Every first time visitor to Bali will notice one thing as soon as they leave the airport. There are literally scooters everywhere! This is no exaggeration, as the main form of transportation on the island is by scooter. And with SO many scooters cramming the streets in what can only be described as total chaos, the thought of actually riding a scooter in Bali can be very overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Table of Contents
- How to rent a scooter in Bali
- What you need to hire a scooter in Bali
- Riding a scooter in Bali – Where can you ride?
- Filling up your Bali scooter
- Final Tips!
- Riding a scooter in Bali – Summary
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Here, I am going to provide you with everything you need to know about riding a scooter in Bali. Personally, I had visited Bali over a dozen times as a tourist, renting a scooter on every occasion. Now, I have been on the island for 18 months and own my own scooter, on which I have now toured nearly every inch of the island. Riding a scooter in Bali is not that scary, and can be a lot of fun. IF you follow a few common sense rules, which I will provide for you at the end of this article. Number 9 is particularly true!
UPDATE JULY 2023 – There is a lot of talk around Indonesia and Bali right now about banning tourists from riding scooters. This is just talk, and is not policy. I will update this article if it changes. It is worth noting that the reasons for this talk is because tourists fail to comply with the rules that I mention in this article in regards to licences, helmets and safety. Please do the right thing and this policy may never see the light of day!
How to rent a scooter in Bali
Renting a Scooter is very easy in Bali. You can literally get one from anywhere on the street, especially around the tourist areas. You DO have to be careful, though. Finding a reputable looking place with an office, such as a tour company office, is the safest and easiest way to rent a scooter on the street. Otherwise, just take a walk down nearly any street and you will find lines of scooters advertised for rent. You will have to haggle for price, and you MAY get it a bit cheaper than the other place, but this does not mean you get good quality.
ALWAYS check your scooter before you hire it. Check the brakes, ignition, tyres, and even the sound of the scooter as it idles. Have a look at how much petrol it has, and make sure you know they expect it to be full when you return it. Then, check the overall condition of the bike and even take photos if you feel the need. In short, do everything you would do if you hired a car back home.
Prices of scooters in Bali are fairly cheap. If you are haggling on the street, you could possibly get as low as 70k rupe for a day rental. If you are hiring for longer, you may get it even cheaper. Mostly, you can expect to pay around 100k rupe a day, but this also depends on the type of scooter you hire. The most common scooters such as the Honda Vario will be the easiest and cheapest to hire. If you want to get the stylish Vespa or Scoopy, or more powerful Yamaha Nmax (which I own) then you will pay a bit more. In the end, 70k rupe is just under $5USD so its not going to break the bank if you pay an extra 10k rupe for a good bike.
If you are uncertain about hiring, and just want to hit the road riding a scooter in Bali without the hassle, then you can just check out THIS link. Through Bikago you can hire a good reliable scooter, and have it delivered right to your resort. There is no better way to hit the road straight away without wasting time!
Plus they have locations all over Bali, making it convenient, and every hire comes with roadside assistance if required. They may be a little bit more expensive, but with that you get reliability, assurance, swift and easy delivery, and you know they will help you if something goes wrong.
What you need to hire a scooter in Bali
To hire a scooter in Bali you will need:
- International Driver’s Permit
- Passport
- Identification
- Helmet (usually supplied with your scooter)
- Travel Insurance
With some of the “street hire” places you can get away with not having International driver’s permit. I would NOT advise you do this, however. If you are planning a holiday and are thinking about riding a scooter in Bali, then get your International Driver’s Permit before you leave home. If police pull you over and you do not have one, then it could end up very expensive for you.
Click the button below to find out how to easily get your IDP online.
There is some conjecture at the moment about whether UK issued IDP’s are valid in Indonesia. Before obtaining one, (no matter where you are from) check with your local motoring organisation for a list of countries that they are valid. In my experience, having an IDP is a lot safer than NOT having one.
Also, do not try to ride without a helmet. Obviously, there are the safety reasons that I should not have to go into. You DON’T want to end up in hospital in Bali. But, police will also pull you over for not wearing a helmet, and even though many locals do not wear them, YOU have to! It doesn’t seem fair, but that will not be a valid argument with the police. Another expensive lesson if you get caught.
When it comes to travel insurance, it is always the best idea to have it. When hiring a scooter in Bali, it is a great idea to be prepared for the worst. Hopefully it’s a non issue, as you will already have it when you come to Bali anyway. If you are looking for the best place for insurance, you can’t go past SafetyWing. Check them out HERE.
Basically, it comes down to common sense and preparation. Follow the rules, and you will be fine and have a great time riding a scooter in Bali, Indonesia.
Riding a scooter in Bali – Where can you ride?
Basically everywhere!
As I mentioned earlier in the article, scooters are the main form of transport in Bali. Every single road is made with scooters in mind. Indeed, I have actually been on many “roads” in remote parts of Bali that you would NOT get down or through in a vehicle. Scooter is the only access.
I was once going to a waterfall up in Papuan in Central Bali and every single road was inaccessible in the small vehicle we were in. We had to come back on a scooter to get to the waterfall.
One of my favorite places in East Bali, called Lahangan Sweet, is only accessible by scooter or a very good 4wd.
If you visit any Rice Paddies around Bali, take notice of the way that the local workers get out to the furthest fields. They ride their scooters up tracks only just wide enough for one scooter at a time. This island is MADE for scooters. Riding a scooter in Bali is the very best way to see the island, in my opinion.
You can also take your scooter to other islands. It is probably wise to make sure your rental outlet is happy with you doing so, but it is easy to take your scooter on the ferry across to Lombok or in the other direction to Java. This makes is easy and handy to see other places, and such iconic sights as Mount Ijen on Java.
If you aren’t confident to ride a scooter, then you can always hire a vehicle with driver. That is just as easy and can be done right HERE.
At this link you can get a driver, air conditioned vehicle and a guide that will take you anywhere you want to go for a whole day. See THIS ARTICLE for more information.
ARE YOU booking a holiday in Bali? Then consider checking with my favorite company at Booking.com. They have amazing deals and I honestly never use anyone else! I am at Genius Level 3 now and get free breakfasts in most places I book! This is available to anyone that uses them regularly. It’s a sure fire winner!
Filling up your Bali scooter
This one is easy, if you know where to look.
There are basically three ways to fill up your Bali Scooter.
- At a proper gas station, called Pertamina.
- At a small roadside stall called Pertamini.
- At many small warungs beside the road where petrol is stored in Vodka bottles.
The first option is the best. On all major roads in Bali you will find regular gas stations. They look like any gas station anywhere in the world, and are called “Pertamina”. Simply pull in and follow the other scooters. If not, just pull up to any bowser and someone will assist you. Simply hop off your scooter, open the gas tank and they will do all the work for you. Just say “Full” and they will fill it up for you. Pay the attendant at the bowser and off you go!
The second option is not much different, and can be found in any larger village around the island. It involves a manual type of pump that you pull up to and they fill your scooter up right there. These are just located on the sides of the road or outside some larger warungs.
The last option is very popular in the tourist areas especially, and is available at every second warung along the street. You will see petrol stored in Vodka bottles outside the warung. This usually costs 10k rupe for 1 liter of petrol, and they will generally empty two bottles into your scooter for you.
Final Tips!
There are many things you will be told about riding a scooter in Bali, but there are even more things you SHOULD be told that you are NOT. Most of these can be covered under the common sense rule, but many people are not possessed with this unfortunately. Just remember this. As confident and sensible as you are when riding a scooter in Bali, not everyone is the same as you. There are a lot of fools out there (for want of keeping this PG) and you need to keep that in mind.
So here are my final tips for riding a scooter in Bali. If you follow me on Instagram, you might already have read them! Number 9 is one that happens EVERY single day.
1. Literally no one follows road rules in Bali. At least, it seems that way.
2. Locals will ride straight through red lights. DO NOT follow them.
3. You MUST wear a helmet and shirt when riding a scooter in Bali. You WILL get fined if you don’t. You MAY get away with it for a while, but don’t take the risk.
4. Locals will ride like they either don’t care about dying, or just don’t believe they will. DO NOT ride like them. Think safety first. The hospitals are full for a reason.
5. If a gap looks too small to fit through, then it is TOO SMALL TO FIT THROUGH!
6. When you decide a gap is too small, I can guarantee a local will then fit through it.
7. No matter how close to the curb you think you are, someone will always fit up your inside. Guaranteed!
8. When riding anywhere in Bali you must have eyes in the back and sides of your head. People will appear from the least likely of places with no notice.
9. Locals WILL pull out of gangs, warungs and literally anywhere without looking. They will also ride the wrong way up the wrong side of the street. Always expect the worst.
10. When I learnt to ride a motorcycle in Australia I was taught to ride as if YOU are invisible, and everyone else is drunk. It’s a rule to live by in Bali.
Have you checked out my Instagram yet? If you want to know where I am and all the great places I visit BEFORE they appear on my website, then give me a follow. I post about little known places, tips and hints for visiting, as well as guides and itineraries. Check it out HERE.
For more information on how to get around in Bali, check out the links below about the many options available to you!
Riding a scooter in Bali – Summary
Riding a scooter in Bali is fun, and can be the most scenic way to see the island. There are places at the tops of mountains that I have pulled over on my scooter to enjoy the view, in places you could not pull up in a car. There simply is not a better way to explore.
But, you MUST be sensible. DO NOT follow the cool crowd that try to ride with no helmet, no shirt and probably no license. They are taking enormous risks and it simply is not worth it! Riding a scooter in Bali should be a good experience. Don’t make it one you regret.
So get ready to hit the road, and see what this amazing island has to offer!
DON’T FORGET to leave a comment below. I promise to reply!
“get your International Driver’s Permit before you leave home ”
Sometime in 2019 there was a change affecting those with a UK driving licence.
You now can’t drive in Indonesia using a UK driving licence and UK issued International Driving Permit if you have one – they’re no longer issued for Indonesia. You can however drive with a UK driving licence and an International Driving Permit issued in Indonesia – problem is, they’re only issued in Jakarta – for those that don’t know it’s on the island of Java.
Cheers for the info guys. I never had a problem with my Australian IDP, but the UK might be different now. In my experience it is always better to have one than to not, but best to be safe and find the exact rules for your particular country. J
This is very informative! Thank you for writing everything so I won’t have to look around on other details that I will need. You have a complete guide and this will help me a lot on my move to Bali. This is coming together and thank you so much for the help!
You’re Welcome! I’m glad that it helped you. If you are moving to Bali, then hopefully some of my other articles will be of use to you as well, especially my Guide to Bali. If you are coming from the UK, double check the rules for IDP’s issued there. Once you are in Bali and settled, look at getting your own local licence. It makes things a LOT easier. Cheers, and good luck with your move! J
Totally agree with wearing a helmet, we advise people to use a full-face helmet. For 2 reasons 1, it protects you well and 2nd police can not see you are a foreigner.
Also, cover yourself so they can not see your white skin. This can help you as well. wear shoes, do not wear sleepers.
Bring your local and international motorcycle driving license. It should say you can drive a motorcycle. European car driving license is not valid for driving m125cc or 150cc scooter.
Great advice about bringing the motorcycle license with you. Most police here wouldn’t bother to make a distinction, but you never know, and Bali is not the place you want to get stuck in a disagreement with police. The long sleeves and full face is a good idea, but personally I have never had a problem. They DO also help to stop the sunburn as well, and that can happen pretty fast here.
Thanks for agreeing with me. In Asia, a bad day can come at any time. A lot of people go to Asia and think they are the king of the world. My advice to those please make sure you have a motorcycle driving license. Do not try to use your car driving license. In Europe yes you can drive up to a 50cc scooter on your car driving license, But not in Asia. It will be your words against theirs.
A lot of tourists make arguments in police cases the owner did not tell me. Please do make this argument, you must read everything before you rent a motorcycle in Bali. One more piece of advice ask for the owner’s registration paper and if he has insurance on it
Hi. I just moved to Ubud to work for 1 year. A question about insurance. I have the correct licence and we have good health insurance. Just wondering if any other insurance in required like eg like in Australia we have compulsory third party bodily with registration and I always have third party property with my vehicles at home and comprehensive for an expensive vehicle I own. Any advise on these? Regards. Dave.
Hi David. I know what you are saying with the third party. But no, there is no compulsory insurance required here. You can always opt to get it if you like, but honestly I don’t know anyone that actually has it. If you did happen to get into a scrape with a local, they would think they won the lotto if you said you had third party!
Is a normal international drivers license okay, or do you also need a motorbike license?
What is legally required?
Im going to Bali in May, and I am very excited.
Some people will say you need a riders licence. But you really only need a normal licence, plus your international drivers permit. You will have no problems hiring, and honestly I don’t think you would have any issue with police either. Just double check with your insurance though, as they have different rules. One of the best that I have found is SafetyWing, who insure you for scooter riding in Bali.
Thanks for the tips, very helpful. I’m tempted to ride up to Munduk from Ubud for a stay, and was wondering what’s the road condition and if it’s tough for a beginner rider?
Hi Hazel. The ride from Ubud to Munduk is not really hard, and the road is pretty good as far as Bali roads go. The biggest issue with riding in Bali is traffic, and once you are out of Ubud you will only have local traffic and trucks on the open road. Just beware of idiots, and locals that ride with a death wish. Basically, take your time and be sensible, and you will be fine. Enjoy the ride, it’s beautiful especially once you get up above the twin lakes and into Munduk!
Hi, I’m heading to Bali in September and want to rent a scooter. The guidance online is all contradictory. I know I need to get an IDP but I don’t know the best way to go about it. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Ella, It depends where you are from. In Australia we just go to our local motoring organisation (NRMA or RACQ) for example. You can also get them online in a matter of minutes. If you are from the UK, I have heard that the law may be different, but not being from the UK myself I can’t say that I have experienced that personally.
Hi,
Thanks for the super tips!
Do you know a company who allows taking the scooter to Lombok and Nusa Penida?
Just take the “risk”, or is it more a problem that you can’t take it on the ferry if documents aren’t supplied?
Hi Arno. You really should be ok taking them onto a ferry. A reputable company will give you the registration papers for the scooter when you hire them, and that is all you need to take it onto a ferry. Check with Bikago (links on this article) as they are really good and know all the rules. As for Penida, I’m not sure whether you can get scooters over there yet. You can’t take them onto a fast boat, and the ferry was only running sporadically, and not at all up until recently. You may need to check up on that too. Keep in mind that scooter rental locally on Penida is really easy though. Once again Bikago should know the answer to that question.
Thanks for the fast respons!
I did check Bikago but they don’t allow to take it of Bali, so that was the question if I have the paperwork I could always take the risk and take it on the ferry.
I would just like to rent for a 1 month and it is cheaper at one place in Bali instead another one a Nusa and Lombok
As you say, it would just mean taking a risk. Bikago cover you for a lot of things with your rental, but if something goes wrong on another island I guess they wouldn’t cover you as it would be against the contract. Your option would be to rent from a less reputable place that wouldn’t care too much, but I think you would be in the same boat (no pun intended) if you took it on the ferry and something went wrong. I don’t expect they would cover you. It’s a tough one, unless you do a heap of shopping around to find a place that WILL allow you to do it and you get it in writing. Unfortunately I don’t know any off the top of my head.