overview
Explore the beautiful island of Bali in style with a rental vehicle, from scooters and motorbikes to cars and vans. There are plenty of options to suit your needs and budget. With a rental vehicle, you'll be free to discover Bali's hidden gems at your own pace and make the most of your holiday or long-term stay. Read on to learn more about the different types of vehicles for hire in Bali and tips on what to look out for, what to avoid, and how to enjoy your stay on the island when renting them.
This Guide is divided into the following sections:
General info
Renting a vehicle is one of the most popular forms of transport in Bali among tourists. You can travel without relying on someone else for a relatively reasonable price. However, there are a few essential things to remember when renting a vehicle.
Contract
Here, it greatly depends on who you rent the vehicle from. You will get a contract with all the terms and conditions from a large rental company with its online system and marketing. But it also reflects on the price of the rental. From a small rental place (most of them), you will be happy to get a receipt with the date of the rent handwritten on it, sometimes not even that. It doesn't bother anyone; you don't have to look elsewhere. Most similar "companies" do business on good word of mouth, which works without problems. You pay the money, take the car or scooter away, and return it on the agreed date; you don't need any paper for that, do you? In theory, unless you want your insurance company to pay for damages in the event of an accident. See our Insurance Guide for more information.
💡 Tip: Whether renting a scooter or a car, always take a thorough photo of the vehicle from all sides before you take it back. Photographs, for example, of cracked plastic pieces when you rent it will save you a lot of time in proving and possibly a lot of money when you return it. Owners often try to charge customers for the damage they didn't cause when they returned it.
Documents
You will usually get a copy of the vehicle documents with your scooter or car, showing their validity. You can see this on the registration plate, which always shows the month and year until which it is valid. Or rather, the date until when the tax is paid. For both scooters and cars, this is five years. So make sure the plate is not expired.
As these are copies of documents, they will not allow you on the ferry to, for example, the islands of Lombok or Java (see the Public Transport Guide). If you are planning to travel to the nearby islands, always inform the rental company in advance if this is possible, and if necessary, ask for the original documents you need for the ferry ride (sometimes they will let you go with a copy, sometimes only with a small bribe of about IDR 50,000 to 100,000 depending on who you meet).
⚠️ Note: Always carry your driving license and international driving license. For more information, see the Transport Guide.
Insurance
Rental companies often advertise "insurance" as a benefit. Ignore this. Often it is just marketing, and if you cause any damage, they will let you pay for it in almost all cases, regardless of insurance. Suppose they boast about insurance, and you want to rely on it and pay the usually higher rental price. In that case, we recommend carefully reading the rental company's terms and conditions, including the promised insurance. Suppose they have something like terms and conditions at all. The best solution is to have your insurance, which covers any damage you cause while driving. See the Insurance Guide for more information.
Guarantee
Some rental companies still require an original passport or credit card as collateral. In any case, do not accept this and look for another rental company. Your passport is the only document you have. At most, you can have the rental company photograph your passport on your phone, for example, and this should be enough for a reputable rental company. They shouldn't ask for anything other than the hotel address, name, phone number, and a copy of your driver's license.
Petrol
A common practice with small street rentals is to rent a vehicle with an empty tank or with petrol to get to a petrol station. Similarly, no one expects you to return the vehicle with a full tank of gas unless it is stated in the contract. Some larger and more modern rental companies already have a system where you rent with a full tank; you return with a full tank. So always check with your particular rental company beforehand.
Helmet
In the case of scooters and motorbikes, we always recommend that you ask the rental company for a helmet. Unfortunately, this is often not automatic, and often helmets are in deplorable condition, without protective plexi, fasteners, etc. In general, our recommendation is ALWAYS to purchase your new helmet. It will cost you around IDR 500,000 (USD 35), and you will know that this is the first time anyone has used it. Apart from better hygiene, this also means that no one has crashed with it before, and therefore, its primary function, crash protection, is not compromised. Damage to the helmet may not be visible! Another advantage of the new helmet is the clear protective plexiglas, which you will appreciate most in the rain or at sunset when there are a lot of insects flying around. We will prepare a guide on scooter/motorcycle riding principles soon.
Where to Rent a Vehicle
We recommend you always arrange a vehicle rental in person while in your accommodation. You can, of course, book your rental with delivery online; however, with rental companies with sophisticated booking systems that can be found easily on the internet, expect a much higher rental price (often + 150%).
If you're in one of the popular tourist areas, you're 100 % likely to come across a scooter or car rental stand. You can ask about vehicle rentals in your accommodation. They usually either rent scooters/cars themselves or at least know someone who does and will be happy to advise you.
Rental place in Sanur
Rental place in Ubud
Bicycles
Bicycles for rent are often offered directly by hotels. Or, like scooters, they can be found at street shops. Bicycle rent is suitable for short distances, for example, if you need to commute to the beach or your favorite cafes. Bali has no cyclist infrastructure, so you must share the road with cars, buses, and trucks. Ideally, rent a bicycle in remote areas off the main streets.
Usual rental price:
Day: from IDR 35,000
Month: from IDR 350,000
Scooters & Motorbikes
Scooters are the most common choice of transport for visitors to Bali. Suppose you have no previous experience with riding a motorbike or scooter. In that case, we recommend spending your first day in a large area and familiarizing yourself with the controls of a scooter. It is not wise to drive a single-track vehicle for the first time in a new environment and still in left-hand traffic. In this case, renting a car with a driver is preferable. If you feel comfortable driving a scooter, familiarize yourself with the Balinese traffic rules in the Transport Guide.
You can negotiate the rental prices from the initial offer. Below you will find information on how much the "usual price" is according to the type of scooter you choose.
💡 Tip: Rental prices vary according to the number of days rented and the age of the scooter. More days = lower price. Also, the older the model, the lower the price. So it's always better to rent for the longest stretch at a time rather than, for example, extending your rental every week.
Large Maxi-Scooters
The most common type in this category is the Yamaha X-MAX, with an engine capacity of 250cc. This is a large scooter that is quite heavy and is not recommended for beginners. However, it offers the greatest comfort for the passenger and the highest engine power, where no hill will be a problem for the two of you, and you can still overtake without any issues.
Usual rental price:
Day: IDR 200,000 to 300,000
Month: IDR 3,500,000 to 4,500,000
Yamaha X-MAX
Middle Scooters
Most often, type Yamaha N-MAX and Honda PCX or ADV with an engine capacity of about 155cc. It is a larger scooter compared to the types below, with more under-seat space, a larger tank, and more power. Comfort and legroom are also better. These are great companions for longer trips and longer rides in one piece. These scooters are no longer a problem to ride as a beginner.
Usual rental price:
Day: IDR 110,000 to 130,000
Month: IDR 1,200,000 to 2,500,000
Yamaha N-MAX
Honda PCX
Small Scooters
Most often type Honda Vario/Scoopy and Yamaha Lexi etc. This is a typical scooter with an engine capacity of 110cc to 125cc. The engine power is lower; for example, you can already notice the loss of power in two people, especially when going uphill. They are not ideal partners for trips to the mountains with two people, but they can handle them. They're more suited to shorter distances. The advantage is the flat floor of the scooter, which allows you to carry a larger load or, for example, a dog or a larger suitcase or shopping. They also have a smaller tank, so you'll look for a petrol station more often.
Usual rental price:
Day: IDR 60,000 to 80,000
Month: IDR 1,000,000 to 1,500,000
Yamaha Lexi
Honda Scoopy
Honda Vario
💡 Tip: A good rental company will offer you a scooter with an installed surfboard holder called a surf rack in areas suitable for surfing.
💡 Interesting fact: In tourist-exposed areas and increased demand, especially Canggu, Kuta, and Seminyak, but also on the island of Nusa Penida, cartel agreements are formed between rental companies to keep prices artificially high. For long-term rentals, it is worth looking for a scooter in Ubud, for example, or other areas where prices are usually lower. For instance, we know a rental owner in Ubud who has been threatened three times by Canggu rental owners to raise prices or he will be physically harmed.
Cars
There is a wide range of cars for hire on the island, from small two-doors to minibusses or luxury and super sports cars. If you need to move around the island with the whole family, for example, or if you don't dare to drive a scooter or prefer to travel comfortably with air conditioning, you can choose to rent a car.
💡 Tip: Rental prices vary according to the number of days rented and the car's age. More days = lower price. Also, the older the model, the lower the price. So it's always better to rent for the longest stretch at a time rather than, for example, extending your rental every week.
Car rental prices at online rental agencies range from IDR 250,000/day. As with scooters, we recommend asking about car rental directly at your accommodation. They usually recommend someone they know with a price significantly lower than online rental companies.
Selected online car rental companies:
Car With Driver
If you don't dare to drive in Balinese left-hand traffic, you can hire a car with a driver. The advantage of having your driver is that, in most cases, he will be happy to provide you with a guide and, if you wish, show you various places of interest worth visiting during your transfers or free days. A driver with a car will be available for an average of 10 hours each day to take you wherever you need. The driver's working hours can be extended for an additional fee.
The driver surcharge on top of the rental fee for the car itself at online rental companies is usually around IDR 500,000/day, including petrol for 10 hours per day.
💡 Tip: Walk a few hundred meters in the tourist area, and you will get several offers for "transport." You can then negotiate a price with these drivers at a fraction of what online rental companies offer. The usual salary in Bali is IDR 150,000/day (8 hours) + petrol price of IDR 10,000/liter. With this, you can better understand roughly how much the extra charge for a lone driver should be.
You can also book a car, including a driver, simply through the Grab app—more info is below in the Applications section.
TAXI
There are several taxi companies in Bali. However, we can only recommend the official and verified taxi company Bluebird, which has been operating in Bali since 1972. The cars have a distinctive blue color with a logo on the door. Taxis are primarily found in tourist areas and can be stopped by waving on the street. We always recommend that you arrange the price of transport in advance. You can also use a taximeter, but the driver may take you on a deliberately longer route.
The best option is to book a Bluebird taxi online using the MyBlueBird app, where you will know the price in advance. Bluebird taxis can also be booked from the GoJek app below.
Applications
You can also book and rent a car or scooter with a driver using the GoJek or Grab apps. This is similar to Uber, which no longer operates in Indonesia, as it sold its business to Grab in 2018.
You choose the service you want: a car of your size, a scooter, or even a moving van with a helper, and order the vehicle to a specified location on the map.
The disadvantage is that you cannot book a driver for the whole day, for example, but only for a specific ride between two points. However, often the drivers offer to take you on the next ride so that you can arrange directly for the continuation of the trip and the next transport.
GoJek GoRide
GoJek GoCar same disctance
GoJek GoBox for moving
Grab hire a driver
One of the other drawbacks of transport using these apps is the very little or no availability outside the island's main tourist locations.
Boats & Jet Skis
Boat hire in Bali is primarily suitable for snorkeling and diving in areas further offshore or if you are interested in fishing with local fishermen. Either way, it's best to go to the marina and ask the fishermen directly.
They will happily offer their services as soon as they see you. Always agree on a price for the number of hours you plan to spend on the boat and, for example, the number of stops. In addition, the locals know all the places suitable for these activities very well and will be happy to show you around.
A private boat is a much more comfortable solution, where you have it all to yourself and don't have to squeeze in with the other tourists on board. Plus, the cost is almost the same compared to an organized, for example, a snorkeling trip.
Ferries are part of public transport covered in the Public Transport Guide. Speedboats for transportation between islands are covered in the Nearby Islands Guide.
With several water sports providers, you can rent jet skis for adrenaline-fuelled fun in Bali around Tanjung Benoa Beach. Other locations where you can rent a jet ski are Kuta and Sanur.
Jet ski rental in Sanur
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