How to go to Bali : everything you need to know

When planning to trip to Bali, knowing how to get there, which airlines go there, from which airport to the best season to book to avoid expensive fares, is maybe the first thing you must absolutely know about how to go to Bali.

How to fly to Bali?

As Bali is an island, the best and almost only way to travel to Bali is by flight. Bali has one international airport allowing people to fly from all over the world. Denpasar-Ngurah Rai International Airport is located in the Kuta area, in the south of Bali. It is 20 minutes away driving from Sanur and one hour from Ubud.

Here are the most direct routes to fly to Bali:

From the United States, you can fly to Bali via Singapore or Hong Kong.
From Europe, you can fly to Bali via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. My favourite route is via Amsterdam, only a short flight away from Paris or London.
From Australia, lucky you, there are direct flights from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
From Japan, you can also fly direct from Tokyo.

Alternatively, you can fly through Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, but I rarely saw interesting fares on that route. Best prices can be found by flying through Dubai but expect a much longer travel time. To find affordable flight offers, you can easily compare prices on trip.com.

The main airline companies flying to Bali are Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific for the United States. From Europe, you can take KLM or Malaysia Airlines. from Australia, Jetstar, Qantas or Garuda Indonesia, and from Japan, this is Garuda Indonesia too, which offers a direct flight.

How much does it cost to fly to Bali?

Here are some average prices of flight tickets to Bali:

from London to Bali: £600 to £1000
from Amsterdam to Bali: 600€ to 1200€
from New York City to Bali: 800USD to 1400USD
from Los Angeles to Bali: 900$USD to 1600USD
from Sydney to Bali: 500AUD to 900AUD
from Tokyo to Bali: 50,000 JPY to 100,000 JPY

The prices usually rise up when booking late or during the peak tourist season. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid the main holiday periods of the UK, Europe (July-August), Australia (December-January), China and Japan (April-May). You may find a cheaper flight if you book during the low season and book at least 3 to 6 months in advance.

What is the best time to go to Bali?

For information, in my opinion, the best time to scuba dive in Bali is in September, which is luckily considered shoulder season. During that month, the air temperature is between 24 and 29°C, and the water temperature is about 27°C.

Although January is not considered the best season to visit Bali because it’s the rainy season, this is when you can get the best flight deal. The first time I visited Bali, I went in January, and it was mostly only raining at night. Besides, Bali is diveable all year long, so why not if you are on a budget?

What visa do you need for Indonesia?

At last, don’t forget you will need a passport to fly to Bali, which belongs to Indonesia. Make sure your passport is at least valid for 6 months after your return date.

The South-East Asian country currently offers a visa on arrival for 75 countries, which is valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days. The visa on arrival fee is 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (about 35 USD / £30). [updated as of July 2022]

If you need to stay longer, check in advance with the Indonesian embassy of your country to apply for the 2-month visitor visa, for instance. You can also now check the e-visa website for Indonesia.

Do you need more information to plan your dive trip to Bali? Check these additional articles about travelling and scuba diving in Bali:

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