Can tourists drive in Bali? Yes. Foreign visitors can legally drive in Bali with a valid home driving license and an International Driving Permit (IDP). For most visitors, renting a car is considerably safer and easier than hiring a scooter.
If you've searched "Is driving in Bali safe?" you've probably found plenty of horror stories. The truth is much less dramatic.
We've been visiting Bali for more than thirty years and have rented cars all over the island. While Bali's roads can look chaotic at first, they're surprisingly manageable once you understand how locals drive.
This guide covers everything you need to know before renting a car in Bali - from licences and insurance to local driving etiquette and when you're better off using Grab or Gojek.
1. Should you rent a car or a scooter?
This depends. Scooters aren't for inexperienced riders in Bali. Many tourists come to Bali having never ridden a scooter and think they’ll learn how when they get to the island. This is a bad decision. The roads can be extremely busy, traffic can legally pass you on the left or right so you need your wits about you, and some scooter riders can appear unpredictable to visitors unfamiliar with Bali's traffic. There is serious information overload for a new scooter driver. Cars are a safer bet. For experienced scooter drivers it’s still wise to be aware of the risks.
And, as an aside, Bali police have increased enforcement of helmet use, riding without a shirt and licence checks in recent years, particularly in tourist areas.
2. How to rent a car in Bali
The international car companies like Avis and Hertz are represented on the island but the difference in price between hiring from them and the local car hire companies is big. The international companies charge around Rp1,400,000 per day whereas economy cars from local suppliers generally cost between Rp350,000 and Rp600,000 per day depending on the season, insurance and whether you choose a manual or automatic.
The advantage of the big international companies is that you can more easily rent an automatic car (which is very useful in Bali traffic, or if you're used to a left-hand drive) and you can pay for insurance cover.
At the local companies, which are plentiful and easy to find, you will not have a big choice of cars, and it will be less easy, but not impossible, to find an automatic, which is generally more expensive. The cars are normally significantly older too. You might be able to buy insurance, but it is difficult to work out what it covers. Most often, if you are in any kind of accident, it is accepted that you will pay cash for the damage (which costs significantly less than in most Western countries) and that's often the end of the matter.
If you're renting from a local company, before accepting the car, check the tyres, brakes, lights, windscreen wipers and any existing scratches or dents. Taking photos on your phone before you drive away can also help avoid disputes later. You can always swap the car out but rather check it upfront. If you're staying at one of our villas, our staff will organise a car on your behalf and have it delivered to the villa and fetched from there at the end of your stay.
3. Driving with the correct licence
Indonesian law requires foreign visitors to carry both their home driving licence and an International Driving Permit (IDP). While some local rental companies may not ask for one, police can during roadside checks, so we strongly recommend bringing one. This is true whether you intend to rent a car or a bike.
