What should you do when you land in Bali?
Sort three things before you fly: your visa, the free arrival card and the tourist levy. Then get cash, get online and find your ride. If you land after 11 PM, book that ride before you leave home.
The First Hour · October 30, 2026 · 4 min read · By TripMazer
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Land after 11 PM? Book your ride first.
Before you fly.This saves the most time.
- Your visa
- Many visitors need one. The e-VOA is IDR 500,000 for 30 days, and a rise was proposed in August 2026, so check the current price and whether your passport qualifies on the official site.
- Arrival card
- Fill in the All Indonesia form within three days of landing. It’s free, and it gives you a QR code for immigration and customs.
- Bali tourist levy
- IDR 150,000 per visitor. Pay on the official Love Bali site and keep the QR voucher. Unpaid visitors are sent to pay at the airport, which means another queue.
- Your phone
- Set up an eSIM before you fly, or plan to buy a SIM at the kiosks in arrivals. You’ll want data for ride apps and your hotel’s address.
After you land.In this order.
- Step 1
Immigration
Have your passport, visa and QR code open before you reach the desk.
- Step 2
Bags and customs
Show the same All Indonesia QR code at customs.
- Step 3
Show your levy voucher
If you’re stopped, the QR voucher is all they need.
- Step 4
Get a little cash
Use an ATM in the arrivals hall, enough for a driver and your first meal.
- Step 5
Get online
Turn on your eSIM, or buy a SIM from a kiosk in arrivals.
- Step 6
Find your ride
Ignore anyone who approaches you. Use the official taxi counter, your booked driver, or check the fare in Grab or Gojek first.
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How long to your hotel?It depends when you land.
- Seminyak 10 km
- 3 PM: 20 to 45 min
- 11 PM: 16 to 30 min
- Sanur 15 km
- 3 PM: 26 to 50 min
- 11 PM: 20 to 35 min
- Canggu 18 km
- 3 PM: 40 min to 1 hr 30 min
- 11 PM: 30 to 55 min
- Uluwatu 23 km
- 3 PM: 50 min to 1 hr 40 min
- 11 PM: 40 min to 1 hr
- Ubud 37 km
- 3 PM: 1 hr 10 min to 2 hr 20 min
- 11 PM: 50 min to 1 hr 30 min
Typical Google Maps ranges for a Tuesday in November.
Landing after 11 PM?
The road is faster
At 11 PM, the slowest typical drive to Ubud is 50 minutes shorter than at 3 PM, and to Canggu it’s 35 minutes shorter.
Finding a ride is harder
Guides warn that ride-hailing can be thin late at night, and buses have stopped. Book a transfer in advance, and keep the official taxi counter as your backup.
Tell your hotel
Check that someone will be there to let you in, especially at a villa, and keep their number and address saved offline.
One day a year, you can’t land at all.
Bali’s airport closes for 24 hours on Nyepi, the Day of Silence. In 2026 it shut from 6 AM to 6 AM the next day. Nyepi 2027 is reported as 8 or 9 March, so check the official notice before you book.
Keep reading.
Only if you leave Ubud by 12:45 PM.
Is It Doable? · October 30, 2026
Can you do Ubud and Uluwatu in one day?
Yes, but only if you leave Ubud by 12:45 PM. The two are just 54 km apart, yet the day can put you in a car for 4 to 8 hours. If you can, do it one way and sleep in the south.
6 of 10 hold up. Most are a long drive.
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