Bali’s Best Travel Hacks Save Time And Money For First Time Visitors 

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If you are traveling to Bali for the first time in 2025 or just getting ready to fly to the island to celebrate the new year, you are in for a treat!

Bali is one of the world’s leading travel destinations and, in our opinion, one of the most welcoming. 

If you’re a first-time traveler to Bali, there are a few hints, tricks, and travel hacks that we think everyone should know.

We don’t gatekeep here, friends; here are our top travel hacks to save you time and money on your first…or next…trip to Bali. 

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eVisa on Arrival & Bali Tourism Tax Levy

Arranging your eVisa on Arrival might not save you money, but wow, will it save you time? Obtaining an Indonesian eVisa on Arrival is super simple and available to almost all passport holders. The online visa can be applied for by passport holders from over 90 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, the UK, China, India, and many more. The eVisa on Arrival is also a great option if you’re traveling as a couple, as a family, or as a group since it can be applied for groups of up to five travelers simultaneously.

This saves you so much time upon Arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Of course, you can still apply for the visa upon arrival or upon arrival, should you wish, but the eVisa upon arrival does come with a few extra benefits. 

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Not only do you have clearance to visit Indonesia prior to Arrival, but you also skip the visa payment queue and much of the immigration queue on Arrival and departure from Bali. The eVisa on Arrival allows tourists to use the newly installed autogates, which reduces the immigration check process to a simple passport scan and just a few seconds of waiting. 

The eVisa on Arrival costs IDR 500,000 and is valid for a stay of up to 30 days; the permit is valid for a maximum period of 90 days from the date of issue. It can be extended online for a further 30 days and is a single entry.

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Get An eSIM or SIM Card On Arrival

Staying connected while on vacation is more important than ever, not to mention that so many day trips, tours, and experiences in Bali now directly or indirectly require us to use our phones. From ApplePay to GoogleMaps, translation apps, and online table reservation booking systems, it’s super important to be able to be online 24/7.

While WiFi is widely available, don’t we all cringe a little having to ask for the WiFi password the moment we arrive somewhere new? Installing an eSIM prior to arriving in Bali is affordable and super easy to implement. Providers like Airlo offer great value and keep travelers connected from the moment they switch off airplane mode when they touch down on the runway. 

Local providers like Telkomsel even have a service that allows tourists to pre-book their tourist SIM card and can simply head over to the Telkomsel storefront in the arrivals hall of Bali Airport, where staff will install and connect your new SIM card for no extra charge. 

Book Trips In Advance & Directly

This is a big travel hack for Bali; book day trips and tours in advance and directly to save both time and money. Trips like ATV Tours and cultural immersion temple trips with waterfall visits often get booked out in advance, or if you book through a travel agent, you will have commissions and extra fees all added in. 

Many hotels, resorts, and local providers offer exclusive and bespoke tours to areas off the beaten path, which are certainly worth exploring. For those bucket list Bali day trips and visits to top attractions, booking online, direct, and in advance saves both time and money. 

Get Your Laundry Done Before You Leave!

Honestly, this may feel like such an unimportant or insignificant travel hack, but you’d be amazed at how many people have never even considered it! What is the worst part of a vacation? It’s the bundles of laundry to do on your return home, right?!

In Bali, local laundry services are still big business, and there are thousands of small-scale, locally owned and operated laundry services that will wash, dry, and iron your whole suitcase’s worth of clothing for you for just a few dollars.

Simply take all of your vacation clothing out the morning before you’re due to depart from Bali, leaving aside your travel day outfit, and take your bundle over to a laundry service nearby.

Ask for a 6 or 8-hour turnaround, and head back in the evening to pick it up. Pop it in your luggage, and bingo…stress gone for just a few dollars! You can thank us later!