Bali trip from India for first-timers: 6-day plan & cost in ₹

Bali suits a first trip abroad: one flight, a visa you collect at the airport, cheap private drivers and a mix of temples, rice fields and beaches. A good first plan is six days split across Ubud, a Nusa Penida day trip and Uluwatu, for roughly ₹55,000 to ₹85,000 per person with flights.

Visa and entry rules for Indians

Indian passport holders can get a visa on arrival (VOA) in Bali. We checked on 9 October 2026. The Yogyakarta immigration office, part of Indonesia’s immigration service, lists India among the 97 nationalities eligible for the VOA and states the terms (how to get a visa on arrival):

• Fee: IDR 500,000, payable in US dollars or rupiah. At roughly ₹5.3 per 1,000 rupiah that is about ₹2,650.
• Stay: up to 30 days, extendable once for another 30 days at an immigration office (the extension is also IDR 500,000).
• Where: designated airports, seaports and land posts, including Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport.
• Online option: you can apply for an e-VOA in advance on the official eVisa portal, which lets you skip the VOA counter queue.

The same page doesn’t state passport validity or the onward-ticket rule. Secondary sources report that Indonesia expects a passport valid for at least six months and a return or onward ticket; plan for both, and confirm with the portal.

Fee warning: in August 2026 Indonesia’s immigration director general proposed raising the e-VOA to IDR 750,000 and the on-arrival VOA to IDR 1,000,000. We found no effective date in the reports we could read, so check the portal for the current figure before you pay.

Arrival card: the free All Indonesia arrival card at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id covers immigration, customs and health declarations, and is reportedly filed in the 72 hours before landing. We couldn’t open the portal from our server, so read its instructions yourself.

Tourist levy: Bali also charges foreign visitors a one-time levy, reported at IDR 150,000 per person, through the province’s Love Bali portal. We could not verify the amount officially.

Use only the official government sites above. Look-alike “Indonesia visa” and “arrival card” websites add their own fees; if a site charges you to file the free arrival card, close it.

What it costs in rupees

Per person, assuming two people share rooms and a driver, mid-range, six days. These are our estimates and move with season and the rupiah rate.

Flights from most Indian cities connect through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, and these usually cost less than non-stop fares from Mumbai or Bengaluru. Compare total travel time, not just the fare.

6-day Bali itinerary

Day 1: arrive and drive to Ubud

Clear immigration at Ngurah Rai, collect your bags and pre-book a driver or use a ride app from the official pick-up zone. Ubud is about 1.5 hours away, depending on traffic. Spend the evening walking the centre, and have dinner at a warung.

Day 2: rice terraces, temples and a swing

Start early at the Tegallalang rice terraces before the crowds. Add a temple such as Tirta Empul, where visitors join a purification ritual in sarong and sash (rented at the gate), and stop for coffee near the fields. In the afternoon, visit the Sacred Monkey Forest and keep bags zipped and sunglasses off, because the macaques grab things.

Day 3: slow day in Ubud

Take a cooking class, a short Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunrise, or a waterfall such as Tegenungan. Evenings are good for a Balinese dance performance at the Ubud Palace. This is your buffer day for a late start or rain.

Day 4: Nusa Penida day trip

Most tours collect you from Ubud before dawn, take the fast boat from Sanur, and return in the evening. Highlights are Kelingking Beach, the T-Rex shaped cliff, and Angel’s Billabong. Roads on the island are steep and rough, so don’t hire a scooter unless you are experienced. If seas are rough, boats are cancelled, so keep this day flexible.

Day 5: move to Uluwatu

Transfer to the Bukit peninsula in the morning (about 1.5 to 2 hours). Spend the day on a beach such as Padang Padang or Bingin, then watch sunset at Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak fire dance. Keep your phone and glasses secure on the temple grounds, because the monkeys here steal too.

Day 6: last swim, then fly home

Have a slow breakfast, and book a late-evening flight if you can. Reach the airport at least three hours before departure; allow extra time for traffic from Uluwatu, which is typically 45 to 60 minutes from the airport.

Tips for first-timers

• Dress and temples: carry a scarf or sarong, cover shoulders and knees, and remove shoes where asked. Don’t step on the small offerings (canang sari) left on pavements.
• Drivers: a private driver for a day is a standard way to see Bali; agree the price and hours first. Ride apps are limited in some areas.
• Money: carry a forex card and some rupiah in cash. UPI isn’t generally accepted, and standalone ATMs are best avoided.
• SIM: an eSIM bought before you fly is easier than a counter SIM.
• Water and food: drink bottled water and avoid ice in small stalls if your stomach is sensitive.
• Plugs: Indonesia uses the two-round-pin Type C/F plug at 230 V, so carry an adapter.
• Insurance: buy travel insurance that covers scooter use if you plan to ride; many policies don’t.

Best time to go

May to September is the dry season, with sun and cooler nights, and overlaps Indian summer holidays, so book early. October to April brings the wet season, with afternoon downpours and lower prices; Nusa Penida boats are most often cancelled in rougher weather.

Related guides

Planning another warm-weather trip? Compare our Palawan island-hopping itinerary, our Malaysia honeymoon guide, the Thailand 6-day itinerary or the Maldives budget guide. Rules and links are collected on the Indonesia hub.