Bali's Motorbike Ban: Discover the Best Ways to Get Around the Island
Welcome to your guide on transportation in Bali, Indonesia! Learn how to get around the island, even without a motorbike, and what it will cost.
Bali, the Island of the Gods, has long captured the hearts of wanderlust-stricken travellers with its breathtaking landscapes, rich culture, and warm, friendly locals. But hold onto your helmets, adventurers! There's a new twist to exploring this paradise: the Balinese government is looking to ban motorbikes for tourists, citing a rising number of accidents involving visitors. No worries, though! I’ve got your back with tips for getting around the island with alternative transportation options, so you can keep navigating Bali’s paradise with ease.
Why is Bali banning motorbikes for foreigners?
Due to an alarming number of motorbike accidents and traffic violations in Bali, local authorities have decided to ban foreigners from riding motorbikes and scooters. The BBC explains: “More than 171 foreign nationals have violated traffic orders from late February to early March, according to local police records.”
When I visited, locals we met were upset by tourists’ lack of respect for local laws, and who could blame them? With an excess of news stories about people with life-altering injuries from accidents, or tourists losing their lives, it isn’t what Bali wants for its most important industry.
Even with the ban on motorbikes looming, we saw many foreigners riding without helmets. It remains to be seen if they will implement the promised ban, or for how long. In any case, I wouldn’t recommend using a scooter in Bali to inexperienced drivers. The road conditions, big trucks on small roads, new driving customs and nighttime driving especially can make it dangerous.
It’s a shame because visiting islands can be really fun by motorbike! They offer a certain freedom and ease that just isn’t possible by car or public transportation, allowing visitors to easily improvise stops, get through traffic and smaller laneways, and find parking with ease. Experienced drivers are probably ok here, but like many other Southeast Asian islands, you find a lot of first-time or inexperienced drivers making mistakes that lead to serious injury. (P.S. I was one of them in Langkawi, Malaysia!)
When getting around Bali, you’ll notice many single-lane, one-way roads in towns like Ubud and Canggu. The island’s infrastructure wasn’t built with so many tourists in mind, and while its hospitality scene has more than caught up, the roads are not made for it. Even in small towns and cities, you may be surprised by how slow-moving traffic can be at peak times.
So, I can imagine that for experienced drivers, Bali by motorbike is the best! Hopefully, the ban will eventually be lifted for licensed and lawful drivers. However, the local government has good reason for concern and drastic measures.
How to get around Bali
With motorbikes out of the equation, there are still of course many ways to get around! Keep in mind that Bali is big, so if you’re an explorer you will need wheels of some sort to get to other parts of the island. Let me break down your options for getting around, from walking and cycling to rideshares, shuttles, busses, private drivers, group tours or renting a car.
For Exploring a Neighbourhood: Walk or Take a Bicycle
If you’re exploring a commercial neighbourhood, you can easily walk. For example, in the shopping centre of Ubud, Canggu or Kuta. If that’s your preference, you might consider opting for a hotel right in the action, but you can always get a rideshare to these areas if you choose to stay more in nature.
Keep in mind that the heat in Bali can be really intense, so be prepared with water, sun cream and a hat if you’re planning to walk during the day. Please be aware that there aren’t always sidewalks, so be alert when walking on streets, especially at night.
Many accommodations offer free bicycles, so this could also be a fun way to small explore rice paddies or areas with the right conditions, but probably not a great way to get from Point A to Point B due to road conditions and heat.
For Trips Under an Hour: Rideshares, Shuttles or a Kura-Kura Bus
If you’re going somewhere that’s within an hour of your accommodation, like a restaurant, beach or another town, these are some of the modes of transportation available to you:
Rideshare apps: Grab or GoJek
Most often, for rides under one hour, we used Southeast Asia’s rideshare app: Grab. Within Canggu, the average car ride cost us around IDR 53,000 (USD $3.55 / CAD $4.80), while a ride to the airport (approximately 50-60 minutes from Canggu Beach) costs around IDR 224,000 (USD $15 / CAD $20.30).
For a ride on the back of a motorcyle/scooter — the more popular and quick option in busy Bali — it will be a small fraction of that price. Just be sure to be safe and wear the helmet they have for riders.
However, in Indonesia, the more popular and cheaper rideshare app is GoJek. It can be helpful to have both apps so you can still find a ride if one of them isn’t working (ex. during peak hours).
If you’re downloading Grab, use my referral link for a discount on your first ride!
Hotel Shuttles
Many hotels will offer shuttles to popular spots or on-demand. Your hotel will likely tell you about this when you check in. They aren’t that cheap but are a reliable option if you want to arrange transportation ahead of time. Often, these shuttles are just a driver with a car or van who is on standby at the hotel.
Kura-Kura Bus
Bali doesn’t have a public transportation system. However, there are companies offering bus rides between hubs like Ubud and Kuta, including Kura-Kura busses, with multiple options for stops in between. I haven’t tried this but I do think it’s worth exploring because it’s a great budget option. It looks like roundtrip from Ubud-Kuta only costs about IDR 160,000 ($10.70 USD / $14.60 CAD). Check out their route map here and book via 12go.asia here:
For Full-Day Trips: Take a Tour or Private Driver
Private Drivers
Hiring a private driver is a great option for group travel. You will find drivers easily in Bali, and they are eager and happy to take you around and wait for you while you enjoy activities on the island. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can book a private driver for a transfer (ex. airport to hotel), for a half-day or for a full day.
You’ll get transportation offers all over, but I usually suggest booking with your accommodations for extra assurance and accountability. You can opt for a package that they suggest or give them your own list of desired stops. This option gives you more freedom and comfort throughout the day and a place to leave your things safe while you visit waterfalls, coffee plantations, temples, jungle clubs, or whatever you’re into!
A full day with a private driver will cost around IDR 740,000 - 906,000 (USD $50 - $61 / CAD $67 - 82) per day. Don’t forget to tip your driver at the end of the day!
Waiting for our private driver to pick us up at Cretya Ubud, a jungle club, during a day of sightseeing around Ubud, Bali. Hiring a private driver is pretty reasonably priced and I definitely recommend it for a day or two if you’re travelling in a group!
Group Tours
In Bali, where sightseeing hot spots can be quite far apart, a group tour can be the perfect way to get around while having a dedicated guide to explain what you’re seeing and answer questions about Balinese culture. I used a group tour to hit up a few sites in East Bali and it was great! It was a small group, so we had a comfortable car to rest in for long drives and an informative guide to get us to the best spots at the best times.
The other benefit of a group tour is that you can fully sit back and enjoy it because everything is planned for you. If you’re travelling solo, it’s also a great way to meet other people. I book my group tours via GetYourGuide and suggest you try them out:
For a Day or More: Rent a Car
Renting a car in Bali is entirely possible and fairly inexpensive. If you prefer to rent a car, then this Bali Blogger from 2020 says it’ll cost about IDR 200,000 (USD $13.40 / CAD $18.20) per day for a small 4-wheel drive and less for subsequent days. Even if the price has gone up since then, that’s reasonable and considerably less than hiring a car and driver (although I really enjoy this option with a group!). I have never rented a car in Bali, so if you plan to, check out his tips in his Guide to Renting a Car in Bali.
Enjoy Navigating Paradise!
It will be interesting to see how things develop with the motorbike ban. Whether it is enforced and how long it will last remain to be seen, but one thing is for sure: this will definitely have an impact on the tourist landscape and traffic on the island. Bali is an incredibly hospitable place, so please reciprocate the kindness and respect you’ll enjoy in Bali.
Enjoy the serenity that comes with island life and let me know how transportation goes for you! If you have any advice from your experience, feel free to drop me a message so I can update this article for others.
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