much you can spend anywhere in the world. If you want the A-lister lifestyle, you can easily find it here in Bali as long as you’re prepared to spend A-lister money for it.
There are villas that cost thousands of dollars a night, some of the world’s best restaurants with wine lists that include bottles as expensive as a house, and many other ways to part with large amounts of cash if you want to.
The Dating Scene In Bali For Backpackers
Many backpackers tour the world hoping to find themselves a romantic partner.
We’d just point out that most Balinese girls would be very reluctant to date a foreigner and nearly all of them would be unlikely to date a tourist just passing through as this is a very traditional society.
Conversely, some Balinese men might be happy to date a foreigner on a holiday for a fling.
However, most backpackers are going to find that their best romantic opportunities are with their fellow backpackers and dating apps and real-life encounters are the way to meet people here in Bali.
We need to stress that “no means no” just as much in Bali as it does anywhere else in the world and while there’s nothing wrong with making an overture to someone while you’re on holiday, you mustn’t allow an overture to turn into harassment.
Solo female travellers seeking to avoid the dating scene will be pleased to know that many hostels and even some resorts offer “women only” dorms and areas where you can avoid unwelcome attention.
Drugs And Backpackers: Don’t Let An Incredible Trip Turn Into A Nightmare
One thing you don’t want to get involved with on any Bali trip is drugs. While much of the rest of the world may consider drugs to be a trivial issue, now, Indonesia does not.
In fact, Indonesia has some of the strictest drug laws in the world and infringing them will ruin not just your holiday but potentially your whole life.
For very small quantities of drugs, you are likely to be sentenced to several years in jail and without much hope of parole.
For larger quantities, Indonesia may jail you for life or even impose the death penalty.
Please don’t dismiss this idea as trivial, Indonesia has executed many foreign drug dealers in recent years and the government has the full support of the press and public for the death penalty in these instances.
Your embassy will not be able to get you out of any drug-related trouble and it’s possible that nor will a good lawyer.
We’d strongly recommend that you stay away from all drugs here in Bali as a backpacker. There’s more than enough alcohol to go around if you want to party.
Can You Work While Backpacking In Bali?
You cannot legally work in Bali without a specific work visa which can then be converted into a 1-year work permit and multiple entry visa.
In practice, these visas are very hard to obtain as they require that the individual is employed by a local company (though ownership of that company does not need to be local) and has skills that cannot be found in the Indonesian workforce already.
That means you’re unlikely to be able to get one of these visas and if you did get one, you wouldn’t spend much time backpacking as you’d be working, instead.
However, it’s fair to say that many backpackers now are digital nomads which means they have work that they carry out for employers outside of Bali that they do online.
While it is illegal to carry out digital nomad work in Bali without a work visa (no matter how many times people with a social visit visa or business visa insist otherwise), the authorities tend to turn a blind eye to this kind of work unless you cause any trouble.
This is the only practical way to work while backpacking in Bali. Budget backpackers may find that they get the most value out of co-living spaces where the cost of a coworking space and your accommodation are combined to deliver a smaller number than paying for the two things separately.
Interesting Things To Know Before Backpacking Bali
We’ve got a few things that every backpacker should know before they come to Bali too:
Bali is mainly Hindu and while Indonesia is mainly Muslim, you will find that you can easily buy pork and alcohol on this island
The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah and while cards are widely accepted having some small bills can make life much easier when travelling around
Most people in Bali speak Bahasa Indonesia and a bit of English, some can also speak Balinese but the Balinese language is becoming something of a rarity now
Bali is the land of a thousand temples (in fact, it’s the land of about twenty thousand temples) but not all temples are open to visitors, please make sure that you’re allowed in a temple and appropriately dressed before you go inside
Influencers are welcome in Bal but it’s important to ensure that you respect the local culture and morals while filming here or you can get in serious trouble
Travel Tips For Backpackers In Bali
We’ve got a few tips that can help your backpacking budget go a bit further when you visit Bali:
Consider camping – if you get out of the main areas of Bali, there are plenty of places where you can camp in rural parts of the country or you could even go with a backpacking hammock and skip the tent. We’d just warn you to make sure your tent is securely closed at night as some of the local wildlife is best kept at a distance.
Consider cooking for yourself – yes, warungs and street food are cheap but it’s even cheaper to cook your own food. And you can always bring a backpacking stove to ensure you have cooking facilities on every day trip that you make.
Hunt around for deals – Instagram is the most popular social network in Bali and many of the bars, restaurants, hotels and attractions offer special deals on this platform. You can save a lot of money when you shop around.
Book transport in advance and do it early – the best deals on flights are usually 6-8 weeks before you fly and tickets are almost always cheaper on all forms of transport when booked in advance rather than on the day.
Consider couchsurfing – yes, it still exists and while it’s not that popular in Bali, there are still couchsurfing opportunities to be had. This website can help you find places to couchsurf.
Bring a reusable water bottle – most venues in Indonesia provide free drinking water as do most guesthouses, etc. but you need your own drinking bottle to use it. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay for your water.
Do You Need Travel Insurance As A Backpacker?
Travel insurance is not mandatory in Bali. However, even if you’re doing Southeast Asia and Bali on a budget, we’d strongly recommend that you invest in some travel insurance.
That’s because it can get very expensive to use the healthcare system here.
A bad scooter crash can run up bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, even something simple like a round of rabies vaccinations can cost $2,000 or more.
Simple illnesses can be much worse in the stifling Bali heat and you don’t want to spend days in your room sick, because you can’t afford to see a doctor when visiting Bali.
While insurance might seem like an annoying additional cost, the day that you come to need it, you will learn just how cheap it can be.
Now, we don’t sell travel insurance but we do have a guide to choosing the right insurance package for you before you travel.
FAQs
Is Bali Good For Backpackers?
Yes! Bali is good for backpackers. That’s because a sensible planned Bali itinerary is going to offer plenty of fun for a very reasonable price.
You can get private rooms in hostels or guesthouses for peanuts, you can go island hopping for next to nothing, the street food is tasty and plentiful, you can go scuba diving or snorkelling, and there are events like the Bali Arts Festival for you to join, and there are amazing sights like the Tanah Lot Temple or Uluwatu Temple or the Ubud Monkey Forest to enjoy when you visit Bali.
And that’s not mentioning the beaches, mountains, volcanoes, beach clubs (and Bali has the world’s best beach club in the form of FINNS), beach bars, etc.
Bali may not be as cheap as it once was but a Bali tour for a few days shouldn’t break the bank. This corner of South East Asia is still great value for money, particularly if you plan well.
How Much Does It Cost To Go Backpacking In Bali? How Much Money Do You Need To Backpack Bali?
How much do you need to go backpacking in Bali? Well, we’d recommend you bring a minimum of $1,000 a month though it could, perhaps, be done for as little as $750 (excluding flights, of course).
However, if you want to have a great time, you might want to budget a bit more as better hotels and activities cost more money.
It’s worth remembering that most activities here are very cheap, though, and you can visit the Sacred Monkey Forest of Ubud or the Uluwatu Temple for next to nothing. You can hike up an active volcano inexpensively or spend a day on a black sand beach for nothing.
You don’t need to spend all your time in yoga studios or lounging in an infinity pool to have an amazing time here.
We would recommend that you leave some extra cash for special treats though. For example, to visit the world’s best beach club, FINNS, which does come at a little bit of a premium for Bali but the chance to grab a sundown cocktail in front of one of the world’s most spectacular sunsets is worth it.
How Much Money Do You Need For 2 Weeks In Bali?
This very much depends on what kind of time you want to have. You can spend as little as $300-$500 at the extreme budget end of the scale, $1,000 is going to ensure that most people have a good time as long as they’re careful about where they stay and $2,000 is going to lead to a great time.
However, it’s entirely possible to spend much, much more on your holiday in Bali particularly if you love luxury resorts, fine dining and upscale nightlife.
How To Book Hotels And Flights For A Backpacking Holiday In Bali?
We always recommend that you book any holiday through the Bali Res Centre, that’s a locally owned and operated travel service that focuses on Balinese travel.
Because they’re local, they can always get competitive prices on accommodation, flights, tours and local transport.
Best of all, supporting the Bali Res Centre means supporting the economy of Bali rather than giving your money to a multinational tour operator to send overseas.
Final Thoughts On Backpacking Bali
Bali is one of the best places in the world to be a backpacker and while island life is becoming more expensive, the humble backpacker hasn’t been priced out of things, yet.
You can stay in hostels, catch taxis, eat incredible food, experience local life, enjoy free WiFi, take the occasional day trip and more for a very reasonable budget.
Most of all you can experience the culture and charming people of Bali and see why so many people return year after year to this small island in the Indian Ocean.
