Bali, for Egyptians, is one of the hottest travel destinations at the moment. That being said, some of you, fellow Egyptian nomads, could be out there surfing the web, looking for answers, and doing your research about the exotic Indonesian island. Don’t fret, I’ve come to the rescue!
Having gone through the whole process myself before, I decided to share my personal experience and break it down for you, bringing you all the juice. From visa procedures to budgeting, if you’re traveling to Bali, you’ve landed on the right page. So, let’s get started by answering those FAQs, making this more of an ultimate guide on Bali for Egyptians.
Bali for Egyptians 101
How to obtain a visa?
Great news, y’all! Bali is well known for its visa on arrival privilege. There was also an option to get it from Indonesian Consulate’s office in Nasr City, issuing it within 2-3 working days. HOWEVER, according to the official immigration website of Indonesia, Egypt is now listed as one of the visa-free zones.
Your free-entry stamp will be valid for a maximum of 30 days and it’s non-extendable. You just need to have a passport valid for at least 6 months and a return flight ticket.
P.S: Make sure to check the official website prior to your trip as visa regulations are subject to change.
What about the budget?
Bali’s cheap; it’s as cheap as Egypt. In fact, in some things it could be even cheaper. EGP 1 = IDR 840.61 (more or less). Back when I was there, I considered that IDR 100,000 was somewhat equivalent to a EGP 100. It’s actually equal to EGP 119, but it’s close enough.
Everything is super affordable and there’s a variety of pricing for everything. Be it transportation, accommodation, food, shopping, nightlife, you name it. You’ll always find the cheap, expensive, and average options for everything. So, you can easily tailor your trip to your personal budget.
Where to stay?
You have various accommodation options ranging from hostels to resorts and villas. If you’re a backpacker traveling on budget or a solo traveler, then I’d highly recommend hostels; they’re as cheap as EGP 150 per night on average! You can land awesome deals on Hostelworld.
If you’re traveling with a group of friends, then go for Airbnb all the way! You can rent super fancy places for a really good price; prices of accommodation in Bali, in general, are pretty affordable. As for hotels, they’re also a good option for anyone who doesn’t want to spend much, but would spend a bit more than for a hostel in return for space and privacy.
For the honeymooners, then posh resorts and villas are a great option. There are lots of astonishing spots in Nusa Dua; I really loved The Mulia. Another great option that could be way more affordable, yet out of a movie, is also Airbnb. Get yourselves a private villa with a pool, overlooking the jungle in Ubud, what more could you ask for?
What to do?
From surfing and hiking to partying and shopping, Bali has A LOT to offer literally. You can find my 10-day detailed itinerary split over two posts; one for the south (Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, etc..) and the other for Ubud. Also, don’t miss my shopping guide, and if you’re into hiking, then definitely don’t miss hiking Mount Batur. Here‘s everything you need to know about it.
How to move around?
In Bali, you have 2 main options; scooters and cars. So, let me break it down for you a little bit.
Hire a driver
Don’t rely heavily on this option. This should be an option when moving from Seminyak to Ubud for instance, and in any case where you’d be moving luggage, like to or from the airport. Traffic in Bali is terrible, and your driver would most probably show up with a scooter instead.
Drivers are super cool as they can also act as guides, they know a lot about where to go and what to avoid doing and so forth. Hit me up if you need a good driver’s contact.
Rent a scooter
To save extra cash as well as time and energy wasted on traffic, scooters are your best friend. Renting one is super cheap! However, if you can’t ride a scooter, then simply don’t rent one! It’s a great experience, but you’d better learn before going to Bali in case you’d like to try. Roads and traffic, and even the weather’s unexpected rainy moments, aren’t the best thing.
Ride-hailing apps
Be it cars or scooters, there are ride-hailing apps that are very affordable. From Canguu to Seminyak; which is approximately a 15 min ride via scooter, could cost you around IDR 6,000 only! Apps available are Uber, Grab, and Go-Jek.
P.S: Bear in mind that taxi drivers tend to be aggressive towards ride-hailing apps to the extent that these apps do not operate in certain areas as drivers would be afraid to get beat up. Those include some places in Canguu and Ubud entirely. It’s okay to use them in Kuta, Seminyak, and Nusa Dua.
Where to eat?
I really love most Asian cuisines, so, Indonesian easily made it to my list of favs. As I previously said, there’s variety when it comes to prices. So, you’ll find expensive restaurants, as well as cheap ones. Here are the ones I’ve tried (Asian or not) where I had a really good experience:
- La Favela (restaurant/club and bar in Kuta)
- Kaum (luxurious restaurant at Seminyak’s famed Potato Head Beach Club)
- Vi Ai Pi (Restobar in Kuta, they have awesome live music!)
- The Onion Collective (homestay/restaurant in Ubud)
- Siam Sally (Thai restaurant in Ubud)
- Taco Casa (Mexican restaurant in Ubud)
- Kynd Community (Vegan restaurant in Seminyak)
However, if you really want to delve into the local cuisine, then definitely try out “warungs”. A warung is a small family-owned restaurant, serving local street food. Those are super authentic and extremely cheap. I remember having noodles and lychee juice for IDR 15,000 each, which is equivalent to EGP 36 in total!
What to pack?
The dry season in Bali is from May to September, so I highly recommend going during that time. I’ve already shared with you the perfect packing list for that time of the year, check it out here.
How long should you stay?
Definitely not less than 10 days! Yes, I visited for 10 days, I thought they were more than enough, but they weren’t! I didn’t get to visit all the Penida islands; only Nusa Penida, I didn’t get to spend lots of time in Canguu, and I couldn’t go to Uluwatu.
And if you ask me, Bali’s definitely not a once in a lifetime destination. If I could, I’d surely go again more than once!
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Nadine is an Egyptian curly-head who decided to quit the norm because it just doesn’t suit her. She ditched her 9-5 as a magazine editor to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time digital nomad and to inspire aspiring travelers to embark on their own solo adventures.
