Bali Great Escape
Arriving at Bali Airport (Denpasar or DPS) after a long flight can be stressful. You need to know about the electronic customs declaration and how to navigate from the plane through the arrivals hall, immigration, baggage collection, and then customs. Having flown in and out of Bali airport more times than I can count, I can tell you there is an easy way and a hard way. Read this to get through Bali Airport faster and with less stress.
1. Vaccination Requirements for Travel to Bali
Yes, there are vaccination requirements, but with caveats. The most recent data from the Indonesian Government outlines the vaccination requirements for entry into Bali for all travelers. This information is updated frequently and often included in my newsletter.
2. Updated Visa Requirements for Bali
Entry visas for Indonesia have been a moving target even before COVID-19. Therefore, I maintain a separate post about visa-free and Visa on Arrival (VOA) restrictions for Bali to ensure the most up-to-date information.
3. Bali Tourist Tax (2024)
As of February 14th, 2024, the Bali provincial government has implemented a new Bali Tourist Tax that applies to all international travelers arriving in Bali. This 150,000 IDR tax can be paid online or upon arrival at Bali Airport. I have a detailed breakdown on all you need to know about the Bali Tourist Tax, including how to pay it before you arrive.
4. Electronic Customs Declaration
Indonesia now supports submitting the required customs declaration form online. You can fill in the online electronic customs declaration provided by the Indonesian Government within two days of travel to Indonesia. Alternatively, you can complete the form online at the airport using your smartphone. Bali airport provides free internet access via the “NgurahRai” network, which can be accessed without a password. The electronic customs declaration form is available in Indonesian, English, and Chinese. After completing the form, you will receive a QR code to present to customs officials after collecting your luggage and before the customs security screening.
5. Toilets at Bali Airport
Everyone wants to know where the toilets are at Bali airport and what they are like. There are several western-standard toilets (flush, not squat) in the transit hallways between departing your aircraft and the immigration hall. However, these will slow you down if you want to get through immigration quickly, which should be your top priority since the queues can be long.
6. Get to the Immigration Queue Quickly
After landing, your best strategy is to get to the immigration queue as quickly as possible. Depending on the time of day, the queues can be long, with waiting times ranging from less than an hour to over two hours if multiple international flights arrive simultaneously. Take a bathroom break on the plane before arrival, and head straight to the immigration queues after landing. If you still need a bathroom break, do so while waiting for your luggage. The arrivals hall at Bali Airport is large, so expect a long walk from your gate to the immigration queues. If your flight requires a bus ride to the arrivals hall, get on that bus quickly.
7. Fast Track Service is Only for Official Business
Contrary to some rumors, travelers cannot book a Fast Track service through Bali Airport unless on official business. We offered a fast-track service briefly until we discovered it was not officially sanctioned. Beware of other websites selling Fast Track Services through Bali Airport, as they are likely not officially sanctioned and possibly breaking the law.
8. Visa Exemption Arrangement (VEA) or Visa on Arrival (VOA)
If you are from one of the countries on the Visa Exemption Arrangement list, you don’t need to apply for a visa before arrival. These visas are valid for 30 days, non-renewable, with heavy fines for overstaying. The most common entry permit is the VOA, which is applied for at the Visa Desk after arrival at Bali Airport. It is valid for 30 days and can be renewed once for a total possible stay of 60 days. You can now apply for your VOA electronically before arrival, avoiding long queues. You can apply for an e-VOA 14 days before your travel and at least 48 hours before departure. If you are from a country not on the VEA or VOA list, you must apply for a visa to enter Indonesia before coming to Bali at a consulate or embassy outside Indonesia. Before leaving baggage collection and going through customs inspection, ensure you have completed your immigration arrival form on the plane. There are often no forms left in the arrivals hall and never any pens, so complete the form on the plane before arrival. Present it at immigration along with your passport and boarding pass.
9. Getting through customs.
Once you have collected your luggage, proceed to the customs queue where you hand over your arrival form and will be directed either straight to the exit or towards the X-ray screening.
Here’s a tip — if you stay on the left of two queues, you have a better chance of not being selected for X-ray inspection because it leads straight to the exit. Depending on the flow of traffic, you may be allowed straight through. This is just a tip, not a guarantee. If you are selected for X-ray screening of your luggage, you may also be selected for a personal inspection by customs officers. Always be nice and polite, give them a smile, and comply with all requests. You may be tired after a long flight, but without a doubt, a bad attitude will be met with more questions and a thorough inspection of your luggage.
Customs officers at Bali Airport will confiscate any alcohol over the limit — so if you have accidentally brought in more than one bottle, simply hand over the cheaper one and don’t argue. You may have to explain any electronics or expensive-looking goods that may require an import duty to be paid. Technically, the value allowed per person for electronics and other goods is USD $500, but this is generally not enforced for items that are clearly of a personal nature like laptops and cameras.
If you happen to be bringing something unusual and expensive — household appliances not readily available in Bali are a favorite as gifts for locals or ex-pats you may know in Bali — you may need to pay customs duty. If you are being asked to pay duty, then you will do no better than paying 10% of the value for whatever you are bringing in. If you can achieve that, then count yourself lucky and just pay it! It’s the law, not a scam like some people purport. Customs will often “assess” the value as being much higher than what you paid, so my tip is to carry the receipt with you stored somewhere else, like in your wallet, so if push comes to shove (figuratively speaking), you can prove the value.
10. Withdraw local currency or exchange cash for rupiah.
After exiting customs, one of the newest additions to Bali Airport is a number of ATMs run by major local banks. These are completely safe to use and I highly recommend that you stop and either withdraw local currency from the ATM or use the bank branches if they are open to exchange your cash for Indonesian Rupiah. I have written extensively about safely using ATMs in Bali, and the number one tip is to get some local currency while you’re at Bali Airport in a safe environment with no risk.
There are also a couple of reputable money changers now at the airport alongside the ATMs. While I have written about safely changing money in Bali, you can use these without any risk of being ripped off as they are completely trustworthy. Although the exchange rate is not as competitive as a money changer in Seminyak, they’re within 2-3 points, making the convenience and security worth it, especially for first-time visitors with no local currency. The best option is to change what you need for a couple of days before changing larger amounts at a money changer elsewhere once you have settled in.
11. Navigate the arrivals hall.
After exiting customs through the arrival gates, you will be confronted with a wall of drivers holding signs behind a barrier all trying to catch your attention. There are also a number of touts inside the barrier that will start harassing you for a taxi fare. These are never a good idea to accept.
Recently there have been some improvements to the arrivals hall that include taxi and transport companies where you can book a taxi to your destination. However, it can still be hit-and-miss. On my last arrival, I tried to organize a taxi fare to my destination in Seminyak but was consistently being quoted around IDR 300-350k, which is way too much for a simple taxi service (and they are never taxis; they are always private drivers on contract).
There is also a new taxi ticketing machine after the telecom kiosks, but I’ve tried to use this three times to see how it works. Twice it wasn’t operating, and the third time I got issued a ticket only to have the driver try to up the price on me before leaving, so I ditched him.
