Your Bali airport transfer can start the moment you disembark your flight. There are several companies that will make your transition from the plane through to the Bali airport arrivals hall. They will also collect your luggage and escort you through to the outside concourse.
The best company we have found and at the best price for VIP arrival treatment is Klook.
Arriving in a new country or flying into a new place can feel a bit daunting. In this article, we aim to provide you with current information that will make your transition through Bali Airport as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Bali Airport Transfers
There are a couple of ways you can transfer from Bali airport to your accommodation. You can wait until you land in Bali and worry about airport transfers then, or book a Bali driver before you leave home.
We prefer to book a driver before we fly. We’ve booked a driver every time we plan a trip to Bali to take us to accommodation. On our last trip, we booked a Bali private driver through the Klook booking service. We were very happy with the price and the service from our Klook driver.
Once we cleared immigration and customs and walked outside the airport we looked for the Klook signs as instructed in our confirmation email from Klook.
The Klook signs and driver waiting area are found past all the other private drivers.
Your driver should be holding up a sign with your name on it. If you can’t see your name, just ask one of the Klook representatives with the signs to check for you. It a simple process of checking the master list to find your name (as was in our case).
Once they find your name you will be escorted to the car park and then driven to your accommodation in Bali.
If you have also ordered a Bali sim card (as we did) you can collect it at the same time. The friendly Klook staff will fit your new Bali sim card for you and set it up. Click here for more information and to order your Bali sim.
Click here for more information about a Bali sim card.
Bali Fast Track
One Bali VIP airport service commences on the apron after you walk down the stairs. You will be escorted to a car and driven to an airport lounge where a representative will collect your luggage.
Whilst your luggage is being collected you will be processed through immigration. This is known as Bali fast track, a VIP Bali service.
Click here for more information and current prices on fast track Bali airport.
Blue Bird Taxi Bali
You will find the Bluebird Taxi Company on the outside of the arrivals hall at the airport once you have cleared customs.
You’ll hand in your declaration card, or proceed through the “something to declare” lane and then follow the walkway through the arrival concourse. The Bluebird taxi office is located on the inside of the arrival concourse. If you walk through the small duty-free area, you have walked too far.
Bluebird taxies are the “official” Bali airport taxi. Click here to read more about hiring a taxi in Bali and the hiring charges.
Fast Facts For Arriving at Bali Airport and Your Bali Airport Transfer
Here are some fast facts about Bali International Airport or as it is known by its correct name, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.
What is Denpasar Airport Code?
DPS
What is the Bali Airport Name?
Bali’s airport is known by a number of names including;
- Denpasar Airport
- Ngurah Rai Airport
- Airport Ngurah Rai
- Ngurah Rai International Airport
- DPS Airport
- Bali Airport
How many airports in Bali?
Currently, there is only one main airport in Bali. There is also Lombok Airport on an outer-lying island off the east coast of Bali. There are plans in the pipeline to build a second international Bali airport in the north of the island. You can read more about the second airport in this post.
Do I need cash for Bali Visa On Arrival?
Bali visa on arrival and airport tax was abolished for over 160 countries in recent years. This wavered fee now saves millions of tourists USD $35 per visit. The free visa was introduced in 2016. There is no departure tax in Bali either.
We suggest you check with your nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate in your country as part of your planning a trip to Bali before you book flights.
Bali Airport Arrivals
When your plane lands depending on the airline you will either disembark via an airbridge or, walk to an awaiting bus that will drive you a short distance to the Denpasar airport arrivals hall.
Arriving in Bali in February 2020 was a completely different experience for us. Immigration conducted “Health Checks” due to the Corona Virus, COVID 19. They were completely disorganised with one main area feeding into where two officers were checking the yellow forms.
No official handed out the forms. We had to ask other travellers in the queue what we had to do and how we could access a form. We found the on a small table against a wall.
Simple questions were on the yellow forms such as;
- Do you feel healthy?
- Do you have a temperature?
- Have you travelled to or passed through China in the past 14 days?
There was another queue with two more officials asking the same questions. At that time, no temperature checking was performed.
Clearing immigration at Bali Airport
Together with the health check, another new experience was processing through immigration via the sixty-plus lanes. This service used to be offered at the last desk on the far left immigration desk. This is now changed and there are around 10 desks dedicated to Indonesian residents, over sixty travellers and families travelling with children.
This new area is on the far right of the arrivals hall at Denpasar airport.
As Mr SBG is now sixty we gathered we qualified to process through immigration in the new area. Even though I don’t officially qualify, as I was travelling with Mr SBG, I was permitted entry into Bali through this area.
As there were no other travellers in this area it was a rubber stamp each and we were through in record speed.
If you are under sixty then follow the signs and the queues to the normal immigration processing area. If yours is the only plane that has landed at that time the wait time won’t be too bad. If (as we experienced last year) a large plane from China has just touched down it could take an hour or so before you reach the immigration officer to stamp your passport.
With the Indonesian Government banning any planes from China landing in early February 2020, we didn’t have the crowds or the queues at the arrivals hall.
Want to ask a question about arriving in Bali? Head on over to our Facebook group and ask your question there.
Click here to join the Sanur Bali Guide Facebook group.
Money Exchange Bali Airport
There are currency exchanges in the arrivals and departure areas at Bali airport. Generally, their rates will be lower than you will find on the street in Bali. My advice is to ask your driver to stop at a money changer on your way to your accommodation. They will only be too happy to recommend a legitimate one, with a good rate, that is safe. We’ve never been taken to a shonky money changer in Bali.
Click here to read more about money changers in Bali here.
Bali Airport Departures
If you are anything like us, this is the part of your Bali holiday that you will dislike the most. Going home!
Your driver (when you hire one) will drop you off at the departure area. The porters will ask if you need help with your luggage. We haven’t used their services when we arrive or depart Bali airport. The reason being we travel light and wheel our luggage easily.
You can either walk up the long ramp or take the travelator on the right-hand side up into the main area.
In the main area before you go through security into the departure hall there are plenty of eateries, a book store, cafes and souvenir shops.
There are many flat screens showing airline flight times and one large screen with detail flight and gate information in both English and Indonesian. Do check on this screen to see if your gate is open. If it isn’t you will have to wait until it opens. Often there are no spare seats to sit down. One bonus is that this area is air-conditioned.
Once you’ve dropped your luggage at your airline’s desk it’s time to process through another security check and immigration.
On our February 2020 visit, Bali airport had new full-body screening machines and luggage scanners. Unfortunately, photographs are prohibited in this area soI can’t show you what they look like.
I can show you what the new scanning machines look like in the immigration department after you’ve gone through them.
Don’t follow the crowds and queues once you come out of the scanning area. Walk to the right-hand side and you’ll see the new passport scanning machines. There are about a dozen or so. Not many people know about them so there are no queues. We have used them on our last two visits with no wait times.
Once you’ve scanned your passport you’ll be through to the Bali airport duty-free area, Bali airports shops and Denpasar airport lounges.
Duty Free Bali
Once you pass through the scanning area at immigration you are fed through a duty-free store. You can purchase all your usual favourite purchases there including,
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Cosmetics and skincare
- Perfume
- Watches
- Stationery items
- Souveniers
- Jewellery
- Electronics
- Confectionery
- Speciality foods
After you have completed your duty-free shopping you’ll continue on to the departure concourse and walk through a laneway of designer fashion stores. They include
- Gucci
- Coach
- Burberry
- Armani
- Guess
- Victoria’s Secret
- Longchamp
- Montblanc
- and many others
Bali Airport Lounge
There are two airport lounges at Denpasar airport they are Premier Lounge and TG Lounge. Both are located on the first floor and can be accessed via an elevator on the right-hand side of the main departure hall.
Premier Lounge Bali
Denpasar airport lounge, Premier Lounge is the chosen lounge for Priority Pass Bali. There have been a number of reports that Priority Pass has a cap or limit on the number of cardholders they allow into the lounge.
We have been to this lounge a few times as a Priority Pass cardholder and found it peaceful, well serviced with plenty of food and drinks available.
There is plenty of seating, showers available, complimentary wifi and friendly staff. The Premier Lounge is our preferred lounge at DPS airport.
TG Lounge Bali
We have also visited the TG lounge too. As a business class traveller, this lounge is favoured by airlines for their guests. The lounge has all the appointments of the Premier, however, there are a few differences.
A voucher system is used in this lounge that restricts alcoholic beverages. We found the variety of food limited and basic. The lounge was also a bit dark and dingy.
That said it still beats the hustle and bustle of the terminal.
Denpasar Airport Food
Bali airport restaurants are scattered amongst the Bali airport shops. There is a food court with all the usual takeaways such as Burger King, Haagen Daas, Subway, etc.
If we don’t have a pass into a lounge then we wait at the Last Wave. It’s pretty pricey, just like most dining in international airports. Hard Rock Cafe also has a venue.
Bali Airport Hotel
There are several hotels near Bali airport if you arrive late and need an overnight stay. Or many travellers check out of their accommodation on the day of departure and stay in a Denpasar airport hotel close by to the terminal.
Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai
This hotel Bali airport is part of the airport concourse and has direct access from the hotel. Rooms have a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities and suites feature separate living spaces. Room service and Wi-Fi are also available.
At club level, you will also enjoy a doc for iPods, pool views and lounge access for complimentary snacks and drinks.
Other facilities include 24-hour dining, outdoor pool, terrace, poolside bar, games room and a gym. Spa treatments are available for those last-minute treatments before you fly.
Click here for more information and to check prices.
Distances from the airport to your accommodation
The distances and timing to your accommodation shown below depend on the time of day and the traffic.
Denpasar airport to Seminyak – 10km and takes around half to one hour.
Denpasar airport to Ubud -37 kms and takes around 1 hour and a half.
Denpasar airport to Nusa Dua – 11kms and takes around 25 minutes via Benoa Toll Road.
Denpasar airport to Canggu – 20kms and takes around 45 mins to an hour and a half.
Denpasar airport to Sanur – 15km via the By-Pass and takes about half an hour.
Denpasar Airport Luggage Storage
There is a luggage and locker storage service at the airport. It is located on the outside of the airport arrivals hall to the right. You can use the service for 24 hours or for a few days.
Security is tight with onsite staff and monitored security cameras. There are a variety of locker sizes available to suit backpackers, carry-on luggage, suitcases, baby car seats and objects such as surfboards, bikes, etc.
Click here for more information and to check prices.
Bali Airport Map | Denpasar Airport Map
Is Booking A Bali Airport Transfer Worth It?
If you are a first-time traveller to Bali or it’s high-season then the meet and greets and transfer is definitely worth it. If you dislike queues and crowds the service is also worth booking. Or simply that you are on holidays, after all you deserve it, right?
Book your Fast Track Service here NOW!
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