In short
What do UK travellers most need to know before booking Indonesia?
British citizens need a paid visa (a Rp 500,000 / ~£21 visa on arrival or e-VOA, valid 30 days), flights are one-stop and 16–19 hours from the UK, and there's no GHIC cover so comprehensive insurance is essential. Bali charges a separate Rp 150,000 (~£6.30) tourist levy, and one island done well beats island-hopping in a week.
When UK travellers say “Bali”, they usually mean Indonesia — and the country is far bigger than that one island suggests, larger than mainland Europe and spread across thousands of islands and three time zones. This guide is built around the calls that actually matter before you book: the visa you have to pay for, the extra Bali levy that catches people out, the health cover your GHIC won’t provide, and the honest decision not to cram three islands into a fortnight. It prices everything in pounds and covers the UK-specific details competitor pages skip — the plug in the wall, the card in your pocket and how you’ll actually get around.
The short version
- You need a paid visa — a Rp 500,000 (~£21) 30-day visa on arrival or e-VOA, extendable once.
- Bali charges a separate Rp 150,000 (~£6.30) tourist levy — pay it online before you arrive.
- Your GHIC is worthless here; medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands, so insurance is essential.
- There are no nonstop UK flights — every routing is one stop and 16–19 hours via a hub.
- Pick one island for a week; add Java or Lombok only with two weeks, because crossings eat days.
Entry requirements for UK travellers
Indonesia is one of the few popular long-haul destinations where UK travellers pay for a visa, so this needs sorting before you fly. British citizens get a visa on arrival costing Rp 500,000 (about £21), valid 30 days and single entry, which you can buy at the main airports or apply for online as an e-VOA in advance for the same fee. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your arrival date and have two blank pages — a real validity rule, not just “valid for the trip”. Everything below comes from the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Indonesia; rules can change, so confirm on GOV.UK before you travel.
The extra job most people miss is Bali’s tourist levy — a separate Rp 150,000 (~£6.30) per person, on top of the visa, which you pay online before arrival. And the safety picture is real, not boilerplate: GOV.UK flags high reported levels of sexual assault and drink-spiking in Bali, Lombok and the Gilis, methanol poisoning from counterfeit spirits, and a country sitting on one of the world’s most active volcanic and earthquake belts.
Key points before you book
- UK travellers need a paid Rp 500,000 (~£21) 30-day visa on arrival or e-VOA, extendable once (GOV.UK).
- Passport must be valid 6 months from arrival with 2 blank pages (GOV.UK).
- No GHIC cover; care can be poor and evacuation costs tens of thousands — insurance is essential (GOV.UK).
- Bali levies a separate Rp 150,000 (~£6.30) tourist tax per person — pay it online before arrival.
- Zero-tolerance drug laws carry sentences up to the death penalty; CBD and edibles are illegal (GOV.UK).
- Always carry your passport or stay permit; Aceh enforces Sharia law (GOV.UK).
- Rules can change — confirm on GOV.UK before you travel.
Passport validity
Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Indonesia, and at least 2 blank pages (GOV.UK). This is a real validity rule, not just 'valid for the trip' — renew before you fly if you're inside six months. The two blank pages are for the visa and entry stamps.
Visas
British citizens need a visa. The standard tourist option is a visa on arrival costing Rp 500,000 (~£21), valid 30 days, single entry, which you can buy at main airports and ports or apply for online as an e-VOA before you travel for the same fee. It can be extended once for another 30 days from inside Indonesia. If you want a longer or multiple-entry stay, apply for an e-visa online at least a week before travel — and make sure it's approved before arrival, or you may only be eligible for the 30-day visa on arrival (GOV.UK).
Health
There is no GHIC/EHIC cover in Indonesia and the standard of local medical care can be poor, with some tests that can't be performed reliably — serious cases need medical evacuation, which can cost tens of thousands of pounds (GOV.UK). Carry comprehensive insurance with high medical and repatriation limits. A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country where it's a risk; check malaria, dengue and Zika advice on TravelHealthPro before you go. Don't drink the tap water anywhere, and note that some medicines legal in the UK are controlled here.
Safety & security
Most trips are trouble-free, but GOV.UK flags real risks. Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks, with tourist resorts, places of worship and transport hubs among potential targets, and risk rising around major holidays. In Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands there are high reported levels of sexual assault and drink-spiking — use only registered taxis (Bluebird, Silverbird, Express) and watch your drink. Methanol poisoning from counterfeit spirits can kill and can't be tasted or smelled, so avoid cheap local 'arak' and unbranded bottles. Indonesia is also one of the world's most active volcanic and earthquake zones — eruptions, quakes and tsunamis happen regularly, and several volcanoes have active exclusion zones (GOV.UK).
Local laws & customs
Drug laws are severe: possession, use, making or trafficking is a serious crime with zero tolerance, and penalties run from long prison sentences to the death penalty — cannabis, CBD, THC and edibles are all illegal, and British nationals have been jailed for years for drug offences (GOV.UK). You must always carry your passport or stay permit. Aceh province operates under Sharia law, where alcohol, gambling, same-sex activity and extra-marital sex can be punished by public caning. During Ramadan (this year 19 February–20 March 2026) don't eat, drink or smoke in public in daytime, and on Bali's Nyepi 'day of silence' (19 March 2026) everyone, tourists included, must stay indoors and the airport closes for the day (GOV.UK).
GOV.UK is the official source for Indonesia entry rules — always check it before you book.
Read GOV.UK adviceGOV.UK updated 19 Mar 2026 · Departly checked 9 Jun 2026
Why insurance, not your GHIC, is the one to get right
Your GHIC does nothing in Indonesia
There is no UK–Indonesia reciprocal healthcare agreement, so the GHIC you’d use in Europe is worthless here. GOV.UK warns that the standard of local care can be poor, that some tests can’t be performed reliably, and that serious cases need medical evacuation — usually a flight to Singapore or Australia — costing tens of thousands of pounds. Comprehensive insurance with high medical, repatriation and evacuation limits is essential, not optional, for Indonesia.
Buy it the same day you book the flights. Two specifics matter here: make sure the policy explicitly covers medical evacuation, because the serious-case plan is to fly you out of the country; and if you intend to ride a scooter — as most Bali visitors do — you need an International Driving Permit with a motorcycle entitlement and a policy that covers riding, or your claim will almost certainly be refused.
Travel insurance for Indonesia
This is the one to get right. There's no UK–Indonesia reciprocal healthcare deal, so your GHIC does nothing and you pay for everything. GOV.UK warns that local care can be poor, some tests can't be done reliably, and serious cases need medical evacuation costing tens of thousands of pounds — usually a flight to Singapore or Australia.
- Buy comprehensive cover with high emergency medical, hospital and repatriation limits — from ~£25pp for a single trip.
- Check the policy covers medical evacuation, since serious cases are flown out of the country.
- If you'll ride a scooter, you need an IDP with a motorcycle entitlement and a policy that covers riding — most claims fail without both.
Flights from the UK
No airline flies nonstop from the UK to Bali or Jakarta — every routing has at least one stop, and the honest door-to-door time is around 16 to 19 hours including the layover. The quickest and best-value connections go through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Dubai or Istanbul; a single-stop via one of those hubs is the realistic plan. Bali (Denpasar, DPS) is the main tourist gateway and lands you 20–40 minutes from the southern beach areas, while Jakarta (CGK) is the bigger hub for Java and onward domestic flights.
Flights from the UK
Long-haulNo airline flies nonstop from the UK to Bali or Jakarta — every routing has at least one stop. The quickest and most common connections go through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Dubai or Istanbul, with total journey times of roughly 16–19 hours including the layover. A single-stop via a Gulf or Singapore hub is the realistic plan; allow a buffer between flights if your bags aren't checked through.
Fly from
Main arrival airports
- DPS Bali Denpasar (Ngurah Rai) — the main tourist gateway, ~20–40 min to the southern beach areas
- CGK Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta — the biggest hub, for Java and onward domestic flights
- JOG Yogyakarta — closest to Borobudur and Prambanan, usually reached via a Jakarta connection
When to go
Bali and the western islands have two seasons, not four. The dry season runs roughly April to October, and the wet season November to March brings heavy but usually short afternoon downpours. For the best balance of weather, value and breathing room, target May, June or September — dry-season sun without the July–August peak crowds and prices. One date to avoid arriving on: Nyepi, Bali’s day of silence (19 March 2026), when the whole island, including the airport, shuts down.
When to go
Sweet spot: May, June and September are the best-balanced months for Bali, Java, Lombok and the Gilis: dry-season weather without the July–August peak crowds and prices. The dry season runs roughly April to October; the wet season is November to March, when downpours are usually heavy but short and prices and crowds are lowest. For diving and climbing volcanoes like Bromo or Rinjani, stick to the dry season.
Bali and the western islands have two seasons rather than four. The dry season (April–October) brings sunny days and lower humidity, with July and August the busiest and dearest as European and Australian holidays collide. The wet season (November–March) sees heavy but often short afternoon downpours, with December and January the wettest and quietest — fine for a beach-and-villa trip if you don't mind some rain, and the best value. Watch the Indonesian calendar too: Nyepi (19 March 2026) shuts Bali down for a day, including the airport, and Ramadan changes the rhythm of daytime life, especially on Muslim-majority Java and Lombok.
What it costs
Everything here is priced in pounds at roughly Rp 23,500 to £1 (June 2026). One-stop return flights from London run about £600–£1,000, and a mid-range 10-night Bali trip for two — flights, hotels, food, transport, the visa and the levy — comes to around £3,100–£3,400, or roughly £1,550–£1,700 each before bigger excursions. Day-to-day costs are low once you’re there: a warung meal is a couple of pounds and a large Bintang under £2.50, though southern Bali’s beach clubs and Canggu have crept upmarket.
What it costs
One-stop return economy from London runs roughly £600–£1,000, dipping to ~£550 on cheap dates and climbing past £1,000 in the July–August and Christmas peaks. The cheapest fares are usually in the wet-season shoulder months and outside UK school holidays; routings through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or a Gulf hub are the value sweet spot.
Daily budget per person
| Visa on arrival / e-VOA, per person | Rp 500,000 (~£21) |
|---|---|
| Bali tourist levy, per person | Rp 150,000 (~£6.30) |
| Warung meal (nasi/mie goreng) | Rp 25,000–50,000 (~£1.05–2.15) |
| Large Bintang beer in a bar | Rp 35,000–60,000 (~£1.50–2.55) |
| Gojek/Grab scooter ride across town | Rp 15,000–30,000 (~£0.65–1.30) |
| Scooter hire, per day | ~Rp 70,000–100,000 (~£3–4.25) |
All rupiah figures here use £1 ≈ Rp 23,500 (June 2026). Bali's tourist areas are noticeably pricier than the rest of Indonesia, and Canggu and Uluwatu have crept upmarket. Carry some cash for warungs, temples and rural areas, but cards work in most southern-Bali restaurants and hotels.
A realistic first-trip itinerary
The mistake almost everyone makes with Indonesia is treating it like one small place — it's bigger than mainland Europe, and ferry crossings and domestic flights eat days. For a first 7–10-day trip, do Bali only and let the island breathe: a few nights in the south, a few in Ubud's hills, then the quieter east or a Nusa island. This is a 9-day Bali skeleton; with two weeks, bolt on Yogyakarta and Borobudur in Java, or Lombok and the Gilis next door.
- 1Days 1–3
Land in Bali — south coast
You'll arrive frazzled after a one-stop, 16–19-hour journey, so base yourself near the airport at first. Skip party-central Kuta and stay in calmer Seminyak, Sanur or quieter Canggu instead. Use the first day for the beach and a sunset, not a packed schedule, and sort your Gojek/Grab apps and cash.
- 2Days 4–6
Ubud and the interior
Move up to Ubud (about an hour from the south) for rice terraces, temples and the cooler hills. Hire a driver for a full day to reach Tegallalang, a water temple and a waterfall — far better value than separate taxis. Treat the Monkey Forest as a one-hour stop, and book any sunrise volcano trek the day before.
- 3Days 7–8
Nusa Penida or the east
Take a fast boat to Nusa Penida for the dramatic cliffs and snorkelling, or head to quieter east-coast Amed for diving. Day-trippers swamp Penida's headline viewpoints by late morning, so stay a night to get them at first light, or go with an early boat.
- 4Day 9
Wind down and fly out
Loop back to the south for your final night near the airport. Build in a buffer — Bali traffic is unpredictable and the airport gets congested. With two weeks instead of nine days, this is where you'd add a Java or Lombok leg rather than cram it in.
Where to base yourself
For a first trip, base yourself in Bali’s south to start — Seminyak for a polished all-rounder, Sanur if islands or a calmer pace are on the plan, and skip rowdy Kuta. Canggu suits surfers and longer stays but its traffic is genuinely bad and it’s a slog to the airport, so factor that into arrival and departure days. Move up to Ubud for a few nights of rice terraces, temples and cooler hill air, and consider an overnight on Nusa Penida to beat the day-trip crowds at the famous viewpoints rather than fighting them mid-morning.
Seminyak (south Bali)
The polished all-rounder: walkable beach clubs, good restaurants and easy airport access, without Kuta's rowdy stag-do edge. The best first-timer base if you want comfort and convenience over backpacker prices.
Good for: First-timers who want comfort near the beach
Canggu (south Bali)
Surf, cafes and a digital-nomad crowd, now busier and pricier than it was. Good for a younger, longer-stay trip — but the traffic is genuinely bad and it's a slog to the airport, so factor that into arrival and departure days.
Good for: Surfers and longer-stay nomads
Sanur (south-east Bali)
Calmer, flatter and more family-friendly, with a long beachfront path and the fast-boat pier for Nusa Penida and Lembongan on the doorstep. The sensible base if islands are on your plan or you want a quieter pace.
Good for: Families and Nusa-island launches
Ubud (central Bali)
Rice terraces, temples, yoga and cooler hill air an hour inland — Bali's cultural heart, not its beach. Stay a few nights for the interior, but don't make it your whole trip if you came for the sea.
Good for: Culture, nature and a cooler base
Nusa Penida / Lembongan (offshore)
Dramatic cliffs, snorkelling with manta rays and a slower island feel a short fast-boat from Sanur. Worth an overnight to beat the day-trip crowds at the famous viewpoints — roads are rough, so a driver beats a scooter for first-timers.
Good for: Snorkelling and dramatic coastline
Getting around
Getting around Indonesia
There's no rail network worth planning around for tourists, so Bali runs on ride-hailing apps and hired drivers. Download Gojek and Grab before you arrive: they give honest, metered-style fares for cars and scooter taxis, and you avoid the inflated 'transport, boss?' street quotes. For sightseeing days, hiring a car with an English-speaking driver (typically Rp 600,000–900,000, ~£25–40 for a full day) is the best-value way to string together temples, terraces and waterfalls. Scooters are cheap (~Rp 70,000–100,000/day) and convenient but genuinely risky — GOV.UK notes poor traffic discipline and rising motorbike accidents, you need an International Driving Permit plus a motorcycle entitlement to be insured, and many travel claims are refused for riding without one. Between islands, fast boats link Bali to the Nusa islands, Lombok and the Gilis (45 minutes to a couple of hours); for bigger hops like Bali to Java, Lombok or Komodo, short domestic flights save you days over ferries and buses.
- Install Gojek and Grab before you land — metered car and scooter fares, no street haggling.
- Hire a car-with-driver for sightseeing days (~£25–40); it's better value than chaining taxis.
- Scooters are cheap but risky: you need an IDP with a motorcycle entitlement or your insurance won't pay.
- Use only registered taxis (Bluebird, Silverbird, Express) if you flag one on the street (GOV.UK).
- Fast boats connect Bali to the Nusa islands, Lombok and the Gilis in 45 min to ~2 hours.
- For Bali–Java, Lombok or Komodo, take a short domestic flight rather than long ferries and buses.
There’s no rail network worth planning around, so Bali runs on Gojek and Grab and hired drivers. Install both apps before you land for honest, metered fares and to avoid inflated street quotes. For sightseeing, a car with an English-speaking driver (around £25–40 a day) beats chaining taxis. Scooters are cheap and convenient but genuinely risky — GOV.UK flags poor traffic discipline and rising motorbike accidents, and without an International Driving Permit carrying a motorcycle entitlement your insurance won’t pay out on a crash. Between islands, fast boats reach the Nusa islands, Lombok and the Gilis in 45 minutes to a couple of hours; for bigger hops to Java, Lombok or Komodo, a short domestic flight saves you days over ferries and buses.
Staying connected
UK roaming to Indonesia is expensive — it sits well outside the inclusive EU-style zones, so the networks charge around £5–£8 a day. Over a fortnight that’s £50–£110+. A travel eSIM at £6–£18 for the whole trip is the obvious value move; choose one running on Telkomsel, which has by far the best coverage on the smaller islands and rural Bali, and install it before you fly — some Indonesian eSIMs only send the activation QR code a day or two before arrival under local rules.
Stay connected in Indonesia
UK roaming to Indonesia is expensive — it sits well outside the inclusive EU-style zones, so Vodafone, EE and Three charge roughly £5–£8 a day, far more than the ~£2.25/day you're used to in Europe. Over a 10–14 day trip that's £50–£110+.
- A travel eSIM is typically £6–£18 for 10–20GB for the whole trip — a large saving on daily roaming.
- Choose an eSIM running on Telkomsel — it has by far the best coverage on smaller islands and rural Bali.
- Buy and install before you fly; some Indonesian eSIMs send the QR code only 1–2 days before arrival under local rules.
Money: cash, cards and the rupiah rule
Indonesia is largely a cash country once you leave southern Bali's restaurants and hotels — warungs, temples, markets, drivers and the smaller islands all expect rupiah. The practical kit is one fee-free Visa or Mastercard plus a working stash of cash, topped up from bank ATMs (not the standalone machines in shops, which charge more and have been linked to card fraud). Two rules save you money: when an ATM or card terminal offers to charge in GBP rather than rupiah, always choose rupiah, because choosing pounds (dynamic currency conversion) hands over a poor rate and costs you 3–5%; and watch the zeros — Rp 50,000 and Rp 500,000 notes look similar in a hurry, and Rp 1,000,000 is only about £43. Tipping isn't expected but is appreciated, and many mid-range and upmarket places already add a 'plus plus' (tax and service) charge of around 15–21% to the bill.
Fee-free travel money
Skip the airport exchange desk — a fee-free travel card gives you the real exchange rate abroad.
Before you fly
Two small UK-specific jobs round out the trip: pre-book your airport parking, which is almost always cheaper booked ahead than on the day, and double-check the essentials before you fly — the visa, the Bali levy, insurance, your eSIM.
How we know this
How we know this
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice — Indonesia — entry, passport validity, visa, the Bali levy, health, safety and local laws
- NHS Fit for Travel / TravelHealthPro — vaccine, malaria and dengue recommendations
- Indonesian immigration (imigrasi.go.id) & Love Bali — the e-VOA fee and process and the Bali tourist levy
- Telkomsel coverage and Bali fast-boat operators — connectivity and inter-island transfer times
GOV.UK last updated 19 Mar 2026.