Carrying on from my post Indonesia Bali & Travelling Solo where I touched on how you could travel solo to Bali. I was only in Bali for 4 days, and felt like I managed to get quite a lot done! Hopefully I can break down a few things that I was able to do which you too might want to incorporate into your trip to Bali. The Rainy season (Jan to April and October to November).
I didn’t apply for a Visa with a British Passport. However, I would suggest doing some research and confirming what visa (if you need one) you should get. Get your head around the current visa situation there are three main visa types for visitors:
Visa Free
Citizens of most countries can receive a 30-day visa for free upon arrival. The visa cannot be extended. If you have obtained one of the coveted 60-day visas in advance, be sure the immigration official at the airport gives you a 60-day tourist card.
Visa in Advance
Visitors can apply for a visa before they arrive in Indonesia. Typically, this is a visitor’s visa, which is valid for 30 or 60 days. Details vary by country; contact your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate to determine processing fees and times.
Please note: that this is the only way to obtain a 60-day visitor visa, even if you qualify for Visa on Arrival (VOA).
Visa on Arrival
Citizens of most countries can apply for a 30-day visa. A visa like this can be collected upon arrival. The cost is 528,000Rp, payable by cash (no coins) or credit card; currencies are accepted in amounts equivalent to the fee in Rp. VOA renewals for 30 days are possible.
I have to be honest and tell you that I’ve been travelling by myself for years but hadn’t said it publicly for fear of people saying I had no friends. Sad I know, but I remember a former friend commenting when I suggested going alone saying ‘you can’t go by yourself do you not have any friends?’
I was going for a friend’s wedding in Malaysia and it made sense for me to make a quick stop, over to Bali. Had asked friends and family if they wanted to come along, but it just didn’t seem the right time despite letting them know well in advance. So because no one could come along, does that mean I shouldn’t go? Well, of course not! One of my priorities is seeing the world and waiting around for when people can go or when they can afford it, could take forever – so in these cases you have to go alone.
Travelling solo can be amazing if you want it to be, you can wake up when you want to. Go wherever you want to go! Do exactly what you want to do when you want to. I even make it a big deal to walk around naked in my hotel room, because it’s my space and I don’t have to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings but my own!
Here are some tips for travelling solo in Bali:
What to do for transport?
I would recommend checking out some tours and planning ahead. I did a tour with FoverVacationI was picked up from my hotel and taken to all the Instagram HOT spots places! And get this! I had a personal photographer that constantly took pictures of me until I was tired!
The hotel I stayed in had a van that drove me to nearby places. I stayed in Ubud, which is right next to the famous Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Ubud Palace and was lucky to get a ride to both of these places.
I would also recommend the apps Gojeck and Grab similar to Uber, but better and WAYYY cheaper. Some areas won’t allow you to be picked up by either of these apps, but if you can meet a nice driver you can make special arrangements for them to have your number and to pick you up when you want. I met a really nice taxi driver and would be happy to share his details – just drop me a message! And let him know that Adel from London gave you his number lol.
Is it safe to travel alone to Bali?
As a black female traveller, I am often asked about safety. Safety is a huge thing for me when I am travelling. I tend to always have braids when I’m travelling, so I am always stopped for this reason by locals who are interested in touching one’s hair. I must say no one in Bali even bothered me once about my hair. Which was shocking.
When I have been bothered I am never harmed, but it can be quite intimidating when travelling alone. All I would say to ensure your safety is use common sense and do your research. I know it sounds patronising, but you would be surprised how many people lack common sense when travelling in general! Bali, in my opinion, came across very safe to travel as a solo traveller.
Someone recently asked me how much it cost me to go to Bali. I only told them the price of the flight which was £65 (return) from Singapore. I usually refrain from telling people the exact amount I spend on holidays because the price of your holiday can vary depending on what you want to do while you are away.
What I will say is this, you can go to Bali on the cheap and not spend money – but understand you won’t be doing much. Or you can budget yourself a bit and really have a fulfilled experience. I was only there for 4 days and would say I spent around £600 -£800 for accommodation, food and tours etc.
I hope my 3 tips helped you – I will be doing a second post going into more detail about my experience as a whole! So, if you have any further question, do ask away. I will be using this to incorporate in my next post.
