travel to bali on points

• All Articles
• 10xTravel Team
• Credit Card Reviews
• Reader Success Stories
• Two Card Trips
• Weekend Getaways
• Award Booking
• All Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards (April 2024)
• Best Airline Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Cards
• Best Travel Cards
• Best Business Cards
• Best Cash Back Cards
• Award Space Alerts
• Award Booking Service
• Credit Repair
• Luxury Hotel Program
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Planning Service
• Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet

7 Best Ways to Fly to Bali with Points

September 28, 2023

10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or may no longer be available. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. You can view current offers here .

• Loading table of contents …

Bali, Indonesia, is one of the most exotic tourist destinations in the world. With more than 6 million travelers visiting this gorgeous destination with calm-easy surfing water and beautiful shorelines every year, you can surely get value for every buck you spend getting here.

There are no direct flights from the United States to Bali, meaning you’d have to have at least one or multiple layovers before arriving in Bali. One of the most cost-effective ways to fly to Bali is using points.

The number of miles you have will determine in which class you’ll travel. You’ll need fewer miles when traveling in the economy than in premium economy or in business class. If you have enough points, you can secure first-class award seats on some airlines.

With airlines adopting the dynamic pricing strategy, you may wonder whether using points and miles is worth it. If you want to use points to fly to Bali, keep reading to discover the best airline programs to fly to Bali.

Irrespective of where you are, you can fly to Bali using credit card rewards. The three major global airline alliances (Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam) have elaborate networks and miles programs that make it possible to earn and use points for travel.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

At the top of our list is Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for many reasons, but we’ll mention these two:

• Unbeatable award prices
• No fuel surcharges when using their partner airlines, translating to low out-of-pocket cost

However, a major downside of the Mileage Plan program is that it partners with only one transferable currency program: Marriott Bonvoy. For this reason, the miles are hard to earn.

How to Book with Alaska Miles

Let’s look at the number of miles you’ll redeem to fly to Bali through Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Alaska Air recently updated their award pricing showing flights starting prices, rather than how much they should cost. If you fly one way with Cathay Pacific, expect flights to start at 50,000 miles in business class and 70,000 miles in first class.

If you fly one way with  Korean Air, here’s the breakdown of miles based on the class in which you want to fly.

• Economy: 60,000 to 85,000 miles
• Business: 100,000 to 120,000 miles
• First class: 140,000 miles

Keep in mind that Korean Air award rates through Mileage Plan are the same whether you book a one-way or a round-trip flight, so it’s better to book a round-trip itinerary if you can find award availability in both directions.

Cards to Help You Earn Alaska Miles

Unfortunately, Alaska Airlines has just one transfer partner, Marriott Bonvoy, limiting your options for transferring from other partners. However, Alaska Airlines offers two co-branded cards to help you earn miles: one personal card and one business card.

• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Card

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card

Bonus Miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23)

after you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days

Annual Fee: $95

Bonus Miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23)

Annual Fee: $70

Convert Marriott Bonvoy points: Marriott Bonvoy members can transfer their points to the Alaska Mileage Plan at a 3:1 transfer ratio. For instance, every 10,000 points will get you 3,333 Alaska miles. Additionally, you earn a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 Marriott points converted, meaning you’ll end up with 25,000 miles after transferring 60,000 points.

Some of the recommended Marriott Bonvoy cards include:

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

Bonus Points

after you spend $1,000 on your first 3 months

Earn 3 Free Night Awards

after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points for each bonus Free Night Award, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Annual Fee: $125 Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.

Gates to one of the Hindu temples in Bali in Indonesia.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

Another interesting choice is All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club. ANA is a member of the Star Alliance and the biggest airline in Japan. The Mileage Club program has a provision to book award flights for other travelers as long as they’re registered in your account (preferably your family members). Mileage Club allows you to register up to 10 companions.

How to Book with ANA Miles

ANA’s partners include Air Canada, Asiana, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airlines and others. ANA business awards are quite reasonable, making it an ideal choice.

However, remember that you must book round-trip awards at the rates mentioned below.

• Economy: 55,000 to 80,000 miles
• Business: 100,000 to 136,000 miles
• First: 195,000 to 240,000 miles

Cards to Help You Earn ANA Miles

Fortunately, ANA is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. If you hold Membership Rewards-earning Amex cards, you may transfer points to ANA at a 1:1 ratio. Keep in mind that the points can take about 48 hours to post.

The following American Express cards earn Membership Rewards:

American Express® Business Gold Card

American Express® Gold Card

• American Express® Green Card
• Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card
• The Amex EveryDay® Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Platinum Card® from American Express

Marriott Bonvoy points, on the other hand, transfer at a 3:1 ratio. As usual, you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer. However, the downside of Marriott Bonvoy points transfers is that it can take up to four days to post.

Membership Rewards® Points

after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months. Terms apply.

Annual Fee: $375 Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.

after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms apply.

Annual Fee: $250 Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

If you’re a seasoned traveler, you probably know that Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles are definitely worth their weight in gold.

The KrisFlyer program has two redemption rates: the Saver award, which requires fewer miles to secure an award seat, and the Advantage option, which requires more miles but also offers extra benefits, such as expanded availability and the option to add a complimentary stopover on a one-way flight.

Keep in mind that Advantage awards require more KrisFlyer miles than Saver-level tickets.

How to Book with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Here’s a summary of points you need to fly to Bali via Singapore. Note that the redemption rates vary for travelers based on the East Coast and West Coast.

If your flight is originating from the West Coast, here’s the number of miles you need to fly to Bali on Singapore Airlines aircraft:

• Economy: 42,000 miles
• Premium economy: 75,000 miles
• Business: 107,000 miles
• First: 146,500 miles

If your flight is originating from the East Coast, here’s the number of miles you need to fly to Bali:

• Economy: 44,000 miles
• Premium economy: 80,500 miles
• Business: 111,500 miles
• First: 148,500 miles

Singapore KrisFlyer has a separate award chart for Star Alliance partner-operated flights. It’s worth noting that Singapore Airlines doesn’t pass on carrier-imposed surcharges.

Cards to Help You Earn Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

The upside of the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program is that it partners with almost all major transferable points programs from banks, making it one of the easiest ways to earn KrisFlyer miles.

You can transfer the following points to Singapore KrisFlyer:

• American Express Membership Rewards: 1:1 transfer partner and can take up to a day.
• Capital One Miles: The transfer is instant with a ratio of 1:1.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: Usually takes a day with a transfer ratio of 1:1, but it can take close to a week to take effect.
• Citi ThankYou Points: The transfer takes less than 24 hours and offers a ratio of 1:1
• Marriott Bonvoy: It takes a maximum of 48 hours to transfer at a ratio of 3:1, and for every 60,000 points, you get a bonus of 5,000 miles.

Beautiful rice terraces in the moring light near Tegallalang village, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

United MileagePlus

For those holding huge reserves of United miles, now is the time to use them. Let the MileagePlus program be your magical red carpet to Bali’s breathtaking clear waters. The perks of using United MileagePlus include their ease of booking process and a reasonable award rate for those who earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

How to Book with United MileagePlus

United partner airlines like Air Canada, ANA, Asiana, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways provide a platform for using MileagePlus points. Keep in mind that United Airlines uses a dynamic award pricing model. As such, the number of miles required will keep fluctuating based on demand and cabin class.

Here’s the number of miles you’ll need for a one-way trip to Bali starting from:

• Economy: 60,500 miles
• Business: 110,000 miles
• First: 220,000 miles

Cards to Help You Earn United MileagePlus Miles

Chase credit cards are one of the best options to ramp up United miles. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card allow you to transfer points to United MileagePlus at a ratio of 1:1. You can choose a personal or business card to cover you in various ways.

Marriott Bonvoy is another option, which lets you transfer points to United at a 3:1 ratio posting within 24 hours. Marriott has a special partnership with United, which awards you a bonus 10,000 miles per 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred. So for every 60,000 Marriott points converted to United, you’ll end up with 30,000 MileagePlus miles.

If you travel with United, you’ll have a ton of options for airline credit cards. Whether personal or business cards, United has you covered. Consider the following co-branded United Airlines cards:

United℠ Business Card

• United Club℠ Business Card

United Club℠ Infinite Card

• United℠ Explorer Card
• United Gateway℠ Card
• United Quest℠ Card

Bonus Miles

after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Annual Fee: $0 for your first year, then $99.

after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee: $525

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

KLM is touted to be the oldest airline in the world, having been established in 1919. The airline runs a joint loyalty program with Air France called Flying Blue. In general, the true worth of Flying Blue miles is based on the versatility with which they may be redeemed for rewards.

How to Book with KLM Flying Blue Miles

KLM employs variable award pricing, making it difficult to determine the exact number of miles required to fly to Bali. In this case, we’ll use an estimate from Flying Blue’s mileage price calculator , which indicates the minimum number of miles a particular itinerary should cost.

Award rates for a one-way trip to Bali using Flying Blue miles start from:

• Economy: 35,000 miles
• Premium economy: 91,500 miles
• Business: 125,000 miles

Please note that the number of miles may change depending on your route and time of the year. Expect at least one layover before arriving at Denpasar, Bali (DPS).

Cards to Help You Earn Flying Blue Miles

The easiest way to earn Flying Blue miles is by transferring points from partners:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One
• Citi ThankYou Reward
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy

Most cards offer a transfer ratio of 1:1, except for Marriott Bonvoy, a 3:1 transfer partner. Marriott guarantees a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred. Once in a while, Citi ThankYou and Amex add as much as 30% bonus miles to conversions, which can boost your mile points, allowing you to secure a flight award seat for fewer points.

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is another intriguing program for using points to fly to Bali on any Star Alliance flight. Avianca LifeMiles is one of the most underappreciated and yet deservedly valuable programs.

How to Book with Avianca LifeMiles

Here are the redemption rates for each class for a one-way trip:

• Economy:40,000 miles
• Business: 78,000 miles
• First: 99,000 miles

Cards to Help You Earn Avianca LifeMiles

You can earn LifeMiles by transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

Marriott Bonvoy points also transfer to Avianca at a 3:1 ratio. Marriott transfers typically take one business day, whereas Amex, Capital One and Citi transfers are nearly instant.

Bali, Indonesia, traveler on tree house at Diamond Beach in Nusa Penida Island.

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance, and you can utilize the AAdvantage program to fly to Bali with one of the partner airlines. The best part is that the program has reasonable award pricing and no fuel surcharges, except if you fly British Airways.

How to Book with American Airlines AAdvantage

You can fly directly to Bali with Japan Airlines (JAL) and Malaysia Airlines with layovers in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, respectively, before proceeding to Indonesia. As such, you’ll need the following miles for a one-way trip to Bali:

• Economy: 37,500 miles
• Business: 70,000 miles
• First: 110,000 miles

You’re looking at double the miles mentioned above for a round-trip award in each cabin class.

Cards to Help You Earn AAdvantage Miles

Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner of American Airlines AAdvantage—perhaps one of the easiest ways to restock and earn AAdvantage miles. In addition, American AAdvantage also partners with Bilt Rewards. You can transfer Bilt points at a 1:1 ratio.

Credit Cards: You can use many credit cards to earn American Miles. Consider the following cards:

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
• Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
• CitBusiness®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles

after spending $3,500 within the first 4 months of account opening.

Bottom Line

Although there are no direct flights to Bali from the U.S., that’s no excuse not to visit Bali using the options discussed in this post. Most airlines include at least one stop before reaching Bali, the heart of natural beauty.

Depending on your location, convenience and flexibility, you can choose what programs you’ll invest in. In the end, use a program in which you have the points and the one that has award space.

New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. , 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!

after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.

after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership

after you spend $8,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

plus 500 Premier Qualifying Points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.

Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

bonus points

after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points

after you spend $4,000 in 3 months

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Venture Miles

after you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.

Joseph Sherwood

26 Minute Read

20 Minute Read

6 Minute Read

Bali Travel Tips: 40+ Essential Dos & Don’ts for Bali & Indonesia!

I live in Bali , and I’ve been traveling the country of Indonesia for over 5 years – I have traveled all over the country, to every top tourist spot and most of Bali’s outer islands. Here’s my local guide to the best Bali Travel Tips: dos and don’ts you have to know before traveling to Bali & Indonesia in 2024!

✔️ Quick Guide – My Top 6 Bali Travel Tips

→ Know that you need an onward ticket booked to board your flight to Indonesia. → Buy a Telkomsel SIM card to have cell service. → Bali runs on cash – Take out Indonesian Rupiah at airport ATMs when you arrive. → Use bug spray every day to prevent Dengue Fever. → Download the Grab App , it’s Bali’s version of Uber and much cheaper than taxis off the street. → Don’t forget to explore Bali’s outer islands!

Bali Travel Tips: Arrival & Visas

1. know about the 500,000 idr visa on arrival fee + new 150,000 idr bali tax.

Indonesia permits visa-free entry to ASEAN countries but everyone else needs to buy a Visa On Arrival (VOA) at the airport. They don’t ask any questions to get a Visa on Arrival, you just need to pay a fee. They accept US dollars and Indonesian Rupiah, and you can pay by card. 

💰 Price of entry to Bali : Indonesia VOA is 500,000 IDR + 150,000 Bali Island Tax = 650,000 IDR ($40)

You have the option to extend your 30-day VOA. To do this you need to hire a visa service in Bali to extend your 30-day visa to 60 days. You need to do this while you still have at least 10 days remaining on your 30-day visa.

When I extended my VOA to two months it took 20 days and cost around 800,000 Indonesian Rupiah ($55). You can find a visa agency through your hotel, hostel, or guest house.

The cool thing is that you don’t actually have to be in one place for all 20 days to extend your visa. The second time I did a VOA extension I gave my passport to the visa company, got my fingerprints stamped at the immigration in Jimbaran on day 4, and then left for the outer islands!

I did a bunch of island hopping from Bali, the Gilis, Lombok, Flores, and the Komodo Islands without my passport – just my NY state ID, because I was traveling within Indonesia.

My hostel back in Canggu, Nyaman Hostel, received my passport with the visa extension stamp and held it for me until I was done with my travels.

Katie’s Tips ✶

Keep in mind that the Indonesian Visa on Arrival takes up a whole page on your passport! So make sure you have enough free space. 

2. Know That Bali’s Visa is for 30 Days, Not 1 Month! (+ The Cost of Overstaying is 1,000,000 IDR PER DAY!)

I’ve met so many travelers who overstay their visas in Bali because 30-days sounds like one month, but it’s not! You have 30 days from entering Indonesia to leaving, and for each day you overstay it’s a 1,000,000 IDR (around $70) fee.

3. Don’t Forget To Book Your Onward Ticket 

You’ll probably be asked for your onward ticket, which is your ticket out of Indonesia before you board your inbound plane. You need to have an outbound flight already booked, legally, to enter Indonesia. Don’t know when you’ll be leaving, or to where? No problem. 

You can use a service like Onward Ticket which books an outbound ticket for you and then cancels it within the next few days. This is completely legal and it’s just to meet entry requirements. I’ve used Onward Ticket more times than I can count, as a full-time traveler I’m not always sure where my next location will be! 

💰 Full Disclosure –  I’ve spent hundreds of dollars because I didn’t have onward tickets booked ahead of time. I advise you to book your onward ticket at least a few hours ahead of time before you’re at the airport because that’s where I always mess up when I leave it until the last minute!

Bali Travel Tips: Communication & Cell

4. link your number to a whatsapp account  before arriving in bali.

Everyone uses WhatsApp in Bali, from foreigners to locals. If you’re visiting Bali and don’t have WhatsApp yet, you should definitely download the app and link it to your phone number  before  getting to the island. 

If you link your phone number to your WhatsApp, it will work no matter which SIM you have put in! You can use WhatsApp in Bali to organize tours, book hotels, or talk to just about anyone.

5. Buy A SIM Card When You Arrive In Bali 

You should DEFINITELY buy an Indonesian SIM card when you arrive in Bali. You’ll need a local number for a lot of services, like ride-sharing apps, food delivery, etc. Local SIM cards and data plans are easy to get and affordable. You can purchase your SIM through most hotels or go to a “Telkomsel” store. 

Telkomsel is the most popular cell provider in Indonesia. You can top up your SIM card with more data whenever you need to in person at convenience stores like Indomaret, Circle K, and Alfamart. 

There’s a problem with people illegally importing smartphones to Indonesia. Because of this, Indonesia requires people to register all cell phones at the airport upon arrival if they’re staying longer than three months overall.

If you fail to do this, you need to pay a 40% tax on the value of your phone (for phones worth more than $450) or the government will shut your SIM card slot off after 3 months in the country. The 3 months leeway period is so the government doesn’t accidentally shut down tourists’ cell phones, but this allowance doesn’t reset when you exit and re-enter the country!

You need to have an unlocked phone to use a foreign SIM card.

6. D on’t Worry About the Language Barrier – There are Lots of English Speakers & Bahasa is Easy!

Almost everywhere you go in Bali you’ll be able to find someone who speaks a little bit of English or a foreigner who speaks a little Indonesian. Bahasa Indonesian is also an easy language for English speakers to pronounce. Everything is written phonetically, and it’s written in the Latin Alphabet, the same as English. So, if you use Google Translate, it will be very easy for you to read things in Bahasa and be understood if you need assistance.

7. Do Download Google Translate Offline  

Bahasa Indonesian is one of the languages available on Google Translate’s app for offline download. If you get a local SIM card you won’t have to worry about being offline very often, but it’s good to download the language offline just in case you wind up in a poor service area. 

Bali Travel Tips: Food 

8. don’t let fear of “bali belly” stop you from eating the local foods .

Bali Belly is the affectionate term foreigners have for travelers’ diarrhea in Indonesia. Foreign tourists are sometimes so afraid of Bali Belly that it keeps them from enjoying the island to the fullest! 

The local food is one of the best things in Bali! You’ll see local cafes, called “Warungs”, everywhere. The most popular local dishes are Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Mie Goreng (fried noodles), Nasi Campur (platter of different Balinese foods with rice), and Babi Guling (roasted suckling pig). 

9. Don’t Forget You Can Order Food For Delivery In Bali! 

Did you know you can order food 24 hours a day in most areas of Bali? Through Grab or Gojek (two very similar apps in Bali) you can order all types of food at any time of day. These apps came massively in handy when I crashed my scooter and couldn’t get out of bed for a week since you can also get items from the pharmacy delivered!

10. Don’t Fall For Tourist Traps 

This is a hard-to-follow piece of advice because unless you eat at 100% local Indonesian Warungs , you’re gonna fall for some tourist traps! Just today I paid 70K IDR (around $5), for a terrible “fresh juice” which was like 90% water. 

Basically, any place in Bali that sells Western-style food might be a tourist trap, it’s a bit of a coin toss and you just need to try a bunch of different places to find the best food. Also, always read the online reviews for cafes to know where to go. 

Bali Travel Tips: Shopping & Money

11. don’t assume everything will be “cheap” .

It’s just as easy to spend $100 (1,500,000 Indonesian Rupiah) on something in Bali as it is to spend $10. This is because things are priced for foreign tourists, who earn in Dollars rather than Rupiah. Depending on where you buy something you could be paying a wildly different price for the same item! 

12. Do Order Anything You Need Online 

While there’s no Amazon Prime in Indonesia, ANYTHING you want in Bali can be delivered! I take a lot of specific supplements for my health, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were all easily available with express shipping off of Indonesia’s version of Amazon, Tokopedia.  

13. Do Shop Locally 

It feels so good to shop in Bali because so many of the stores are locally owned and sell genuine handmade goods! 

14. Don’t Overpay With “Foreigner’s Price”  

If you know the correct local price for things then you’ll know how much to pay. Obviously, a coconut off the side of the road will be cheaper than a fresh coconut from a 5-star resort, but it’s a good metric to know how fancy a place is by how far the prices deviate from the norm. 

Knowing the local price particularly comes in handy with taxis. There are a lot of places in Bali where you can’t use Uber or Gojek (Indonesian Uber) due to the  Bali Taxi Mafia . In these situations, you’ll have to negotiate a price with a taxi driver off the street. You can open your Gojek or Grab app and see what the local price for the ride you’re going to take  should be , and use that as a jumping-off point for negotiations. 

You’re probably never going to get a taxi off the street as cheap as an Grab or Gojek, and there’s no point in stressing yourself out too much over a few dollars! 

15. Do Carry LOTS Of Cash On You 

Indonesia is a cash-first country! Although a lot of restaurants, hotels, etc will accept cards, a lot of them don’t. Expect tours, taxis, and meals to be paid for in cash. Sometimes they will accept cards, but when that happens it’s more like a pleasant surprise! 

16. Foreign Credit Cards Don’t Work for Everything – Use 3rd Party Sites that Accept Non-Indonesian Cards

While you shouldn’t have a problem at restaurants and hotels paying in person with foreign credit cards, most Indonesian websites only accept Indonesian credit cards. This is a recurring problem for foreigners who want to top off their Telkomsel SIM cards, pay their electricity bills, or book a train in Indonesia.

The sites I use the most for booking things online in Indonesia are Booking.com, HostelWorld, and Agoda for housing, and for activities, I use Klook and Viator. For transportation like buses, speed boats, and ferries, 12GoAsia comes in handy all over SE Asia!

If you do not have an Indonesian Bank Account, you will likely have to pay for things at a convenience store like Alfamart, Circle K, or Indomaret that would usually be purchased online.

A good example of this is when I need to pay my electricity bill. Since I don’t have an Indonesian bank account, I cannot use their online portal. Instead, I take a picture of my router and bring it to the nearest Alfamart – There’s one on practically every street corner.

There I can give the cashier my serial code, and then pay my bill in cash. You can use this system to pay all types of bills, as well as shop for things online.

When I buy things on Tokopedia, which is Bali’s version of Amazon, it gives me a code to bring to the local convenience store. I have 24 hours to give the cashier this code and pay my bill in cash, or the sale doesn’t go through.

17. Do Hang On To Small Bills 

People really hang on to their small bills in Bali, and it’s hard to get change a lot of the time. A few times I’ve been at a restaurant that only accepts cash and they have looked at me like I was crazy for needing cash for a 100K Rupiah bill! ($7)When you do get small bills, hang onto them for situations where you need change. 

18. Do Know About The Mandatory 15-20% Service & VAT Charges

In most restaurants that cater to tourists, it will say “all prices subject to mandatory service and tax” at the bottom, so you don’t have to worry about tipping too much in Bali because it’s added for you. The tax is 10%, and the service charge is usually 5-10%. 

19. Don’t Be Afraid To Haggle

Bartering (respectfully) is a part of Balinese culture. If you’re buying a service, whether it’s a taxi ride or a tour, the price is usually up for negotiation. I wrote a whole article you can read here on how to haggle in Egypt and it holds up pretty well for Bali as well.

Bali Travel Tips: Transportation 

20. do download gojek or grab apps (bali’s versions of uber).

Grab is the premier ride-hailing app in Bali. It’s the easiest way to get around, and the app also includes other services like food and package delivery. I use Grab multiple times a day, I really couldn’t live without it in Bali! 

Tipping taxi drivers is not expected in Bali. That being said, Sometimes taxi and scooter rides are very inexpensive on Grab. Sometimes as low as 10K Indonesian Rupiah (around 50 cents) for a scooter taxi. I personally think, as someone who earns in dollars, that they should be getting compensated more for their effort, don’t you? 

If you get a very inexpensive Gojek please consider tipping a good amount, even 50-100%. The drivers will be very grateful!

21. Don’t Rely On Ride-Sharing Apps When Leaving City Centers 

It’s easy to hail a Gojek or Grab from the city center to a tourist destination a half hour away, but it’s not so easy to get one coming back! There usually aren’t any cars you can call off an app outside cities. If you want to visit a place more than 20 minutes from the city center of whatever town you’re in I recommend hiring a private driver instead of relying on Grab. 

22. Don’t Give In To The Bali Taxi Mafia 

The Taxi Mafia in Bali  is always a hot topic. Basically, a taxi mafia is when a bunch of taxi drivers get together, usually in popular tourist locations, and work together to push ride-sharing apps out so they can overcharge tourists. This is all fine, except for the fact that the Taxi Mafias usually resort to violence to meet their goals. I’m all for shopping local and supporting local economies but I don’t agree with giving in to taxi mafias. 

In Bali, you’ll see a lot of signs saying Gojek, Grab, and Bluebird, all popular taxi apps, are illegal. This isn’t true. Sometimes you’ll have to get picked up on a side street or outside of a tourist location if you’re using a ride-sharing app, otherwise, you risk getting harassed by the Taxi Mafia. 

23. Don’t Get Stressed Out By Street Harassment 

Walking down any street in a town or city in Bali you’ll hear “taxi? taxi? taxi? come into my shop? just looking?” over and over. and over. and over again. 

It’s annoying! And honestly, tourist harassment is part of the reason I always use ride-sharing apps in Bali, because I don’t want to encourage it, but it’s just people trying to make a living. They don’t mean any harm and a quick “no thank you” usually does the trick.

24. Don’t Worry About The Honks – People Honk the Horn a Lot in Bali, But It’s Not Aggressive  

Honking a car or scooter horn means something different in Indonesia than it does in America. In New York, honking at someone can be considered a big “F-You!”, but in Bali, it just means ‘hey, watch out – I’m here”. 

A lot of the time drivers honk lightly when turning a corner so if anyone is driving in the opposite direction they will know another car is there.  This is necessary because the streets are so narrow, so if you’re driving around tight corners remember to honk before turning!

Bali Travel Tips: Health & Safety

25. don’t drink the tap water.

You can’t drink the tap water in Bali – It’s not filtered. You can avoid Bali Belly by only drinking bottled water, or if you want to be more environmentally friendly you can invest in a  travel water purifier.  I have been using my GRAYL travel purifier for three years now, and it’s perfect for Bali. 

26. Don’t Forget Your Bug Spray – Mosquitos Carry Dengue Fever in Bali

There are mosquito-borne illnesses in Bali, particularly Dengue Fever makes its way through the tourist population a lot. To avoid Dengue, always keep your bug spray on you.  You can buy a bug spray called “Soffel” in any convenience store in Bali for around $1 – It works great, just remember to wear it every day!

27. Do Know About the Recommended Travel Vaccines Before Travel to Bali

Even if you had all your routine vaccines as a child, you’ll likely need additional travel vaccines to go to Bali. On my first trip to Indonesia, I received a Typhoid vaccine, a Tdap booster, and a Hepatitis A vaccine. Recently I was playing with a puppy on the beach and wound up having to get a rabies vaccine in Bali as well! Check the CDC guidelines and at your local travel clinic if you need any additional travel vaccines! 

28. Don’t Approach Stray Animals Due to the Risk of Rabies in Bali

I know, they’re cute! But rabies is a very real problem in Indonesia and a lot of tourists have their trip cut short by being bitten by some animal or another. I recently had to seek rabies post-exposure treatment after playing with a puppy on a Bali beach, it’s not fun!

29. Don’t Be Afraid Of Dogs Barking & Following You On the Street

If you walk anywhere in Bali, especially at night, you’ll probably be charged by a dog (or 10). Every house has a dog and they’re just doing their job when they bark at passers-by. Once you leave their owner’s territory they’ll leave you alone, so it’s best to just ignore them. 

30. Don’t Mess With The Monkeys – They’re Known to Randomly Bite & Attack 

In Bali, there are these famous open-air animal sanctuaries called  “Monkey Forests”  where tourists can go and interact with the monkeys in their natural habitat. Monkeys have a tendency toward being capricious and aggressive, and there’s a specific way you’re supposed to act around them. Sometimes tourists come and they don’t know how to act around a monkey, and they wind up getting bit (which is where your travel insurance will come in handy!).

31. Do Use Scooter Taxis Instead of Driving – Most of Bali Isn’t “Learner-Friendly”  

Most tourists come to Bali and think they need to rent and learn how to drive a scooter , but that’s not true! It’s much easier to just call a scooter taxi to get around. A scooter taxi is when a guy drives up on a scooter and you just hop on the back! It’s a lot safer than driving yourself because they’re professionals and know how to navigate the  crazy  Balinese traffic. You can call a scooter taxi from any major city in Bali through the Grab App.

Another bonus of taking a scooter taxi is that they’re incredibly cheap. If you only plan on going to one or two places per day, it’s probably more affordable to call a scooter taxi than to rent a scooter and drive yourself. 

32. Don’t Forget To Wear Your Helmet,  Always , When Riding A Scooter 

I see foreign tourists zipping around Bali on scooters in bikinis with no helmets and barely any clothes, it’s terrifying!!! These scooters aren’t toys, and you want to be as safe as possible especially if you’re a novice rider. It’s best to always wear a helmet, jacket, long pants, and close-toed shoes on a scooter. I don’t always wear full clothing while on a scooter, but I do always wear a helmet! 

If you call a scooter taxi from Grab or Gojek they’ll have a spare helmet for passengers, but sometimes you have to ask for it. 

33. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance! Healthcare in Bali is Expensive

Even if it’s not required for entry, I would always recommend signing up for travel insurance for a trip to Indonesia. So much can go wrong, and it’s important to be covered. Healthcare in Bali is also pretty expensive if you go to the foreigners clinics.

I’ve been using Safety Wing Travel Health Insurance over the past three years of full-time traveling because it caters to full-time traveling digital nomads like myself, but you can also use it for vacations and short trips. 

It’s one of the cheapest travel health insurance out there. You can buy a 1-month package starting at $45 and it covers most countries, whereas other brands I looked at charged over $100 for a 1-week trip. It’s just good to have peace of mind while traveling without having to think too hard!

34. Don’t Drink Things With Ice If You’re Off-The-Beaten-Track 

The only time I’ve ever gotten sick while traveling was from ice in a drink, and since then I’ve been very cautious. Most places know to serve tourists only filtered water, but there’s less vigilant about ice for some reason. If you’re off the beaten track at a local warung it’s best to skip the ice. Indonesians can handle the water better than foreigners can because they’re used to it. 

35. Do Be Aware Of Earthquakes! 

I was sitting at a cafe in Ubud  while I wrote this post  and all of a sudden the ground started shaking. Since the cafe shares a building with a yoga studio, at first, I thought maybe there was an intense exercise class going on but then everyone started running outside. It was an earthquake! 

It only lasted 15-20 seconds and then everyone went back inside after a few minutes. Later we learned it was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake! The earthquake magnitude scale goes out of 10, so it was quite high – but not high enough to cause damage. Bali is a high-risk area for earthquakes, so just be aware while you’re visiting.

Bali Travel Tips: Housing

36. do stay in a traditional guest house at least once.

After staying in a variety of hotels, Airbnb, and homestays in Bali I was pleasantly surprised that my favorite place to stay in all of Indonesia was the traditional homestays. Usually family-run, Balinese traditional houses are located in compounds, which are homes to small communities or extended families. 

💸 They’re cheaper 

🙋 The hosts (In my experience) are more attentive

🍳 Free homemade breakfast

👪 Supporting small businesses directly

🏠 Traditional Balinese architecture is  beautiful  

🐱 There are usually a ton of animals around 

For solo female travelers : I felt more safe located in a compound than in a stand-alone villa or apartment complex.

37. Don’t Stay In The Same Place For Your Whole Trip! 

Bali is a pretty tiny Island, you can drive the whole length of it in less than 5 hours, but all the different cities within it have a totally different vibe.  Canggu has become the digital nomad capital with lots of long-term tourists, Kuta and Seminyak are where people go surfing and partying, and Ubud is the spiritual yoga retreat center on the island. 

38. Don’t Be Afraid to Stay In Hostels If You’re Solo Traveling

Hostels are the best for making friends while solo traveling! If it’s your first time staying in a hostel, don’t be worried – the ones in Bali are world-class. Some hostels in Bali are even as nice (or nicer) than hotels. 

39. Do Treat Yourself To A Luxury Experience (Because It’s Cheaper to Do in Bali Than Anywhere Else)

Bali is world-renowned for its spas and luxury services. Even if you’re a budget traveler, having a luxury experience in Bali is something you shouldn’t miss out on! 

Bali Travel Tips: Tourism 

40. do be a respectful visitor .

While it’s okay to be a tourist, it’s not okay to disrespect the local culture. The Balinese people welcome foreigners into their temples and ceremonies from the goodness of their hearts. Since I started staying in Indonesia, I’ve been invited to two weddings, a cremation, and even a circumcision ceremony!

• Cover up in temples:  For men AND women. That’s one thing I love about Balinese culture is that it’s not just the women who are expected to be modest and respectful in houses of worship. You’ll also see men be asked to tie sarongs around their waists if they show up in shorts. 
• Don’t make fun of the culture:  You’d think that goes without saying, but all the time you hear about tourists getting in trouble, and even  banned  from Indonesia, for mocking Balinese culture. 
• Don’t step on the offerings:  You’ll see these sacred offerings all over, usually on the floor. Just because they’re on the floor doesn’t mean you should step on them! It’s considered to be extremely disrespectful to step on the offerings. 

41. Don’t Get Too Disappointed By “Instagram vs Reality”

A lot of “Influencers” in Bali make their living by selling the dream. While Bali  is  an amazing place, there have been a handful of times when I arrived at a popular location just to be let down! The photos online of a location completely didn’t match the reality. While that can be disappointing, don’t let it get you down! For every overhyped spot in Bali, there are three more hidden gems. 

42. Do Show Up Early & Beat The Crowds 

Planning on going to some amazing place you saw on Instagram? Well, so is everyone else! If you want to visit a popular tourist spot in Bali make sure to go first thing in the morning – Otherwise, your time at the attraction might be ruined by crowds. 

43. Do Venture Off The Beaten Track 

For every over-hyped thing in Bali, there are 10 secret gems that you can’t find on Instagram! I recommend going to Google Maps to find undiscovered spots. If you just zoom in on different locations you’re guaranteed to find a ton of waterfalls, temples, etc people don’t usually go to. 

44. Don’t Go During The Rainy Season (If You Can Help It)  

Bali doesn’t have Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall as North America does. Bali only has two seasons: the rainy season, and the dry season. The rainy season is between November and March, with the best (and dryest) time to visit Bali between May and September. It’s the worst in January and February.

45. Do Venture Outside Of Bali To Other Indonesian Islands! Java, the Gilis, & the Komodo Islands +

Craving adventure? You can climb Kawah Ijen acid volcano  and visit giant waterfalls like Tumpak Sewu on Bali’s neighboring island of Java. Or, if you’re more into relaxing you can swim on the white sand beaches at the  Gili Islands  east of Bali. There’s so much to do in Indonesia! If you have a week or more I recommend exploring other islands as well as Bali. 

46. Don’t Forget – It’s Bagus!

Bagus (pronounced bag-goose) means “good” in Indonesian but it’s used in a much wider context – Bagus is cool, Bagus is peace, Bagus is fun.

How’s Bali lately? It’s Bagus 🤙.

Katie Caf, founder of Katie Caf Travel, is a seasoned travel expert who has explored over 30 countries and lived abroad in places like Egypt, Morocco, Mexico, India, Indonesia Thailand, Europe, and the USA. Her goal is to help other traveler see the world by providing first-hand accounts of what to expect on the road.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

The Best Ways To Fly to Southeast Asia With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

Ehsan Haque

Content Contributor

53 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 100 U.S. States Visited: 24

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

34 Published Articles 3142 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Michael Y. Park

15 Published Articles 158 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+ U.S. States Visited: 50

Nonstop Flights Between the U.S. and Southeast Asia

All nippon airways (ana) mileage club, american airlines aadvantage, air canada aeroplan, singapore airlines krisflyer, air france-klm flying blue, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Whether you’re planning your next big vacation or passively looking for travel destinations, you are sure to have encountered the picturesque scenery of Southeast Asia.

Perhaps you’ve seen the incredible beaches and phenomenal and inexpensive street food available in some major cities. Or maybe you’ve dreamed of the idyllic beaches. Whatever the reason, Southeast Asia has a ton to offer.

Unfortunately, Southeast Asia hasn’t always been the most accessible travel destination for those coming from the U.S.

This guide will look at the best programs to utilize for award tickets between the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Best of all, your points and miles will provide great value, as cash fares to Southeast Asia tend to be expensive.

There are few nonstop flights from the U.S., so you’d most likely have to take a connecting flight to reach your final destination. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as there are incredible airlines you can fly to get there.

For our analysis, we will consider Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam as Southeast Asia. We’re not covering China, Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea (commonly known as East Asia), or India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka (generally considered South Asia).

Let’s get started.

Since the Southeast Asia is quite far from the continental U.S., nonstop flight options are limited.

That being said, check out all of the following foreign airlines with nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia:

• Boston (BOS) – Hong Kong (HKG)
• Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG)
• New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE)
• New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE)
• Honolulu (HNL) – Manila (MNL)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Manila (MNL)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Manila (MNL)
• New York (JFK) – Manila (MNL)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN)
• New York (JFK) – Singapore (SIN)
• Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
• Seattle (SEA) – Singapore (SIN)

Here are the U.S. airlines offering nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia:

• Newark (EWR) – Hong Kong (HKG)

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights

Because of the diverse route network of connecting flights from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, you can utilize an endless number of award programs.

We’ve analyzed all the booking programs and come up with the best frequent flyer programs to focus on when booking flights.

Regarding award redemptions to Asia, few programs are as valuable as the All Nippon Airways frequent flyer program, Mileage Club . This loyalty program has incredible redemption rates, particularly for business class redemptions. It also features a great set of routing rules and excellent access to Southeast Asian routes from major U.S. hubs.

ANA has several award booking restrictions; you cannot book one-way flights using miles. Depending on which airline you fly, ANA may also pass on fuel surcharges. Even so, paying a couple hundred dollars in fuel surcharges is worth saving tens of thousands of points.

With ANA being a member of Star Alliance, you can fly to Southeast Asia on partner airlines, including United Airlines and EVA Air.

ANA has a few award charts, including 1 for ANA-operated flights and a separate award chart for partner awards. For awards operated by ANA, prices are subject to seasonal fluctuations. Flights operated by partner airlines are not subject to seasonal pricing.

ANA divides Asia into 2 main regions, as Southeast Asia is a massive region. You can find the zone definitions here. It is worth noting that there are Southeast Asian destinations in both zones, with Hong Kong and Manila being in Asia 1 (Zone 3). Most of Southeast Asia is in Asia 2 (Zone 4).

Here are ANA’s award charts:

• ANA-operated flights (subject to seasonality rules)
• ANA partner-operated flights

Mileage requirements are typically lower on flights ANA operates, particularly during the low season. However, this can vary on certain routes.

For example, if you wanted to fly between Indonesia (Zone 4) and the U.S (Zone 6), you’d pay:

• 100,000 to 115,000 ANA miles for ANA business class through Tokyo (HND or NRT)
• 136,000 ANA miles for partner business class through Tokyo (HND or NRT)

Here is the ANA partner award chart for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 1 (Zone 3) and Asia 2 (Zone 4):

Conversely, flights operated by ANA are subject to seasonal pricing. Pricing is lowest during the low season (L) and highest during the high season (H). Regular season (R) pricing is somewhere between.

Here is the award pricing for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 1 (Zone 3):

Here is the award pricing for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 2 (Zone 4):

ANA’s mileage scheme is a bit complex, but those who take the time to learn the ins and outs of ANA Mileage Club will reap the rewards of very cheaply priced award flights.

If you’re not willing to fly on ANA business class, check out some other partners that will be useful in planning your Southeast Asia itineraries:

• Air China (via Beijing (PEK))
• Air India (via Delhi (DEL) or Mumbai (BOM))
• Asiana Airlines (via Seoul (ICN))
• EVA Air (via Taipei (TPE))
• Garuda Indonesia (via Jakarta (CGK) or Bali (DPS)
• Philippine Airlines (via Manila (MNL))
• Singapore Airlines (via Singapore (SIN), Tokyo (NRT), or Hong Kong (HKG))
• THAI Airways (via Bangkok (BKK))
• United Airlines

By putting all of this knowledge together, let’s talk about some excellent routes you can take:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK) – Singapore (SIN)  round-trip in Air China and  Singapore Airlines first class for 240,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Manila (MNL)  round-trip in Philippines Airlines business class for 95,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
• Seattle (SEA) – Taipei (TPE) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip in EVA Air business class for 136,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (NRT) – Manila (MNL) round-trip in ANA business class during low season for 80,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees

ANA Mileage Club allows for open-jaws and stopovers for itineraries booked using ANA miles.

Here are the steps you can take to begin booking your flights with ANA miles:

• If you are searching for flights on Star Alliance partners , you can use ANA’s website directly.
• On the right side of the top banner of ANA’s website, click  ANA Mileage Club.
• Click  International on the left side of the following page. Then, click  Award Reservation .
• Log in with your ANA member number and password.
• Type in your cities, travel dates, class of service, number of passengers, and click Search.
• Once you’ve found award availability, you’ll want to transfer your points. Be sure to incorporate any transfer times into your booking.
• Click on the flights you want.
• If searching for award space separately from ANA, such as through ExpertFlyer , call ANA at 800-235-9262 after finding availability for your desired flights.
• Confirm your reservation and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Mileage Plan Miles

There are several ways to earn ANA miles . The easiest way is with transfer partners. ANA Mileage Club is a transfer partner of  American Express Membership Rewards  and  Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex is a 1:1 transfer partner with ANA, and transfers typically take 2 to 3 business days to complete.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers to ANA at a 3:1 ratio and can take up to 7 business days. You also receive an additional 5,000 ANA miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

• Amex Platinum 150k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of The Amex Platinum
• How to Use 100,000 Amex Platinum Points
• Amex Platinum Card Requirements
• American Express Platinum Military Benefits
• Amex Platinum and Business Platinum Lounge Access
• Amex Platinum Benefits for Authorized Users
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

American Express ® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com , Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash : get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees )
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
• Access to American Express transfer partners
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Find the Amex Gold 75k or 90k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Amex Gold
• Upgrade Amex Gold to Amex Platinum
• Amex Gold Benefits for Military
• Amex Gold vs Blue Cash Preferred
• Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold
• Amex Gold vs Delta Gold

American Airlines AAdvantage is excellent for award flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Although the program has undergone significant devaluations over the years, it provides a ton of value, thanks to its partners.

American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance . Notable Asian partners include Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines. By strategically leveraging these partners, you can piece together an itinerary to Southeast Asia much quicker than usual.

For its own flights, American Airlines uses a dynamic pricing model. Award pricing varies significantly from day to day. Here is the award chart for American Airlines-operated flights:

However, partner awards with American’s AAdvantage miles are not subject to dynamic pricing, unlike American’s own flights. The simple award chart lets you know exactly how many miles you need for a redemption.

American Airlines divides Asia into 2 regions, with all of Southeast Asia in Asia Region 2. Here is the award pricing for partner-operated flights to Asia from the U.S.:

Unfortunately, American AAdvantage does not allow stopovers or open-jaws on award tickets. If you want to stopover in a certain country, you must pay the mileage price for each segment.

Neither Cathay Pacific (based in Hong Kong) nor Japan Airlines (based in Tokyo) offers first class flights from their hub airports to destinations in Southeast Asia, so your connecting segment to your final destination in Southeast Asia will, at best, be in business class. However, American Airlines partners Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines offer fantastic long-haul products.

Keep in mind that American Airlines only allows trans-Pacific routes from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, meaning you won’t be able to fly the long way across the Atlantic to get there.

Here are some great example routes you can take while trying 2 distinct premium cabin products:

• Dallas (DFW) – Tokyo (NRT) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) one-way on Japan Airlines business class and Malaysia Airlines business class for 70,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (NRT) – Hanoi (HAN)  one-way on Japan Airlines first class and business class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali (DPS) one-way on Cathay Pacific first class and Cathay Pacific business class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees

To book an award using American Airlines miles, follow these steps:

• Visit the  American Airlines website .
• Log in using your AA username and password.
• In the search box, check off the box that says  Redeem Miles .
• Enter the departure city, destination city, travel dates, and number of passengers.
• Click  Search .
• Complete the booking 100% online by using your miles and a credit card for taxes and fees.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles  is relatively easy, thanks to Citi and Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards and several transfer partners.

The American AAdvantage program is a transfer partner of Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Bilt Rewards is a 1:1 transfer partner, and transfers from Bilt take around 1 business day. Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner, and  transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 2 business days.

Air Canada Aeroplan is another fantastic frequent flyer program to consider for partner awards. Over the years, the program has made significant changes.

The Aeroplan program offers some award redemption rates and has plenty of airline partners. The program does not pass on fuel surcharges and allows for stopovers on bookings, including one-way award tickets.

Aeroplan uses a zone-based award chart for Star Alliance partner awards and takes the total distance flown into pricing. Award pricing increases the farther you fly as you fall into a new distance band.

Aeroplan divides the world into 4 distinct travel zones: North America, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and South America. The U.S. is placed in the North America zone, and the entirety of Southeast Asia is in the Pacific zone.

As pricing depends on the total distance flown, Aeroplan’s distance-based award chart favors those on the West Coast of the U.S. Here is the award pricing for flights between the North America and Pacific zones.

For example, a United-operated flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong can be booked for 75,000 Aeroplan points one-way in business class as the total distance flown is 6,927 miles.

However, the flight distance between Newark and Hong Kong is 8,065 miles, which places this route in the next distance band. The Newark-to-Hong Kong flight would be priced at 87,500 miles one-way in business class.

Best of all, Aeroplan allows for stopovers, including one-way redemptions. Stopovers can be booked for 5,000 points. However, you should factor in the total distance flown, as award pricing increases if you fall into the next distance band.

• Chicago (ORD) – New Delhi (DEL) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Air India business class with a stopover in India for 92,500 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Taipei (TPE) – Hanoi (HAN) one-way in EVA Air business class with a stopover in Taipei for 92,500 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in United economy class with a stopover in Hong Kong for 65,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (NRT) – Da Nang (DAD) one-way in ANA first class and business class with a stopover in Tokyo for 130,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees

As you can imagine, there’s a huge list of possible routes. Thanks to Aeroplan’s numerous partners, you have a great selection of airlines, including United, EVA Air, and Singapore Airlines.

Here are the steps you’ll take to book using Aeroplan points:

• Visit Air Canada Aeroplan .
• Click Log in on the top-right corner of the homepage. Type your Aeroplan number followed by your password. Click  Enter to log in.
• On the homepage, toggle the slider bar that says  Points within the main search box.
• Fill in the search details, including travel date(s), trip type ( one-way , round trip , or multi-city ), destination and origin cities, and the number of travelers.
• Search for the flights you want to book. Complete the booking by redeeming your Aeroplan points and paying taxes and fees.

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan Points

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan points is relatively simple, as the program is a transfer partner with nearly every major credit card program. Aeroplan is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Miles.

Aeroplan is also a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to Aeroplan; for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred, you get a 5,000-mile bonus.

Recommended Capital One Cards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Add authorized users for no additional annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Capital One Miles

• Benefits of the Capital One Venture X Card
• Best Ways to Use Venture X Points
• Capital One Venture X Credit Score and Approval Odds
• Capital One Venture X Lounge Access
• Capital One Venture X Travel Insurance Benefits
• Capital One Venture vs Venture X
• Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Best Credit Cards with Priority Access
• Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
• Best Capital One Credit Cards
• Best Luxury and Premium Credit Cards
• Best Metal Credit Cards
• Best High Limit Credit Cards
• Choice Privileges Loyalty Program Review

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Access to Capital One transfer partners
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• How To Find the 75k or 100k Bonus for the Capital One Venture
• Travel Insurance Benefits of the Capital One Venture
• Capital One Venture Card vs. Capital One VentureOne Card [Detailed Comparison]
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Everyday Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets
• Best Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
• Capital One vs. Citi Credit Cards – Which Is Best? [2024]
• Recommended Minimum Requirements for Capital One Credit Cards

Another excellent Star Alliance member program that offers solid redemption options is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer . Known for its luxurious business class and over-the-top first class products, Singapore Airlines offers one of the best ways to fly to Southeast Asia. Since it is based in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore, it’s one of the absolute best candidates to traverse Southeast Asia.

The KrisFlyer program still uses award charts, so you know exactly how many miles you need for an award redemption. However, there are different award charts for Singapore-operated flights, Star Alliance, and other nonalliance partner award flights. The award chart for Singapore-operated flights can be found here .

Previously, you could only book Singapore Airlines awards with KrisFlyer miles. However, that has changed, and other programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, can now do so.

Regarding awards, Singapore Airlines has 2 redemption prices: Saver and Advantage. Saver awards cost fewer miles, but award space is generally much more difficult to find. Advantage awards cost more miles but provide more award availability.

Singapore Airlines enjoys an incredibly versatile route network, thanks to its centralized home airport in Southeast Asia.

Interested in flying with Singapore Airlines? Check out our definitive guide to Singapore Airlines direct routes from the U.S. with plane types and seat options .

Here are some Singapore Airlines routes you can take to Southeast Asia:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 107,000 KrisFlyer miles
• New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Singapore Suites for 148,500 KrisFlyer miles
• Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN) – Siem Reap (REP) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 111,500 KrisFlyer miles
• San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN) – Mandalay (MDL)  one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 107,000 KrisFlyer miles

Another important part of the KrisFlyer program is stopovers. Singapore allows stopovers on award tickets, but the rules vary depending on the award ticket you book.

Saver award tickets allow for 1 stopover on a round-trip ticket, and Advantage award tickets allow for 1 stopover on a one-way ticket and 2 on a round-trip ticket. To take advantage of the KrisFlyer stopover program, Singapore Airlines must operate all flights.

Here’s how you can book your KrisFlyer itinerary:

• Visit Singapore Airlines .
• Log in to your Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer account.
• Click  Redeem Flights .
• Select your dates of travel and airports.
• Choose your booking class by selecting either  Business  or  First/Suites if you’re a premium cabin traveler.
• Choose your flight and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning Singapore KrisFlyer Miles

There are several ways to earn KrisFlyer miles ; however, using its credit card transfer partners is the easiest way.

Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of nearly every major transferable currency: American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi all transfer at a 1:1 rate — transfers typically take 1 to 2 days.

Krisflyer is also a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 rate., You receive a 5,000 KrisFlyer miles bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. Transfers take up to 2 business days to complete.

Lastly, we thought we would include at least 1 SkyTeam option on this list. China Airlines, with its hub in Taipei, offers several nonstop flights to U.S. destinations. The best way to book these awards is with the Air France-KLM Flying Blue loyalty program .

Flying Blue utilizes dynamic pricing and does not have a set award chart. This means that award prices fluctuate . Despite using dynamic pricing, Flying Blue tends to have some of the best pricing for SkyTeam awards. Best of all, award space tends to be plentiful.

Air France-KLM does pass on fuel surcharges on award tickets, which can be a few hundred dollars for an award ticket.

You can search for award availability directly through the Air France-KLM site and book awards entirely online. When searching for award space through the Air France or KLM website, you’ll only see availability for a few days at a time. Leave the travel dates blank if you want to utilize a calendar view for award space .

To book an Air France-KLM award, follow these steps:

• Go to the  Air France website .
• In the top right corner, click  My Account  and log in with your  Username  and  Password .
• After logging in and being returned to the homepage, click  Use Your Miles .
• Type in your airport information, dates, number of passengers, and class type.
• Select your flights and pay for any taxes and fees.

Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for maximum value.

Earning Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program is a transfer partner of several major credit card rewards programs, including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All the points transfer to Flying Blue at a 1:1 rate, except for Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers to Flying Blue at a 3:1 ratio. For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you receive a 5,000-mile bonus.

In all, we’ve presented a vast list of ways you can use points to fly to Southeast Asia. We analyzed comprehensive route information from the 3 major alliances in this guide: Star Alliance , Oneworld , and SkyTeam . With a huge list of excellent airlines, you’ll be sure to find an itinerary that fits your needs to help plan and guide your travel.

You now know the absolute best ways to fly to Southeast Asia using points and miles.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Which points programs transfer to air canada aeroplan.

Aeroplan is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All points transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, except for Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. For every 60,000 points you transfer, you get a 5,000-point Aeroplan bonus.

What is the fewest number of miles you can use to book an economy class award flight to Southeast Asia?

You can pay as little as 45,000 ANA miles to book round-trip economy using ANA miles. ANA is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Can I use American Airlines miles to fly to Southeast Asia?

Yes, you can use American Airlines miles to fly to Southeast Asia. Since American Airlines is a member of Oneworld, you can use AA miles to fly on any of its partners. American Airlines has an award chart for partner awards.

What are the best business class airlines to fly to Southeast Asia?

Some of the best business class airlines flying from the U.S. to Southeast Asia are ANA, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.

Check out our post on the best international business class airlines in the world to learn more.

What are the best first class airlines to fly to Southeast Asia?

Some of the best first class airlines flying to Southeast Asia are ANA, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. However, airlines change routes and aircraft, and not all options will include first class.

To learn more about the best international first class airlines , check out our post.

Was this page helpful?

About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

12 things to know before going to Bali, Indonesia

Jan 18, 2024 • 8 min read

These top tips for visiting Bali can help you plan the perfect trip © Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

The Indonesian island of Bali is a sun-soaked paradise that attracts every type of traveler, from budget-conscious backpackers to luxury jet-setters.

But – as with any destination – the vast majority of travelers (especially first-timers) will have a number of questions, whether it's "Can unmarried couples stay together in Bali?" (an increasingly common one in the light of recently-introduced new rules for tourists in Bali, which we'll get to later) or "What should I wear?"

Thankfully, Bali is one of the easiest destinations to explore, although its size – the island covers 5776 sq km (2230 sq miles) – means travelers should take the time to think about what they want to see and do relatively early on. For example, places such as Seminyak , with its beach clubs and five-star hotels, tend to become somewhat crowded during peak season, while more rural destinations, such as Ubud , might well require a longer taxi journey  but are absolutely worth the effort, especially for those keen to avoid the crowds.

It's also worth bearing in mind that Bali is one of Asia's safest destinations. As with any holiday hot spot, there are always going to be certain things we can do to ensure we stay safe while traveling, but crackdowns on petty theft and bad behavior have all helped transform the island into a wonderfully family-friendly destination .

Here are our top tips for anyone heading to Bali.

1. Check your vaccinations are up-to-date before traveling to Indonesia

There are no mandatory vaccinations for visitors to Bali (barring the need for travelers arriving from countries with a high yellow fever transmission risk to carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate), although Hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are often recommended. Bali falls into the "low to no risk" category when it comes to malaria.

Rabies remains a big problem in Indonesia, and although it claims fewer lives in Bali than elsewhere (according to the World Health Organization, 11 people died from rabies in the first half of 2023), it still exists, and the rabies vaccination is worth considering. Working out what vaccinations you need for a holiday to Bali is mostly a personal choice, but if you have concerns, contact your local physician for the latest guidance.

2. Bring a reusable bottle

One of the most asked questions by tourists: "Is Bali's tap water safe to drink?" The short answer is "no." Stick to bottled water or, better still, bring a bottle with a built-in water filtering membrane. Purchasing bottled water – especially in restaurants – can quickly become expensive, which is another reason we're fans of reusable filtered ones, such as Larq and Lifestraw. These are also handy when it comes to purifying water used for cleaning fruits and vegetables. Additionally, try to steer clear of ice and use bottled water to brush your teeth.

3. Don't write off the rainy season

Having a rough idea of when dry and rainy seasons fall is undoubtedly something that is useful to know before heading to Indonesia . But bear with us – Bali's rainy season, which takes place between October and April, is a great time to visit. It's typified by short, sharp showers that often only last a few minutes. And in addition to the fact that prices for everything – from regional airfares to hotels – plummet, the island becomes wonderfully lush, the weather is still warm (typically hovering between 24°C/75°F and 29°C/85°F), and the main tourist attractions are blissfully crowd-free. You'll also find it easier to snap up places on excursions, such as snorkeling tours and guided hikes.

4. Buy some bug spray

To be clear, Bali doesn't have a major mosquito problem, but like anywhere in Southeast Asia, these pesky biting bugs love the occasional bloodsucking session – in the case of Bali, particularly during the rainy season between November and April. Lighten the load on your wallet by purchasing your repellent in Bali and opting for bug sprays made in Asia. Popular (and much cheaper) Asian brands you'll find throughout Indonesia include Soffell (snap up the surprisingly pleasant floral-scented version if you can).

5. Avoid traveling during peak times

Traffic in Bali can be horrendous – especially around busier spots such as Denpasar and Kuta – and estimated journey times on apps like Google Maps or Grab are notoriously unreliable. Peak times tend to be 6am to 8am (but roads often remain busy until 10am when day-trippers head out) and 4pm to 7pm. Allow plenty of time to get from A to B, especially when heading to the airport.

6. Pack clothes that will cover you up for when you're not on the beach

In Bali, skimpy swimwear is fine for the beach, but definitely not for trips to a supermarket or restaurant.

Men and women need to ensure their shoulders and upper legs are covered when visiting religious sites, although most of these places will have sarongs for visitors to borrow. Pack like a pro by taking a light cotton scarf that can double as a sarong if you visit a temple or other religious site, and a pair of light cotton trousers (bonus points if they've got a built-in mosquito repellent), which will protect you from bites while also providing enough coverage at sites where tiny denim shorts or a vest just won't cut it.

7. Behave respectfully

Various media reports might give the impression it's easy to get into trouble in Bali, but it's not. In reality, you just need to be sensible: don't do drugs (being caught with under a gram of cannabis will land you in prison), be respectful and dress appropriately at religious sites, don't ride a motorbike or moped without a helmet (Bali's police have recently started cracking down especially hard on foreign moped drivers), and treat locals with respect.

8. Locals will be keen to share their knowledge with you

Staying at a hotel with a concierge or a friendly receptionist? Feel free to grill them about the best local bar, beach or restaurant. The Balinese are incredibly proud of their island  – don't be surprised if the bartender at your favorite beach bar ends up inviting you to their home for dinner with their family – and love nothing more than telling visitors about their favorite beach, nature walk or temple.

9. Eat, drink, stay and shop locally

Don't be afraid to go local, whether this means eating at tiny family-run restaurants or opting for local drink brands. You'll pay less and enjoy delicious local dishes, and you'll be contributing directly to the local economy, too. These days, even the smallest restaurants, bars and independent hotels will be listed on online review sites such as Zomato (especially popular in Asia), and a quick glance should tell you whether the business in question is reputable or not.

10. Carry some loose change

Many businesses in Bali will take payment by card, but there are still plenty of places that only take cash. These include temples, smaller souvenir shops and beachfront masseuses (which, by the way, offer some of the best massages going). ATMs on the island can be unreliable and are also few and far between in some areas. Additionally, don't assume you'll always have the mobile data you'll need to book a ride-share taxi. If you need to hail a tuk-tuk or taxi from the side of the road, it's highly likely you'll need to pay in cash.

When using ATMs, opt for ones connected with major banks (in Indonesia, these include BNI, Bank Mandiri, BCA and CIMB Niaga) to avoid withdrawal fees and remember that Indonesian ATMs issue the cash first, so don't forget to wait for your card to appear.

11. Get around by moped (but always wear a helmet)

Mopeds are the cheapest way to get around Bali  and often – especially during rush hour in places such as Kuta – the quickest, too. They're also offered as a mode of transport by Grab and Gojek (Bali's most popular ride-sharing apps), and prices for journeys via mopeds are significantly cheaper than those made by car. Just remember to check the reviews of your chosen driver and always wear a helmet (the driver will typically provide one). Avoid hailing scooter taxis on the street – you won't be able to check their credentials, and, in reality, Grab and Gojek have so many scooter drivers (both identifiable for their bright green jackets) that there's simply no need.

12. There is a no-sex-before-marriage law

In December 2022, the Indonesian government brought in a new law that forbids sex outside of marriage. Technically, this law applies to visitors as well as locals.

At the time, it was announced that the legislation won't be introduced until late 2025. Since then, Bali's governor has said that the law – dubbed by some newspapers as the "Bali bonk ban"– won't apply to tourists and, additionally, guilty parties can only be reported by spouses, parents or children. In summary, the law represents a worrying development for human rights in Indonesia, but it's not one that is likely to affect tourists.

This article was first published May 2019 and updated January 2024

Explore related stories

Apr 22, 2024 • 6 min read

Whether you're heading over for diving, beach-hopping or taking in a sunset view - here are the top places to go while you're in the Gili Islands.

Apr 21, 2024 • 6 min read

Apr 18, 2024 • 5 min read

Jan 17, 2024 • 6 min read

Jan 2, 2024 • 8 min read

Dec 7, 2023 • 10 min read

Dec 2, 2023 • 7 min read

Nov 28, 2023 • 5 min read

Nov 6, 2023 • 15 min read

• Destination Guides

Indonesia: Bali Travel Guide | Itineraries and Highlights

Bali is an Indonesian archipelago island with all kinds of natural beauty in addition to its magical temples and beautiful beaches. The island is famous but not a country; Bali is part of Indonesia!

Most visitors to Indonesia only linger on Bali , so there is sometimes confusion about the island’s status.

Bali: the must-sees

Ubud and its surroundings.

Ubud is located in the heart of Bali and will serve as a base to visit the surrounding area.

Lempuyang Temple is best known for its “Gates of Heaven” which are perfectly aligned with the Agung volcano in the background. The light of the rising sun on this temple makes particularly beautiful pictures ; reason why I suggest you to go there very early.

However, there is no mass of water in front of the doors of the temple for reflection as we can sometimes see on social networks; the image is created with a mirror!

You will all need to put on a sarong to explore this sacred place, no matter what you are wearing. Shoulders should also be covered when visiting the site.

Then, Taman Tirta Gangga is a former royal palace with beautiful water fields where you can see giant water lilies and huge goldfish. A little further on, there is the Pura Tita Empul which is a water temple where you can observe the locals during their purification rituals.

If you feel like visiting another impressive temple in Bali , I would add Pura Ulun Danu Bratan which is north of Ubud. That one is very picturesque and is located on a lake.

On your second day in Ubud, a short hike up Mount Batur is a must for sunrise. The views on the top of this volcano are majestic when the first rays pierce the sky while we take our lunch.

The climb takes about 2 hours depending on your physical fittness and is done in the dark of course; you should expect to leave Ubud around 2:30 am.

In the afternoon, after a massage or after a nap to recover from that early wake up call to climb Mount Batur, you should not miss the rice terraces in Tegallalang in the east or Jatiluwih in the northwest. You can walk around and when you gaze upon them, you’ll think “this is Bali “.

Finally, in Ubud itself, you will not miss the opportunity to see monkeys everywhere. In fact, there is a sacred monkey sanctuary that is worth a visit, but the monkeys wander around town as well. The sanctuary is more than a tourist attraction, it is also a place of research and conservation of wildlife.

Be careful with your belongings, monkeys are kleptomaniacs.

For a local market experience in Bali , take a trip to the Ubud Traditional Art Market and its many small alleys; you will find more authentic items than in Kuta.

Before leaving Ubud, take time to enjoy a traditional Balinese dance performance or a flower bath at a spa.

Uluwatu and Jimbaran

The Uluwatu region is located on the Bukit Badung peninsula in the south of Bali ; you can find splendid cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean as well as beautiful beaches.

At the western end of the peninsula lies the Pura Luhur Ulwatu temple which is a great place to watch the sunset and the waves hitting the walls; the building is not as impressive as its counterparts in Bali , but its location is top notch.

Every evening, the traditional Balinese dance show takes place at the Uluwatu temple.

To relax, take a trip to Jimbaran Bay or Padang Padang beach which became very famous after the success of the movie Eat, Pray, Love.

The seafood restaurants in Jimbaran are also very tasty and I enjoyed walking along the waterfront at the end of the day.

The Gili Islands

The atmosphere in Bali is more “chaotic” since it is very touristy; a little trip to the Gili Islands can be perfect for a change of scenery.

These islands are known for their white sandy beaches and are accessible by speedboat which will take around 2 hours from Bali at a cost of $20 to $30 per person. Public ferries are much less expensive, but you will waste a lot of time.

There are three islands that offer different atmospheres in Gili:

• Gili Trawanga

When we want to enjoy the beach or yoga, we will better served with Gili Air. It is a place that offers a little bit of everything.

Gili Trawanga or simply “Gili T” is the one that is most alive for nightlife. Also, Gili T is the place of choice to see giant sea turtles while snorkeling or on the beach.

Finally, Gili Meno is the island for couples who prefer to relax in a beautiful setting and have a romantic getaway, away from the party people. For a romantic getaway or for a wedding around Bali , my preference is Gili Meno.

What to do specifically in Gili? Spend time in the water! The underwater life is very colorful! Near Gili Meno, there is an area with several underwater statues and lots of fish at Turtle Point.

The Nusa Islands

The Nusa Islands near Bali are a good alternative to disconnect when you lack time to go to the Gili Islands. Indeed, a (very long) day trip can be done independently or on an organized tour.

The natural landscapes of Nusa are breathtaking; these small islands off Bali are simply beautiful with their greenery and turquoise sea. Underwater, the coral reefs are thriving with life as well; if you are lucky, you may even swim with manta rays and sea turtles. However, the currents can be strong in this area.

There is a lot of hiking up and down in Nusa, but your efforts will be rewarded with great views or crystal clear beaches.

The most popular points of interest are:

• Angel’s Billabong
• Broken Beach
• Crystal Bay
• Kelingking Beach
• Sampalan Beach

My favorite viewpoint is the Thousand Islands Viewpoint and its T-Rex.

Seminyak, Legian and Kuta

To end your Bali holiday, spend a day or two in Seminyak, Legian or Kuta; these places are very touristy, but they are well located for a return home. Indeed, the traffic in Bali can be quite heavy so it is better not to have to be on the run from Nusa or Gili!

In this area, there are a lot of restaurants and the atmosphere is very Westernized; we only stayed for a day/evening before our outbound flight and we spent most of our time at the spa getting pampered and massaged!

Organize your trip to Bali

When is the best time to visit bali.

The best time to discover the beautiful island of Bali is during the months of May, June and September; a period that shoulders the high season of July and August.

The temperature will be ideal to explore the island while avoiding the crowds especially in Kuta, Sanur and Seminyak; it is the dry season. This destination is very popular with travelers from Australia; Bali is their favorite exotic place to escape the winter weather of July and August.

The rainy season is from November to March.

Do I need a visa to visit Bali?

Canadians require a visa to enter Indonesia and Bali , but this can also be obtained upon arrival at certain ports of entry such as Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS).

How long does it take to visit Bali?

You can visit the main points of interest on Bali with only one week since the island is not very big.

However, I suggest at least 10 days (and even 2 weeks) to have time to enjoy the paradisiacal beaches, to immerse yourself in the Balinese culture, to contemplate the temples at sunset, to relax or to have plenty of cheap massages and to visit the neighboring islands of Gili and Nusa.

Here is an example of an itinerary to travel around Bali with a good combination of culture, temples, beaches, greenery and beautiful landscapes :

• Ubud : 3 nights
• Jimbaran and Uluwatu : 2 nights
• Gili Islands : 3 nights
• Nusa : 2 nights
• Seminyak : 1 night

The order indicated is important in terms of travel logistics. Indeed, upon arriving at the airport, we start by basing ourselves in the center of Bali in Ubud before exploring Jimbaran in the south of the island. Then, from there, you can take a boat to reach the Gili Islands to the east and return through Nusa to finish the trip in Seminyak which is not too far from the airport.

My personal favorites spots are Ubud and Nusa.

Are credit cards accepted in Bali?

For hotels, there is no issues when you book online. So make sure you choose the right card to avoid currency exchange fees and get the best points multiplier !

Many restaurants and some businesses accept credit cards, but there is sometimes a 2-3% fee for its use. Indeed, Bali is still a place where cash is king . So, I suggest you always keep some cash with you in case you want a spontaneous $8 massage or drink a $1 coconut while walking on the beach!

To get the best exchange rate in Bali , it is recommended to make withdrawals at an ATM.

I had several bad experiences with local currency exchange offices that tried to rip me off; the clerk would count the money in front of me, but when I took them in my hands, he would quickly (and very subtly) remove some bills.

I recounted in front of him without understanding why there was missing bills until I realized what he was doing and confronted him. Always recount the money you are given in front of the clerk!

Unfortunately, this happened several times in Bali , but I was well aware of the modus operandi . However, this kind of scam is not unique to Bali and can happen anywhere.

How to get to Bali without breaking the bank ?

Although Bali is a budget travel destination, this is not necessarily the case for airfare.

In my experience, Bali is a place where it is important to understand the rules in order to get there cheap; Bali ‘s airport is relatively close to all the hubs in Asia, including Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok.

The political situation in Taiwan is more fragile at the moment; it may be wiser to avoid Taipei at this time.

Aeroplan points

Bali airport is served by several Star Alliance members, including EVA Air and Singapore Airlines , and since June 1, 2023, by Emirates A380 service.

Economy-class flights are relatively easy to find on Aeroplan , but business-class availability is rarer on partner airlines from Dubai.

So if your goal is to go to Bali in business class, you’ll need to get a head start and play with tools like ExpertFlyer to find seats on the flights you want.

Aeroplan members can also combine flights with Air Canada and emirates to reach their destination. They can earn Aeroplan points by flying with Emirates and redeem them for an award flight.

There are two ways to approach this route with Aeroplan points.

• Going directly to Bali
• Go to a hub

For a beginner, collecting around 100,000 Aeroplan points can be done easily with just one card! For example, the ® * Aeroplan ® Reserve Card" href="https://milesopedia.com/en/go/amex-aeroplan-reserve/">American Express ® Aeroplan ® * Reserve Card or the ® Aeroplan ® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card" href="https://milesopedia.com/en/go/td-aeroplan-visa-infinite-privilege-card-qc/">TD ® Aeroplan ® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card allow it; even though these cards have a high annual fee, think of it more as the price you pay for earning those points… thus the cost of your flight! 599$ to travel to Asia and Bali is not expensive!

Plus, you’ll get many benefits with these premium credit cards!

A flight to Bali

With the Aeroplan reward chart , we need to use a tool like GCMap to draw our route.

In fact, the best Aeroplan price for flying to Bali is 60,000 points for a one-way ticket or 120,000 points for a round trip in economy class.

When we do the YUL-EWR/JFK-SIN-DPS route, we get to 10,925 miles traveled so just under the 11,000 mile mark.

However, we have one more layover as well as the inconvenience of having to change airports between EWR and JFK. This can also be an opportunity to take a little side trip to New York for a few hours!

A more direct route with only 3 flight segments is possible via Europe or Los Angeles and San Francisco . However, these routes are slightly over 11,000 miles (75 miles over). Consequently, these flights to Bali will be 15,000 points more expensive per direction.

Since you will have expenses to change airports in New York , it may be better to pay a little more in points to get to Bali more comfortably. It’s up to you to decide what’s best for your situation.

In both cases, you can take advantage of the Aeroplan stop for an additional 5,000 points, provided it is not in North America. So look into to Paris , Munich or Singapore on your way to Bali!

A flight to a hub

Another way to use Aeroplan points to get to Bali is to look for availability to a hub like Singapore. Then, you can take a low-cost airline for the last segment to Bali . Mathematically and logistically, this is the better strategy in my opinion.

In the previous section, we established that a round trip flight (economy class) to Bali is between 120,000 and 150,000 points per person depending on the itinerary chosen.

However, you can reach Singapore for less than 100,000 Aeroplan points without much hassle.

Then, round-trip lowcost flights between Singapore and Bali vary around $200.

So by going to a hub and forking out $200 for a low-cost , you can easily save 30,000 to 50,000 Aeroplan points. Depending on our valuation , these points represent $600 to $1,000.

Finally, another advantage of doing this is that you can make an Aeroplan stopover between Montreal and your hub. Then, spend as many days as you want in the latter before reaching Bali . In a way, you will have two stopovers!

With Avios miles

Since OneWorld is very dominant in Asia, using Avios miles may be more affordable especially if you want to fly in business class at a fixed cost, to try out several airlines or to make several stops.

Indeed, OneWorld’s multi-partner fixed pricing is particularly interesting in this situation.

A search on Flight Connections will quickly show you the routes available to Bali with OneWorld.

For example, the following itinerary would be subject to a fixed cost of 120,000 Avios miles in economy class or 240,000 miles in business class.

Compared to Aeroplan, we needed at least 120,000 Aeroplan points to reach Bali . In contrast, the Aeroplan business class partner fare costs 230,000 points. So we are in the same price range for these award tickets.

In Canada, Avios miles are easily obtained with cards at RBC , HSBC and American Express . The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card earns Avios miles while other cards gives you points that can be transferred . Check out the best credit card offers for Avios.

Finally, there are often transfer bonuses to Avios , so subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out!

With Asia Miles

Another program to consider for travel to Bali is Cathay Pacific Asia Miles . With the latter, you can reach Bali in Qsuite with only one stopover from Montreal on Qatar Airways ! In business class, the fare will be 180,000 Asia Miles for roundtrip travel.

Just like with Avios, it is possible to use Asia Miles to build a multi-partner OneWorld itinerary. It is therefore especially interesting when you want to make a more complex trip with stops here and there.

To earn Asia Miles, you can earn them directly with the RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum Card . Otherwise, there are several transfer partners with HSBC , American Express and Marriott Bonvoy .

Aeroplan, Avios or Asia Miles: which is better for a trip to Bali? It will depend on the points you have or can accumulate, the availability of flights and the routes you want.

Travel points

I’m very familiar with planning trips to Asia; from what I’ve seen, prices have really gone up since the pandemic and Revenge Travel . Of course, there are still bargains here and there that pop up, but they are very rare or involve a lot of unwanted stops.

So, to go to Bali , I now advise against the cash back and travel points strategy, but rather with Avios miles or Aeroplan points.

Obviously, always do your research with Google Flights and valuation calculations before making a decision; flexible currencies such as membership rewards points are to be favored since they allow you to pay in cash and get reimbursed as well as transfer them and pay in airline points.

How to get around in Bali?

Rent a motorcycle.

This alternative may seem very adventurous, but the best way to get around Bali is to do as the locals do… by motorcycle! Obviously, this is not an option with young children, but for a couple’s trip or with friends, it’s freedom at a low price!

You can even make the reservation online on this site (affiliated link with Klook?) and pay with your credit card without any foreign exchange fees . I recommend this site for its reliability, good reviews and good rates.

Indeed, you can rent a motorcycle in Bali for IDR 50,000 to IDR 80,000 per day, that is $4 and $7! For a long-term rental, you can also negotiate a lower price. Then you have to add to that price the cost of gasoline, which is a hefty $2 a day.

Police officers occasionally stop tourists to ask for their driver’s license. Beware of scams by corrupt police officers.

Transport mobile apps

The two main apps for rides are Gojek and Grab ; Uber is not really a favorite in Bali .

With Grab, you can even get the services of a driver for a few hours and visit the entire island of Bali !

Both are similar, but some will prefer the interface of one more than the other. So I suggest you download both applications and try them out. Then, if you can’t find a car on one of them, look for on the other!

Hire a driver or a cab

Personally, I never looked into car rental in Bali, because motorcycles are so cheap as well as renting a car with driver for the day. It is very practical for families as you can go at your children’s pace while being guided by a local.

You will have to negotiate, but it is common to hire a driver to visit Bali at a cost of $20 – $40 for a period of 8 to 10 hours. However, most of the payment will be taken in cash.

Street cabs are also an option, but be prepared to haggle; even if you are not talented in this aspect, it is not very expensive in general.

Keep in touch with your driver on WhatsApp; it’s a good way to call him/her if you ever need transportation again in Bali !

Where to stay in Bali?

For people looking for luxury at low prices (or free with Rewards Points), Bali is the destination of choice, as it is a budget travel destination. Indeed, there is something for everyone’s wallet, but staying in a 5-star hotel for the same price as a regular establishment in New York is largely possible.

Marriott Bonvoy Hotels

Bali is a sweetspot with Marriott Bonvoy, and their properties are in prime locations in Kuta and Ubud; there are plenty of low-cost hotels in the chain.

Depending on current promotions, you can easily earn enough Marriott Bonvoy points to stay up to 18 free nights in Bali with the Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® * Card and the Marriott Bonvoy ® Business American Express ® * Card .

With two people, we can consider staying more than a month in this paradise for a total of $540 in contributions thanks to the generous welcome bonuses (2 cards with fees of $120 each and 2 cards of $150)!

36 nights for $540 in credit card fees = $15 per night

In Bali , lodging is not expensive, but stays in independent hotels or AirBnb by Marriott’s standards for less than $20 per night are rare. In addition, members with status can enjoy many benefits such as free (mega) lunches to save even more and upgrades for added comfort.

Here are our reports from Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Bali :

Best Western Hotels

Similarly, Best Western hotels are very inexpensive in Bali . So this program is a good alternative (or complement) to Marriott Bonvoy with 5,000 point Best Western Rewards nights.

What activities to book in Bali?

In Bali , specifically in Kuta, you will be bombarded with vendors who will want to offer you organized tours. Although they will be less expensive than what you can find on a website like Viator , it is better to book online since the quality standard will be up to the norm.

When choosing an operator in the streets of Bali , you can come out on top with a good deal or with a bitter taste and regret not having paid a little more for better quality.

Although most of the points of interest can be visited very well independently, it can be good to book organized tours in Bali ; the logistics of transportation is not always ideal! Plus, when you’re tight on time, these tours are the best way to make the most of it.

Here are some examples of tours you can book on Viator :

Bottom line

Undeniably, the region of Bali is the most developed for tourism, but if you can spare the time, the rest of Indonesia is also worth a visit.

Bali has retained its cultural charm despite the hordes of visitors and I loved it. However, I also enjoyed the island of Java for a trip off the beaten track in Indonesia.

Follow my adventures on my Instagram account @ wanderingaline !

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aline Le (@wanderingaline)

All posts by Aline

Suggested Reading

Award Travel Vacations

Best use of points and miles to bali, indonesia.

By Allison on January 19, 2022

Award Travel Vacations is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation when you use these links through MileValue.com . This compensation may impact how and where links appear on the site. This site does not include all financial offers. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Bali, Indonesia is a bucket list destination for many people. Made famous by the movie Eat, Pray, Love , the island typically hosts over six million tourists a year. Known as the Land of the Gods, Bali has tons to offer. Surfers will enjoy the waves. Nature lovers will spend their days hiking and exploring volcanic peaks and waterfalls. There are also tons of ancient templates dotting the island.

Leaving from the United States, you can expect at least one or two stops on your way to Bali. With more and more airlines moving to dynamic pricing, it’s getting harder to tell if a redemption is a good use of miles. Let’s look at six best uses of points and miles to Bali, Indonesia.

Ways to book: Air Canada Aeroplan Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan All Nippon Airlines Mileage Club American Airlines AAdvantage Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer United Airlines MileagePlus How to Earn these Points and Miles

Air Canada Aeroplan

The Canadian airline, Air Canada Aeroplan has many different sweet spots for international travel. Point redemptions to Bali is no different. Air Canada uses a distance-based award chart. Final total is determined by the total distance travel including connections.

Dynamic pricing is also used. You can expect prices to be different between flight options. This can also make things a tad bit difficult to find good redemptions. Focus on the lower side on these redemptions for Air Canada flights.

While Air Canada is a solid option in any class of service, you can also redeem Aeroplan points for flights on their partner airlines. These include ANA, EVA, Singapore (if they release award space) and Asiana. Partner flights have their own chart.

Asiana flies from these airports through Seoul-Incheon (ICN):

Air Canada doesn’t fly all the way to Bali. You’ll need to connect with another airline. You can find routings through Japan, South Korea, Taipei and Australia on their partners. Spend 5,000 more miles and you can book a stopover in those destinations.

To book Air Canada Aeroplan using points, you can transfer from Chase, American Express and Capital One. All transfer 1:1. Occasionally, you can find transfer bonuses.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

While Alaska Airlines currently only flies to a handful of international destinations, none are to Asia. Prior to joining oneworld , Alaska partnered with airlines from all different airline alliance. Those partnerships continue today. Alaska does have some excellent partners to Bali from the Star Alliance and SkyTeam .

To make things confusing, Alaska uses a different award chart per airline. First up is Cathay Pacific.

To book Cathay Pacific flights, you will need to call Alaska.

Korean Air is up next.

There are several US airports Korean Air departs from:

Singapore Airlines has a different award chart.

You can enjoy Singapore Airlines from:

Alaska also offers a free stopover on point redemptions. Strategically book your flights to another destination to explore another destination.

Sadly, Alaska Airlines doesn’t partner with any transferrable currency.

All Nippon Airlines Mileage Club

ANA is known for its incredible first class offering. While that award is hard to find, economy and business class offerings are easy to find.

ANA uses a zone-based award chart. No matter the departure city or connecting city, you can expect the above points needed for redemptions to Bali.

ANA departs from the US to Japan in the below cities.

While ANA doesn’t fly to Bali, there are several excellent partners to finally get there including Eva Air, Asiana, Singapore, and Turkish.  

One downside of ANA redemptions is you must fly roundtrip. Luckily that doesn’t have to be the return doesn’t have to be the same as the departure. You could fly LAX-NRT-DPS then DPS-NRT-JFK.

ANA miles can be earned by transferring from Membership Rewards.

American Airlines AAdvantage

My go to oneworld airline to credit my cash flights is American Airlines . The loyalty program has great international redemptions. AA uses a region-based award chart. Awards can also be dynamically priced.

Cathay Pacific is one of the only one-stop options to Indonesia from the United States for oneworld. You can also find connecting flights through Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines . Unfortunately due to AA’s routing rules, you can’t fly Qantas or Qatar Airways . You’ll need to purchase separate tickets if you want to fly those airlines to Bali.

Cathay Pacific flies from these US airports:

Like fellow oneworld alliance member Alaska, American doesn’t accept transfers from major points currency. Maybe Citi will bring it back?

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Another option to Bali with Star Alliance is Singapore Airlines . The airline is known for their incredible first-class options called the Singapore Suites . Flyers in any class of service won’t be disappointed.

Singapore uses a zone-based award chart. And unfortunately, the US is split into two different zones. The west coast zone includes departure cities like Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

East coast cities include Houston and New York City.

If you are looking to snag one of the Suites, you’ll need to book through Singapore Airlines.

United Airlines MileagePlus

On the surface, United Airlines might not seem like the best option because of their dynamically priced points redemptions. In fact, United doesn’t publish any award charts. But the airlines often makes my best use of points and miles list. There are still great redemptions to find.

While redemptions for the same class of service can vary on the same date, focus on the below amounts for your redemptions.

United does partner with great Star Alliance airlines like Singapore, Turkish, Eva Air and Asiana. With the United Excursionist Perk , you can visit an extra city within Asia for free.

You can transfer into United from Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Related: Best Points Hotels in Seville

How to Earn These Points and Miles

Air Canada Aeroplan points are easy to earn. You can transfer from three different flexible currencies including Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One. This means cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and The Platinum Card® from American Express can help you reach your next destination. The new Chase Aeroplan Credit Card recently went live for new applications.

Alaska Airlines miles are one of the hardest to earn on this list. They don’t currently partner with any flexible currency. Aside from shopping and dining portals, there are two credit card options from Bank of America. If you are able to find a cheap fare, a card like the Capital One Venture X would be able to erase the purchase.

If you are looking to redeem on ANA, Membership Rewards points are your friend. There are eight different MR earning cards. One of my favorite cards is the American Express® Gold Card. But any MR earning card can help earn miles on ANA. The Japanese airline does have a cobranded card for US residents, but the welcome offer is a pitiful 10,000 miles.

American Airlines doesn’t partner with any flexible currencies. Citi did have a limited time transfer. Hopefully we will see that come back soon. In the meantime, the airline partners with both Citi and Barclays for cobranded credit cards. You can get the welcome offer on each personal and business card.

There are several ways to transfer into Singapore Airlines. Chase, American Express, Capital One, and Citi are all travel partners. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Premier, American Express Green Card can all work towards a Singapore redemption.

United can only accept redemptions from Chase Ultimate Rewards. In addition to the other cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is an excellent card to add to your wallet. The CFU will help you maximize all your purchases. You should also consider adding a few of United cobranded cards including the United Quest and United Business.

Best Use of Points and Miles to Bali, Indonesia Bottom Line

These six options for using points and miles represent the best ways to use points to get to Bali, Indonesia. But they aren’t the only options. SkyTeam isn’t really represented here. This is due to their overall less favorable redemptions.

If you see a cheap airfare, you should also check bank portals. You could end up saving some points. Especially if an economy ticket. If looking to fly business or first class, you are better off transferring to an airline. For any class of service, always confirm award availability before transferring points. Once you transfer from your flexible currency, you can’t transfer them back.

Focus on the flexible points redemption options in this best points list before Alaska or American. My favorite redemption on this list is United. Followed closely by Singapore.

Have you used points and miles to get to Bali? Let me know in the comments.

These opinions in this article are the author’s not those of a bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

• The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide for First Timers

To be honest with you I knew almost nothing about Bali before I visited. Sure, I’ve seen a million pictures of this dream island, I knew that every proper Instagrammer had been there at least once and I saw Eat, Pray, Love, but that was it.

If you are like me, I have some good news for you: this Bali travel guide for first-timers is everything you’re gonna need! In this post, I put together everything you need to know if you are traveling to Bali for the first time. So let’s dive in!

* Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link. *

No time to read now? Pin it for later!

Table of Contents

Bali is located in the Indian Ocean, it’s by far the most famous of the more than 17,000 islands of Indonesia. The island sits east of Java (the most populous island in the world) and west of Lombok.

I know it seems like a tiny island on the map but actually, Bali is pretty big: the distance is 145 km from west to east and 85 km from north to south. Apart from the main island, the Nusa Islands (Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida) also belong to Bali.

Bali is home to more than 4.3 million people. About 90% of the population are Balinese, the other ethnic groups are Javanese, Baliaga, and Madurese.

The official language is Indonesian, but many people use the Balinese language in everyday life. English is widely used as well due to the high level of tourism.

Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world, accounting for 13% of the world’s total Muslims. One of the most interesting facts about Bali is that it’s the only exception, as the island is the only Hindu island in Indonesia.

Actually, this is not the standard Hindu religion, it’s rather a Balinese Hinduism: it’s kind of a mixture of local beliefs and Hindu influences.

Balinese people live in a magic world of people, spirits, gods, and demons. I was so surprised to see how deeply religious they are! There are over 20,000 temples in Bali and you can’t go anywhere without seeing countless offerings to the gods and spirits.

They seriously believe in karma, that life is governed by a system of cause and effect, action, and reaction. Their religion and culture are really interesting so try to learn about them as much as you can while you are there!

Although Bali used to have a free visa if you were visiting for less than 30 days, unfortunately, it’s no longer available.

They have a new Visa on Arrival (VoA) in place, and more than 90 countries can apply for this type of visa. In case you are coming from another country, you will need to apply for a different visa so make sure to check this in advance.

This new VoA costs 500,000 IDR ($33 US) and you can stay with this on the island for a maximum of 30 days. The visa can be extended once for another 30 days (this has an additional cost of course).

You can purchase the visa online in advance which I would strongly recommend. One thing you need to be aware of is that the visa must be used within 90 days from the date of issue, so don’t buy it earlier than 3 months from your travel date. Also, make sure to only purchase from the official website !

Don’t worry, if you can’t buy the visa online (the website doesn’t always work properly), you will still be able to do it at the airport after arrival. You’ll just have to wait in line first for the visa before proceeding to immigration.

Money in Bali

The official local currency in Bali is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR or Rp). The amounts in rupiah are usually very large because of all the zeros. $1 US is around 15,200 IDR.

Therefore the prices are often given with the thousands implied and left off of the end. So when someone says “one hundred”, they most likely mean 100,000 IDR (around $6.5 US).

Cash is the king in Bali, therefore you always need to carry around some cash in your pocket. You can generally pay with credit cards at most of the hotels and cafes in the urban area but you will need cash for everything else.

The largest denomination is the 100,000 IDR banknote so your wallet will always be stuffed with a lot of banknotes. Make sure you don’t bring your tiniest wallet with you!

You can easily find ATMs in the popular travel hubs but once you are out you will have a hard time finding a machine in the countryside. So it’s better to stack up on cash while you are in a more touristy area.

ATMs typically charge you a transaction fee for every transaction. Fortunately, it’s not that much but the bad news is that there is a daily withdrawal limit.

It can be different depending on what kind of ATM you use but it’s usually between 1.5-2.5 million IDR (around $100-170 US). So basically you have to pick up cash from an ATM almost every day (or you can use different credit cards if you have more).

Important note: Some ATMs deliver your cash first and your credit card after. If you are coming from a place that it’s the other way around you have to pay attention not to leave your card in the machine. Unfortunately, we managed to lose a credit card, most likely for this reason. So learn from our mistakes!

Of course, you can exchange all the major currencies into rupiahs at the airport or banks but you always have to pay a commission fee and the exchange rates are not always in your favor. Generally using an ATM is a better option but it’s really up to you.

Technically US dollars are not accepted in Indonesia, however, you can almost always use them in reality. You will always have to pay more in dollars (because you obviously can’t pay $1.2 US so you will pay 2), but it’s good to have a plan B if you accidentally run out of rupiahs.

Best Time to Visit Bali

Bali is located a few degrees south of the equator, therefore it has a tropical climate all year around. It means that the weather is always hot and humid and there are only two main seasons: the dry season and the rainy season.

Generally, the rainy season is between November and March but it can vary a bit from year to year. During this time it usually rains a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon so you can still have some rain-free hours during the day if you are lucky.

Nevertheless, I still wouldn’t recommend this period for traveling especially if you’re traveling to Bali for the first time.

Bali is always busy during holidays like Easter or Christmas. July and August are usually crowded too because of the national school holidays in Indonesia. So if you’re not a fan of mass tourism I would avoid these periods as well.

Based on all this, the best time to visit is May, June, or September. You will have pleasant weather with almost no rain and the beaches and famous sites will not be that crowded either.

October can still be a good time, we also visited at the end of October. We were really lucky with the weather because it only rained on our last day. On the other hand, our driver said that this time last year it was constantly raining all day long and it didn’t stop for days. So be careful with October, it can really be a hit or miss.

How Much Time Do You Need to Spend in Bali

Bali is one of the most breathtaking dream destinations in the world and you can easily spend months on the island without ever getting bored. If you’re traveling to Bali for the first time, it’s best to spend at least 2 weeks in Bali to be able to properly explore the island.

When we visited Bali for the first time, we spent 8 days on the island and it felt really short. We managed to cover all the famous sites but in exchange, we spent almost no time at the beach and we were extremely tired at the end. Needless to say, it was totally worth it!

How much time you need to spend in Bali also depends on what you want to see and do. If you are only looking for beautiful beaches and you wish to relax all day long, one week could be enough.

However, there are so many wonderful sites to explore and various activities to do, that you will need at least 2 weeks if you really want to see the best of Bali.

Luckily the cost of living in Bali is totally budget-friendly so if your time allows or if you’re a digital nomad, you can even make it your base for a few months.

Transportation in Bali

Public transportation.

Public transportation is basically non-existent in Bali. All right, this is not exactly true: there are some public minibuses called bemo. If you are in a really adventurous mode and you wanna try getting around like a local you can opt for a ride. But for real transportation, I wouldn’t consider this as an option.

Renting a bicycle is possible but Bali is far too big for biking around. However, if you wanna explore the countryside close to your accommodation it can be a great way to get around.

The cheapest and most popular way of transportation is renting a scooter. However, if you don’t have experience in scooter riding I wouldn’t recommend it.

Why? Because the traffic is crazy! Cars, scooters, chickens, dogs, all share the same lane and they are coming from every direction possible. No matter where you go, the streets are always full of scooters and the roads are often in a really bad condition.

Scooter accidents are not exceptional and trust me, you don’t want to spend your holiday lying in the hospital.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against scooters at all. I’m just saying you have to be really, really prepared and have a ton of experience before trying to get around this way. If you’re planning to drive a scooter, you might be interested in reading a comprehensive guide about scooter rental in Bali !

And please don’t forget about travel insurance! Unfortunately, accidents can happen anytime and it’s better to be prepared for that. After many hours of research, I decided to choose SafetyWing and I can honestly recommend them!

You can find a taxi practically anywhere and it works the same way as it does in Europe or America. In Bali, almost everyone is a taxi driver. Seriously. You will be constantly asked by the locals where are you headed and whether if you will need a ride. Everyone will be glad to take you anywhere.

There are two types of taxis in Bali: the Bluebird taxis and the rest. The Bluebird taxis always go by the meter and they are safe to use. They even have their own app which you can download and after registration, you can summon a taxi as you please.

The non-Bluebird taxis on the other hand are often corrupt and they usually play dirty tricks with the tourists, like claiming to have a broken meter or taking you on a long road to pay more.

Private driver

I think having a private driver in Bali is the best option ever, especially it will be your first time in Bali and you don’t have any experience in scooter riding. It is generally more expensive than renting a scooter but in exchange, it takes away all the stress and you don’t have to worry about transportation during your stay.

We also decided to hire a private driver and I’m so glad we did! I received a recommendation from another Hungarian girl and that’s how we found Putu . He is the sweetest guy ever!

I contacted him while we were still at home. As I mentioned before I’m a big planner so I’ve already planned most of our itinerary before we first spoke.

Therefore we only needed to finalize the program I had in mind and he helped me organize every little detail. So by the time we arrived in Bali we already had a perfect itinerary and everything was taken care of.

How does it work in real life?

To be honest I had no clue how does it work in real-life and I received many questions about it so I will share my experience. When we arrived at the airport Putu was already there, waiting for us. He took us to our hotel (since it was already late in the afternoon) and we agreed on which time he should pick us up the next day.

The next morning he picked us up as we agreed and from that point, he was always with us until he took us back to the hotel at the end of the day. He drove us from location to location and while we were away exploring he waited for us in the car or spent the time with other drivers (who were waiting for their clients as well).

Yes, even when we were out for hours! Sometimes he even joined us in exploring the area so he could tell us stories about the place and Balinese life in general.

He was really flexible with the timing as well. We wanted to do a lot of sunrise tours so he usually picked us up very early. And by that, I mean very, very early.

Like 1 am or 3 am. Yes, you’ve read it right! (I know, you must think I’m crazy. Wait until you see my sunrise pictures!) The only general rule is that they don’t work more than 14 hours a day which is totally understandable.

Long story short, I really can’t recommend enough to have a private driver. Everything was just so perfect!

What to Wear in Bali

Despite Bali being a very religious island, there is no strict dress code for tourists. The only exceptions are the religious sites where you always have to wear a sarong (and a scarf if your shoulders are not covered by your clothes). Don’t worry, if you don’t own a sarong you can always rent it for a small amount of money at every religious site.

As I mentioned before, the weather in Bali is always hot and humid. Therefore you will most likely stroll around in shorts and T-shirts or dresses. Try to pack lightweight cotton and loose clothes! A beach hat or baseball cap is also a good idea to protect your head from the sun.

Regarding shoes, you can almost always wear flip-flops or sandals. But having a comfy sneaker in your suitcase is a huge bonus if you wanna go for a hike. If you plan to hike Mount Batur you should prepare with some warm clothes too!

I know it sounds weird to pack a jacket and a warmer sweater for Bali, but trust me, you’re gonna need it.

Best Places to Visit in Bali + Where to Stay in Bali

There are just so many things do to and see in Bali that I can go on and on for hours without ever repeating myself. Since this is a Bali travel guide for first-timers I will give you a rough overview of the different areas of Bali including the best places to visit and the best places to stay in each area.

The southern side of Bali is the most touristy area on the island. Denpasar (the capital city of Bali) is located here together with the Ngurah Rai International Airport. South Bali is packed with beautiful beaches, posh cafes, fancy restaurants, and cool party places.

If you’re a foodie like me, you will love this list of the  best cafes in Canggu ! Bali is famous for its sunsets as well and the southern part is one of the best areas to find the best sunsets in Bali .

Best places to visit in South Bali: Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot, Nyangnyang Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, Kuta Beach, Cabina Bali

Where to stay in South Bali

As I mentioned before the southern side of the island is the most touristy area so you will find a wide range of hotels to choose from. If you’re traveling to Bali for the first time I would recommend staying at either Seminyak or Kuta but Canggu , Uluwatu and Jimbaran could be a great option as well.

Best places to stay in Seminyak

LUXURY – The Legian Seminyak, Bali

This beachfront hotel offers beautiful rooms in a scenic setting as you’ll get stunning views of the Indian Ocean. The Legian Seminyak also has plenty of fantastic facilities including a three-tiered swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, and a fitness center.

MID-RANGE – Montigo Resorts Seminyak

Montigo Resorts is situated right next to Potato Head Beach Club so is in a great location. The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from the center of Seminyak, and there are two swimming pools on-site as well as a spa & wellness center. Not only that but Montigo Resorts also has a bar and fitness center

BUDGET – Bali Ayu Hotel & Villas

Bali Ayu Hotel & Villas is set in a great location as it’s just a 4-minute walk from the beach and it’s close to Petitenget Street. The rooms are very budget-friendly, and each one is spacious and features a balcony. Breakfast is available at the property, and there are two swimming pools.

Best places to stay in Kuta

LUXURY – The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali

This beachfront 5-star hotel is situated close to popular attractions within Kuta including Waterbom Bali and the Discovery Shopping Mall. With a large swimming pool, landscaped tropical gardens, and a spa & wellness center – this place has plenty to offer. There are also several restaurants on-site, a pool bar, and a private beach area.

MID-RANGE – Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel

Located right next to Discovery Shopping Mall and the coast, this hotel is one of the best mid-range accommodation options in Kuta. There are plenty of fantastic facilities too including two swimming pools, a spa & wellness center, and a fitness center. There’s also a variety of room options and many of them offer views of the ocean.

BUDGET – The Kana Kuta Hotel

If you’re looking for budget-friendly accommodation then make sure you check out the Kana Kuta Hotel. With an outdoor swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, and a fitness center, there are lots of amenities available for guests. All the rooms are spacious too and feature air conditioning, a seating area, and an ensuite bathroom.

Central Bali

The central area is the cultural heart of Bali and it is also the most picturesque side of the island. Central Bali is home to many beautiful temples, deep river gorges, unbelievably green rice terraces, and gorgeous waterfalls.

Best places to visit in Central Bali: Ubud Monkey Forest, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tegalalang rice terraces, Jatiluwih rice terraces, Pura Tirta Empul, Tegenungan waterfall, Tukad Cepung waterfall , Kanto Lampo waterfall

Where to stay in Central Bali

If you want to explore the best places in Central Bali I recommend staying in Ubud. Ubud is the heart of Central Bali with many hotels to choose from and it’s packed with amazing restaurants and bars as well, so it’s worth spending at least 3 days in Ubud .

Below you can find some of the best hotels to stay in Ubud. If you’re looking for something more special, check out these private pool villas in Ubud or the best bamboo houses in Bali around the city.

Best places to stay in Ubud

LUXURY – Kamandalu Ubud

Kamandalu Ubud is one of the most luxurious hotels on the island. Offering stunning views of the Petanu River and the surrounding forest, this place is the best luxury stay in Ubud. The rooms are inspired by traditional Balinese decor and most units feature a daybed and a private pool.

MID-RANGE – The Udaya Resorts and Spa

This place has a lot to offer with striking views, spacious suites, and fantastic facilities. Guests will benefit from a swimming pool, a spa & wellness center, and a restaurant that serves delicious Indonesian dishes.

BUDGET – Gita Maha Ubud Hotel by Mahaputra

Ubud is full of budget-friendly accommodation options but not many are as beautiful as this place! Gita Maha Ubud Hotel is situated just a 5-minute drive from the Royal Palace and offers an outdoor swimming pool and an on-site restaurant. Each room at this hotel is incredibly spacious too, and many of them feature a private balcony.

East Bali is dominated by the largest volcano on the island: Mount Agung. This is a very active volcano with constant eruptions, therefore it is not allowed to visit.

But its little brother, Mount Batur (who is also an active volcano) is still safe and open for hiking. The nearby area is really beautiful and it is home to some of the island’s oldest villages.

Best places to visit in East Bali: Mount Agung, Mount Batur, Pura Luhur Lempuyang (Gate of Heaven), Tirta Gangga Royal Water Garden

Where to stay in East Bali

If you are traveling to Bali for the first time I would recommend you to stay either in South or Central Bali instead of East Bali. There are much more things to do in those areas and you can easily do some day trips from there to visit the best tourist spots in the east.

However, if you want to have a more unique Bali experience staying in East Bali can be great for you! You will find many amazing hotels in the area, the best places to stay are either Candidasa (close to the beach) or Sidemen (more inland with an amazing view over the volcanos).

If you’re looking for a more unique stay, you can also find the many magical bamboo houses in Bali , especially in this part of the island.

Best places to stay in Sidemen

LUXURY – Wapa di Ume Sidemen

If you’re looking for a luxurious getaway, then stay at Wapa di Ume Sidemen. You’ll benefit from a variety of fantastic facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, and a bar. There’s also a garden and terrace area, and bicycles are free to use. 

MID-RANGE – Alamdhari Resort and Spa

With an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the lush forests, an on-site restaurant, and a bar – Alamdhari Resort and Spa has a lot to offer guests. Breakfast is included with your stay too, and there’s a garden area where you can relax. The rooms here are stunning and many of them feature a private balcony with amazing views.

BUDGET – Sawah Indah Villa

Sawah Indah Villa is just a 30-minute drive from Tirta Gangga and is surrounded by lush rice terraces and forested mountains. Offering an outdoor pool, an on-site restaurant, and spa treatments this hotel has everything you could need and more! The staff at the hotel can also help with vehicle rentals and organizing excursions.

Best places to stay in Candidasa

LUXURY – Candi Beach Resort & Spa

Candi Beach Resort & Spa is located along a private beach and offers three swimming pools, a variety of water sports, and a spa & wellness center. There are also several on-site restaurants so you’ll have plenty of dining options. If that’s not enough to convince you, this hotel has two bars and a tour desk that can help with excursions.

MID-RANGE – Villa Barong

Villa Barong is just a 5-minute walk from the beach and is nestled within landscaped gardens and coconut trees. There are several villas available at the property and each one offers a private pool, a modern kitchen, and a terrace area. The villas sleep up to four people so are a great option for groups and small families.

BUDGET – Rama Shinta Hotel Candidasa

This is one of the best budget-friendly accommodation options in Candidasa. Set within tropical gardens, this hotel has plenty to offer with excellent facilities and spacious rooms. Guests will benefit from an outdoor pool, an open-air restaurant, and a bar during their stay too! Staff at the hotel can also help arrange rentals and excursions.

The northern side of Bali is really different from the rest of the island. The climate is more foggy and rainy, therefore you can see many cloudy lakes, misty mountains, and some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Bali you’ll ever see.

Best places to visit in North Bali: Munduk Moding Plantation, Wanagiri Hidden Hill, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Banyumala twin waterfalls, Sekumpul waterfall , Handara gate

Where to stay in North Bali

If you want to explore all the beauty the northern part of the island has to offer I recommend staying at least one night in Munduk ! It will be a totally different feeling to stay there compared to the rest of the island and the area is really beautiful too.

Best places to stay in Munduk

LUXURY – Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort & Spa

Munduk Moding Plantation is easily one of the most beautiful hotels in Bali. It’s famous for its infinity pool that offers striking views of the surrounding rice terraces and mountains. There are also plenty of other facilities at the hotel including an on-site restaurant, a spa & wellness center, and a bar.

MID-RANGE – Nadira Bali Villa

If you’re looking for mid-range accommodation in Munduk then make sure you check out Nadira Bali Villa. With an outdoor swimming pool, a sun terrace, and an on-site restaurant – this place has so much to offer. The villas and suites are also stunning and many of them offer superb views of the surrounding mountains.

BUDGET – Atres Villa

Atres Villa is just a 20-minute drive from Munduk Waterfall so is set in a great location to explore the area. This hotel also has lots of excellent facilities including an outdoor pool, a spa & wellness center, and a bar. However, the highlight of this place has to be the surrounding rice terraces!

Nusa Islands

Local people say that the Nusa Islands (Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Penida) are the perfect place to see what Bali was like 20 years ago before it became a tourist hotspot.

And it’s really true: the Nusa Islands have such a raw beauty and they are (mostly) still untouched and not packed with tourists. If you’re planning to visit the Nusa Islands, you might be interested in reading my Perfect Nusa Islands Itinerary as well!

Best places to visit in the Nusa Islands: Kelingking Beach , Rumah Pohon treehouse, Peguyangan Waterfall , Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, Devil’s Tear, Blue Lagoon

Where to stay in the Nusa islands

Most people choose to stay on Nusa Lembongan , however, I recommend staying on Nusa Penida . Nusa Penida is the biggest and most developed of the three Nusa Islands and there are so many places to visit there that you’re gonna need the most time for this island.

Best places to stay in Nusa Penida

LUXURY – Adiwana Warnakali Resort

Adiwana Warnakali Resort in Nusa Penida provides adults-only accommodation with a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool, and a bar. Each accommodation at the 4-star resort has mountain views, and guests can enjoy access to a sun terrace.

MID-RANGE – Semabu Hills Hotel Nusa Penida

Perched on the quiet hills of Nusa Penida, this hotel offers sweeping views of the island and the sea beyond. Guests can take advantage of the infinity pool or try traditional meals at the on-site Asian restaurant.

BUDGET – Surya Maha Bungallo

For a budget-friendly stay in Nusa Penida, take a look at Surya Maha Bungallo. Boasting a lush garden with a stunning outdoor pool, the property offers double or twin rooms either with a garden or pool view. A daily continental breakfast is also available.

Planning a trip to Bali?

Then you might want to take a look at all our other travel guides about Bali. I promise, they are just as awesome as this article was!

Bali Travel Guides:

• The Ultimate 2 Weeks in Bali Itinerary for First Timers
• Top 13 Best Waterfalls in Bali You Can’t Miss
• 14 Best Cafes in Canggu, Bali – Canggu Foodie Guide
• The Perfect 3 Days in Ubud Itinerary for First Timers
• 13 Best Cafes in Ubud You Have To Try

Bali Hotel Guides:

• Where to Stay in Bali: 10 Best Areas & Hotels
• 11 Most Instagrammable & Unique Hotels in Bali
• 15 Magical Bamboo Houses in Bali You Can Actually Book
• 15 Best Private Pool Villas in Ubud for Every Budget
• Top 15 Best Airbnbs in Ubud, Bali
• Luxury Redefined: AYANA Villas Bali Hotel Review
• Romantic Getaway in Ubud: Kamandalu Ubud Hotel Review
• Hotel Review: The Udaya Resorts & Spa, Bali
• A Slice of Balinese Paradise: Wapa Di Ume Sidemen Hotel Review
• Hotel Review: Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort & Spa

Nusa Penida Travel Guides:

• The Perfect Nusa Islands Itinerary for 3 Days
• Top 16 Best Things to Do in Nusa Penida You Can’t Miss
• 21 Best Hotels in Nusa Penida for Every Budget
• Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida: Complete Guide & Tips for Visiting
• How to Visit the Famous Nusa Penida Treehouse: A Complete Guide
• Peguyangan Waterfall, Nusa Penida: All You Need to Know Before Visiting

Pin It for Later!

37 thoughts on “The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide for First Timers”

Breakfast in the pool? We’re in! 😉 Thanks for all of the great details! Bali somehow has not made it off of our Bucket List. Soon, though, and this is helpful!

Oh Bali is definitely the most magical place I’ve ever been to! I hope you can thick it off of your bucket list really soon 🙂

I’ve been daydreaming of Bali since Eat, Pray,Love! YouR beautiful photos have given me some serious wanderlust for the weekend! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Anna! I really love that movie and everything it represents! Bali is still my favorite place on Earth and can’t wait to go back soon 🙂

Great and detailed guide, thanks, I will save it for future! Bali looks like a great escape from the chilly winter in Europe

Thank you Maria! Yes it definitely is 🙂 I’m also planning to go back soon, can’t wait!!

Just stunning! I so want to go to Bali and your pictures make me want to book a plane ticket right now! Love your comprehensive guide and all of your tips & hints!! They will definitely come in handy when I finally get to go 🙂

Your photos are incredible! This is extremely informative! I hope to be able to visit Bali soon, and use all of your useful tips.

Thank you so much! Bali is so photogenic, you simply can’t make a bad photo in Bali 🙂 I really hope you will be able to visit soon!

This is super useful and I just know someone heading over there, I will recommend reading this post. I have a love-hate relationship with Bali but I´m sure there are wonderful hidden corners of the island I had not yet discovered, so might be back one day. Thanks for sharing this informative post, x

Thank you so much for sharing it! Yeah I really get why you have a love-hate relationship with Bali, that’s why I usually try to wake up early in the morning and explore the places without the crowds or go to off the beaten path spots. It feels so much different this way! 🙂

Literally the best Bali Guide I have read! So much information and now I can plan my trip accordingly!

Thank you so much Dana! 🙂

O wow I wish I’d had this guide before my first trip to Bali! So well written, thank you for sharing! I will definitely refer back to this guide for my next trip 🙂

Thank you Ellie! Bali is really such a wonderful place 🙂

This is such a great guide and I love your writing style! Definitely saving this for a future trip and I love your advice about a driver!

Thank you so much Linnea, I’m so happy you liked it! 🙂

Bali looks so fun! Really hoping to visit there sometime this year ? love your photos!

Thank you Jen! Bali is such a wonderful place, I can only recommend!

Love this! Especially as I’m in Bali now! So detailed and helpful x

Aww thank you so much! I’m also in Bali now, love this island so much! 🙂

How much did you pay the driver each day to stay with you for the whole day? Or how much did you end up paying him in total and for how many days? I’m curious because I might do that too when I visit! It’s a great idea!

We typically paid around 600-800k IDR (42-56 USD) for one day depending on how far did we go from our hotel. It was a price per car so it would have been the same for 4 people but we were just the 2 of us. We were there first in October 2018 so these are the prices from that time. When we visited again in March 2020 we didn’t go for a trip so I don’t know the exact prices now but you can always ask our driver, Putu 🙂

Thank you! I am wanting to visit Bali for the first time this year and your guide is awesome!

Thank you so much for your lovely comment Julie! I hope your Bali trip will be amazing!

Thank you for this guide. Im celebrating my birthday in Bali and reading your blog is helping me to plan better. I am flying from Miami to Bali and the best deal its to one stop in Dubai for 7 hours. Do you happened to have a recommendation of what to do in Dubai for 7 hours? or better yet do you recommended a better route to get to Bali from the US? Thank you!

Hey! First of all, thank you so much for your lovely comment 🙂 Dubai is the biggest hub for travelers heading to Southeast Asia so I think that’s a great route. Honestly, since you are flying internationally, I’m not sure I would leave the airport. You need to be there at least 2-3 hours before your flight to Bali departs which leaves you a lot less time to explore, plus you need to stay on top of every regulation to be able to enter Dubai. That being said, since DXB is only a 15-minute drive from the Burj Khalifa, I’m sure I would pick that! You can go up to the top, or just stroll around the tower. You can also see the Dubai Fountain, the Wings of Mexico, and the Dubai Mall too because they are all in one place. Happy travels!

Thanks for the exhaustive guide. The longing to see this Paradise on Earth had been hidden deep in my heart for years. Might materialize this December when going to Thailand to attend a wedding. However, I am not so young or mobile now and wanted to ask you many many questions on how I should make the most of this long cherished dream come true. For instance, is there a lot of walking involved? What about people with limited mobility? Is there any way to talk to you or chat with you? How many days to keep? Will I be able to do it?? Thanks so much.

Hey! To be honest, Bali is not really a good place for people with limited mobility. For instance, most of the time there is no pedestrian walkway by the streets, most waterfalls are hidden deep inside a jungle and some beaches are also only reachable via stairs. That being said, you can still visit some incredible places that are easier to reach but you’ll definitely need to let go of many places. I recommend hiring a driver who can take care of your transportation and he can also help with questions about specific attractions.

hi , thank you sooo much for a very detail explaination. i am planning to visit bali in coming november. i am having few queries pls let me know 1. can i take my 3 yrs old child along with my wife? is it ok to travel with kid ? 2. if i planned to stay in candidisa – east bali — will it be long to go other places of bali ? will the travel time will be more ? 3. in november ending is it ok to travel ? u mentioned its rainy – is it rainy whole day ? 4. i am from india – can u give some more detail about currency usuage with indian rupees ?

Hey! Yes, you can take your kid, many people travel to Bali as a family holiday so it will be all good 🙂 Candidasa is quite far away from the main Bali attractions, it’s a great base to explore the east part of the island but I would recommend diving your time between Candidasa and one/two more central locations. Well, November is technically the start of the rainy season but it’s different each year so nobody can tell you how it will be this year. Normally it only rains a few times a day but it’s really a draw of luck. Sorry, I don’t have any experience with Indian rupees. Hope you will have an amazing trip!

Hi Your article for 1st timer is very useful. I am going in June 2023 as a 1st timer. I like the beach, so I will be staying in the southern part. I am thinking to hire a private guide for this trip as I prefer that way. My stay is about 5 days. Do you have any recommendation for me. If you have any suggestion for me, I really welcome to hear from you. Thank you

Hi Danny! I would recommend getting in touch with Putu, he works as a private driver on Bali and he is amazing! Here’s his Instagram where you can reach him: https://www.instagram.com/bali_travel_monkey/

Thank you Kriszti for the informative travel guide to Bali and for sharing amazing photos as well. Really helpful tips specially for first time travellers with family. I wonder if possible for you to share the contact details of Putu, the private driver you hired during your stay in Bali. I am planned to spend my holidays with my family in Bali next month. Thank you.

Hi Chona! Sure, you can find him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bali_travel_monkey/

hello ms kriszti,

thank you for sharing all these travel guides for first timers, its truly very helpful; my friend ( PWD ) is going to bali this oct and we plan to hire a driver . do you still have contact with mr PUTU or any one you can recommend.

Sure, you can reach him on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bali_travel_monkey/

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

The Ultimate Bali Itinerary: How To Plan The Perfect Trip To Bali

Planning a trip to Indonesia and looking for the best Bali itinerary? Whether you’re only spending 5 days, one week, 10 days, or two full weeks, I guarantee this Bali trip travel guide will be extremely helpful!

Bali is truly one of my favorite destinations in the world and a place I’ve called home several times. But planning a trip to Bali can be a bit intimidating as there really are so many amazing places to explore!

There’s no need to wonder why Bali has become one of the world’s most visited and popular vacation hotspots. It has jaw-dropping landscapes, lush rice terraces, stunning beaches, serene temples, cute monkeys, scenic waterfalls, wild nightlife, and unforgettable sunsets.

Bali really does have a little something for everybody, and I guarantee that if you follow this Bali travel itinerary, you will fall in love with this island just as much as I have!

While tourism in Bali has exploded in recent years due to the popularity of Instagram, it definitely lives up to the hype because there is a LOT more to this island than what you see on social media. Don’t let the annoying Bali IG couples + IG influencers deter you from planning a trip here because it is a must-visit destination in Southeast Asia!

Tip: Add something unique to your Bali travel plan by choosing to go glamping in Bali  instead of staying at a hotel.

Check out my Instagram page  for more holiday inspiration!

Whether you’re only spending a few days, two weeks, or even an entire month, this Bali Itinerary guide will go into loads of detail about what to expect about visiting this island, the best things to do, what to pack for Bali, when to go, insider travel tips, and loads more.  

So without further ado, let’s get started!

WHAT ARE THE BEST MONTHS TO VISIT BALI?

Bali is an incredible destination to visit year-round, and if you’ve only got limited time off work, I would say book that ticket no matter what! Being located in Southeast Asia, the weather in Bali is exceptionally tropical, so you can expect hot and humid temperatures pretty much every day, but there are two main seasons – the wet and dry months.

The rainy season in Bali is from October to April, and the dry season is between May – September.

That said, traveling to Bali during the rainy season is NOT an issue. I LIVED in Bali in December & January (known as the wettest months of the year), and I barely even noticed the rain.

Yes, some days were worse than others, but more often than not – every day was beautifully sunny blue skies and perfect beach weather.

According to Bali.com, “ The best time to come to Bali is April, May, June and September, just before and just after high season. It’s still the dry season, it’s slightly less humid, and room prices and villa rentals can be 30-50% cheaper than during high season. Many shops offer sales and promotions, restaurants are less crowded in those mid-season months, and in general, Bali is a bit more relaxed. October is not too bad either, still much less rain than November (usually, check the rainfall chart).”

I agree with that statement for sure, but traveling to Bali during Christmas time & New Year’s Eve can be an incredible experience. I spent Christmas Day lounging at a day club and absolutely loved it!  

IS BALI A DANGEROUS PLACE TO VISIT?

Absolutely not! Bali is completely safe to visit, and I’ve honestly never felt like I was in any danger while there. While just like a vacation to anywhere in the world, you want to make sure you’re traveling wisely and acting responsibly.

The only dangerous or unsafe behavior I’ve heard of is from “motorcycle thieves or purse-snatchers.” These are people that will try and grab purses or backpacks from people while riding on the back of a motorcycle. But as long as you pay attention to your belongings, nothing bad will happen.  

What I will  say in this section, though, is that you NEED to be extremely careful if you decide to rent a scooter in Bali. I’d say that’s actually the most dangerous thing on the island! I drive very cautiously when riding my moto , and I’ve never been in an accident (knock on wood), but I’ve had several friends end up in the hospital with serious injuries.

Nevertheless, I wouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying the feeling of exploring the island on two wheels. The scooter rides through rice terraces are one of my favorite things about living in Bali, and it’s a great, cheap, and efficient way to experience Bali. Just make sure the person driving is confident and skilled. You should also avoid driving during peak traffic hours.

Best Bali Trip Travel Insurance

I never travel anywhere without booking a travel insurance policy . This is essential for all Bali visitors!

So I’ll repeat…

Please, do NOT visit Bali WITHOUT Travel Insurance!

It’s unfortunately all too common that people come to Bali, get into a scooter accident, and end up needing a lot of medical attention. This, as you can imagine, is not cheap, and while the Bintangs and good vibes are, don’t expect medical treatment as a foreigner to also be of great value! These bills will add up, and sometimes they won’t even operate before they know you’re covered.

I’ve had at least 4 friends now get in serious accidents, but only half of them had travel insurance to cover their needs. Trust me – especially if you plan on driving or getting on the back of a moto (which you most likely will), you’ll want peace of mind to make sure you’re covered.

You also need to consider other issues that could arise, such as theft, boat sinking or water damage, or catching dengue. Trust me when I say these warnings aren’t to scare you, but real-life examples I’ve seen during my time in Bali.

I highly recommend HeyMondo due to its extensive range of cover for all situations and trip lengths. Their fair pricing and handy app allow you to manage any claims within the app and access free assistance online. This means you don’t need to rack up an expensive phone bill in Indonesia, where the charges are steep!

Nowadays, I would never travel without insurance again, especially after hearing so many of those (expensive and dangerous) horror stories from other travelers I’ve met. So, whether you need a single trip cover for two weeks in Bali or an affordable annual cover for multiple trips worldwide, be sure to buy your travel insurance before you travel, knowing that HeyMondo has your back.

Still, planning your trip? You can always get a no-commitment travel insurance quote now, so you know how much extra to budget for your vacation!

WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR A TRIP TO BALI? A BASIC PACKING LIST

One of the things I love about Bali is that you really don’t need to bring all that much — especially if you’re just on a quick 10-day or two-week holiday. Also, shopping in Bali is fantastic. You’ll want to bring back a separate suitcase filled with souvenirs and clothing.

Here are a few items I think are essential for your travels to Bali!  

• Clothing: You’ll want a couple of pairs of shorts, swim trunks, t-shirts, sandals, and comfortable adventure shoes. Add one or two fancier outfits for dinners or nightlife too. Everyone will have different styles or preferences, but my main clothing tip would be to keep it light. Quick-drying clothes will be helpful, mainly because you will sweat up a storm.  
• Portable charger: Anker PowerCore Portable Charger  is one of the smallest and lightest power banks available. I carry this with me everywhere I go because I’m using my iPhone a bit more than I care to admit! Well, when you’re exploring Bali, you’ll definitely want a portable charger.
• Microfiber towel: This Rainleaf MicroFiber Towel  is budget-friendly and stylish. Plus, a quick-drying towel is a must for visiting Bali. You’ll find yourself hiking, sweating, and swimming often – and you’re really going to want one of these. I just bought one of these myself, and it’s the #1 best seller on Amazon!
• Quality sunscreen: The sun is super intense in Bali, and you’ll be out in the sun often during this Bali itinerary. So, make sure you buy some decent sunscreen before you get to Bali because it costs SO much more out there for some reason. I personally use this Neutrogena Lightweight & Water Resistant SPF,  and I love it!
• Mosquito repellent: Unfortunately, mosquitos are flying all over the place in Bali. And you really want to protect yourself when you go on long adventures. I recommend this Mosquito Repellent Bracelet . If you’re just shopping around Seminyak or chilling in Canggu, I wouldn’t worry too much, but if you’re out in nature, definitely put some on!  
• Go Pro: The GoPro Hero 11 is my favorite adventure camera, and I’m truly blown away by the hyper-smooth stability that the GoPro Hero 11 offers. You can take some epic images with this, and it’ll also be perfect for all the underwater or snorkeling shots you’ll want. For the aspiring content creators out there, combine it with a TELESIN Dome Port  for some unique, fun, and creative shots!
• Waterproof phone case: No matter what kind of phone you have, you really want to protect it during your trip. This itinerary is pretty active, and if you don’t have a supportive phone case, like the JOTO Universal Waterproof Phone , I bet you’ll be paying for some phone repairs!  
• Power adapter: Last but certainly not least, this Universal Power Adapter  is just a basic travel essential that you’ll want to pick up one of these before your trip to Bali. I personally love this one and would definitely recommend it!  

THE ULTIMATE BALI TRIP ITINERARY | PLANNING A TRIP TO BALI

Alright, let’s dive into my guide for my extensive Bali holiday itinerary!

10 DAYS & TWO-WEEKS IN BALI ITINERARY

The way I’ve set up this 10-day itinerary is that it’s all focused on Bali. But if you have a full two weeks, I’ve included a trip to the Gili Islands too.

I think it’s best to do it this way because when you book round-trip boat transfers to Gili Trawangan, you can have them drop you off directly at the airport, depending on your schedule. You can book day trips or rent scooters to explore nearby attractions when you’re based in one place for a bit longer.

One thing I think is important about traveling around Bali is avoiding checking in and out of hotels and Airbnb’s every couple of days. That’s why I’ve put at least 3+ nights in each place, and you’ll get a better feeling for the area.  

The full itinerary is below, but here’s an overview of my recommended route so you can start planning:

• Uluwatu (3 Nights)
• Canggu (3 Nights)
• Ubud (4 Nights)
• Gili Islands (3-4 Nights for Two-Week Itinerary)

You might not have the time, energy, or money to do everything on this Bali itinerary, but I wanted to include as much information as possible. So without further ado, let’s get down to the day-to-day itinerary activities!!

BEST PLACES TO STAY ON THIS ITINERARY FOR BALI

Bali is home to some of the world’s most gorgeous luxury resorts and private villas but also has an extensive variety of mid-range hotels and backpacker hostels. It depends on your budget and how much you want to spend. I’ve compiled a fun selection of my top recommended accommodation for each destination on my Bali itinerary. I know you’ll enjoy your stay at any of the options below:

WHERE TO STAY IN ULUWATU

Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu : Consistently reviewed as one of the best values in Bali, get treated like royalty here without breaking the bank. There’s a gorgeous sun terrace with a swimming pool, extremely clean and comfortable rooms, and impeccable service!  

Six Senses Uluwatu : This brand new 5-Star Luxury Resort in Uluwatu will certainly provide an unforgettable stay, but rooms here are costly. Its cliffside location, delicious cuisine, and immaculate attention would make for an exceptional first hotel on the island.    

Home-Bience  Hostel : If you’re a backpacker on a tight budget in Bali, look no further than staying here at Home-Bience Hostel. While it has a shared kitchen and barbeque facilities, you can also get a varied breakfast at an affordable rate too.

WHERE TO STAY IN CANGGU

Theanna Eco Villa and Spa : Top-notch luxury at bargain prices! Once you step foot inside this eco resort, you’ll fall into a state of complete tranquility. It’s consistently rated and reviewed as the best hotel and resort in Canggu, with excellent value for money and world-class service.

Kosone Hostel | Alternative Beach : I was living in Canggu when this opened (early 2019), and I’d say it’s the best hostel in Canggu! It’s got a fabulous pool with a swim-up bar, DJs spinning music all day, delicious food, comfortable beds, and rooftop jacuzzis. Do I need to say anymore? Trust me – if you’re a backpacker in Canggu, stay here!  

WHERE TO STAY IN UBUD

Hanging Gardens of Bali | Ubud’s Premiere Luxury Resort : This is the jungle resort of your dreams! “Located just 30-minute drive from the Ubud’s town center and nestled deep in the heart of Ubud’s rich rainforest preserve, this enchanting five-star luxury resort on 3.2 hectares has 44 private suites and individual villas.”  

Visesa Ubud Resort : This best-seller luxury resort has fantastic prices for the comfort you’ll receive. The villas are absolutely stunning, the staff goes above and beyond, and it has pretty much everything you look for in a resort in Ubud. Delicious food, gorgeous views, shuttle services to the center, and a full spa await you.

Wayan’s Family Hostel Ubud : If you’re looking for an excellent but cheap hostel in Ubud, look no money than this charming family-run guesthouse. It has a magnificent backpacker atmosphere, is a beautiful property, and you’ll fall in love with the staff!

WHERE TO STAY ON GILI TRAWANGAN

Pearl Of Trawangan Resort : There are tons of beautiful resorts on the Gili Islands, but this is easily my favorite! It has an unbeatable beachfront location near the main promenade. The stunning property would be an excellent pick for your time in paradise!!

Gili Castle (formerly known as Gili Backpackers) : This is where I worked when I lived on Gili T, and I’ve got nothing but fond memories of this backpacker hostel! They organize awesome parties and pub crawls, which make it easy to meet fellow travelers. There is a pool with a rock climbing wall, and all the facilities are comfortable. I’d highly recommend staying here for young travelers on a budget.

BALI ITINERARY DAY 1: INTRODUCTION TO BALI = ULUWATU BLISS (3+ NIGHTS)

Honestly, there is no better place to begin your Bali vacation than down in Uluwatu , which is at the southern tip of the island!

It’s my personal favorite area in Bali, world-famous for its surf competitions, has a really fun nightlife scene, and is undoubtedly the best part of the island for watching the sunset. Uluwatu is a place that will certainly leave an impression and will keep you coming back for more! Here you can spend your days relaxing on the beach, swimming in infinity pools, lounging at day clubs, surfing gnarly waves, or riding a scooter along epic coastlines.  

It also has a perfectly relaxed atmosphere that I absolutely love, and I could easily see myself living in Uluwatu for a couple of months sometime in the future. There really is no shortage of amazing things to do in Uluwatu , which I’ve discussed for day 2. Since it’s your first day on the island, take the evening to relax at your resort, enjoy a lovely evening meal, and hopefully conquer any jet lag you’re feeling.  

If you’re up for it, you could enjoy dinner and cocktails your first evening having dinner soaking up the vibe. I recommend one of Jimbaran Bay’s cliffside restaurants or candlelit dinners on Jimbaran Bay, about a 15-20 minute drive from Uluwatu.

“Perched atop distinctive rock formations along Jimbaran’s pristine sunset coast, Rock Bar Bali is widely respected as one of the globe’s most popular sunset, cocktail, and entertainment venues. Showcasing unparalleled views from 14 meters above the Indian Ocean, Rock Bar is accessible via AYANA’s dramatic cliffside inclinator. Featuring a glamorous sunset vibe, and a seductive after-dark ambiance, listen to premier international DJs as they heighten your experience from a custom DJ booth carved directly into the cliff face”.

BALI ITINERARY DAY 2: ULUWATU BEACH EXPLORATIONS & NIGHTLIFE

Everyone will be different, depending on how you want to spend your Bali vacation. Do you want to treat this as a relaxing holiday, or are you more adventurous? Do you want to be surrounded by people and experience luxurious beach clubs, or do you prefer solitude and exploring quieter areas?

No matter what kind of traveler you are, I’ve listed a few of my favorite activities in Uluwatu and the south coast of Bali, and I’m sure this will keep you super busy.

ULUWATU HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Visit the Uluwatu Temple: “This one of six key temples believed to be Bali’s spiritual pillars, and is renowned for its magnificent location, perched on top of a steep cliff approximately 70 meters above sea level.”  After your tour of the Uluwatu Temple, I’d also suggest checking out the Kecak Fire Dance if you’re there simultaneously. It’s a unique cultural fire and traditional Balinese dance show that is definitely a superb experience.
• Watch the professional surfers at Uluwatu Beach: There are tons of different bars and restaurants to choose from, but sit back, grab a Bintang (local beer), and watch from above while these pros amaze you with their skills.  
• Explore all the beautiful beaches around Uluwatu: You’re spoiled for choice here with beaches like Suluban Beach, Padang Padang, Dreamland Beach, Bingin Beach, Melasti Beach, Green Bowl Beach, and Pandawa Beach.
• Never miss a sunset. Uluwatu is home to the most magical sunsets practically every evening, so make sure you plan accordingly! Find an infinity pool, rooftop bar, or restaurant terrace, and soak it up!
• Check out a day club: Sundays Beach Club, Finns Beach Club, OMNIA, Karma Beach Club, etc. Honestly, there are tons of epic places to spend a day, but they can be a bit pricey if you’re a backpacker on a budget!  
• Sunday nights at Single Fin: This is one of the most legendary parties on the island, but they only really happen on Sunday night. Don’t get me wrong, Single Fin is an awesome bar & restaurant every night of the week, but definitely, don’t miss the Sunday night party.  
• Spend Saturday nights at Padang Padang Beach: There’s a really cool beach party every Saturday night with reggae and electronic music, lively crowds, and a unique location!  
• Rent a moto to explore it all easily: Uluwatu is one of the best areas on the island to adventure around on a moto! You can rent one for as little as $4 per day, the roads never seem too busy, and it’s just a great feeling!  
• Enjoy a meal at Cashew Tree: This will always be one of my favorite restaurants in all of Bali! They’ve got deliciously healthy smoothies, a large menu, and affordable prices. It’s a backpacker favorite as well, located nearby Bingin’ Beach.  

Check out my article about the best things to do in Uluwatu for more information. All I know is that it’s simply a breathtaking area of Bali, and it might just be hard to leave.

BALI ITINERARY DAY 3: NUSA ISLANDS DAY-TRIPPING

Located just a short 20-30 minute speedboat ride off the coast of Bali are three idyllic islands: Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan, and Nusa Penida.

They are all absolutely gorgeous and have unbelievable beaches, landscapes, and some of the best snorkeling or scuba-diving in the country. I’ll talk about this at the bottom of this article, but a substitution would be spending several days on one of these islands if you care a lot about these water activities.

I think it’s a really fun and fantastic day trip since it’s just off the coast, and you can see a lot and still make it back to Uluwatu for sunset cocktails — that is if you have the energy!

There are tons of options, but here are a few of the best sellers. It really just depends if you’re more into beaches, viewpoints, swimming, or snorkeling.

BEST OF NUSA PENIDA PRIVATE FULL-DAY TOUR

Review: “Climb aboard a fast boat at Sanur Beach and cross the sea to Toyapakeh on the small island of Nusa Penida. Meet your local host on arrival and begin your private day tour. Visit the famous Kelingking Beach for the chance to take photos of the most beautiful spot on the island. Marvel at the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, and then continue to Pasih Uug (Broken Beach) and the natural pool of Angel’s Billabong. Experience the peace and quiet of one of the less visited spots on Nusa Penida before going to the popular beach at Crystal Bay, known for its great diving and snorkeling opportunities.”  

Price:   $33

Read Reviews & Check the Availability

FROM BALI: SNORKELING DAY TRIP TO NUSA LEMBONGAN

Review: “Discover an island paradise off the south coast of Bali and snorkel at 3 different spots around the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida in the Indian Ocean. Marvel at the wide variety of tropical fish and live coral flora and fauna.”

Price:   $68

FULL-DAY SNORKELING TRIP TO NUSA PENIDA & MANTA POINT

Review: “Nusa Penida is a perfect spot for snorkeling and exploring marine life as you’ll see on this full-day trip. Spot the ocean sunfish, or mola mola and the great manta rays on some of the most amazing drift dives in Indonesia. Board the boat at Sanur Beach for the ride to Nusa Penida and your first snorkeling session of the day at Manta Point. Marvel at the majestic manta rays, which grow up to 6 meters in length. Take some time to enjoy a swim or to relax on the boat, before your second snorkeling session. Afterwards, savor a delicious lunch on the boat.”   

Price:  $132

Check out this epic YouTube Video about Nusa Penida for some travel inspiration!

BALI ITINERARY DAY 4: CANGGU CHILLIN & BAR HOPPING

In only a few short years, Canggu has quickly become popular and overthrown Seminyak as “the place to be”  in Bali. It’s changed drastically since my first visit in 2015. Since then, it has   become a digital nomad hotspot loaded with trendy cafes, co-working spaces, yoga studios, beach clubs, funky bars, surf camps, and thousands of people enjoying the Canggu lifestyle!   

I was fortunate to live in Canggu for a couple of months this year, and it really is a must-visit in Bali. Here’s what you should add to your Bali itinerary for 4 days.

CANGGU HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Eat at as many different cafes as possible: Canggu is easily one of the top “foodie hotspots” I’ve ever visited in my entire life. There are literally dozens of places you should try! A couple of my personal favorites are Milk & Madu, The Shady Shack, Motion Cafe, Peleton Supershop, Cinta Cafe, and Milu by Nook.
• Take a surfing lesson: If you’re new to the sport, Canggu can be an excellent place to learn the basics of surfing! While the waves can be a bit rough on some days, the surf camps are awesome in Canggu and will be a great way to spend a couple of hours. Take this tour  as an introduction to the sport.
• Watch the sunset every night on the beach: There are tons of different little local bars & restaurants along the beach, and they tend to put out bean bags and tables during the sunset. Grab a coconut and a beer, and watch the sky change colors to gorgeous orange and pink hues.
• Relax & swim at Alternative Beach Pool & Hostel: This venue is becoming super popular in Canggu. It’s got a perfect temperature pool, decent food options, and a nice sandy vibe hence the name.
• Spend a luxurious day at Finns Beach Club: If you’re not on the strictest budget, why not book a daybed at Finn’s for an easygoing day at a gorgeous venue?
• Stop by AMO Spa for one of their famous facials, relaxing massages, and an Epsom salt jacuzzi session: I’m sad I didn’t discover this place sooner because it ended up being one of my favorite spots in Canggu. The sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and cold plunge circuit are an outstanding endorphin rush!
• Go Canggu nightlife bar hopping: There are plenty of places to visit whether you go for drinks at Old Man’s, cocktails at La Brisa, or find your way to the hidden bar in the supermarket along the  “Canggu shortcut.”  Other really awesome bars I enjoy are The Lawn (awesome pool included), Pretty Poison, and Deus Ex Machina! You can check out this article about the best bars in Canggu for more information on the nightlife!

Check out this epic YouTube video for some more Canggu Travel Information & Inspiration!

BALI ITINERARY DAY 5: SURF, EAT, REPEAT & TANAH LOT TEMPLE SUNSET

Spend another day exploring everything (mainly the cafes) that Canggu has to offer. Do some yoga, surf, hit a co-working space, cross-fit, join a beach clean up, and more!

For sunset, I’d recommend renting a moto and driving down the road (only 20-25 minutes) to the Tanah Lot Temple . It’s one of Bali’s most important landmarks, famed for its unique offshore setting and sunset backdrops. It’s an ancient Hindu shrine perched on top of an outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves.

There’s a small entrance fee of 60,000 IDR ($4 USD), and you can easily spend an hour or two walking around the coastline and enjoying the scenic views.  

BALI ITINERARY DAY 6: SEMINYAK SHOPPING, DAY CLUBS & NIGHTLIFE

Continuing on with this Bali trip planning, I’d recommend making the short drive from Canggu down to Seminyak for a day of shopping and beach clubs. Seminyak is one of the fancier and more developed regions on the island and is full of awesome things to do, places to eat, and fantastic souvenir shopping!  

Now, on this itinerary, I’ve only listed one day in Seminyak because the last time I visited, I felt it was starting to get a bit too overcrowded. Still, you could easily stay here for several days and explore everything this place offers.

SEMINYAK HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Souvenir shop til’ you drop: For me, I think the Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta area is the best for buying all your souvenirs in Bali. Just remember to haggle, or the locals will take you for a ride. Most prices in all the souvenir stalls are negotiable!
• Visit Potato Head Beach Club: I’ve visited the world-famous Potato Head several times, and it remains one of my favorite spots in Seminyak! It’s a gorgeous beachfront property, has tons of fancy daybeds and loungers, and the food is absolutely delicious! While Potato Head Beach Club is a bit costly (for Bali standards), it’s worth stopping by for a swim, a meal, and a beer. There’s a lively atmosphere, and it can be a great place to meet people – especially around the swim-up bar.
• Relax on bean bags and under umbrellas at La Plancha Seminyak: One of the most colorful bars & restaurants on the beach you’ll ever see. During sunset, they’ve got a fun DJ spinning, decent prices, and an overall fantastic vibe you’re guaranteed to love!
• Pool party at Mrs. Sippy: This is the largest saltwater pool and one of the best pool party hotspots in Bali! Sippy regularly has international DJs come to perform (I saw Pete Tong there earlier this year), and you’ll love watching people jump from the high platform all day long.
• Grab a cup of coffee at Revolver: If you’re a coffee snob, you have to try a cup from Revolver, known to be the best coffee in Seminyak!
• Party it up at the Legendary Nightlife: Kuta & Seminyak are two areas that are quite popular for their bar and nightclub scene. Here are a few of my favorite spots: Motel Mexicola, SkyGarden, Ku De Ta, Cocoon, Woobar, and JENJA.

SEMINYAK TOURS

Seminyak balinese cooking class & market tour.

Review:   “Learn how to cook authentic Balinese dishes with your friendly and experienced local chefs in Seminyak. Join this fun cooking course and bring back some Balinese recipes and newly acquired skills from this 4.5-hour cooking class.”   

Price:   $35.00

Read Reviews & Check the Availability  

BALI ITINERARY DAY 7: UBUD CAFES, MONKEYS, TEMPLES, AND YOGA

Now that you’ve gotten plenty of time to explore Bali’s popular beach areas, the time has come to make the hour’s drive up to the cultural and spiritual capital of Bali.

Many people plan a trip to Bali and immediately add Ubud to their itinerary. That’s because there is truly something magical in the air at Ubud. The minute you step foot in this town, you will slowly start to feel your stress & worries float away.

Ubud is also a fantastic jumping-off point for adventuring around the rest of the island.

UBUD HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

For your first day in Ubud, though, here’s what I would suggest crossing off your bucket list!

• Try out trendy cafes, vegan eats & smoothie bowls: Ubud is another incredible destination for food, and you could easily spend 3 days here eating at as many places as possible and still only scratch the surface. A few of my favorites you MUST TRY are ZEST, Sayuri Healing Food, Alchemy, KAFE, and Clear Cafe.
• Get up close and personal with monkeys: Well, strolling through the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is the best place to do it. Just be careful. The monkeys at this magical sanctuary  aren’t always as friendly as you’d hope! It’s centrally located in town, super cheap, and a super fun way to spend an hour.
• Legends of the Hidden Temples: Rent a moto, and explore as many of the beautiful temples in the Ubud area as possible. There are literally dozens, and all of them are gorgeous. A few top picks are Pura Tirta Empul, Pura Taman Saraswati, and Goa Gajah!
• Do some Y-O-G-A: There are some fantastic yoga studios in Ubud, and even if it’s not your thing, I’d recommend trying it out. My first experience with Bikram yoga was in Ubud, and it was a sweaty experience I’ll never forget.  
• Ubud Art Market and beyond: Strolling around downtown Ubud has some really fantastic shopping opportunities. You can find some awesome stuff from the traditional art market, souvenir stalls, and trendy fashion stalls here.

 UBUD TOURS

Ubud balinese cooking class at an organic farm.

Review: “Discover the culinary secrets of Bali at an exclusive cooking class at an organic farm in the lush tropics surrounding Ubud. Visit a local market and experience everyday life, before preparing a regular or vegetarian meal with the help of a chef.”  

BALI ITINERARY DAY 8: TEGALALANG RICE TERRACES, BALI SWING & CAMPUHAN RIDGE WALK

Ubud still has so many places to teach you about Balinese culture and beauty, like the Tegalalang Rice Terraces and the famous swings that almost every influencer has taken pictures at while visiting Bali. These are all ideal for your second day here.

HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Visit the rice terraces: Located just a quick twenty-minute scooter ride from downtown Ubud is the Instagram-famous and undeniably gorgeous Tegalalang Rice Terraces . It’s one of the most stunning tourist destinations in Bali and will certainly impress you with its sprawling views of lush green valleys, rice paddies, and towering palm trees! It’s completely free to walk through, but I would bring money for any Bali swings you want to do, coconuts, cold drinks, meals, etc.

• Catch the rice terrace sunrises: If you’re willing to wake up early, watching the sunrise & witnessing the light rays shine through the palm trees is a sight you must see to believe! It’ll be one of the most peaceful ways to start your day, and then you can spend the next 3-4 hours exploring the area. If you head there around mid-day, though, expect big crowds and intense humidity (which can make for some sweaty explorations)!

When you’re done hiking around the rice terraces, I’d recommend picking one of the restaurants up at the top for a bite to eat! It’s a pretty epic place to enjoy a refreshing smoothie bowl & fresh coconut water!

• Terrace River Pool Swing: A few minutes from the main rice terraces is this super fun zip-lining and Bali Swing mini-amusement park called Terrace River Pool Swing . It’s also free to walk through and take photos, but you’ll have to pay if you want to do any of the activities. My friend Vanessa and I spent a good hour here and loved it!  

• Campuhan Ridge Walk: The Campuhan Ridge Walk is the best-known Ubud hiking trail and is a fantastic place to stroll during the sunset (or any time of the day, really). The sparse crowds and the aesthetically rich vistas will remind you why people worldwide come to Bali. The trail starts at the historical origin of Ubud, the confluence (or Campuhan) of the Wos Rivers. You’ll get some epic hilltop views as you stroll along the nice paved trail and will be surrounded by Ubud rice fields and a deep gorge with a river rushing through it. It’s only about 1.5 kilometers long, so it is popular as a place to work up a sweat. If you’re not too exhausted after exploring the rice terraces, I would say this is an absolute must-do in Ubud!  

Check out this video for a bit of travel inspiration and what to expect!

BALI ITINERARY DAY 9: MT. BATUR SUNRISE HIKE & SPA RELAXATION RECOVERY

Admire the panoramic view of the three volcanoes of Mt. Agung, Mt. Abang, and Mt. Rinjani in Lombok in the majestic sunrise over the clouds from the crater of Mt. Batur!

For adventure travelers, I’d highly recommend waking up super early and beginning the trek to the top of Mt. Batur to witness one of the most magnificent sunrises you will ever see!  

Fair warning, though, this hike is known to be a bit intense and is not for the faint-hearted. Unfortunately, this is one of the few main activities I haven’t gotten the chance to do myself yet, but everyone speaks so highly of it!

There are a few different tours to choose from, and it just depends on what piques your interest the most! Read through some of their itineraries, and browse through all their company reviews.  

• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek with Breakfast
• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek with Hidden Waterfall
• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek & Hot Springs

“Head up the mountain along a less-crowded hiking trail that follows the volcano’s eastern slope. During the ascent, you’ll trek along a 3-kilometer-long trail. The trail is of moderate difficulty, and passes through lush tropical jungles. On reaching the top you’ll enjoy breakfast cooked by steam from the volcano. Sip hot tea or coffee at leisure while watching the magical sunrise. Afterwards, your trek continues to the main crater rim of the volcano, at 1,717 meters above sea level. Take a different route down the mountain, starting from the southwestern crater rim. The journey ends with a chance to soak in the crystal-clear waters of a hot spring to soothe away any aches and pains you may have.”  

UBUD SPA RECOVERY HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

After an early morning wake-up and a long day of climbing up a volcano, you will be ready for a little bit of #self-care and pampering! Ubud was the first time I booked a full-day spa package, and the overall experience blew me away.

I only paid $120 USD, but I received a body scrub, 60-minute massage, herbal bath, healthy lunch, manicure, and pedicure!! It was called DIVINE PAMPERING!!

• Relax at Tasku Spa: Countless different spas in Ubud would be perfect, but I went to Taksu Spa | Ubud’s Premiere Wellness Center  for my spa treatment. They didn’t pay me to say this or anything. I just loved my experience and would highly recommend it to fellow travelers! If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, though, you can visit any of the smaller massage parlors spread around the town!

BALI ITINERARY DAY 10: HANDARA GATE, LAKE BATAN & ULUN DANU BERATAN TEMPLE & SEKUMPUL WATERFALL

Next up on this ultimate Bali itinerary is to book a day trip, hire a private driver, or rent some scooters and explore north Bali! There’s quite a lot to see up there, and it will definitely be a pretty solid day of adventures.  

NORTH BALI HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Handara Gate : Make a quick stop over at this iconic “Bali Gate,” which is actually the entrance to a golf course. It’s a perfect photo opportunity and is a breathtaking view of green scenery and the gigantic exotic traditional Balinese gate as your backdrop.

• Lake Beratan: This is where you’ll visit the majestic Ulun Danu Beratan Temple sitting on a small island on the lake, just as you’ve seen in the postcards and Instagram shots of Bali. This lakeside temple was constructed in honor of Dewi Danu, the lake goddess, formed by a volcanic eruption 30,000 years ago.

• Sekumpul Waterfall: Quite commonly called the best waterfall in Bali. It’s just a 40-minute drive from the lake and is the perfect place to spend a few hours! Just don’t forget your GoPro!  
• Banyumala Twin Waterfall: “This stunningly beautiful waterfall is perfect for a quiet and peaceful afternoon in the arms of Mother Nature. The natural pool is inviting with its translucent turquoise waters. Swim in tranquility, listen to the thunderous roar of cascading waters, and take in the sights of the vibrant greenery. Although no picture will ever do this natural wonder justice, that shouldn’t stop you from that perfect Instagram shot!”
• Rent a scooter: If you’re confident on a scooter, I would 100% recommend you explore by yourself. The roads are all really scenic, and I loved my experience just whippin’ around the North. It’s higher elevation, which means it’s less hot, and the way the clouds sit upon the hills is majestic!  

NORTH OF BALI TOURS

Northern charm: lake bratan, handara gate, waterfall & swing.

This tour company offers a trip that goes to most of these places and would be a great way to see everything with a professional guide. The price includes all entrance fees (which can actually add up) and has excellent reviews!  

HIRE A CAR WITH A PRIVATE DRIVER FOR 10 HOURS

I remember when I first visited Bali and discovered you could hire a car with a driver to take you anywhere you wanted to go for less than $50! It’s such a fantastic deal, especially if you’re traveling with a significant other or a group of friends!  

Price:   $45.00

BALI ITINERARY DAYS 11-14: EXPERIENCE PARADISE ON THE GILI ISLANDS

Now, if you’ve got more than 10 days in Bali, this is where I’d suggest sailing over to the Gili Islands — one of my favorite destinations in Indonesia! I actually spent a few months living on Gili Trawangan working at a party hostel back in 2015, and it was one of the highlights of my time backpacking through Southeast Asia.

A trip to the Gili Islands is a trip to paradise! The color of the water here will honestly leave you speechless, and I’m just obsessed with the fact that pretty much anytime you go snorkeling/ scuba-diving out there, you’ll be swimming with turtles. There is top-notch nightlife, incredible restaurants, a relaxed atmosphere, gorgeous villas, and the most jaw-dropping sunsets every night!!

Here is a quick breakdown of every island:

• Gili Trawangan = Party Island
• Gili Meno = Honeymoon Island
• Gili Air = Best of Both Worlds / Family Friendly

To get to the Gili Islands, you’ll need to talk to any travel agent in Ubud to organize the hotel pick-up and transfer schedule. You can pick various times, but I’d recommend doing the earliest one possible. It’s a couple hours’ drive to the port and then another couple of hours to the islands!

GILI ISLANDS HIGHLIGHTS & THINGS TO DO

• Go snorkeling or scuba-diving every day: The water is crystal clear here, and you can see some pretty awesome marine life just off the shores of each of the three islands! For scuba divers, make sure you chat with some of the dive centers to discuss the best dive sites!
• Watch the sunset every night: Grab a cocktail or a coconut at one of the many beach bars, and watch while the sky dips beneath the horizon in the future and lights up the sky in pretty much every color of the rainbow.
• Party it up: Gili Trawangan is easily one of the best party islands in Southeast Asia , and you can find yourself bar hopping every night if you want to.
• Bike ride around the island: There are no cars on the Gili’s, so I’d recommend renting a bike for at least one day and riding all the way around the island!  
• Enjoy a psychedelic experience: You may or may not be interested in this, but you can buy magic mushrooms in Indonesia quite easily! They’re readily available at many beach bars and shops, and they’re a super fun way to spend a few hours!    

ARRIVAL AT BALI DENPASAR AIRPORT

Once you’ve landed in Bali, successfully made it through immigration and customs, and collected your bags – you’ll need to get your transportation sorted to your first hotel. I must warn you that Bali’s worst part is the Ngurah Rai International Airport !  

You will be harassed by countless people asking you for a taxi, which can be overwhelming after a long-haul flight. That’s why I’d strongly suggest booking a Bali Airport Private Transfer beforehand!   

There are tons of different Bali transfer companies, and most hotels will offer this service (but charge way too much), but I really love this one through Get Your Guide – Bali Airport Private Transfer ! I’ve personally used this service before, and for only $18, it’s a pretty fantastic deal!

It’s really nice to have this all handled before arriving at the airport because it makes for a stress-free arrival! Most Bali car drivers are super friendly and are happy to chat about their favorite things on the island, food, etc.

BEST ITINERARY FOR BALI SUBSTITUTIONS

Alright, so I know I just went over so much information, but now I’m offering up a few other possible Bali itinerary ideas! The truth is that every traveler is a bit different, and there is no right way to spend 10 days or two weeks exploring Bali!  

• Spend more time on the Nusa Islands: With fantastic marine biodiversity, rugged landscapes, and pristine beaches – taking the ferry over to the Nusa Islands and spending 3-4 days over here would be a great option.
• Book a few nights at Mt. Kintamani instead of Ubud: This is a really gorgeous part of Bali, and you wouldn’t believe some of the gorgeous resorts up there. It’ll also make the sunrise hike a lot easier, and you could even attempt to do it on your own to save money!

• Relax & slow down in Sanur: This sleepy coastal town was one of the very first places I visited in Bali, and I honestly loved it. While it may not have the gorgeous coastlines like in Uluwatu or the trendy cafes in Canggu, it’s definitely a comfortable spot with some lively resorts, beautiful white sand beaches, and a nice relaxing vibe. There’s great souvenir shopping, an awesome night market, and overall a solid place to spend a few days!  

BALI ITINERARY TRAVEL TIPS

Bring an international driver’s license.

Fair warning – there’s a good chance that you will get pulled over while driving around Bali! The local cops in Bali are, well… they can be rather CORRUPT. Not all of them, but there’s a huge issue with cops extorting cash from tourists!  

I’ve been harassed almost every time I drive around Bali (for longer-distance trips), but if you have the proper paperwork and an International Driver’s License , you shouldn’t have any problems. Most of the time, they are just security checkpoints on major roads.

If you do get pulled over and they are giving you a difficult time… just try and BRIBE THEM. Hand them over a 50,000 IDR bill, and then show them an empty wall! Simply drive off, and see if that works.

BE CAREFUL WITH THE MONEY EXCHANGE PLACES

They are notorious on the island for scamming tourists, so my recommendation would be to just use the ATMs to get your money. Also, make sure you bring a credit card with no international withdrawal fees! Most tour agencies, restaurants, and bars accept credit cards these days!

DON’T TRUST THE MONKEYS

If this is your first time traveling through Southeast Asia, you might not understand how evil monkeys can actually be! Don’t have any loose jewelry around them, don’t smile at them, don’t look at them directly in the eyes, etc. Just be super cautious with them!  

Check out these YouTube videos below for First Time Travelers to Bali!

HOW TO GET AROUND IN BALI

Use a rideshare app.

There are three main Rideshare apps in Bali: UBER, GOJEK, and GRAB! Download all three of these before landing, and you’ll always be able to find a ride. I’ve never had any issues using any of these platforms, and it is definitely the easiest way to get around. You can even call a MOTO GoJek, and they’ll offer you a helmet, and you sit behind them!  

RENT A SCOOTER

Scooters are an extremely popular way for travelers in Bali to explore the island. Especially around Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud – it makes a huge difference if you have your own moto !  

HIRE A PRIVATE DRIVER

For $40-$60 per day, you can Hire a Private Driver (depending on how long you hire for)! For example, if you’re booking a taxi from Uluwatu to Canggu, why not just hire the driver for the entire day, and go explore as much as possible? It really just depends on how you want to spend your days!  

INTERESTED IN SCUBA DIVING?

If you’ve found yourself with some more time to gallivant around Indonesia, I’d highly recommend booking a flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo. So you can visit the wondrous Komodo National Park  and experience some of the world’s most unbelievable marine biodiversity and scuba-diving.  

I’ve now visited Komodo two different times, and it is a remarkable destination that deserves a place on every traveler’s bucket list! Komodo National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve!  

The color and clarity of the water are stunning, the landscape is completely gorgeous, and getting up close and personal with Komodo Dragons is an experience you’ll never forget. But the real magic begins when you strap on your fins and snorkel mask and start exploring the underwater scenery!

It really is the best snorkeling and scuba-diving I’ve witnessed in my life! It’s also one of the best places to do a liveaboard in Southeast Asia, as the prices are relatively affordable (compared to other popular scuba destinations).  

Check out these Komodo National Park liveaboards to view dates, prices, and availability to see if you can squeeze one into your Bali itinerary!

• Adelaar Liveaboard (Bali – Komodo)
• Moana Liveaboard
• Indo Aggressor (Komodo National Park)

PURCHASE THE BALI LONELY PLANET & POCKETBOOK

No matter how long your Bali vacation is, I’d also recommend picking up one of the Bali Lonely Planet Travel Guide Books ! They are honestly loaded with insider tips, restaurant recommendations, and fun day ideas! I know I’ve gone into a  lot of detail in this post (so maybe you should bookmark this for your trip), but these are always handy!  

PLANNING A TRIP TO BALI, INDONESIA & SOUTHEAST ASIA?

I’ve spent a lot of time backpacking around this marvelous region of the world, and I’ve written a rather large amount to help you figure out your ideal upcoming vacation! Look through some of my favorite articles below, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my Bali itinerary travel guide!

Further Reading:

• The Ultimate Ubud Itinerary | 3 Days In Bali’s Hidden Paradise
• Top 12 Music Festivals In Bali To Experience This Year
• The Ultimate Backpackers Guide to Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
• 17 Amazing Things To Do On Gili Trawangan
• The 7 Best Places to Eat on Gili Trawangan
• Komodo Island Trip Review | Sailing from Lombok to Flores
• The 5 Best Places to Trip on Magic Mushrooms in Southeast Asia
• The 15 Best Places to Party in Southeast Asia
• 20 Best Beaches In Malaysia | Beach Resorts & Islands
• The 20 Best Beaches In Vietnam | Epic Islands, Beach Resorts + Hotels
• The 20 Best Beaches in Sri Lanka
• Thailand Itinerary | 10 Days In The Land Of Smiles

THANKS FOR READING MY BALI ITINERARY TRAVEL GUIDE!!

Share this bali trip planner with your squad.

Absolutely loved you article here. Thank you! <3

Currently researching for a further trip…you’re info is amazing! Would love to continue the convo! Please reach out! Diana

Looking for sample itinerary on your trip to Bali? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox35Xqg55OI&t=755s

Indeed this content is really helpful and interesting. In line with that maybe you would like to consider as well the sample itinerary on my youtube channel :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox35Xqg55OI&t=755s

Hi, I’m thinking of going this November, I know it’s “rainy season” but it’s not a terrible time to go is it?

Thanks, Lisa

This is a great Post, :) Love lots!

Wow what a detail itinerary plan dude. I like your Balinese outfit photos haha…so cool…

If you come to Bali again and plan to stay in Seminyak, dont forget to add eqUILIBRIAHOTELS.COM on your bucket list. it is a multi international awards winning of 5 stars one bedroom villa with private pool resort in Bali, located at “eat & dining street” Seminyak, close to the beach.

Love your Bali itinerary plan… If you ever come to Nusa Penida island again, check out the most affordable package which is included everything here

or may just would like to hire a private driver for tour in Bali island which cost only idr100k per hour? you can do so.

Hi! This guide has been really useful. But I would love some advice on how to book some of the hotels, trips etc, And can I do this with a flight included? I am a 53 year old female who will be travelling alone and as you may have guessed I have only ever been on package holidays before but would love to do Bali on a multi hotel basis to ensure I see as much as possible in either 2 or 3 weeks. Look forward to some replies – all advice welcomed xx

I agree that Bali is one of the best places to stay. I still have never been there. Hope to get there this year! Bali is definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing!

Hey man, awesome in-depth post on Bali! Thanks for putting this one out there!

Nice blog Thank you so much

Bali is on my travel bucket list for a great vacation. I really appreciate this travel itinerary of Bali. This is very helpful for me. Thanks for sharing it. Looking forward to reading more of these blogs.

nice blog.really like

When we, as Australians can travel again (once our international borders reopen), we are planning on heading direct to Bali on our way through Asia. We have been to Bali many times but amazingly have never been to Uluwatu or Gili T. You have definitely sold us on both!

good one thank you

Wow what a detail itinerary plan dude, Amazing

What great information!!Thank you!

greeting and Thank you for your amazing. please keep posting

Hey!! I hope you are all good. I read your blog and I found it very informative and I think you have a good knowledge traveling to Bali

Great article… Thanks for sharing with us

Very informative blog, thank you for sharing with us

Wonderful post. We are so keen to get back to Bali post the pandemic and this is a great starting point to plan a trip!

Killer Bali Itinerary Dave. Great blog. I’m sure many people will benefit from it. If you make it to Komodo, please look up Maika for Padar Tours.

Great post! Hoping to travel in Bali one day. I’ve heard so much amazing things about this wonderful place.

The Ultimate BALI Itinerary | The Best Places to Visit and Things to Do.

Love this Bali itinerary! Thanks so much for ALL the helpful info

Experience best of Morocco and the Sahara desert with our Morocco Desert camping tours in a supreme comfort and style in our beautiful 4×4 or minibus vehicles on our multi winning Morocco Desert camping tours

We at Our Morocco Tours organise Morocco private and shared excursions to the Sahara desert from main Moroccan cities.

Recently Analyzed

Love Bali and this post is really helpful for my next travel to Bali

greeting and Thank you for your amazing.

best blog ever thanks for sharing

amazing article full of value many thanks for sharing it with us! Can’t wait to visit with this Bali itinerary!

Thanks for taking your time and provide us with this helpfull content.

Thanks for sharing with us this great article which is full of information. Bali travel is the best!

great content thanks for the value

Thank you for the well detailed and informative post.

This is one of the most visited destinations where you can find all what makes your trip enjoyable! This Bali itinerary is what I’ll use!

This is one of the most popular sites where you may discover everything you need to make your vacation pleasurable! This Bali itinerary will be my guide!

This is one of the most visited islands. Bali travel is amazing

I had a thought of going to Bali, but I did not know how to travel. Thanks for informing about this.

Perfectly designed Bali Itinerary, Thanks for the stunning photos and these photos inspired me to travel Bali, Soon I’ll be there.

woow, thank you very much for the information .

i have been following you since a long time and i read all your tips about traveling especially to Bali, Thank you so much, i have been in Bali last Decembre, thanks to your information, i had a very nice experience.

Thank you for this information. It helps a lot to do this experinece, i will get back to you after i follow this steps and tell you about my trip.

Thank you so much, thats helpful

Wow! Incredible travel guide to Bali. I’m going next month and can’t wait!

amazing BALI TRIP GUIDE blog to read. i do really like it. thank u Jones Around the world

it is an amazing blog I have ever seen

this is one of the best destinations in southeast asia, especially for a honeymoon

Wonderful 👍😊 article full of value and info thank you so much for your sharing

Amazing Blog Thank you for sharing

wonderful blog full of info and so much value thanks for sharing

Amazing article thank you for sharing

nice Blog Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to go to bali

Have you been to the Nusa Islands? What did you think of them?

Awesome blog its really amazing thanks for sharing

wonderful keep up posting

Thank you for this information. It helps a lot to do this experinece, i will get back to you after i follow this steps and tell you about my tour. thanks

This is a great post thanks dude! Currently planning a trip to Bali and visiting a ton of these spots!

Great blog! Do you have any recommendations for the east side of Bali?

Thank u so much

thanks you for your post

thanks for sharing with us. really helpful for planning a trip to bali

Amazing article full of informations

Where else would you recommend to travel in Indonesia?

Your blog is so interesting and full of info. Thank you for these awesome things to do in bali

great blog will done !! Where is your favorite spot in Bali?

Did you book a day trip to Nusa Penida or just go yourself?

I want to express my sincere gratitude for this comprehensive article on planning the ultimate trip to Bali. Your detailed itinerary and practical tips have been incredibly helpful in envisioning my future adventure on this enchanting island. The suggested highlights and activities, from exploring the cultural treasures of Ubud to relaxing on the stunning beaches of Nusa Dua, have truly piqued my interest. The inclusion of lesser-known gems, such as the Tegalalang Rice Terrace and the sacred temples, has made me even more excited to immerse myself in Bali’s rich heritage. Your insightful recommendations on accommodations, transportation, and local cuisine have further equipped me with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions. I cannot thank you enough for curating such a valuable resource that will undoubtedly contribute to planning my perfect Bali getaway.

thanks for sharing

Very informative blog, thank you for sharing! Love traveling to Bali

great blog will done good job! Love traveling to bali

This is great info! Definitely visiting Uluwatu when I go to Bali

Incredible blog very much appreciated for this amazing article

Very informative blog! Thank you for these awesome things to do in bali

Amazing article!! I’m visiting Bali soon with friends and wondering if you recommend Lombok as well?

Your blog about Bali it’s interesting, keep going.

Your blog is amazing. Thank you Jones for sharing with us this info with your photos.

Thank you for this fantastic and detailed post, “THE ULTIMATE BALI ITINERARY: HOW TO PLAN THE PERFECT TRIP TO BALI.” It’s like a roadmap to paradise! I’ve always dreamt of visiting Bali, and this itinerary is going to be my go-to resource. I appreciate the effort you put into crafting such a comprehensive guide, and I’m already feeling more confident about planning my dream trip. Your insights and recommendations are invaluable, and I can’t wait to explore all the hidden gems and soak in the beauty of this incredible island. Cheers to creating unforgettable memories! 🌴🌺🌄

Amazing blog. Thank you Jones for sharing with us this info with your awesome photos.

Hi there, Thank you for sharing its absolutely interesting. Canggu was my favorite!

The perfect one! I’m planning a trip to Bali and this was very helpful

Bali is one of the most magical places. I can’t wait to get there.

Wonderful blog. Thank you for sharing this with us. Can’t wait to visit bali

best blog for bali

I really enjoyed reading your article. Thank you

Thank you for this comprehensive guide; it’s packed with invaluable information

Wonderful itinerary! thanks for sharing.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Its an excellent post, thank you so much for sharing with us. I hope you keep sharing this types of informative posts

What an awesome post! Thank you for sharing this helpful content.

Awesome 👍😎 article thank you so much

Its an excellent post, thank you so much for sharing with us. I hope you keep sharing this types of informative posts

Wow amazing! Thanks for all your informations👍

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

[…] The Ultimate BALI Itinerary | The Best Places to Visit & Things to Do […]

[…] of delicious this S’mores cake, the first time I had S’mores was on a trip to Bali – that I paid for myself (as a student!). I loved the delicious, ooeey, goeey desseert, just […]

Leave a Reply

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Photography Gear

Work With Me

Privacy Policy

Destinations

Music Festivals

Travel Itineraries

Inspiration

Travel Gifts

Southeast Asia

Latest Travel Regulations to Enter Bali as of 1 December 2022

You know what time it is? Yes, #ItstimeforBali! The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, imposed new regulations for those who are planning to travel to Bali. Since 14 October 2021, Bali has been gradually opening its doors to international tourists. On 3 February  2022, the inaugural commercial flight of Garuda Indonesia Airline carrying international tourists landed in Bali from Narita, Japan. By relaxing the travel restrictions to Bali, the Indonesian Government hopes that this move will be able to revitalize the country’s tourism.

On 7 March 2022, the government also applied a quarantine-free trial period and a Visa On Arrival (VOA) program for 23 selected countries. The list of countries was then extended to 42 on 22 March 2022, 43 countries on 6 April 2022, 60 countries on 28 April 2022,  72 countries on 30 May 2022, and then 75 countries on 27 July 2022. There are currently 86 countries listed based on the update on 23 September 2022.

On 10 November 2022, the government also launched an Electronic Visa on Arrive (eVOA) program to provide foreign travelers with an easier entry process. According to the Circular Letter of the Directorate General of Immigration No. IMI-0794.GR.01.01 of 2022 concerning the Immigration Policy regarding Electronic Visit Visa Services, Visit Visa on Arrival Services, and Free Visit Visa to Support Sustainable Tourism during the Covid-19 Pandemic, as of 1 December 2022, there are 86 countries eligible for the eVOA program.

Another great news to be noted is that from 18 May 2022, no RT-PCR test results are required to be taken prior to departure from the country or region of origin . 

In addition, the government has also launched Second Home Visa , Immigration on Shipping (IoS) , and recently, Electronic Visa on Arrival (eVOA) , which was effective from 10 November 2022. 

The Indonesian Government will ensure to keep their utmost efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, namely by maintaining the  status as one of countries with the highest vaccination rates, as well as the country that consistently provides safety protocols for all visitors. As of 18 May 2022, Bali is one of the top 3 provinces with highest vaccination rates and also one of the highest numbers of CHSE certifications. 

1. Pre-departure Preparation

Before departing to Bali, you need to prepare yourself with the information about the Visa and requirements to enter Indonesia.

Entering with Visa on Arrival and Visa Exemption Facility

According to the Circular Letter of the Directorate General of Immigration No. IMI-0708.GR.01.01 of 2022 concerning the Ease of Immigration to Support Sustainable Tourism during the COVID-19 Pandemic effective from 23 September 2022, there are 86 countries that are eligible for VIsa on Arrival (VOA) program. 

In addition, according to the  Circular Letter of the Directorate General of Immigration No. IMI-0708.GR.01.01 of 2022 concerning the Ease of Immigration to Support Sustainable Tourism during the COVID-19 Pandemic effective from 23 September 2022, the Indonesian government has also implemented a Visa Exemption Arrangement facility to 9 countries.

More details about the eligible countries, updated rules, regulations, and ports of entries for Visa On Arrival and Visa Exemption Facilities can be read on this link and can be summarized as follows:

• Passport (diplomatic/official/ordinary) that is valid for a minimum of 6 (six) months,
• A return ticket or a pass to continue the trip to another country, and
• Proof of payment of PNBP Visa on Arrival of 500,000 IDR (in the case of applying for a Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose)
• The entry stamp on the granting of a Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose will be valid as a Visit Stay Permit with the certain period, as follows: a) Visit Visa Exemption: maximum 30 days and cannot be extended. b) Visa on Arrival: maximum of 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days at the Immigration Office in the area where the foreign national lives. 
• Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose can also be granted for foreign nationals on official visit or government duties to attend international events, for which shall be applied additional requirement: to enclose an invitation letter issued by the Indonesian government to attend the international conferences/trials/meetings.
• The provision of Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose as stipulated above applies to holders of diplomatic passports, service passports, or ordinary/general passports.

Entering with eVOA

You can visit this link to find out more information about eVOA, as well as this page to gather the details about eVOA registration .

2. Arrival protocols

When you have arrived in Bali, there are several measures you need to take before you can continue your trip. According to the Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Task Force Number 25 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for International Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as of 31 August 2022, all international travelers, whether they are Indonesian citizens or foreign nationals, should comply with all the detailed regulations on this link .

The protocols can be summarized as follows:

1. All foreign travelers (foreign nationals) who will enter the territory of the Republic of Indonesia shall adjust their travel documents to ensure compliance with the provisions regarding the foreign travelers allowed to enter the territory of Indonesia, which includes Covid-19 vaccination certificates, recommended health protocols, along with the use of  PeduliLindungi  application while in Indonesia. Provisions for RT-PCR examination and quarantine period are not required except under certain conditions.

2. Foreign travelers must show a card/certificate (physical or digital) proving that you have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered at least 14 days before departure.

Foreign travelers who undergo post-COVID recovery are allowed to continue the journey by attaching a doctor's certificate from the Government Hospital of the country of departure or the ministry that carries out government affairs in the health sector in the country of departure stating that the person concerned is no longer actively transmitting COVID-19 or the COVID-19 recovery certificate;

Foreign travelers with special health conditions or comorbidities that cause travelers to have not and/or unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, are allowed to continue the journey by attaching a doctor's certificate from the Government Hospital from the country of departure, stating that the person concerned has not and/or is unable to take part in the COVID-19 vaccination.

3. Upon arrival at the entry points, foreign travelers must undergo a COVID-19 symptom check, including a body temperature check, with the following conditions :

If there is no symptom of COVID-19 and body temperature is below 37.5 degrees Celsius:  no need to undergo RT-PCR examination upon arrival

If there is any symptom of COVID-19 or body temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius:  must undergo RT-PCR examination upon arrival. 

4. As a requirement for domestic travel or departure abroad from Indonesia, international travelers with the status of Indonesian citizens aged 18 years and above must present a card/certificate (physical or digital) of receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine displayed through the PeduliLindungi application. You can check out this link to find out about the detailed regulations for domestic travel.

5. The provision regarding the period of isolation (quarantine) no longer applies. All foreign travelers without symptoms related to COVID-19 and whose body temperature is below 37.5 degrees Celsius are able to continue their journey. However, it is highly recommended to monitor their health independently.

6. Health protocols must meet these requirements:

Wearing 3 ply of fabric mask or medical grade mask, covering nose, mouth, and chin at indoor settings or any crowded situations;

Replacing the mask regularly within every 4 hours, and dispose the waste in the proper place;

Washing hands regularly with water and soap or hand sanitizers;

Maintaining social distance for a minimum of 1.5 meters and avoiding crowds; and

Keeping in mind that it is advised not to have one-way or two-way communication by telephone or in person throughout the trip using public transportation modes of land, rail, sea, river, lake, ferry, and air.

7. The above policies are temporary and will be readjusted according to global health developments.

Please make sure that you are tested by  the affiliated laboratories  so that the results will be directly connected to the PeduliLindungi app.

Furthermore, you can  visit here  to get a one stop service for your travel requirements in Bali. Kindly  click here  to browse all the accommodations and tourism destinations in Bali that have been granted the CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability) certification. Beside booking at your favorite accommodation among the listed hotels, villas, and resorts, come check out these  Live on Board  providers for new exciting experiences.

Remember to always comply with all the health protocols while enjoying the best of Bali again. Do keep yourself updated with the latest information about traveling regulations in Bali by checking out  this page .

Come follow our Instagram  @wonderfulindonesia , Facebook  @WonderfulIndonesia , Twitter  @wonderfulid , TikTok  @wonderfulid , and our Youtube  Wonderful Indonesia  to keep an eye out on the latest news about Indonesia’s tourism as well as awe-inspiring trip ideas.

*Disclaimer: This article was updated on January 16, 2023. Due to the dynamic nature of travel regulations, please stay updated and confirm your itinerary with your chosen travel providers.

Suggested for you

CHSE Certified Hotels in Bali for Safe Stays

How Bali Fights Against COVID-19

Getting Ready to Travel Again

6 Guides on Being A Responsible Traveler

List of Open Tourism Spots in Regards to COVID-19 Outbreak

Visit our other website

This is the official website of the Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia. The contents listed on this website are intended for informational purposes rather than commercial. Any displayed sale is meant as a token of partnership and will always redirect you to our partners' sites.

15 dream-worthy Bali hotels to book now

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

The Indonesian island of Bali is one tourism destination whose reopening we've been eagerly awaiting. The opening to foreign travelers has been delayed a couple of times, but when we get the green light, these hotels will be at the top of the list.

Bali experienced a hotel boom in the last few years before the pandemic, and while COVID-19 will have disrupted this somewhat, a huge variety of beautiful, luxurious hotels are waiting to welcome you to this Southeast Asian paradise. And whether hotels are part of an international points and rewards program or not, be on the lookout for special deals and discounts as many are trying to entice travelers back with great deals.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our free daily newsletter .

St. Regis Bali Resort

Location: Nusa Dua

With the only villas in Bali that offer direct beach access via private gardens, the St. Regis Bali Resort is one of the most exclusive and luxurious hotels on the island. The 41 villas have recently been refurbished and feature Balinese arts, crafts, bedding and rugs. The Kayuputi restaurant, one of several dining options, serves haute cuisine inspired by Bali's rich and unique culinary traditions. There are several pools and swimming lagoons, including two whirlpools and a children's pool, and a spa with offerings ranging from Ayurvedic treatments to manicures and pedicures.

The St. Regis Bali is a Category 8 property in the Marriott Bonvoy program. Read more about getting the most out of this program in this handy guide . On standard dates, you can book a room with 85,000 points.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali

This clifftop hotel overlooking Nusa Dua beach has villas with private pools as well as great views. The three restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton Bali offer Indonesian cuisine, tapas, and grilled seafood, and chef-led food experiences and wine tastings are an extra draw for foodies. If you're after some pampering, the spa located within a tropical greenhouse provides a memorable setting.

The Ritz-Carlton Bali is a Marriott Bonvoy Category 6 hotel. An award night on standard dates runs 50,000 points. Or, you can use a Marriott annual up to 50k free night certificate like the one awarded each year after your card renewal month on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

InterContinental Bali

Location: Jimbaran

Set beside a sweep of white sand at Jimbaran and conveniently close to Ngurah Rai International Airport, with over 400 rooms of various types the InterContinental Bali is like a self-contained village and is ideal for large gatherings of family and friends, including weddings. The focal point is the large central swimming pool that overlooks the sea. Available amenities include bike rentals, tennis courts, yoga classes and kid-friendly activities.

The InterContinental Bali is part of the IHG Rewards Club. Jimbaran Deluxe rooms are often available from 20,000 IHG points plus a 10% service fee.

Conrad Bali

The ever-popular Conrad Bali has recently undergone a refurbishment and now offers even more comfortable, luxurious rooms amid tropical gardens set beside a wide golden beach. More than 300 rooms come in a huge range of categories and sizes -- from twin suites and family rooms to poolside villas and penthouses -- so whatever your needs, you should be able to find something that's a fit. The activities offered by the Kura Kura Kids Club here are particularly enticing and educational, with preparing Indonesian sweets and learning basic Indonesian language among the highlights.

Use your Hilton Honors points to book award nights at Conrad Bali . Standard rooms go for 60,000 Hilton points. For those looking to stock up on Hilton points, consider the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which lets you earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card within your first three months of card membership.

W Bali Seminyak

Location: Seminyak

Seminyak boasts the best sunsets in Bali, and there are myriad places from which to enjoy them at the W Bali Seminyak resort: loungers on the lawn, the patio bar and restaurant, the lagoon-like pools and the long sandy beach beyond the resort among them. Rooms face the garden or the ocean, and some have balconies and private pools; all are decorated in accordance with the W chain's signature modern, trendy flair (and there's a large polished concrete W sculpture out front!).

This Category 7 property is available for 60,000 Marriott points per night on standard dates. If you can find off-peak dates, it's just 50,000 points per night or use a Marriott 50k free night certificate.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Location: Ayung River Valley, Ubud

With steep jungle on one side and the Ayung River on the other, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve allows guests to experience the lush, green heart of inland Bali. The swimming pool overlooks terraced rice paddies and the four outdoor and covered dining areas overlook the river and rice paddies.

While you can normally redeem Marriott points at Ritz-Carlton properties, you can't redeem for stays at Ritz-Carlton Reserves like this one.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

Location: Sayan, near Ubud

Guests reach the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan by crossing a suspension bridge across the Ayung River Valley -- a dramatic and memorable entrance to a gorgeous property. Surrounded by verdant rice paddies and lush tropical forest, the stunning architecture within the beautiful natural setting is a highlight of the many attractions at this resort. Natural teak wood is used liberally in the design of the suites and villas, which combine elements of traditional and contemporary Balinese style.

There's also another Four Seasons property on Bali if you're looking for a location at the beach: the Healing Village Spa at Jimbaran Bay, in the south of the island.

Four Seasons doesn't have a loyalty or rewards program, although that may change in the future . However, Four Seasons properties typically participate in American Express' Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which offers upgrades upon availability, complimentary daily breakfast for two and more.

Location: Ubud

On a ridge overlooking the Ayung Valley, the Amandari resort is designed to resemble a traditional Balinese village. It offers romantic individual thatched-roof villas, an infinity pool, well-tended gardens, a tennis court, a spa with open-air waterfalls, and shuttle buses into central Ubud. The Amandari first opened in 1989 and is a beloved favorite of travelers who return to Bali.

Aman doesn't have a loyalty program but booking a stay with your American Express card provides a few perks (a room upgrade if available, late checkout, and breakfast).

The Bulgari Resort Bali

Location: Uluwatu

The Bulgari Resort Bali combines the best of Bali's tropical beachside location with the Bulgari brand's sense of Italian style. Thatched-roof villas and breezy public areas with Balinese arts and handicrafts are stepped into the hillside. The resort also has a private beach and an infinity pool overlooking the sea and is a short drive from the iconic, tiered Uluwatu Temple on a cliff overlooking the sea.

Although Bulgari hotels are affiliated with Marriott, they aren't part of the Marriott Bonvoy points program; they do, however, participate in the Marriott STARS program for travel advisors (meaning you must book through a participating travel advisor to get any perks).

Hoshinoya Bali

Location: Tampaksiring, Ubud

Hoshinoya Bali is one of the few Hoshino hotels outside Japan and combines the stylish simplicity of both Japan and Bali. On a hillside leading down to the Pakerisan River and shrouded in the forest, the large resort contains Japanese-inspired individual villas, and several comfortable "cages" suspended above the valley (despite how they might sound, they're a lovely place to relax and enjoy the views!).

Hoshinoya isn't part of any rewards program.

The Legian Seminyak Bali

Come for the sunsets, stay for … everything else. Situated on the long sweep of white sand Seminyak Beach, The Legian Seminyak Bali is close to the trendy shops, bars, and restaurants of Seminyak village, but sheltered from the hustle and bustle. The three-tiered swimming pool reaches down to the beach, and the ample outdoor lounging areas are shaded with palm trees and overlook the pool and the sea.

The Legian Seminyak Bali is a member of the Grand Luxury Hotels loyalty club, which offers perks like a room upgrade on arrival, where available. American Express Platinum cardholders will also receive benefits like complimentary breakfasts and dining credits when booking with the card.

Wapa di Ume Sidemen

Location: Sidemen, Eastern Bali

Away from the congestion of Ubud and southern coastal areas, Wapa di Ume Sidemen resort in eastern Bali sits on the lower slopes of Bali's sacred Mt. Agung. It's said that Sidemen is like the Ubud of two or three decades ago, and is a great alternative to the charming, yet busy, town inland. The resort is in the midst of a local village, and guests can borrow bikes to explore outside the grounds. Or, stay in and enjoy the two-tier infinity pool, daily yoga sessions and airy covered dining areas.

Wapa di Ume Sidemen is a boutique hotel and not part of any rewards programs, but additional discounts and benefits are available by booking directly with them.

Location: Sanur

Andaz Bali in Sanur, which opened in April 2021, is an ideal place for a family vacation, as Sanur is a famously family-friendly beach destination and the rooms at the resort can be combined to form a family compound. Day passes are also available if you're staying elsewhere in Sanur but want to experience the lovely pool and gardens of the Andaz Bali.

The Andaz Bali is a Category 4 hotel in the World of Hyatt program. Standard rooms will set you back 15,000 points per night and Premium Suites cost 30,000 points per night.

Raffles Bali

The Bali branch of this iconic Singaporean hotel, Raffles Bali opened in 2020 and is one of the island's newest resorts. Set beside a quiet beach in a part of Bali best known for its fish market (Jimbaran's Kedonganan Fish Market), the seafood served here is super fresh. The emphasis here is on seclusion and privacy: the beach is far less crowded than others nearby, and the 32 villas are set within peaceful and private corners of the resort. "Wellness Butlers" can facilitate a wide range of cultural, culinary or physical activities for you onsite or outside the resort.

As a new resort, make the most of one of their opening offers. Raffles Bali is part of the ALL (Accor Live Limitless) rewards program , which can be used in 110 countries and has the advantage of not being subject to any blackout dates.

Jumeirah Bali

Location: South Kuta

The Bali branch of this Dubai-based luxury hotel group is pegged to open in 2021, so watch this space. Inspired by a Javanese water palace (visitors to the Taman Sari in Yogyakarta on Java island will be familiar with this idea!), the Jumeirah Bali will also offer traditional Arabian hammam experiences and a blend of Arabian and Balinese hospitality.

The Jumeirah Bali will be part of the Jumeirah One loyalty program. Points collected can be used toward stays, discounted spa treatments, attraction passes and more.

• Auction Bids
• Auction Watchlist

Travel news, tips, reviews & videos of luxury hotels to help plan your vacation.

Bid & win a luxury hotel stay or travel item for your next vacation.

• Accessories
• Accommodation
• Experiences

Book a room with us for complimentary upgrades & VIP benefits like breakfast for two at your favorite luxury hotel.

• Find Out More

Recents Clear

Best Loyalty Points Or Miles Hotels In Bali

popular post today

We have reviewed best and cheapest hotels in Bali that you can spend your loyalty points and miles on. Whether you are looking for spiritual harmony in Ubud or prefer the beach resorts of Seminyak and Nusa Dua, these are the best hotels where you can spend your credit card or hotel loyalty points.

The Indonesian island of Bali is known for its dramatic volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, paradise beaches, and coral reefs. Bali is also known as the “Island of Gods,” and many distinct areas have different vibes. The Seminyak area is a chic, beachside cosmopolitan dream and thus a favorite with the luxury travel community. It’s famous for its spectacular waves, breathtaking sunsets, and vibrant nightlife. Nusa Dua is derived from the two small islands on Bali’s eastern shoreline. Here, immaculate green manicured lawns front world-class hotels nestled within this luxury enclave. Ubud is the spiritual center of Bali, a place to enjoy culture and arts with views over the lurid green paddy fields.

January is the hottest and also the wettest month in Bali, with temperatures averaging 28°C (82°F). July is the coolest month, averaging 26°C (78°F). You can, therefore, expect a warm, tropical climate all year round but with more rain in November, December, January, and February. The best time to travel to Bali is in April, May, June, and September, just before and just after the high season (which falls in July and August). It is still the dry season in these months, so it is slightly less humid, and room prices and villa rental prices are lower. Due to the tropical greenery on this island, make sure you bring mosquito repellent and jelly shoes that can also be useful at some resorts which have rocky shorelines. Others have golden sand beaches, so do your research.

Luxury hotels in Bali, Indonesia, include the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, but there is no Four Seasons loyalty scheme or rewards but you can still get loyalty style benefits by booking via our luxury travel concierge ), St Regis Bali is part of Marriott Bonvoy, Ritz-Carlton Bali is also part of Marriott Bonvoy rewards, Bulgari Bali and W Bali Seminyak are also part of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program and we personally reviewed W Bali a few months ago.

The Conrad Bali is a great Hilton Honors redemption option, while the Grand Hyatt is a good World of Hyatt redemption option. Starwood Marriott Bonvoy properties include The Laguna Bali with free buffet breakfast for Platinum Marriott Bonvoy members, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua with free breakfast, free afternoon tea, and light snacks/sweets in the lobby for Platinums, Le Meridien as well as IHG properties like the InterContinental Bali outlined below and the hotel Indigo Seminyak Beach which is also part of the IHG Rewards loyalty scheme.

It is worth mentioning that buying your Bali vacation on points is not always a good idea. Often you are getting poor value for your loyalty points, particularly midweek and in low season, as hotel rates in Bali can be very cheap anyway. Hence, it often works out better to spend your cash and EARN your points in Bali and then spend them in expensive cities or more expensive hotels in Europe, America, and Australasia. As an example, InterContinental Bali can be booked for around $200 – $300 USD or a mix of IHG points and cash. I saw 20,000 points + $128.00 USD per night. Although I could not find purely reward-based nights available, this is not a great point valuation. Midweek in the low season, you can snag a room at this InterContinental for as little as $170 USD per room per night. Because of the low prices here, you’re usually better off paying for a room with cash than using your points here.

I have compiled a list below containing the best hotels in Bali where you can spend your loyalty points and miles:

1. St Regis Bali

The St. Regis Bali Resort is probably the best miles and points hotel in Bali, but it comes at a price, both in cash or rewards points. St Regis Bali lies in the heart of the beautiful “Garden of Bali” on a stretch of pristine beach. It is the only luxury hotel with an alluring beachfront villa in Nusa Dua. From its 123 beautifully appointed suites and villas, you’ll find understated elegance and infinite panoramic ocean views over 22 acres of lush gardens and the 39,480-square-foot crystal blue lagoon. The exceptional 81 suites, 41 villas, and 1 residence have private signature St. Regis Butler Service and complimentary Wi-Fi. Award-winning dining venues, bars, the distinctive Remède Spa, a fitness center, and a Children’s Learning Center are on-site. This is the only resort in Bali with 10 beachfront villas with a pool and direct access to their private beach.

The St Regis Bali costs 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy rewards per night and is a category 8 property. This will get you a St Regis Suite, 1 Bedroom Studio Suite with 1 King, Balcony, although it may work out better to pay for your stay and earn rather than spend your Bonvoy points.

2. The Ritz-Carlton Bali

Offering 313 spacious and sumptuously appointed suites and villas in an elegant tropical ambiance, The Ritz-Carlton Bali is a luxurious resort benefitting from a stunning clifftop and beachside setting. This hotel is incredible and one of the best Ritz-Carlton hotels in Asia. It is a true resort hotel and has a fabulous club lounge.

Tranquil views over the azure waters of the Indian Ocean are the perfect setting for resort guests to indulge in an idyllic romantic, family, or business interlude. Along the foreshore are The Ritz-Carlton Club, six stylish dining venues, an indulgent and exotic marine-inspired Spa, a glamorous beachfront chapel, fun and recreational activities at Ritz Kids, and extensive meeting and celebratory event venues for a stay that makes memories that last a lifetime. Guests can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, access to Ritz Kids (Kids Club), a daily schedule of recreational activities, and refreshments served every hour by the pool.

Experience the exquisite service at The Ritz-Carlton Club® for an additional fee. This club lounge is great, with its own private pool and a staffed cocktail bar. Ritz-Carlton hotels don’t offer free club lounge access to Marriott Bonvoy elite members. You only get lounge access if you book a club room, or many Ritz-Carlton resorts offer discounted lounge fees to elite members. At this Ritz-Carlton, the rates are around $80 USD per person to upgrade or $60 USD per person to upgrade if you are elite. This particularly excellent club lounge is our best hotel club lounge in Bali .

The Ritz-Carlton Bali costs 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy rewards per night and is a Category 6 property.

3. InterContinental Bali

The InterContinental Bali Resort is nestled in 34 tropical acres of lush tropical gardens overlooking Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s southern tip and is just 10 minutes from Denpasar International Airport (DPS). It has a huge 417 guest rooms, including a Club InterContinental wing and a gorgeous open-air lobby.

Designed with the ambiance of a tranquil Balinese village, this five-star luxury property was the first of its kind to be built on the shores of the beautiful Jimbaran Bay to enjoy stunning sunsets. InterContinental Bali Resort is one of the most conveniently located Jimbaran hotels on the beach. It also has six Balinese-inspired pools, and all this loveliness can be bought for around $200 – $300 USD or a mix of IHG points and cash. I saw 20,000 points + $128.00 USD per night but could not find purely reward-based nights available.

There is plenty of room for sunbathing around the six pools, including one with fountains that you can swim around in and underneath the jets, and then more room on the beach with comfy loungers everywhere. It is worth noting that the beach is quite rocky so jelly shoes would be useful here.

IHG Platinum loyalty members usually get a free upgrade from the classic room to a club room here but without any club benefits. The room themselves are beautiful, with lots of dark wood, and club rooms are slightly larger (624 square feet instead of 527 square feet). The bathrooms are marble with double vanity and huge, and the rooms have large terraces. Platinum IHG loyalty members can then pay to upgrade access to the InterContinental Club Lounge for around $120 USD per room per night which includes breakfast food, drinks and evening happy hour. The IHG Platinum welcome gift includes a fruit plate, chocolates, and a personalized note.

One of the pools is exclusively for Club InterContinental guests. Kids are also allowed but must remain calm in this pool. Club InterContinental guests can also use the Jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna at Spa Uluwatu, return airport transfer, 4:00 pm check-out (Platinum status gets til 2:00 pm), and you can continue using the club until you leave the resort (even if you have checked out). You also get unlimited use of children’s daycare at Planet Trekkers. When you leave, there is an additional lounge available with showers, locker facilities, tea and coffee, and an outdoor terrace for guests with late-departing flights.

4. Conrad Bali

If you are a Hilton Honors Diamond member or have any brand loyalty to Hilton, you must try the Conrad Bali, located on the quieter side of the island of Bali, in the Nusa Dua resort area and away from the madness of trendy Seminyak. Take a taxi from the airport to the Conrad Bali Hotel for around $25 USD for a 20-minute taxi ride.

This hotel is simply stunning, from the grand, dark wood lobby with windows that swing open to the vista beyond to the lagoon pools and the huge variety of rooms, some with their own private pool.

The rooms to pick from here are the new Pool Villas, considered part of the Conrad Suites Wing, with its own separate entrance. The villas are hidden away between the reflections lounge and the executive lounge. Guests staying in these villas will have access to the executive lounge at the Conrad Bali.

These Pool Villas, although not large, are perfectly formed with their own private garden, plunge pool, sun terrace, and outdoor tub. Sliding doors on both sides of your room can be opened up to let the outside in from either the lawns on one side or you can open up to the private bathtub area on the other. Within the room, you have all the usuals, a double sink, etc., and a large shower area doubling as a private steam room.

The private plunge pool is a highlight in this climate, although bear in mind this is a plunge pool, not an exercise pool, so if you want to exercise, you will need to swim laps in one of the main pools and lagoons. That said, it is magic and sits between the bedroom and your own private lawn in your garden.

Pool Villas at Conrad Bali get all the Conrad Suites benefits. If you are a Hilton Honors Diamond member, you also get these same benefits, the highlight being the Conrad Suites Club Lounge access.

The breakfast you get with the Pool Villa or being a Hilton Honours Diamond loyalty member is excellent. It can be taken either at RIN or in Suku. RIN is located by the poolside and is a good option. You get a small buffet section with an a la carte menu that includes egg dishes like omelets and eggs benedict and some more unusual options, including steak and breakfast burritos.

The Conrad Suite Club Lounge is located directly above RIN. There is also an exclusive Conrad Suites Pool. The Conrad Suites Lounge at the Conrad Bali offers a huge range of drinks and cocktails, all presented beautifully, and the canapés are generous and replaced as soon as you finish them, things like sushi, mini-wraps, grilled fish in sauce. They are not comparable to a full meal, but I am a picker when it comes to food, so I found these mini dishes filled me up. For a big eater, they would not be large enough for a full meal.

Compared to the Marriott Bonvoy St Regis hotel in Bali, the Pool Villas in Conrad Bali do not quite match up, but this is considered in the price and cost per enjoyment. The Conrad Bali is hard to beat and is definitely one of the best resorts in Nusa Dua. When you stay in a Conrad Pool Villa, you will wake up to the sound of birdsong and waves lapping on the shore. Paradise? It certainly comes close.

The Conrad Bali costs 35,000 Hilton Honours loyalty rewards per night for a standard room, 36,000 for a Premium Deluxe Lagoon room, and 46,000 for an Ocean Front. 56,000 points will get you lagoon access so that you can jump straight into the pool from your room, and 94,000 points will get you a pool villa. Still, as I outlined above, paying for your stay may work out more cost-effective rather than burning your points, as hotels in Bali are comparatively cheap, particularly out of the main season.

5. W Bali Seminyak

We stayed here early in 2019, and the entrance to W Bali Seminyak sets the mood right from the start by entering via a long path with bamboo on both sides. The lobby of the W Bali Seminyak is airy, with tall ceilings decorated with henna motifs. The resort lobby opens to a row of day beds where guests laze around and sip cocktails made by the excellent bartenders in the lobby bar. The lobby bar also sold snacks like ice cream, coconuts, and juices.

The resort is divided into two parts, with the left side hosting the various facilities and 157 regular rooms and suites in a 5 storey building, while the right side houses 72 luxurious one to three-room villas, each complete with its own pool!

I stayed in a Spectacular Ocean Facing Escape room on the fourth floor. Upon opening the doors to my spectacular ocean-facing escape room, I heard an awesome EDM song booming through the room. Although this room did not have direct pool access, it had the most incredible views. Inside, a row of cabinets lined the left side of the room upon entering, while on my right was the large bathroom area. In the room’s main area was the signature W bed, topped with 350 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. The room also had a large working desk area and a sleeper sofa. At the end of the room was the spacious balcony, which faced the Balinese-inspired rice terrace WET pool, Woo bar, and the calming ocean, which stretched all the way across the horizon. There were two lounging chairs here. Sit down and relax while taking in the sound of the ocean waves.

The large bathroom area had two separate sinks, a separate bathroom cubicle, a whole standalone Terrazzo bathtub, and a separate rainforest shower area, complete with a sky roof with retractable shade!

Throughout the day, people were hanging out all over the hotel and the multiple pools. There were various seating options, from the day beds to sunbathing chairs and cabanas facing the pool. The resort is actually located on Petitenget Beach – a stretch of public beach with shimmering black sand. Despite it being next to a public beach, the resort had proper perimeter security. A large W sculpture serves as the entry and exit point, where guests can easily walk onto the beach to enjoy the ocean. The playful touch and superb service, combined with the great food and beverage options, made my stay a wonderful experience. I can safely say that W Bali Seminyak is definitely the coolest luxury hotel in Bali!

The W Bali costs 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy rewards per night and is a category 7 property.

6. Sofitel Bali

The Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort has 415 beautifully-appointed rooms, suites, and villas. The beach is a short walk from the swimming pool, where you will find one of the world’s leading beach clubs, Nikki Beach. Nikki Beach is fun but also noisy as it pumps music out onto the beach throughout the day and into the evening, which invades the peace of the hotel’s grounds.

The resort is a 15-minute drive via toll road from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar International. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua mixes French elegance with Balinese culture in a lavish 5-star beachfront location. The resort also offers gorgeously landscaped pools and 8 hectares of tropical gardens bordered by an immaculate stretch of white sand on the edge of the Indian Ocean.

The pool is a ‘lazy river’ in style, meandering under bridges and ending up at the main pool area. It is the perfect place to cool off unless you prefer to laze on the beautiful beach which borders the resort. The exceptional SoSPA at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort will help you unwind with soothing treatments and anti-aging treatments. Their kids’ club is ideal for younger guests if you can drag them away from the pool.

The spacious rooms are beautifully furnished with amazing bathrooms offering a walk-in rain shower and a free-standing bathtub. Even the base “luxury” rooms are excellent here. They are large, with 48 sqm of living space, a small sofa, and a balcony. The bathroom is open with an excellent bathtub. The welcome gift here is chocolates, bottled water, and fruit. If you upgrade to a Club Room, you get free food and drink and can use a separate and exclusive pool in the Club Lounge (see more below). Room tip: If you have kids, upgrade to a pool access room. Your kids will want to leap straight out of bed and into the pool. For more privacy, if you are a couple, you may want to consider a room with a private plunge pool.

Upgrading to the Club Millésime rooms, suites, and villas offers great value and gives you a quiet and exclusive place to sit, relax, eat, and drink. It includes a sumptuous breakfast, all-day refreshments, and evening canapés, an extensive selection of wines, butler services, and many other special benefits.

7. Grand Hyatt Bali

The Grand Hyatt is located in Nusa Dua on the southernmost tip of Bali, with beaches on both sides of the resort.

You can hope for a nice upgrade if you are a Globalist World of Hyatt member. While the rooms are typical Asian Hyatt, which is a good version of American Hyatt’s, the bathrooms at this Hyatt are truly stunning and massive, in the suites with masses of cream marble and a separate shower and tub.

The resort itself is edged by the most glorious golden sand, which enjoys stunning sunrises and has numerous pools. Some seem to be aimed at families, with others being more adult orientated. One has a kid’s waterslide, which will attract your kids.

Club rooms have their own building situated by the Club lounge and with a private Club pool. The Grand Club is open-air and designed to look like a Balinese house with straw roofing with breakfast and cocktail hours along with all-day snacks and drinks.

The club lounge here is well worth the upgrade, even if you are booking on points and have to pay for it. This Grand Hyatt is a bargain At 12,000 points per night or around $200 USD per night, and although there is not much to do in the immediate vicinity (the same goes throughout Nusa Dua, you are somewhat stuck in your resort), this hotel is a magical place to stay.

8. Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort Bali

Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort Bali costs just 15,000 Wyndham Rewards Points per night and is located on the island’s east side with poolside lounge areas designed with your comfort in mind while sipping a cocktail.

9. Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort offers a 5-star resort in Bali’s Kuta area. It is located next to Beachwalk Shopping Mall and overlooks Kuta Beach, it features an infinity pool right next to the kids’ pool and spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi. This hotel is part of the Marriott Bonvoy scheme and is a category 5 property costing 35,000 Bonvoy rewards points per night.

10. Four Points by Sheraton Bali

The cheapest best hotels you can buy into on Marriott Bonvoy rewards points are Element by Westin Bali Ubud , a category 3 property costing 17,500 points per night, Four Points by Sheraton Bali, Seminyak a category 3 property costing 17,500 points per night. We love the rooms with direct pool access here, you can jump out of bed and straight into the pool! bliss! Fairfield by Marriott Bali Legian a category 3 property costing 17,500 points per night, again this hotel has direct pool access rooms which are simply brilliant for the family and Four Points by Sheraton Bali, Kuta , a category 3 property costing 17,500 points per night once again with direct pool access rooms and these are the rooms to choose.

Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai by the Airport is your cheapest Hilton redemption option at just 5,000 Honors Points per night, ideal budget travelers who want to get the most nights for their points. Unwind in the sunshine by the beautiful outdoor landscaped pool, or maintain your fitness regimen at the 24-hour fitness center. Families will appreciate our dedicated children’s pool.

Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.

Image © Igor Tichonow / Adobe Stock.

Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.

Featured By

Join our mailing list

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Receive news on auctions & our most popular posts. Opt out at any time. See our Privacy Policy for details.

• Destinations
• Food & Drink
• Amazon Disclaimer
• DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

How to travel to Bali with points and miles for 2023

November 8, 2023 by admin 0 Comments

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with  The Points Guy .

Advertiser Disclosure:  This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. All information about the  Hilton Honors Aspire Card, the Hilton Honors Business Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card, the Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and the Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Lonely Planet. These cards are not available through Lonely Planet.

With its pristine beaches, lush landscapes and rich cultural heritage, Bali is a popular vacation destination for both luxury and adventure travelers . Bali’s affordability and diverse range of accommodation options cater to a wide spectrum of travelers. Popular activities like surfing, snorkeling, trekking and exploring ancient temples ensure there’s something for everyone on this Indonesian island. While Bali is relatively affordable, there’s always an opportunity to save money using points and miles. 

Strategically leveraging your points can transform your Balinese holiday into an affordable yet luxurious escape, where you can immerse yourself in the island’s offerings without breaking your travel budget . Here’s how to travel to Bali using points and miles:

How to get started with travel points and airline miles

Bali hotels you can book with points 

Known for its stunning resorts, picturesque villas and diverse accommodations, Bali becomes even more accessible when you tap into your accumulated points. Every major hotel chain has numerous hotels in Bali for every budget. Whether you seek the serenity of a beachfront retreat in Nusa Dua or the bustling energy of Seminyak, hotel points can help you save money in the process. Here are the best budget, mid-tier and luxury hotels in Bali that you can book with points:

10 amazing hotels around the world you can book with points 

IHG One Rewards

IHG has nearly a dozen hotels in Bali that you can book with points. While IHG doesn’t have an award chart, you can expect to redeem anywhere from 9,000 to 126,000 points per night. The exact rate will depend on the hotel and travel season. If you have an IHG credit card, you’ll get the fourth night free on consecutive award nights. This drops your overall rate by 25%, which is pretty generous. Here’s a look at our top IHG hotel picks for hotels in Bali: 

Best budget hotel: Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali (16,000 points per night)

The Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali is a great budget hotel close to the option. The resort is located just 15 minutes from the airport, making it easy to get to and saving you money on transportation. Kids stay and eat for free, while adults get complimentary daily breakfast. Free nights vary depending on travel season, but you can expect to pay around 16,000 IHG points per night.

Best mid-tier hotel: Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach (35,500 points)

The Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is a great mid-tier hotel option. Located on a private beach, 30 minutes from the airport, the hotel offers six restaurants, free parking and Wi-Fi for all guests. A standard award gets you into a spacious, beautifully appointed room with a balcony and daybed.

Best luxury hotel: Six Senses Uluwatu (126,000 points)

Located in South Bali, the Six Sense Uluwatu is IHG’s best luxury hotel option. Standard awards go for around 126,000 points per night and include complimentary breakfast. At this rate, you’ll get a 1,160-sq-ft Sky Suite with an outdoor deck featuring a bathtub and ocean views.

10 incredible branded hotels that have boutique hotel vibes

How to earn IHG points

You can earn IHG points for one of these Bali hotels by opening up an IHG credit card or transferring points from Bilt Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.

• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card : Earn 140,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card : Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first three months of account opening. 
• IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card : Earn 80,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

Chase Sapphire review: an in-depth look

Hilton Honors

Hilton has four hotels in Bali, ranging from budget to luxury. While Hilton Honors doesn’t publish an award chart, Hilton does offer a calendar function so you can find the cheapest point rate at any given hotel. Hilton Silver elite members and higher receive the fifth night free on consecutive award night bookings, making these hotels even more affordable. You can get automatic Silver status with the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors Credit Card .

Best budget hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport (11,000 points)

The Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport is a great budget option if you’re arriving late into town. After all, why pay for that ultra-luxurious hotel if you’re arriving too late to utilize any of its amenities? By staying at the Hilton Garden Inn near the airport, you’ll save money and have a comfortable place to sleep. Room rates start at 11,000 points per night, and the resort is just two miles from the airport, a shopping center and a water park. 

Best mid-tier hotel: Hilton Bali Resort (35,000 points)

The Hilton Bali Resort is perched on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. This beachfront resort offers every amenity needed for a relaxing vacation: Four pools, a sand lagoon, a world-class spa, four on-site restaurants and more. You can book a Garden View room at the Hilton Bali starting at 35,000 points per night. 

Best luxury hotel: Conrad Bali (48,000 points)

The Conrad Bali is a luxury resort in Nusa Dua with sprawling pools, a beachfront location and an incredible spa. Starting at 48,000 points per night, you can book a spacious Deluxe room with a marble bathroom and a balcony overlooking the pool.

Related: How to travel to Japan using points and miles

How to earn Hilton points

Hilton makes it easy to earn points through travel credit card partnerships. You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Hilton at a 2:1 ratio. You can also apply for a Hilton credit card and earn a substantial welcome bonus towards your hotel stay in Bali:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card : Earn 180,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months of card membership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card : Earn 170,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first six months of card membership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Business Card : Earn 130,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of card membership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Card : Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in the first six months of card membership.

How to travel to Italy with points and miles

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott has 28 properties in Bali, providing many opportunities to redeem Marriott points. Marriott has no public award chart, and rates vary depending on the travel season. But you can use the calendar function to search for the lowest point rates, assuming you’re flexible with your travel dates. It’s also worth noting that Marriott Bonvoy members get the fifth night free on consecutive award stays. So even though some of the point rates are high, you can save 20% by booking five nights. 

Best budget hotel: Fairfield by Marriott Bali Legian (6,500 points)

Fairfield by Marriott Bali Legian is the perfect budget hotel for travelers who want to be close to the nightlife and an easy 15-minute drive to the airport. The hotel offers guests freebies like music lessons, cooking and mixology classes. Standard guest rooms offer a minimalist design and floor-to-ceiling windows for added natural light. Free nights start at just 6,500 points.

Best mid-tier hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Bali (46,000 points)

The Ritz-Carlton Bali is the perfect place to splurge on a luxury vacation if you have lots of points to spare. For 46,000 points per night, you can book a Sawangan Junior Suite with over 1,000 sq ft of space, a marble bathroom and a large balcony overlooking the pool.

Best luxury hotel: St. Regis Bali (82,000 points)

The St. Regis Bali is known for its opulent rooms, lush gardens and pristine beach. For 82,000 points per night, you can book a 990-sq-ft St. Regis Suite with a large sitting area, walk-in closet and lavish marble bathroom. If you’re flexible with your travel dates, you can book a discounted PointSaver award for 65,600 points per night.

How to travel to the Seychelles with points and miles  

How to earn Marriott points

Marriott is a 1:1 transfer partner of Amex Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Additionally, you can earn Marriott points by applying for one of six Marriott credit cards:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card : Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card : Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy ™ American Express ® Card : Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card : Earn 85,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card : Earn 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card : Earn 30,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

How to travel to Europe using points and miles

World of Hyatt

Hyatt has 13 hotels and resorts in Bali that you can book with points . Hyatt’s Bali properties are an exceptional value, offering impressive properties at low redemption rates. It’s one of the best places to get lots of value from your points, with rates starting at just 3,500 points per night. 

Best budget hotel: Alila Manggis (3,500-6,500 points)

The Category 1 Alila Manggis is an excellent budget hotel using points. With rooms starting at just 3,500 points per night, it’s easy to piece together a week-long vacation or longer using credit card welcome bonuses. Nestled among the coconut groves of northeast Bal, this eco-friendly resort offers a secluded reprieve away from Bali’s busy tourist hotspots. Point bookings are a terrific bargain since even standard rooms provide ocean views.

Best mid-tier hotel: Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort (21,000-29,000 points)

The Category 6 Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort is a luxury wellness resort offering just 27 rooms surrounded by rice paddy fields. A free night gets you into a Grand Deluxe Terrace Paddy View room.

Best luxury hotel: Alila Villas Uluwatu (25,000-35,000 points)

If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in Bali, the Category 7 Alila Villas Uluwatu is a great use of points. This cliffside resort is located on the Island’s southern tip, away from the bustle of the tourist districts. With rates of just 25,000-35,000 points per night, you can book a one-bedroom pool villa. These villas offer over 3,000 sq ft of space and a large outdoor cabana overlooking the ocean. It’s a unique property and an exceptional use of Hyatt points. 

Related: Best credit cards for traveling with kids

How to earn Hyatt points

World of Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt and Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can also earn Haytt points from the following hotel credit cards :

• World of Hyatt Credit Card : Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more points by earning two bonus points per $1 spent (on up to $15,000) in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 point.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card : Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening.

Best travel credit cards for foodies

The cheapest award flights to Bali

Travelers seeking the cheapest way to experience the tropical paradise of Bali can take advantage of award flights using points and miles. Several airlines and rewards programs offer affordable award flights, especially through the Oneworld alliance. 

Here’s a list of the cheapest award flights to Bali and how to earn the miles:

• Cheapest economy class ticket to Bali: 55,000 ANA miles round-trip
• Cheapest business class ticket to Bali: 140,000 American miles round-trip
• Cheapest first-class ticket to Bali: 140,000 Alaska miles round-trip

Best credit cards for international travel

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines MileagePlan offers some of the cheapest award flights to Bali. You can get there through partner carrier Cathay Pacific by transiting Hong Kong. The great thing about Alaska MileagePlan is that you can have a free stopover on one-way international flights. For example, you can book a one-way ticket to Bali with a free stopover in Hong Kong. This is a great way to fit multiple destinations into one trip.

• Economy class: From 60,000 miles round-trip 
• Business class: From 100,000 miles round-trip 
• First class: From 140,000 miles round-trip

You can transfer Marriott points to Alaska Mileage Plan at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred. You can also earn Alaska miles from two co-branded credit cards: 

• Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card : Get 50,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you spend $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card : Earn 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ after you spend $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of account opening.

Best credit cards for airport lounge access

American AAdvantage

American Airlines allows AAdvantage members to redeem miles for Cathay Pacific flights to Bali. The rates are very similar to those of Alaska Mileage Plan, except AAdvantage miles are easier to earn. You could use Alaska miles for the outbound flight (and free stopover), then redeem American miles for the return flight.

• Economy class: From 75,000 miles round-trip 
• Business class: From 140,000 miles round-trip 
• First class: From 220,000 miles round-trip

You can transfer AAdvantage miles 1:1 from Bilt Rewards or bulk up on miles with a new AAdvantage credit card:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months of account opening. 
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months of account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® : Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of account opening.
• Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee within the first 90 days.

TSA PreCheck vs. Clear: which one is best to expedite your travels

Activities and ground transportation

Activities and ground transportation costs in Bali are relatively affordable. Most hotels are near the airport, and shuttle services to the major resort areas are reasonable. If you’re looking to save on these costs and tourist activities, you can do so through popular loyalty programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One.

With the Capital One Venture and Venture X cards, you can pay for travel expenses and then redeem miles at one cent per mile. Alternatively, you can book tours, activities and transportation on the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Points are worth 1.25 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and 1.5 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Best credit cards with no international fees

Bottom line

Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly adventure or a luxury getaway, Bali can be an excellent destination to experience a wide range of travel. By strategically accumulating and redeeming miles and points, travelers can unlock significant savings on airfare, enabling them to explore Bali without breaking the bank. With hotels starting at just 3,500 points per night and reasonable flight awards, you can enjoy the best of this island at a fraction of the cost.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit  americanexpress.com/benefitsguide  for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Products You May Like

Articles you may like, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.