Bali Guide by IZZI · Arrival and lifehacks
Your first 48 hours in Bali: SIM, scooter, money
The exact list we give friends landing for the first time — airport traps, safe ATMs, scooter rules, and where to go on night one.
Immigration first — most nationalities get a visa on arrival, payable by card; check the official Indonesian immigration site for the current fee and whether you can buy the e-VOA online before flying, because that queue moves faster. Then two rules for the arrivals hall: don't buy the first SIM you see, and don't follow anyone who approaches you offering "taxi, boss".
Airport SIM counters routinely charge two to three times the town price. If you need data immediately, buy the cheapest starter pack and top up later — or better, install an eSIM before you fly. For the ride, use the official taxi counter with posted prices, or walk to the marked Grab/Gojek pickup zone and order in the app. Canggu and Seminyak are 30–90 minutes away depending on traffic; evening arrivals are slower.
Withdraw only from ATMs physically attached to bank branches — standalone machines in minimarts are where skimmers live. If the ATM offers to convert to your home currency, decline: your bank's rate is better every time. Change cash only at authorised money changers with posted rates behind glass, and count the notes yourself before leaving.
For the first days, Grab and Gojek are your friends: fixed prices in the app, no negotiation, scooter-taxis that beat the traffic. Rent your own scooter only if you actually ride at home — legally you need an international driving permit with a motorcycle category, police checks do happen, and rain plus scooter plus jet lag is a bad equation.
Telkomsel has the widest coverage on the island; XL is fine in the busy south. Official brand counters and minimarts sell registered tourist packs — registration with your passport is normal and required.
The jet-lag trick is simple: stay outdoors until local night. Sunset lands around 6 PM all year, so build the evening around it — and know that the island eats early, with many kitchens winding down by 10–11 PM.
One thing to do before you land: screenshot your hotel or villa address in Bahasa. Half the arrival friction is explaining where you're going.
The first two days set the tone for the whole trip. Land tired, get overcharged for a SIM, use an ATM with a skimmer, and Bali feels like hard work; get the basics right and by tomorrow's sunset you'll wonder why you didn't come sooner. This is the exact list we give friends who land here for the first time — we run a rooftop restaurant between Canggu and Seminyak, so we've heard every arrival story there is.
Never leave your passport as a deposit for a scooter. When you do rent, choose a rental with real reviews rather than a guy at the beach, photograph the bike from every angle before riding off, and wear the helmet every single time.
Where to go on night one
A few honest options, including the ones that aren't ours.
Driftwood beach club on the sand and a Canggu sunset institution. Gorgeous, and everyone knows it — come early at weekends.
The design-icon beach club. Worth seeing once; book ahead if you want a daybed rather than a walk-through.
Your cheapest great meal is nasi campur wherever locals are queuing. Busy means fresh — point at what looks good.
Our place, so judge accordingly: a fifth-floor rooftop facing the sunset and — useful on night one — a full kitchen until 2:30 AM with doors open until 4 AM daily. If jet lag wakes you at midnight hungry, home-made pelmeni, borscht and salmon steak are still being cooked.
Меню и цены →Day two
Morning beach walk before the heat, then pick one thing, not five: a temple — bring or rent a sarong, shoulders and knees covered — a rice-terrace run, or simply learning your neighbourhood's five streets. The rest of the island isn't going anywhere.
Quick answers
Is Bali safe at night?
Generally yes in the tourist south — the real risks are traffic and drink-driving on scooters, not people. Use Grab or Gojek at night and you remove most of the risk.
Can I drink tap water?
No — bottled or refill-station water only, including for brushing teeth if your stomach is sensitive. Ice in proper cafes and restaurants is factory-made and fine.
Do I need cash everywhere?
Cards cover most cafes, restaurants and shops in the south. Keep roughly a day's worth of small notes for warungs, parking and markets.
What time is sunset?
Around 6 PM every day of the year — Bali sits near the equator, so you can plan golden hour with confidence.
What's the single most common first-day mistake?
Buying a SIM at the airport counter at two to three times the town price, closely followed by accepting the ATM's offer to convert to your home currency.
Read next
If jet lag wakes you hungry at 1 AM
Most kitchens on the island stop between 10 and 11 PM. IZZI Rooftop in Batu Belig runs a full kitchen until 2:30 AM and keeps the doors open till 4 — sunset terrace, air-conditioned room with the same view, no cover charge, no minimum spend, parking under the building.
More from this guide: Bali Guide by IZZI · food and evening guides
IZZI Rooftop — Restaurant, Bar & Shisha Lounge · Google Maps · Tripadvisor 4.9 · @izzi_bali · WhatsApp
JL. BATU BELIG NO.38, FLOOR 5 · DAILY 2 PM – 4 AM