First Time Riding Scooter In Bali

Wondering First Time Riding Scooter In Bali

Ever wonder how the island is full of scooter? wherever it is, scooter will explode, a King on the road. Eventhough one bike will fit for all family with 2 adults and 2 children, or sometimes 3 children

In a develop country like Indonesia, where transportation is an essential to reach every destination without hassle, and to buy a car is an expensive way to do, motorcycle is the best answer. The easiest way to find destination in the island. Not just those with bike and cars on the road, but also at the same time you may experience dogs, cats, chickens passing the road in every direction. Well, you may sometime easily distracted by small kid riding the scooter with their friends, without an helmet. Or else, a family sharing the same scooter with kids and carrying live chickens or bring things with them.

By knowing that traffic sometime may occur in certain places in the island would tempt you to ride a bike by your self from where you stay at one of villa in Bali to another place. Insisting to ride a scooter in Bali? Here is what you need to know if you thinking about renting a scooter in Bali :

Traffic in Bali

Indonesia and Bali particularly is the way different from driving in Australia, Europe, USA, Japan, and other big country around the world. When it comes to traffic in Bali, you need to get used to. Do not even think that scooter is a small and easy transportation you can adapt easily. There are lot of example how foreigner got accident because of their own fault, especially those who are really new ride a scooter in Bali. It’s not as easy as it looks like

whats the road condition may happen to you? Everyone can enter the road at anytime, and you will find this sometimes unexpectedly. You have to be more aware and responsible t o what appears in front of you. Once you need to overtake person in front of you, you must use your horn to make the person in front of you know that you will be coming overtake.

First Thing First

You can easily find scooter rental nearby, or just ask staff in the villa to assist you finding good scooter. Even though they rent their bike to guest, or to have one for you outside. The cost would vary from 50K to 70K depending on the scooter it self, small or big. If you manage to have few days ahead to rent the scooter, you can bargain the price. And even can have cheaper one for manual four gear transmission, also to ride on the LEFT side of the road in Bali, which maybe opposite to your country

Daily rental: Rp. 50K – 70K
Weekly rental: Rp. 300K – 400K
Monthly rental: Rp. 600K – 800K
Don’t hesitate to bargain

And don’t forget to WEAR A HELMET

Do you need a License?

Every where around the world, license is needed! An International driving license is needed that you can apply in your country if you want to ride a scooter or car in Bali. Which is only valid together with your “real” driving license, so you need to bring both along. However, if you manage to get one in Bali, a temporary Balinese driving license is the best solution you can get from Police station in Denpasar.

Where can i get a Petrol ?

There isn’t such an issue when you need a petrol.
First, You can get it at gas station called Pertamina, a conventional station. Second, a yellow or blue of Absolut Vodka bottles you can see every where on the road. If you fill the petrol from vodka bottle, it cost Rp. 10K per liter. Third one, a small “Pertamini” with red and white color box

The most important is to keep following the instruction on the road, and if you get confuse to the road or can’t get the right direction to your destination, pull over your bike, check the maps or be brave to ask person politely

image credit by : @balibikemonkeys