What It’s Like to Travel to Bali Right Now

Share The Article

Last Updated 2 years ago

It has been over two years since Bali shut out the entire world. After months of going back and forth with the idea of loosening up restrictions and entry requirements, the Indonesian government has finally executed such plans.

Bali is essentially open for tourism once again, however, there is still a lot of confusion and doubt going on between travelers and what the current rules are to enter Bali. And rightfully so, no one really knew when and how Bali was going to open again to the world.

The re-opening of the island has been pushed back multiple times and even its own government wasn’t on the same page when it came to reopening Bali for general tourism. However, now that the Island of the Gods is welcoming back travelers, here's what it looks like to enter Bali from an on-the-ground perspective.

I’m one of the first lucky few travelers who’s been able to get back into Bali after over 2 years of lockdowns. Let me tell you step-by-step what it takes to travel here with the current Covid-19 restrictions, what you'll need to know before you go, and what life is like on the island right now.

(As of April 26, 2022) I found the process to be straightforward and EASY.

Bali's Vaccination Requirements: 

• Fully vaccinated travelers don't need to quarantine at their accommodation anymore, nor do they need to book their stay with a CHES-certified hotel. (Note: the 2nd vaccination must have been given at least 14 days before departure)
• Unvaccinated individuals will not be permitted.
• International travelers ages 0 – 17 DO NOT require to show COVID-19 Vaccination proof. 

Bali's Insurance Requirement:

• Part of the entry requirement for foreign passport holders who enter on a Visa on Arrival (VOA) or eVISA is to have travel insurance that covers you in Bali in the that you test positive and need to be moved to an approved isolation hotel or medical facility. 
• Note: The Covid Travel insurance is only required for Visa Exemptions, Visa on Arrival, and B211A holders.

Pre-Departure Checklist for Bali:

• Every foreign traveler must show a negative RT-PCR test result in which samples were taken in the country or region of origin within a maximum period of 48 hours before the departure time.
• Any foreign traveler regardless of vaccination status is required to download the Peduli Lindungi app on their phone before arriving in Bali. It is best to download this before you arrive in Bali (It’ll save you a lot of time). Be sure to create an account and log into the app.
• Note: Filling out the eHAC form on the app is no longer required as of April 6, 2022. In fact, you don’t need to fill out anything on the app, all you must do is download the app on your phone, create an account and log in.
• Indonesian visa: Currently available on arrival for 60 countries including The United States, Canada, and Australia. (Visa fee is $35 USD for a maximum of 30 days and is only obtainable by entering Bali directly).
• Register your e-CD (Electronic Custom Declaration).
• RETURN air flight ticket (or one-way outward journey from Bali).

The above list is all you need in order to enter Bali. While it's certainly longer than pre-pandemic times, I was happy to complete everything required of me so I could return to this incredible island.

If you’re vaccinated and hold a passport from a VOA eligible country (like the USA, UK and Canada), all you need is your:

• passport
• vaccination certificate
• negative PCR/antigen test
• digital custom declaration
• the Peduli Lindungi app
• travel health insurance that covers Covid-19
• Your outbound flight out of the country. 

Arriving at Bali Customs

I had all the mentioned above documents and cleared the health screening and customs in less than 10 minutes. My advice: book yourself a seat close to the front and exit door. Be the first one out of the plane and you’ll breeze through the health screening and immigration process.

You will first need to show the Peduli Lindungi App on your phone. After you sit down for a health screening. All they do is check your vaccine status, negative Covid test, and passport. (Note: No more PCR or rapid tests will be done upon arrival).

After you're done there, you have to get your visa. VOA is available to all Americans, Canadians, and 58 other nations. Once you pay the fee ($35) you collect your luggage and clear customs.

Here you show the QR code provided to you when you fill out the e-CD form online prior to arriving.

You quickly show that code and you're on your way. That's it, you're done. You can now leave the airport.

What's it like in Bali right now?

This is my fourth time in Bali, and it’s never been as peaceful and scenic as it is now. Now is the time to go to Bali if you’re interested in going. 

Personally, I've never seen Bali like this before. It almost seems as if I've traveled back in time before mass tourism ever arrived. Temples and beaches that have been previously bombarded with visitors are calm and tranquil. Traffic, which has historically been a nightmare, is very minimal. Prices, which have always been reasonable in Bali, are at rock bottom rates to entice tourists to return.

Locals are very happy to see visitors once again, but they still do take the virus seriously. You will see almost every local wearing a mask, although they are not being enforced as much for tourists.

In my opinion, this is the time to go. Travelers have a rare chance to experience Bali all to themselves.

How to fly to Bali?

Currently, Bali is operating direct flights between the following cities:

• Istanbul
• Dubai
• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Doha
• Singapore

If you’re traveling from the U.S. you can fly to Australia via Dallas or Los Angeles, and then travel to Bali with JetStar which operates direct flights from both Melbourne and Sydney. I personally flew in from the U.S. via Sydney.

While not quite as easy as 2019, I believe making the extra effort and completing a few additional tasks was worth it to get back into a destination I love and have been locked out of for so long.

READ MORE:

Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19 For 2022

Bali Reopens Visa On Arrival For 23 Countries And Removes Quarantine From March 7th

↓ Elevate Your Travel↓

Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path's latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.