Getting to Bali means flying, and almost everyone arrives at the island’s single international airport, Ngurah Rai, which uses the code DPS and is often called Denpasar airport. It sits conveniently in the south, close to the main resort areas, so your transfer to a beach base is short. The journey to Bali itself, though, depends greatly on where you start: a quick hop for Australians, a long haul with a connection for travellers from Europe.
That leaves three things to sort: the flight routes in, the visa on arrival most people use, and the transfer to your base once you land. Arrange the airport transfer before you fly, so that after a long journey you step straight into a waiting car rather than haggle at the kerb. For the finer points of entry rules, see our visa page, and for moving around once here, our getting around page.
Flying in: the long-haul routes
Bali is a long way from Europe and the Americas, and there are no direct flights from those regions, so travel involves at least one connection. The most common approach from Europe and the UK is to change at a Gulf hub, such as Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, or at an Asian hub such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong or Bangkok. Including the connection, the total journey usually runs somewhere in the region of 16 to 20 hours.
Choosing your connection well makes a big difference to how the trip feels. A single, reasonably timed change is far more comfortable than two tight connections, and the major Gulf and Asian carriers run frequent, well-served flights into Bali. From the Americas, routes typically cross the Pacific through an Asian hub or come the other way through the Gulf. Booking as one through-ticket, rather than separate flights, protects you if a connection is delayed.
Direct from Australia and Asia
For Australians, Bali is close and cheap to reach, which is why they form such a large share of its visitors. Direct flights run from Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other cities, with flight times from around three and a half hours out of Perth to about six hours from the eastern seaboard. This ease of access makes Bali a short-break destination for many Australians, not just a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Direct services also connect Bali with many Asian cities, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and others, making it simple to combine Bali with a wider trip through the region. Domestic flights link it to the rest of Indonesia, including Jakarta and the neighbouring islands. However you come, you will land at Ngurah Rai, so the arrival experience is much the same once you are on the ground.
Visa and entry at the airport
Most visitors enter Bali on a visa on arrival, which allows a stay of around 30 days and can usually be extended once for a similar period. You can buy it at the airport on landing, or arrange it beforehand online as an electronic visa on arrival, the e-VoA, which can speed up the process. Your passport should be valid for at least six months, and you may be asked to show an onward or return ticket.
There are a couple of other formalities. Indonesia uses an electronic customs declaration that applies across the whole country, which you complete online around the time of arrival, and Bali has introduced a tourist levy that visitors are asked to pay. Because entry rules and fees vary by nationality and can change, always confirm the current requirements with official Indonesian government sources before you travel rather than relying on general summaries. Our visa page goes into this in more depth.
From the airport to your base
Once through arrivals, your transfer depends on where you are staying. The nearest areas, Kuta and Jimbaran, are usually 15 to 30 minutes away, while Seminyak is around 30 to 45 minutes and Canggu and Uluwatu roughly an hour, all subject to traffic. Ubud, inland, is about 90 minutes to two hours. Traffic in the south is often heavy, especially in the late afternoon, so allow extra time.
If your first stop is the Nusa Islands, you do not go there directly from the airport. Instead you transfer to the beach town of Sanur, where fast boats run across through the morning and early afternoon. Whatever your destination, a smooth transfer sets the tone for the trip, so arrange it in advance and confirm the driver has your details. From here, our getting around page explains your options for the rest of your stay.