Bali Facts:
Bali, well known as a paradise island, a land of a thousand gods, thousand temples, thousand dances, is located between the Pacific and Indian Ocean, just below the equatorial line, on latitude 8 degree south and longitude 115 degree east. The island is considered to be the most attractive island to visitors. It is estimated that the were more than 3.000.000 visitors a year from all round the world. Most of them seek an understanding of a way of life that is really unique.
Bali is unique as having the last dominant and still intact spiritual culture. Many of the traditional rituals and practices are just as alive today as they ever were, and the strength and resilience of the Balinese people and their culture is a testimony to the richess of their faith. Most of Bali's 2.9 million people live in villages in the central southern plains and in the capital towns of the eight Kabupaten or regencies. Balinese society is collectivist and place oriented. Villages are organized around community temples, and collectively run by village councils called banjar. This social structure remains strong,even in urban areas. Family compounds often contain three generations and three generation and three or four nuclear families, and each compound has a house temple where the ancestral deities are honored. Customary law is imbued with communal religious duties. More than 80 percent of the economy is based on agriculture, the other sectors being handicrafts, tourism, small trade, and professional services.
 
Travelling to Bali:
International points of entry into Bali, Indonesia, are the Ngurah Rai Airport Denpasar (DPS) and the sea ports at Padang Bai, Benoa and Gilimanuk.

Visa Formalies: 
The new visa regualtions affecting Indonesia and Bali come into effect on Feb 1st 2004. There are many kinds of visa for Indonesia each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Currently the Indonesian visa rules are subject to discussion and change due to the tensions in the world. There are exemptions for some countries, please contact you local (Indonesian) embassy to obtain the most recent information.Here is some information how they will actually work for visitors to Bali.

1.The Visa On Arrival (VOA)  USD $ 10 is for up to 3 days  and  US $25 for 30 days.
2.The process to apply for the visa is :
- visitors complete the E/D card and line up at the payment counter.
- then line up at VOA, based on the payment immigration will put a stamp/sticker whether 3days or 30days VOA. -then line up again at regular counter for arrival stamp.

Those countries that are granted Free Visa facilities (up to 30 days), they are:
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Hong Kong - SAR, Macao - SAR, Chile, Morocco, Peru, Vietnam.

The countries that need to apply for a visa, and can be given VOA, are:
USA, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Hungary, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, South Korea, Norway, France, Poland, Switzerland, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Those countries that need a visa can apply visa at the Indonesian Embassy at their respective countries before entering Indonesia if they don’t want to line up to apply VOA upon arrival.

The payment: Cash and Credit Card, if in cash payment, they accept foreign currencies (JPY, EURO, etc) with bank foreign exchange rate. Bank Mandiri is the appointed government bank - available at arrival hall.

There is a different stamp/sticker between VOA for up to 3 days and VOA up to 30 days.

Those passengers who need to apply VOA, must line up at VOA counters first, then after finished proceed to regular counter for stamp. It takes 3-5 minutes for the VOA process.

Group Passengers can be organized by their tour leader/tour organizer to avoid such long queue. No additional charge. All passports must have complete immigration forms (E/D card) attached.

Those passenger who 'overstayed' (after applying VOA), penalty will apply at USD.20/day. i.e. : A visitor who paid VOA USD.10 (up to 3 days), but who stayed for 5 days in Bali must pay 2 (days) x USD.20 upon departure at immigration office.

Customs: 
Indonesian Customs allows on entry a maximum of one liter of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 Cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount perfume per adult. Cars, photographic equipment, typewriters and tape recorders must be declared to Customs upon entry. Prohibited from entry are TV sets, radios, narcotics, arms and ammunition, printed matter in Chinese characters and Chinese medicines.  All movie films and video cassettes must be censored by the Film Censor Board. Fresh fruites, plants and animals must have quarantine permits. There is no restriction on import or export of foreign currencies. However, the export or import of Indonesian currency exceeding Rp.50,000 is prohibited

Exit Fees & Airport Tax:
The Government of Indonesia has officially abolished the exit permit required for people leaving the country, effective as of August 17, 1998. Airport tax levied on passengers for international travel is Rp.100,000,-
for travel within Indonesia regional variations occur.

Health & Vaccinations: 
Travellers coming from infected areas are recommended to obtain International health certificates of vaccination against smallpox, cholera, yellow fever, typhoid and paratyphoid.
For those who intended to stay for a longer period of time in Bali, it is recommended to have gammaglobulin  injections. Good advise for visitors when they have infamous "Bali Belly" during their stay in Bali is to take Lomotil and Imodium as an first medications. It is also advisable to drink a strong, hot tea and avoid all fruits and  spicy foods at the first sign of discomfort (diarrhea and cramping).It will help to lessen the cramping if you do charcoal tablets (the brand name is Norit).
To stop from dehydration, Oralite (mineral replacement salts) is a good choice and is available at nearly  every store or local pharmacy. In the worst cases caused by viral infection, get a doctor for an antibiotics  prescription.
To avoid Malaria, visitors should consult their doctor for a supply of malaria-repressant tablets.
Chloroquine is available widely in Bali and much cheaper than abroad.
Drinking-it's best-drink bottled mineral water. Be cautions for the sun as it is become very intense in the  afternoon especially in dry season.

Climate:
Annual rainfall is about 70 inches in the south central plains with an average of two hundred days of rain per year. East Bali and the north coast may get only 2-3 inches. Temperatures range from 60o F to 85o F,  depending on season and altitude. Bring a light jacket if you plan to go to into the mountains. Daylight is from about 6 AM to 6 PM year-round with slight variations between June and December.

Electricity:
Generally 220-240V, 50 cycles AC. Some villages may have 110V, 50 cycles AC. Power is in greater demand than supply, and shortages are common. Some outlying areas do not yet have  any electricity. It's a good idea to carry a small flashlight with a spare bulb and batteries.Most large hotels provide hairdryers and electric adapters.

Time:
The Indonesian archipelago is spread over three time zones. Western Indonesia Standard Time, which covers the islands of Sumatra, Java & Madura, West and Central Kalimantan is 7 hours ahead of GMT; Central Indonesia Standard Time covers East and South Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, is 8 hours ahead of GMT; finally Eastern Indonesia Standard Time, which covers Maluku, and Irian Jaya is 9 hours ahead of GMT

Clothing:
Dress is normally informal in Indonesia due to the warm, humid climate and clothing of light-weight fabrics are recommended. Highland areas are noticeably cooler, however, and carrying a light sweater is suggested. Acceptable attire for men is a shirt and long pants. A jacket and tie are required for offlcial calls or for more formal occasions. Long-sleeved batik shirts are acceptable for evening functions. For ladies, dresses, blouses, and long pants are appropriate. Shorts, halter tops or tank tops should only be used at sports facilities or on the beach. Temple visits require long pants or long skirts. 

Office Hours: 
Business offices are usually open either from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm or 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, with a break for lunch between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm. On Saturday many business offices are closed. Government office hours are from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays many Government offices are closed.

Tipping:
Major hotels usually add a 11% service charge to bills. Where it is not included a tip of between 5% to 10% of the bill would be appropriate if the service is satisfactory. Airport porters expect Rp.2,000,- for a small bag and Rp.3,000,- for bags weighing more than 20 kg.  Tipping taxi and hire-car drivers is not mandatory, but if service has been satisfactory a basic Rp.1,000,- tip is sufficient for a taxi driver. Hirecar drivers would normally expect a larger tip.

Consulates:
Australian Consulate (Includes Canada, N.Zealand, UK, Papua New Guinea), Jl. Prof. Yamin No.4, Denpasar.P.O. Box 243, Phone 235092, Fax 231990
Consular Agent of France, Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai No.35X, Sanur. Phone 285485 Fax 285485
Consular Agent of the United States of America, Jl. Hayam Wuruk No.188 (Near the Renon Roundabout) Denpasar. Phone 233605 Fax 222426
Consular Agent of the Netherlands , Jl. Imam Bonjol No.599, Kuta, P.O Box 377 Denpasar, Phone 751517 Fax 752777
Consular Agent of Switzerland & Austria, Swiss Restaurant, Jl. Pura Bagus Teruna, Legian Kaja, Phone 751735 Fax 754457
Honorary Consul of Finland & Sweden , Segara Village Hotel, Jl. Segara Ayu, 80228. Phone 288407-8, 288021 Sanur
Honorary Consul of Germany, Jl. Pantai Karang No.17, Sanur, P.O. Box 158 Denpasar, Phone 288535 Fax. 288826
Honorary Consul of Norway & Denmark, Mimpi Resort Jimbaran, Kuta-Denpasar 80361, Phone 701070, Fax 701 072-074
Japanese Consulate, Jl. Raya Puputan, Renon, Denpasar. Phone 227628 Fax 231308, Mexican Consulate, Astina Tours, Jl. Hayam Wuruk No. 8 Denpasar. Phone 223552, Fax 231740
Italian Consulate, Lotus Enterprise Building, Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai, Jimbaran, Ph./Fax. 701005

Airlines: 
Ansett Australia: Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur. Ph. 289635 Fax. 289637, 
Bouraq indonesia : Kompleks Sudirman Agung Blok A 47-48, Jl.PB Sudirman Denpasar, Ph. 241397 
Cathay Pacific: Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur. Ph. 28600, 
Continental Micronesia: Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur, Ph. 287774,
EVA Air: Wisti Sabha Administration Building, Ground Floor, Room No.4 Ngurah Rai Airport. Ph. 751011 ext 1638; Fax. 756488, 
Garuda Indonesia: Grand Bali Beach Hotel. Ph. 288243, or at Natour Kuta Beach. Ph. 751179, or at Nusa Dua. Ph. 771864, 771444, 
Lauda Air : Gedung PAJ Jln. By Pass Ngurah Rai - Tuban Ph. 758686
Malaysia Airlines : Grand Bali Beach Hotel. Ph.285071-73, 288716; or at Ngurah Rai Airport. Ph.756132
Merpati : Jln. Melati No. 51, Denpasar Ph. 235358
Qantas : Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur. Ph.288331-3 or at Ngurah Rai Airport. Ph.288824, 288823, or at Kertha Wijaya Shopping Centre, Ph. 237343
Singapore Airlines: Jl. Dewi Sartika No.88, Denpasar Ph. 261666, 26169, Fax: 26153
Thai Airways: Wisti Sabha Building, 2nd Floor Room 19, Ngurah Rai Airport or Grand Bali Beach Hotel,  Ph.754856, 
Royal Brunei Airlines : Wisti Sabha Building, Ngurah Rai Airport. Ph.757292
China Airlines: Wisti Sabha Building, 2nd Floor Room 19, Ngurah Rai Airport. Ph. 754856, 
Japan airlines : Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Ph. 287576 - 287577

Tourist Informations:
The Department of Tourism (Bali) has six Information Centres where booklets and brochures can be obtained free of charge. Addresses : Ngurah Rai International Airport, Tuban, Phone : (0361) 751011,
Bina Wisata Ubud, next to the Village Head's office in Ubud., Government Tourist Information Centre, Jl. Bunisari 36B, Kuta, Bali Government Tourism Office, Jl. S. Parman Niti Mandala, Denpasar, Phone : (0362) 222387,  Buleleng Government Tourism Office, Jl. Veteran 23, Singaraja, Phone: (0361) 225141, Tourist Information Centre, Kaliasem, Lovina Beach.

Tourist Areas