If you are planning to visit Bali solo and would like to meet people, locals or foreigners, to make friends or to date, you won’t be disappointed.
Bali has millions of tourists visiting and thousands of expats are calling the island home. Plus, Balinese and Indonesian men and women are becoming more and more open to dating through sites and meeting potential matches outside their religion or culture.
Whether you’re looking for a casual fling or a serious relationship, here are the best dating apps to use in Bali to meet people, a few practical tips to make sure your search is safe and enjoyable, and five ideas for your very first date.
Best Dating Apps & Sites In Bali, Indonesia
Tinder
Tinder is still the most popular dating app in Bali with many tourists, expats, and locals. More than 60% of Indonesians using dating apps use Tinder.
The two main advantages of using Tinder for casual or serious relationships are the location-based search so you can swipe right on people nearby and also the sheer number of people registered. The cute user-friendly interface makes it very easy to find dates too!
You can use it for free or sign up for one of the premium account tiers (Tinder Plus for $9.99, Tinder Gold for $24.99 per month, or Tinder Platinum for $39.99 per month) to unlock all the features like auto-matching, boosts, hiding ads, and seeing all the people who liked you.
The app is available for both Android and iOS users.
Bumble
Many users in Bali and Indonesia love Bumble and feel like they have more meaningful connections on Bumble than on other apps since the profiles are more detailed and you can find compatible profiles based on your interests.
A unique feature of Bumble is that the first move is up to ladies! Women send messages first if the match happens.
Free account gives enough access to find that perfect match, but you can also pay for a premium account for a period from a week to a lifetime.
Premium comes with lots of add-ons, including Incognito mode and rematch – additional time to start the chat.
Another difference from Tinder is that you can log into your profile using a browser too, not just apps.
Boo
Boo is a fun app to find dates and make friends with other users based on your personality: the app stores a database of people’s interests and 16 different personality tests you can take to find potential matches.
This and video chat options allow for deeper connections. Each profile also has a sort of home feed where you can share posts, thoughts, and photos from your daily life.
You can visit profiles of other members and see if you have something in common, in a more natural way than brief profiles on most dating apps.
You can use a completely free version on pay $10 for Boo Infinity Premium.
Badoo
Badoo is a freemium dating app from the same parent company that launched Bumble. It is a laid-back platform to make friends and start meaningful relationships, but no pressure!
The Premium in Bali costs 49,000 IDR per month (4.9 AUD) and comes with unlimited swipes, a top priority in messaging, an option to browse all the profiles incognito, no ads, and many more features.
It is available both through apps and from the web page.
You will find more detailed profiles on OKCupid than on other dating apps and is better for a serious relationship (even the one leading to a wedding!) than for a temporary fling. However, the app is good for building friendships too!
Stats said that the average age of OkCupid users is 27 so the platform is best for young to mid-age singles no matter the orientation.
Today, this is also the only dating app that has thousands of questions that can help you find a better match.
A free account is available and gives you access to most of the features. The paid subscription costs $9.95 or $34.90 per month and lets you see who liked you or browse the profiles anonymously.
IndonesianCupid
IndonesianCupid is the perfect app to meet Indonesian men and women for serious relationships.
They only have 1.8 million users worldwide so it is not as popular as Tinder or Bumble among foreigners in Bali, and it feels a bit niched down to either dating among Indonesians only or between Western men and Indonesian women (almost 70% of profiles are male accounts) of the middle age.
It is a very simple dating app with much fewer features and a simpler design than other dating apps and it is only available for phones and tablets with the Android system.
The Platinum membership gives access to all the features, including an advanced matching system (whatever that may be!), and costs around $30 per month.
Tantan
Tantan dating app is mostly popular in Asia, started in China but became well-known in Indonesia, and people associate it more with casual fling options. You find a match and you can start a chat right away.
However, many users report that around half of the matches feel like scammers who are looking into promoting trading, MLM, etc.
So to find a real connection you should be very careful and ask your match many questions and only match with verified profiles.
You can create a profile on Tantan for free but if you also pay to get access to more features.
Mingle2
Mingle2 is one of the most popular online dating services in Indonesia, but in terms of users in Bali, it still doesn’t have as many as Tinder or Bumble.
The main advantage over all of the dating apps on the list is that Mingle2 is practically free for unlimited messages.
Each profile lists the interests and hobbies of the person and what exactly they are looking for: a date, a partner for day trips and some activities, friendship, a serious relationship, marriage, or just an intimate encounter. Most of the users are under 34 years old.
You can use both a desktop version and an app to find matches and send messages.
Match
Match is often compared to Tinder and wins the comparison thanks to more details in the profiles which allows people to get more information about someone before committing to a chat, a call, or a date.
You can select the age and location for your search. The interface is pretty basic but what helps with combing through results is many filters based on interests, values, background, and other parameters.
Free users have limited access and a daily cap on how many profiles they can see and like. Premium subscriptions start from $19 per month.
Safety Tips For Using Dating Apps In Bali
Be aware of fake profiles. Some people just use the apps for business, to promote their services or products, but some really do use someone else’s pictures, lie about their age, and stuff like that.
Do not share your location with strangers. Meet new people at a cafe, on the beach, or at a coffee shop before inviting them over.
If you love Indonesian women, remember that casual dating is not really in their culture. The serious relationship is the focus.
Don’t share your phone number unless you’ve chatted with this person for a few days and don’t hesitate to unmatch and block any suspicious people.
Be clear about your intentions in your messages and profile page and ask directly what other members are looking for. Save yourself precious time.
Set a date in a social place, on a weekday, and keep it short just to know the person and see if the first impression is good.
Don’t use too many dating apps. The amount of messages will overwhelm you faster than you will find someone based on your preferences. One or two sites are just enough.
Where To Go On Your First Date in Bali
Online dating sites are fun but now you need to see if your connection means something is in the real world.
Bali has so many options to spend time with new people, from adventurous to quiet for those who love conversations.
Sunset
A free idea for the first date is to use what Bali has to offer – amazing sunset times and long beach walks.
It can always be a safe start for the dates. If you feel a connection, you can invite the person to have dinner together or hit a bar, and if not, you had a nice walk!
Coffee
An excellent way to meet new people in an unassuming setting and it is easier to start conversations in a coffee shop, especially in Bali when coffee shops often overlook rice fields or busy streets.
Canggu has many amazing coffee shops to choose from that are great for dates and have cozy vibes. Try Satu Satu, Crate, Copenhagen, Rise & Shine, or any other coffee shop you like.
Dinner
Older singles may prefer dinner time for the first move, especially if there is any specific place you want to try for a while.
Make sure to set the rule in advance for how you will pay the bill and if the evening is going to have a continuation. Be honest- it is the best strategy!
Some of the best dinner spots in Canggu are St Tropez, Monsoon, La Baracca, and Shelter.
Workshop
If you both matched because of the creative sides of your personalities or you just want something else rather than coffee or dinner, you can create something together.
Gladly, Bali has tons of classes from soap making and painting to perfume workshops. You can even book a skating class for two or go surfing.
It is always a great sign for a relationship when you have shared interests with a person.
Dancing & Karaoke
If you are both about fun and love nightlife, a sports bar, FINNS beach club parties or a karaoke bar will be a great place to meet.
Plus, if you are looking for friends, such places are also better to meet people as the atmosphere is more relaxed.
FAQs
Which Dating App Works In Bali?
Most dating apps popular in the rest of the world, work in Bali like Tinder, Bumblee, Badoo, Boo, and OKCupid.
But there are some niche dating apps like Grindr that are banned due to the sexual preferences they promote.
How To Meet Singles In Bali?
If you are searching for genuine connections in Bali you can use well-known dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, and Badoo, or even better – go to social dinners, networking events, and speed dating nights where you can meet both locals and foreigners.
Is It Easy To Find A Date in Bali?
Even though Bali is mainly a tourist destination, it is easy to find a date even for long-term commitment as there are many digital nomads and expats in areas like Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud.
Tinder is the best dating site to find men and women based on their location.
Where To Meet Men In Bali?
Statistically, there are always more men on dating sites than women, so you can easily meet men in Bali in one of the best dating apps like Tinder, Boo, Badoo, or Bumble.
Another way to meet foreign and local men in Bali is to find a hobby like surfing – many guys surf or padel. That way you have common interests and more meaningful connections.
Women really love using Bumble to meet men as this site keeps girls safe from unsolicited messages.
Final Thoughts On Best Dating Apps In Bali, Indonesia
Tourists, locals, and expats in Bali use the same dating sites that are popular everywhere in the world, with the most used being Tinder and Bumble.
But to be honest, Bali has so many social events and opportunities to make new friends and find someone with shared interests for relationships that you may never need to sign up for any apps!
Read more:
The Best Sunset Spots In Bali: Where To Find The Most Stunning Bali Sunsets
Things To Do In Bali: Your Ultimate Guide To Having Fun On The Island
Renting a Scooter in Bali: The Joys, the Perils, and Why You Might Rethink It
