When's the cheapest time to fly to Bali?
Flight prices to beautiful Bali tend to peak in the summer months of July and August, and then they have another spike during the Christmas period. You’ll nab the cheapest Bali flights in 2024 / 2025 between February and June, but also in October. You’ll want to plan this part well because we’ll tell it to you straight - last min deals to Bali aren’t super common!
When's the best time to go to Bali?
You’ve got two options when it comes to beautiful Bali – wet or dry! There’s just two seasons on this tropical island, with it being either really, really rainy or really, really dry. But the good news is that the actual temps are pretty regular, hovering around 27 degrees year round. If you’ve got Bali on the brain and don’t care about the cost, then you can head to town anywhere from April to September – this is the dry (and high!) season.
If you’re counting the pennies a bit more, then October is a good choice. It’s just after the end of the high season, so the full rains haven’t hit just yet, there’s still a good choice of things on offer (if a little less than during the peak time), and prices will fall sharply on flights and hotels!
Can I fly direct to Bali from the UK?
We hate to break it to you, but no. There’s currently no direct flights to Bali from the UK, so you will have to factor in a layover. But all clouds have a silver lining! You’ll most likely be stopping over in the Middle East, like Dubai or Doha, or in Asian hubs like Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore. Every one of these places are totally worth checking out if you have the time, making your layover less of layover and more of a mini holiday! And if you really want to turn one holiday into two, some stopover cities actually have schemes in place to give you a free night’s accom in town – that’s even more time to explore.
You can fly with big names like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, or try to find a cheap deal with KLM, Malaysia Airlines or EVA Air.
Which UK airports offer flights to Bali?
You can fly to Bali from the UK whether you’re way up north (think Birmingham, Manchester, and even Glasgow and Edinburgh) or all the way down south – which will probably work in your favour as the best Bali deals tend to be on flights from London Heathrow and Gatwick. If you’re flying from London you’ll get a shorter flight time too – lucky you – averaging from 16 to 20 hours.
Flying to Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
You might know this one by its other name, Denpasar Airport. Around 13km south of Denpasar in southern Bali, it’s the second busiest airport in Indonesia. Denpasar Airport is pretty small, but still serves both domestic and international flights. Passing through immigration shouldn’t take you too long, and us Brits can get a visa on arrival if you haven’t already ticked that off your list.
As soon as you step off the plane you’ll get a hearty dose of Balinese architecture and style, with loads of high ceilings and a lovely, airy feel that tells you straightaway that – yep – you’ve arrived in paradise, baby!
On arrival and getting around the airport
Denpasar Airport (DPS) consists of two terminals – Domestic and International. The International Terminal features that distinctive Balinese architectural design and has separate halls for departures and arrivals. The departure hall has 62 check-in desks and a selection of lounges, boutiques and eateries available for you hungry travellers. There's 17 gates in total, with 14 of them residing in the International Terminal.
Why visit Bali?
Some of the very best – the crème de le crème, you could say – of the world’s beaches are right here. It’s not just the golden sandy ones, either. Super cool black sand beaches dot the coast too, making for a whole different type of beach pic for Insta. But for those who love a beach, but need just a little bit more, then Bali’s got spades for you – literally and figuratively!
Stay in your own Bali bubble or blend into the bustle
You can have your cake (or satay, when in Indonesia) and eat it here. If you wanna sneak off to a secluded cove away from the tourists and just chill with your partner or family, you can. Ubud, with its paddy fields, monkey forests, and waterfalls, is a great spot for this, and so is Nusa Dua with all of its sprawling, white sand beaches. But if you thrive when in the thick of it, Kuta is party central in Bali, near the famous party street, Legian.
Get a good dose of Balinese culture
Eat like a local at a warung – a small, local restaurant serving up traditional Indonesian and Balinese grub. Get your fill of dishes like nasi goreng, babi guling, beef rendang, and tempe manis. When you’re not eating, get yourself on a scooter and zip around the island – you can rent a trusty two wheeled whip almost anywhere in Bali for a dirt cheap price. Whilst your zooming around the island, stop off and explore some of the temples. There are MANY. And they are all beautiful.
Nothing better than nature…
…and Bali has the best! Remember that mountain we mentioned, Gunung Agung? It’s the biggest in Bali. And it also happens to be an active volcano. Yep. Known as ‘Mother Mountain’, you can see its peak right across the island, and you can get up close and personal with it by climbing to the summit, 3124 meters up. The Botanic Garden in Ubud expands across five hectares with a maze, an Islamic garden, a meditation court, and even an ancient Banyan tree! And then there’s the waterfalls. Good god, the waterfalls. There are loads here, but two we love are Gitgit Waterfall in the north of the island and Nungnung Waterfall in Badung.
Bali visa requirements
As of March 2022, us Brits need a visa to stay in Bali for up to 30 days. You can get one before you fly, or you can purchase one on arrival. If you’re staying longer than this, you can extend it for a maximum of another 30 days by making an application at an immigration office within Indonesia.
Bali currency and exchange
The rupiah is the currency in Indonesia, so you’ll want a few of those in your pocket. Don’t exchange them in the UK though, for the best rates you’ll want to do it when you land in Bali!
