If you are planning to visit Bali on holiday and your chosen accommodation is one of the many stunning Bali villas, we are sure you and those who travel with you are going to have an exceptional time. What you might plan to do when in Bali is almost limitless given the number of activities and excursions available, and many of these can be done for relatively small fees.
However, what often holds people back from participating in as many activities as they might, is their budget, or rather that they have a limited budget. Others, having paid for their flights and accommodation, want to ensure they do not overspend.
To help those that the above describes, and anyone else who wants to ensure that they get the best value for money when they are in Bali, we thought we would create this article. It will outline some facts about using money in Bali and also gives you some excellent tips on how to spend less in Bali without depriving yourself of its many enjoyable experiences.
Money Facts About Bali
- Bali’s currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
- At the time of writing, you get just over 10,000 IDR to 1 Australian Dollar
- Bali businesses cannot accept Australian Dollars as payment
- Many small to medium Bali businesses are cash only as they do not have card payment machines
- Larger stores and restaurants will accept card payment
- Bali has plenty of ATMs
As for ways to spend less when in Bali, here are those five money-saving tips we promised you:
Avoid Fast Food Chains And Eat Local Cuisine Instead
Holidaymakers are no longer surprised to find global food chains such as KFC, McDonald’s, and Burger King in locations all over the world, however, they can be expensive, especially when compared to the excellent prices of the food served in local restaurants. Besides, most of the local food you will eat in Bali is far more nutritious and healthy for you than a burger and fries.
Look For Drinks Offers
There is no shortage of bars in Bali which means they are all competing to attract holidaymakers. Many do this by having drinks promotions such as ‘Two For One’ or ‘Happy Hours. Looking out for these promos and taking advantage of them can save you a fortune throughout your holiday.
Northern Bali Is The Cheapest Area
You might think this is of no use to you if you have already booked your Bali villas accommodation in the south. Not true, as you can go on excursions and shopping trips to the north and visit it for a few meals where you will find the prices can be half that of elsewhere in Bali.
Use Local Free Wi-Fi Rather Than Your Mobile’s Roaming Data
If your mobile phone allowance has limited overseas data or worse, you have to pay for every megabyte you use, it can be an expensive mobile phone bill when you get home. To counter this, use as many of the free Wi-Fi opportunities as you can which are widespread throughout Bali including in bars and restaurants.
Have Fun And Save Money By Haggling
This is our favourite because everyone can do this. Bali is a place with lots of markets and stores, and most are happy for shoppers to haggle with them to get a better price. Even if you get 10% off each item it will all add up to a considerable saving.