Bali guide › Organise your stay
How do I get from Bali airport to my hotel?
Choose your ride before you land: a pre-booked driver for a stress-free arrival, the official airport taxi counter for a fixed fare, a Blue Bird metered taxi, or Grab and Gojek from the dedicated pick-up area. Ngurah Rai airport (DPS) is in the south, so Kuta is 15 to 25 minutes away and Ubud 1 to 1.5 hours.
First you have to get out of the airport. Allow a good hour between landing and the exit: immigration (see "Do I need a visa for Bali?" for the e-VOA at IDR 500,000, about US$28, and the All Indonesia form), baggage, then customs. Drivers and fake taxi touts crowd the arrivals area, and anyone who approaches you inside the building is not official.
Your options:
- A driver booked in advance: waits in the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name, and the price is fixed beforehand. Best after a long flight, with children or luggage, or late at night.
- The official airport taxi: a counter outside arrivals run by the airport's taxi cooperative. You give your destination, pay a fixed fare and hand the ticket to the driver. Indicative fares: Kuta IDR 75,000 to 150,000 (US$4 to 8), Seminyak 100,000 to 250,000 (US$6 to 14), Canggu 130,000 to 300,000 (US$7 to 17), Ubud 250,000 to 500,000 (US$14 to 28).
- Blue Bird: metered taxis, so insist on the meter.
- Grab or Gojek (the Uber-style apps most used in Bali): usually cheaper than the counter, but you walk to the dedicated pick-up zone (follow the signs) and wait. Set up the app and your payment method before you leave home. In central Ubud, drivers may not be allowed to pick up, so you walk a few minutes.
- Your accommodation's shuttle: ask for the price first, as it can be more than a taxi.
Travel times to other areas: Seminyak 20 to 40 minutes, Canggu 35 to 60 minutes, Uluwatu about 1 hour, Sanur harbour (for the fast boats) 30 to 60 minutes. These grow quickly at rush hour and in the rain. Landing late at night, or travelling with a surfboard bag? Book a driver and tell them about the board, because it will not fit in a standard taxi. Keep some cash for tolls and tips.
Verdict: pre-book a driver if you land at night, travel with children, luggage or boards, or are heading to Ubud, Canggu or beyond. For a daytime hop to Kuta or Seminyak, the airport taxi counter or a Grab is fine.
Tip: sort out your eSIM and Grab before you leave: then you can book from your seat or the baggage hall instead of hunting for Wi-Fi, and you skip the haggling altogether.
Checked in October 2026. Fares and journey times are indicative and depend on traffic: check before you travel.