top of page
Rachel
Aug 236 min read

Travelling to Bali on a Budget

Updated: Oct 27

Let me start by saying, we are not big budget travellers. We tend to search out every little saving we can when planning a trip. We're not high-income earners, we have three teenage kids, and a fairly decent mortgage. With that said, we prioritise travel because it's something we both love and it brings us joy. These tips are based on our experiences in Bali but can be used for other destinations too. This is how we do it.


Saving Up

We've been Barefoot Investor converts for several years now, and I cannot recommend this system enough. We tweaked our amounts to suit our individual situation, but basically, we assign a percentage of each pay to Splurge, Smile, and Fire Extinguisher accounts, with what's left remaining as Daily Expenses. Then, we stay disciplined in using the accounts as they are designed to be used. "Smile" is our travel account, and with 7.5% of each of our pays landing in the account it builds quickly. We've stuck with Barefoot's recommended ING accounts and they have been great for using overseas, as we get 5 free international atm transactions per account, per month. With two transaction accounts (Daily Expenses and Splurge) we can withdraw 10 times overseas for free in a month. ING also refunds international transaction fees so it costs us nothing to pay by card while travelling either. Their exchange rate is usually better than what you can get on the street in Bali too.


Flights


This is something you can save big on if you get to know what you're doing. As a general rule, flights get more expensive closer to the date you're wanting to book, so booking well in advance is the way to go. Our go to for flights is Air Asia. They run on time, they're cheap, their food is excellent, and they're comfortable enough for us given it's only a 3 hour 45 minute flight from Perth.



When Mt Agung starts playing up, they get the clearance to reroute their flights and keep flying where other airlines are forced to cancel. You do have to pay for seat selection, meals and drinks, and checked luggage so take this into consideration when looking at the fares. Unless I'm planning on doing a lot of shopping, we generally get by pretty well with just our 7kg carry-on allowance, however I have travelled over with carry-on in the past and bought a bag or suitcase in Bali, then booked checked luggage for the return flight when I've gotten a bit too enthusiastic with the unplanned retail therapy.


We've also flown Jetstar a couple of times and they were ok, but we did experience delays and time changes both times. If you're a Qantas frequent flyer member and collect points, I've recently seen Perth to Bali return flights in January with Jetstar for around 28,800 points plus $210 in fees / taxes including 30kg checked luggage. Seat selection and food are additional but that's a pretty good deal!


There are a few other options flying direct to Denpasar out of Perth now including Citilink, Garuda, Malindo, Lion, and Batik. They vary in pricing and inclusions, but I can't comment on the service as we haven't personally used any of them. Try the search below which covers multiple providers to find a great deal.




Accommodation


We do a lot of walk throughs in hotels while we're in Bali too because the photos provided in online listings can sometimes be deceptive. Most places are happy to show you through the property and let you look through a room if they have one spare. It really pays to do your research when it comes to accommodation and there's no one-size-fits-all rule as to where you'll get it cheaper. Sometimes the best deal is found by booking directly with the accommodation provider, and other times it'll be through one of the many booking websites out there. It really pays to shop around. My preferences are Expedia, Booking.com, and Agoda. Try the Expedia search below to see what accommodation is available for your trip.



Insurance

In my opinion, this is the single most important thing you will need to organise for your trip. I will never understand why people travel without it. I'm sorry, but the stakes are just too high and it's selfish to assume your family and friends will just drop everything and move mountains to bail you out if things go wrong. Get the bloody insurance and read the fine print so you know exactly what you are and are not covered for.





A word on scooters in Bali


***DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE COVERED JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE***


This could be a whole post on its own, but this is the brief version. And it's in bold type because there have been so many GoFundMe's on the news in Australia lately for people who've completely wrecked themselves on a scooter in Bali and had no insurance, inadequate insurance, or put themselves in a position where their insurance was voided.

Insurance policies will vary, so ALWAYS check your PDS but as a general rule:

  • You will need to purchase an add-on extra package for your policy for motorbike / adventure cover.

  • If you're riding the bike, you need to hold the equivalent class of licence in your own country for the bike you are on, and an international driver's permit (available through RAC).

  • If you're a passenger, the driver must be licenced for the vehicle and the country you're in.

  • You must wear a helmet.

  • You won't be covered if you are behaving dangerously, recklessly or are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.


In Australia, you can ride a moped on a car licence because our mopeds are usually 50cc. This is not the case in Bali - most scooters are between 110 - 155cc so you need to have the equivalent motorbike licence in Australia.


Okay, now that's off my chest - back to budgeting.


First things first - check your credit card! Lots of credit cards provide complimentary travel insurance if you pay for a certain amount of your trip using your card. This is another one we were a bit slow to the party on after purchasing a policy for our trip through Allianz for a couple of hundred dollars, only to discover the following year that the included cover with our credit card was the exact same policy! Winning! Although we didn't have to make a claim, I chose Allianz because they were competitively priced and offered the peace of mind of a well-known global company who has been around for over 130 years. Their PDS was clear and easy to understand, and they offered cover for cancellation, medical & hospital expenses related to Covid.


If you're purchasing insurance, the same rules apply as for accommodation - shop around and check reviews, particularly around how others have found the company to be when making a claim.


Visa, Tourist Tax

There's no way to save on these, they have to be paid. It's a $50 aud (approximately, depending on exchange rate) payment for the 30-day tourist visa, and roughly $15 for the tourist tax. You can apply for your visa online at https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/

There is also now a more streamlined online application that just requires a scan of your passport - https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/web/application_bvk


Beware of using third party sites who will charge a large agent fee on top of the price of your visa. You can apply from 90 days prior to your arrival, but ensure you allow at least 14 business days before you are scheduled to leave. A lot of people have found using the online application process difficult, including us, so we have usually just paid at the visa counter at the airport when we get there - but that means queuing up sometimes so we will probably attempt the new link on our next visit. The tourist tax is payable at a small booth on your way out of the airport, just before you reach the driver waiting area and they accept cash or card. It is also now available to pay online https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/





29 views

Comments

bottom of page