Back in 2016, before we had even heard about the term digital nomad, Dom and I went on a vacation to Bali. It was actually our first vacation together and it was everything we dreamed of!
Bali is a little tropical Paradise with beautiful waterfalls, volcanoes, great surfing, delicious food, and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.
For years now, we’ve been wanting to go back to Bali – this time as digital nomads – but obviously, it has been a little challenging due to the pandemic. Bali has had pretty strict border closures since March 2020 but is now somewhat open. It can be hard to figure out where to find the correct information and to stay up to date with it all.
In this blog post, we’ve done the research for you. Below you will find everything you need to know about the Bali travel requirements as of August 2022.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you <3
Everything you need to know about Bali’s Reopening to Digital Nomads
When the pandemic first started in March 2022, Bali’s borders closed quite quickly. After a while, they opened up to people with specific work visas and many digital nomads have been dreaming of the day when Bali would finally reopen to them.
We’re here to bring you good news! Bali is now almost fully reopened!
So what are the requirements and who can enter?
Vaccinated travellers
Fully-vaccinated travellers no longer have to show a pre-departure negative test and also don’t need to show proof of health insurance (but we still highly recommend getting travel insurance before you go – more on this below).
To count as a fully vaccinated traveller, you need to have a minimum of two shots and the final dose must have been given at least 14 days prior to departure. These are the requirements for foreign travellers.
Unvaccinated travellers
If you’re an unvaccinated traveller, you need to show proof of a negative PCR test (in English) that is no older than 72 hours at the time of arrival. Travellers must also show health insurance (we can highly recommend SafetyWing).
Unvaccinated travellers will also have to quarantine for 5 days at a government-approved facility upon arrival.
Note that if you have recently recovered from COVID-19 and you can provide a COVID-19 recovery certificate in English, you may be seen as inactive in transmitting COVID-19 and these rules do not apply to you.
You can also stay up to date with all the Covid restrictions on Borderless SafetyWing’s website here.
Other requirements for travellers visiting Bali
One thing everyone has to do to be able to enter Bali is to register for the PeduliLindungi app. This is an app where you have to verify all your travel documents before entering Bali to make the process simple once you’re arriving in the country. You also need to fill out an e-HAC in the app (which stands for electronic-Health Alert Card).
If you do need to get tested while you’re in Bali you can get it done at most medical clinics or hospitals for a small fee. If you are showing symptoms and need to get tested there’s a chance you can get it done for free.
To give you an idea of how much the tests cost, the PCR tests are roughly $35 whereas a rapid antigen test will cost roughly $7. The government has put a cap on the prices so any legitimate test center will have these prices.
Travel Insurance
Whether you’re required to show proof of travel insurance or not, we can’t stress how important it is to have proper travel insurance while you’re abroad. If you don’t have one, we can highly recommend SafetyWing which is a travel medical insurance for nomads.
Why we recommend Safetywing:
- You can buy your nomad insurance while you’re already abroad.
- You can easily pick start and stop dates for your nomad or health insurance.
- They offer automatic payments!
- Very affordable with plans that start at $42/4 weeks.
- For a small price increase, you can use the nomad insurance in the US for up to 30 days.
- You can get both medical and travel insurance through SafetyWing.
Visa in Bali
Just as before the pandemic, you can now receive a visa upon arrival (VOA) which means one less admin task for you to do prior to your trip. The visa costs IDR500K which is equivalent to $35 USD and lasts for 30 days.
You can extend your VOA for an additional 30 days for the same cost (IDR500K or $35 USD) which means you can stay in the country for a total of 60 days.
The requirements for the VOA are:
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after leaving Indonesia
- You must comply with the Covid restrictions (as mentioned above)
- You need to have a pre-purchased departure ticket out of Indonesia
Our thoughts on visiting Bali now that it’s reopened
One thing that scares people about travelling to Bali now is how far it is away and “what if something happens while I’m away”. Well, there’s always the possibility of something happening but safety and health guidelines are taken seriously in Bali.
As long as you do the proper planning before your trip and meet all the requirements you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Bali has a good system in place now for testing, quarantining, and everything Covid-related.
Our best piece of advice is to plan ahead and expect some minor hiccups but with Bali reopening, there’s no better time to come to Bali.
A few fun things to get you excited for Bali
The Surf in Bali
From pipeline tubes along Balangan Beach to Keramas Beach on the east, Bali is an amazing spot to surf. Whether you’re looking for coliving spaces, coworking, or a hostel, almost every accommodation in Bali is connected to surf in some way.
The best part about Bali is that there’s surfing for absolutely every single level. Plan to try it out for the first time then you have surf schools like Padang Padang Surf Camp or Canggu Surf Camp which are perfect if you’re new to the sport.
Then there are also places like Uluwatu that have crazy strong waves that form some killer pipes and really a place really good surfers like to go. Bali truly is a surfing paradise and a fun sport to have as a hobby while you’re in Bali.
The food scene in Bali
The food scene in Bali is basically heaven. If you have been on Instagram (like ever) it would be really hard to avoid seeing influencers in Bali eating the most delicious food.
From smoothie bowls and specialty roasted coffee to traditional Balinese food and Luwak Coffee, there’s a great variety for all tastes.
Digital Nomad life in Bali
According to NomadList, Canggu in Bali is the 2nd best nomad location IN THE WORLD right now! The weather is amazing, the quality of life is good, and the cost of living is affordable (around $1500 USD a month).
Bali is also a very safe place to visit as digital nomads and we remember from our own trip in 2016 that we felt very safe there, especially amongst the locals who were extremely friendly.
In terms of nomad communities, there are plenty all over the island with Canggu being the most popular one. There are daily meetups, great coworking spaces, and lots of fun social and physical activities for you to participate in.
Recap of Bali’s reopening
There are a few things to plan before heading off to Bali but at this point, it kinda feels like the new norm anyways. At the end of the day once you’re off that plane and at the beach in Kuta or eating a smoothie bowl at one of the local cafes you’ll thank yourself you did it.
Hopefully, as we move forward restrictions will ease up and the world will be more open but for now, we just have to trust the guidelines are there for our safety!
Now it’s time to enjoy life and spend it in beautiful places like Bali!
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