It seems so simple, but if you spend enough time around experienced travellers, you’ll understand that navigating the flow of arrival and departure in Bali can be more complicated than you expect.
Bali’s hotels and villas offer world-class service with a heavy dose of the island’s jam karet (rubber time) culture. So, when you understand the full timeline, you can transform a good trip into a great one by minimising your own stress and maximising your relaxation.
So, let us walk you through every stage of the process from your pre-arrival preparation to your post-check-out departure routine. Whether you stay in a backpacker hostel in Ubud or a luxury international branded property in Nusa Dua or a villa in Canggu, these pro hacks will help you get more out of your Bali holiday.
Setting Yourself Up For Success On Your Bali Holiday: The Pre-Arrival Prep
Start: 1-4 Weeks
One thing everyone should know is that your journey to Bali needs to begin long before your flight touches down on the runway at Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar Airport – DPS).
Smart preparation work makes for a smooth process from check-in to check-out.
Complete All The Digital Entry Requirements
It’s a pain, but there is a bunch of paperwork you need to do, and ideally, you want to do it in the comfort of your own home rather than in the airport on arrival:
- Get your tourist e-visa if you need one. It’s better to purchase your tourist visa online than to queue for one when you arrive in Bali. There are a small handful of countries where citizens must apply for their visa at the local embassy, but most visitors either need a tourist e-visa or have a visa waiver scheme in place. An e-visa also allows you to use the e-gates when you reach Bali, whereas the visa on arrival requires you to stand in the immigration queues. We recommend applying a month in advance; this means you won’t be panicking at the last minute regarding visa processing times, etc.
- Fill in the All Indonesia Arrival Card – you can only do this within 72 hours of your arrival in Bali. This is an integrated arrival card, customs check and health check. It’s completely free to use as long as you complete the card on the official website, and when you finish, it provides you with a QR code. Save that QR on your phone; it will let you pass straight through the customs control at the airport on arrival.
- Pay the Bali Tourist Levy – visit the LoveBali website and pay the tourist tax. It’s only 150,000 IDR, and while you may never have anyone check that you’ve paid, it’s also possible that you might get stopped outside a tourist attraction and be made to pay while standing outside in the blazing sun.
We must stress that you should only ever use the official government sites for all of these tasks. They are all easy to do, and they ensure that you pay the right market price for these services, rather than a huge agent premium on top (and the agent does nothing for you – the outcome is the same when you do these things yourself, and it takes the same amount of effort to do them yourself too).
Book Your Airport Transfers
There are various and persistent taxi touts waiting outside the airport. The easiest way to avoid them is to pre-book an airport transfer and have a driver waiting for you with your name on a sign when you land.
You will find that most hotels offer this service, but it usually comes at a premium price. You can book more cost-effectively through platforms like Klook or Booking.com.
They will normally require you to have a WhatsApp account that the driver can use to communicate with you on the day.
The traffic in Bali can be pretty heavy around the airport, and the most popular tourist areas can take from 45-90 minutes to reach from the airport. More remote parts of Bali, such as Amed or Lovina, can take longer still.
You can do this up to 24 hours before you arrive in Bali, and most of the booking platforms have the facility to track your flight’s arrival to ensure that the driver is waiting for you when you land.
Communicate With Your Hotel
We recommend that you message your property around 2-3 weeks before your arrival and let them know:
- Your flight details and estimated arrival time on the island
- Make any requests you have for early check-in, late check-out or if you have any special needs (accessibility wise, dietary, or for something like a honeymoon setup)
- Notifying them of any special occasions you are celebrating during your stay, such as a birthday or anniversary
In our experience, if you let hotels know that you are celebrating, they may provide little surprises during your stay.
It’s also a good idea to research your hotel’s specific policies for things; luxury resorts tend to be more flexible (particularly if you are in a suite, villa or club level) than budget hotels around a lot of things.
Pack Strategically
Don’t leave this until the last minute; we recommend that you have your bags ready a day or two before you fly. Then, there’s no stress on the day.
Make sure that you have some swimwear, a change of clothes, some sunscreen and basic toiletries in your hand luggage. This means that if your main bags are delayed for any reason, you can still keep moving forward with a great holiday.
Also, because Bali’s heat can be hard on you if you’re not used to it, having options on hand when your room isn’t ready can really help.
Make sure you have hard copies of your booking confirmation, travel insurance, flight details, etc. and that you don’t forget your passport and any vouchers you need.
We strongly recommend that you also take photographs of all paperwork with your smartphone and upload them to the cloud, and keep copies on your phone. You cannot be too careful when it comes to this.
Arrival Day In Bali: From The Airport To That First Welcome Drink
Start: T+0 to T+4 hours
This is what you need to do and know from the time the plane lands (T+0) through to walking through the door of your hotel and checking in.
So, here’s what to expect after the typical international arrival touches down on the tarmac at Denpasar Airport:
The Airport Process
Bali airport is actually a lot more efficient than it seems; the problem is simply that there are huge numbers of arrivals and departures each day, and that slows things down.
- Follow signs to immigration as soon as you get off the plane. Assuming you have an e-visa, skip the immigration desks and head to the e-gates where a simple push of your passport and scan of your face will get you into the country. This is a real blessing as the queue for immigration can be up to an hour long.
- Understand that baggage claim is the slowest part of the process. You have time for a bathroom break here, particularly if you came through the e-gates. Also, don’t trust the screens, which are regularly wrong about which carousel to use; check where other people from your plane are waiting too.
- Customs is usually pretty quick – assuming you don’t have anything suspicious in your bags, you will enter a short queue to scan your QR code, possibly have your bags scanned and be out the door into the arrivals hall.
- The arrivals hall forces a long walk to the front door – this can take a few minutes, but it does give you the opportunity to withdraw cash from an ATM and/or to buy a local SIM card if you need one
This part of the process will take from 30-90 minutes, and the two main bottlenecks are the immigration desks and the baggage claim area.
Transferring To Your Hotel
Assuming that you pre-booked your ride, your driver should be waiting for you outside just past the Bali Tourist Levy desk.
If you didn’t pre-book, we recommend that you download the Grab app and book a ride from there. You will find a lounge not far from the exit where you can wait for your ride and avoid those annoying taxi touts.
Traffic into Kuta, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Seminyak, Ubud and Canggu can be pretty rough, though, especially in the afternoons. Use the ride to hydrate yourself and to adjust to the fierce island humidity.
Typically, you will spend between 45 minutes and 2 hours on the road.
Hotel Arrival & Initial Welcome
Most hotels will greet you with a warm welcome, “selamat datang”, and many will shower you with cold scented towels, fresh coconut water, lemongrass tea, and even a Balinese blessing or floral garland. This is the moment that it feels like your holiday is truly getting started and the magic of Bali starts to set in.
The Check-In Process (Usually From 2 – 4 P.M.)
Standard check-in tends to be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and check-out can be from 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. This isn’t the hotel being difficult; it’s about giving their staff enough time to clean the rooms and ensure that they’re fit for you to stay in.
Many hotels offer some flexibility around check-in times, particularly in luxury properties or if you’re staying in expensive rooms or have club access. However, if there’s somebody already in your room, you may have to wait until they’ve left and housekeeping has done its job before you can check in. This is particularly likely during the high season (July-Oct and Xmas to New Year).
Upon Arrival:
- The front desk will want to verify your booking and see your ID (they may scan or photocopy your ID as part of this process).
- They may also need to confirm a payment method, swipe your credit card or take a cash deposit, even if you have paid for the room in advance. This is to enable you to use restaurant, bar, etc., facilities and charge them to your room.
- The staff will usually give you a rundown of the facilities available, Wi-Fi passwords and usage, meals and any in-house rules you must follow
- You will then be assigned a room and provided with a key (which may be digital in the most modern properties)
- The bellboy then escorts you to your room, along with a basic orientation. Yes, you should tip the bellboy, but it doesn’t have to be large amounts, and if you don’t have any small change, don’t worry about it. Tipping is not compulsory in Indonesia.
Early Arrival Hacks:
If you’ve landed much earlier than your check-in time, don’t stress; it’s OK to head to the hotel anyway. Many properties offer some or all of the following:
- Early check-in – if your room is clean and available, they may let you check in no matter how early you arrive, or they may offer the room for a small additional fee
- Luggage storage – if you can’t check in, they usually have a secure luggage storage area where you can dump your bags and then go and explore
- Cafe facilities – you can often just chill over a coffee or have some breakfast
- Spa facilities – why not have a massage while you wait?
- Common areas – many hotels let early arrivals use the pool, the beach area and other common areas as soon as guests arrive
There is also one way to guarantee an early check-in. You book the night before you want to start your stay. While this is more expensive, if you have a young family and you’re flying for 14+ hours and arriving at 6 a.m., it can be very much worth the cost.
Late Arrival Hack:
Not everyone’s flight touches down early; in fact, some people land at about 11 p.m. and then don’t get to the hotel until the middle of the night.
In this case, make sure that the hotel knows you’re coming late. While big brand-name hotels usually have a 24-hour reception, others may only have someone available late at night when they know a guest will be arriving.
Villa Vs Hotel Check-In Differences
There are some minor differences between check-in procedures depending on where you stay:
- Hotels/Resorts – they will normally have a centralised and easy-to-find front desk, which leads to a faster formal process, and it’s often easier to access public amenities right away on arrival
- Private Villas – the villa manager will tend to meet you on-site for check-in. This is more personalised, but it can lead to waiting around if the staff member has to travel to you from nearby. You will get a full property tour, staff introductions, and often a welcome meal. On the flip side, you may only be able to access amenities after you are fully checked in. Privacy is higher, but service tends to be on request.
During Your Bali Holiday: Making Every Day Easy
Once you’re settled in, things are pretty easy, and life in Bali’s hotels tends to flow around meals, activities and straight-up chilling.
Daily Housekeeping And Turndown Services
Most hotels, villa complexes and resorts will offer daily services (often including morning cleaning and evening turndown with chocolates). In villas, you can often coordinate your preferred timing for these services with the butler or housekeeper.
Tipping (roughly 20,000-50,000 IDR a day) is appreciated for these services, but not essential.
If you stay in an Airbnb property, you may find that services are far less frequent than in managed properties.
Dining And Facilities
Most properties offer rates that include breakfast; this might stretch to a luxurious buffet in big resorts, an à la carte menu in a boutique hotel or even a private chef cooking to order in a villa.
You can often get the hotel concierge to book restaurants, scooter rentals, tours and activities.
If the hotel provides pool or beach access, they usually provide towels, sunbeds and water stations too.
Insider Tips For A Smoother Bali Stay
- Download the hotel’s app or WhatsApp for requests to the front desk; the response times are often excellent in the better hotels and resorts
- Always respect Balinese culture – this really boils down to dressing properly and behaving properly in temples and trying not to tread on offerings (canang sari) left on pathways
- Manage your own expectations around service speed in peak season (July-August and Christmas to New Year)
- For longer stays, it’s fine to ask for mid-stay linen changes and a room refresh
You will also find that many properties offer experience packages for their guests. Booking a romantic beach dinner, private yoga session, cooking class, etc., is a great way to get more out of your stay.
The Night Before You Leave Bali: Planning A Smooth Exit
The evening before you check out, it’s a good idea to pack everything that you don’t need in the morning and confirm that all your travel arrangements are good to go.
Late-Check Out Requests
The standard check-out is at noon or even 11 a.m., but many hotels may offer a late check-out, sometimes for free and sometimes for a fee. It’s important to confirm that you want this service early, as it often has limited availability, which depends on the hotel occupancy rate.
Luggage Storage
Most hotels and some villa complexes offer secure baggage storage after you have checked out. They will often also let you continue to use hotel facilities such as the pool, changing rooms and showers, etc.
Check Out Day: Ensuring A Smooth Departure From The Island
This part isn’t as challenging as arriving in Bali, but it’s a good idea to have the timescale of things in mind before you get to the airport.
The Standard Hotel Check-Out Process
Most hotels expect you to check out at the front desk, and the process looks like this:
- Settle any outstanding invoice for extras (bar, spa, laundry, etc.). We recommend doing this the night before you leave to help you avoid getting stuck in the queue the next day.
- Return your keys or keycard if you have one.
- Review the final bill and check all your charges thoroughly; if you don’t dispute errors now, they are much less likely to get fixed if you call to complain in three weeks’ time.
- Completing a feedback form or quick survey.
We would also note that some properties will offer a mobile or pre-check-out service to increase the speed of the process.
Post Check-Out But Pre-Flight Experience
- Take advantage of the hotel facilities, assuming they allow you to enjoy the pool, beach, etc., after checkout
- Alternatively, head to a beach club like FINNS, the world’s best beach club, to soak up some last-minute Bali vibes
- Consider booking an airport lounge or day spa for facilities and relaxation pre-flight
Important: Airport Transfer Timing
Make sure to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, and it’s strongly recommended that you arrive at Denpasar Airport 3 hours before an international flight and 2 hours before a domestic flight to ensure you get through immigration, customs, check-in, etc., to be able to board your flight.
Special Considerations By Hotel Type
There are also things you should know about typical behaviours in each type of resort on the island.
Luxury Name Brand resorts
These places offer seamless services, multiple restaurants, amazing amenities and often have kids’ clubs.
Early/late check-in requests are often accommodated on a preferential basis for their loyalty program members. You may find that you are ferried about these properties on a golf cart due to their expansive natures.
Boutique Hotels And Villas
These are more intimate. The villas shine because of their privacy and private pools, but you need to be proactive in communicating with hotel staff. Ubud’s hotels and villas often have a wellness focus.
Mid-Range & Budget Properties
These places often have less room to bend when it comes to early or late check-in, and many charge fees for these services. They also tend to have fewer on-site amenities, and it can help to call in advance and confirm what’s available.
Common Bali Hotel Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them
There are also some issues that you may encounter, but you can avoid them by clarifying things in advance:
- Hidden fees – many properties in Bali and many services specify their rates before taxes and service charges. These can add 20-22% to the final bill.
- Overbooking or room issues – always book directly or through trusted partner services to ensure you are the priority.
- Cultural misunderstandings – nobody is deliberately trying to wind you up, learn some basic Indonesian phrases and remain patient and smile
- Security – always use the in-room safe and don’t leave your valuables unattended anywhere
- Sustainability – many hotels will have eco-programs, and it’s best to help with these and avoid single-use plastics
- Peak season crowds – always book transfers, dinners, special requests, etc. in advance at this time of the year.
In our experience, the people who have the best holidays in Bali are the ones who communicate early, remain flexible and who embrace a relaxed (santai) attitude.
Final Thoughts On Your Elevated Bali Holiday
From the moment you get off the plane to waving goodbye at the checkout, every phase of your time in Bali can be painless and stress-free. When you understand the timelines, leverage our insider hacks and communicate proactively with staff, you can enjoy a smooth and more memorable holiday.
Bali’s hospitality culture can really shine when you arrive well-informed and open-hearted. Whether it’s your first time on the island or a return journey, these tips will help you check in feeling relaxed and check out feeling refreshed and ready to plan your next trip to the Island of the Gods.
