Bali is small on a map and slow on the road. Compare the areas honestly, then book the stay, the airport transfer and the experiences that fit your trip.
Split it in two: Canggu or Seminyak for the beach, Ubud for the interior. Add Uluwatu if you surf, Sanur or Nusa Dua for calm water.
Who each area suits, how it feels and whether you can walk. Every page compares the neighbourhoods and lists places to book.
More areas: Jimbaran · Kuta and Legian · Pererenan · Nusa Penida · Amed · Sidemen · Lovina · Compare all 13 areas
What to decide, what to book and what to have ready, with the official fees as of September 2026.
Sources: Indonesia e-Visa portal, All Indonesia, Love Bali (Bali Provincial Government), UK government travel advice. Travel times from our area guides. Buttons with an arrow are booking links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Paradise is a real place. It just needs a good map.
Booked through GetYourGuide. We earn a commission; you pay the same price.
Temples, waterfalls or the east coast without riding mountain roads.
Book a driverA car waiting at arrivals, useful for a night landing or heavy bags.
Book a transferTemples, volcano sunrises, waterfalls: what deserves your time and what to skip.
Read the guideLocal places we like, from gyms to restaurants: see the list.
Built from the same research as this site. No fake reviews, no invented prices, every address checked.
Yes: US, UK, Australian and most European passport holders need a visa for Bali, and the usual choice is Indonesia's Visa on Arrival (B1), which covers tourism for up to 30 days. As of September 2026 it costs IDR 500,000 and can be bought online as an e-VOA or on arrival at Ngurah Rai airport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months and you need an onward or return ticket.
As of September 2026 the Bali tourist levy is IDR 150,000 per person, paid once per trip by foreign tourists. Pay it online on the provincial government's Love Bali site (lovebali.baliprov.go.id) before you fly, at the counters in Bali's airport and ports, or through registered hotels, travel agents and attractions. Payment is cashless, by card, bank transfer, virtual account, UnionPay or QRIS, and the voucher with a QR code arrives by email.
For a first trip to Bali, split your stay between two bases, one on the coast and one inland. A common pattern is four or five nights in Canggu or Seminyak for beaches, cafés and sunsets, then three or four nights in Ubud for rice terraces, temples and a walkable town centre. Add Uluwatu if you surf, or Sanur or Nusa Dua if you want calm water for swimming.
No: the UK government states that tap water is not safe to drink in Indonesia, Bali included. Drink sealed bottled water or purified refills provided by your accommodation, be careful with ice and raw food of uncertain origin, and wash your hands before eating. The US CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for unvaccinated travellers to Indonesia and typhoid vaccination for most travellers, alongside safe food and water habits.
All 60 answers, with their official sources
Researched and drafted with the help of AI tools, then checked and edited by the Bali Compass editorial team. Publication director: the legal representative of Avrankou OÜ.
The long-stay side of Bali, kept to the facts: visas for remote workers and retirees, what foreigners can own, what life really costs.
One email per week: visa changes, property market moves and practical tips. No noise.
13 areas compared honestly, then the stays, transfers and experiences that fit each one.
