Bali Driving Tips

Bali is famous island in the world as favorite tourist destination and always attract visitors to come and come again, explore into its panorama, culture and daily life. Bali is one of the provinces in Indonesia with an area 5.632,86 km2 and according to last census populated around 3.156.392 lives. Bali is small, stretching approximately 140 km from east to west, and 80 km from north to south.

Repeater Bali visitor prefer to rent a car for self drive, They eager to discover Bali and its unique by their ways. We would recommend that you rent a car with a driver especially if you are visiting Bali for the first time. Not only is it much cheaper than using Taxis, you don’t have to worry about getting lost and wasting time wandering around.
If you’re game for adventure, get an international driving license and tour Bali by yourself. If this is something that appeals to you, do take note of the followings Bali driving tips:

Before starting the trip, make sure to check condition of the car you rented. Check tires and co-tire, utilities, emergency tools and fuel as well as letter of car. If the fuel is in rest condition, you can ask to the car deliver where the nearest petrol located.

Always remember to take note a phone number of rent car’s company in case in emergency you can contact.
Plan you trip before departing. Choose your favorite destination on one route, by do this you can save petrol as well as time. Bali Map is on your handy.
Most of the roads in Bali are quiet narrow with heavy pedestrian on each side. Pedestrians near the market often used by street peddler to display their product. It may not be tarred in less populated areas. Be carefully to drive in small road just big enough to accommodate one car but very often in two ways. This invariably tests the reversing skills of many drivers!

If you drive into the villages to enjoy its rural and daily life, please be aware with cattle sometime across the road without alert and ever sleep on the road (e.g.: dog, cows, chicken). Road condition in rural and sedate area seldom with road light, so be aware particularly drive in the night.
Be aware that drivers from side streets often didn’t look when joining a main road and the larger vehicle is king of the road.

It is hardly not recommended to drive at night especially on the road to the mountain area likes Bedugul or on the road to Gilimanuk where the ferry to Java commences. Truck drivers to and from Java are notorious for overtaking on corners. Only a leafy tree branch often marks obstacles such as potholes or road construction. Always toot your horn when will be passing curve as well as take over the other vehicle.
The traffic lights might the same all over the world. Be alert and straight continue for the sign belok kiri jalan terus, red (stop), yellow (carefully) and green (running). Quite often red traffic lights are considered "only as a suggestion" and there are a few places where traffic in the left lane may turn or continue straight through whilst the light is red with a sign "belok kiri jalan terus".

There are a lot of one way roads in Bali (meant to help traffic flow but it hasn't really turned out that way). If you miss your turn off, you may have drive quite a distance before being able to turn back. This has resulted in motorbike riders riding a few hundred meters in the wrong direction, as a shortcut rather than following traffic flow.
Bali is religious island and there are lots of ceremonies. Ceremonial procession as well as other type of parade occupy whole road and sometime traffic jam happened. If you caught in this situation, be relaxed and enjoy the way.