Arriving in Bali Useful Information
Navigating Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS)
First of all the airport is not precisely in Denpasar, it`s further South, closer to Kuta, so if you`re thinking about getting accommodation close to it your best bet is definitely Kuta.
Welcome to Bali's gateway, the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS). This guide will help you smoothly navigate the airport, from arrival to departure.
Your passport must be valid for 6 months when arriving! Otherwise you won’t be allowed to enter Bali (happens to quite a few)! There are NO EXCEPTIONS. Temporary Passports, Emergency Travel Documents are not valid to enter into Indonesia.
Arrival at DPS Airport:
Visa on Arrival (VoA): It's recommended to apply for your Visa on Arrival online before your trip to save time. You can also do it at the airport, make sure you check your country of origin visa requirements before your trip. There are VoA payment booths just before Immigration, its costs 500k IDR and they take cash or card. Be careful with scammer websites! This is the official website for the e-VoA: The Official eVisa website for Indonesia (imigrasi.go.id)
Immigration Process: Quickly proceed to the arrival hall after landing and having your visa purchased. Have your passport ready (valid for at least 6 months with sufficient blank pages). You may be asked for a return ticket, most of the time I have that, but when I`m on a one-way trip I usually purchase a mock-up reservation from Onward Ticket - Quick, Valid & Affordable | Get in 2 Min
Customs and Baggage: Collect your luggage and head to Customs. Complete the Digital Custom Declaration Form (Official Website Direktorat Jenderal Bea dan Cukai (beacukai.go.id) preferably before boarding your flight to Bali, you can also do it then and there, computer kiosks are available to do so after baggage collection and you can also use a QR Code to fill in the form on your phone(there`s free airport wifi available).
Exiting the Airport: After customs, you'll exit the building. Remember, carrying more than IDR 100,000,000 or any illegal substances is prohibited.
Money and Connectivity:
Currency Exchange and ATMs: Available immediately after exiting. IT`S 2024 PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE MONEY AT THE AIRPORT, THAT`S THE WORST EXCHANGE RATE YOU`LL EVER FIND. I`ll elaborate more about money on a future post.
SIM Cards: Purchase a Bali SIM card for connectivity or turn your roaming when you land. Pre-ordering SIM card online is an option for convenience. But my advice is getting an eSim, more on that on a future post
Transportation from the Airport:
Pre-arranged Pick-ups: If you've arranged a pick-up, check for your name on signboards after you walked past a few shops when exiting from Customs, you`ll see a long line of drivers in one particular area. Having your driver's WhatsApp contact is useful.
Taxi Service: Official airport taxis operate on fixed prices. The counter is located just outside the Customs area. Payment is in cash, and tipping is optional.
Gojek or Grab: That`s the only way I take transport from the airport, both these apps have kiosks after the arrivals area, just before the parking lot. Download the apps before you come to Bali
Hope that helps a little bit!
