How do I get around Bali?
Let's start with your first journey: the airport is in the south. It is about 15-20 minutes to Kuta, 30 to Seminyak, 45-60 to Canggu and 1 to 1.5 hours to Ubud, more if traffic builds up. You have three good options:
- A driver booked in advance: they wait for you in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name.
- The official prepaid taxi: at the counter outside arrivals you pay first and get a voucher for the driver. Expect roughly US$6-9 to Kuta, US$12-17 to Seminyak, US$17-29 to Canggu and US$23-46 to Ubud.
- A Blue Bird taxi, on the meter.
Politely refuse the touts at the airport.
Then, around the island:
- Private driver: the simplest option for excursions, at around US$32-50 a day (IDR 500,000-800,000).
- Grab and Gojek: reliable and cheap for short trips, by car or motorbike taxi. Some areas restrict them (you will see "No Grab / No Gojek" signs in Canggu, Uluwatu and Ubud): in central Ubud your driver will pick you up outside the zone.
- Scooter: about US$3-7 a day, but with strings attached.
About scooters: you need a motorcycle licence valid in your home country plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) that covers motorcycles. Get your IDP before you leave: at a Post Office in the UK, through AAA in the US or through your state motoring club in Australia. Police checks are frequent (fines of around IDR 500,000-1,000,000, or US$30-60), and without a valid licence your insurer may refuse to cover you. Helmets are compulsory, you drive on the left, and you should avoid riding at night.
Tip: if you don't have a motorcycle licence, don't push it: a driver or a Grab costs a few dollars more, and a hospital stay in Bali costs a lot more.
Information checked in October 2026. Confirm licence and insurance rules before you ride.