What to pack for Bali: Essential items for your upcoming trip

The time has come! Finally, after all of the scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, seeing the turquoise and crystal-clear waters, beautiful islands, white sandy beaches, beach clubs lined with beanbags, mesmerising sunsets, lush green mountains, astounding temples, and mouth-watering cuisines – you’ve taken the plunge to book a trip to the other side of the world. Congratulations on signing up for a life changing experience with Contiki and booking the Indonesia Island Hopping trip or one of the smaller trips which is broken down into the Bali Island Hopping or the Komodo and Flores Sail.

There’s a lot of planning that goes into a trip, like when the best time to visit Bali is, hours spent online researching where to go, what to do, and in this case what to pack. But I have got you sorted! I’ll breakdown what to pack for Bali, and include a few of my favourite travel items to have on the road.

Things to keep in mind

Bali, one of the islands of Indonesia is a Hindu island, sharing borders with Indonesian Islamic islands. This means the country is conservative. Although tourism is one of the main sources of income, as travellers and foreigners visiting these beautiful places, we need to be conscious of the local customs, respect the rules, and ensure we are doing the right thing.

Top tip for how to pack for your trip to Bali? Pack light. Less is definitely better + if you like to shop, then Bali has that covered. There are amazing boutique shops, local markets and vendors to support.

Items to pack & Things you can’t go without

1. Backpack

Using a backpack or rucksack for your trip will make your life so much easier when getting around. Especially island hopping, on and off boats, in and out of minivans, walking to your accommodations and transfer stations, a backpack is so much easier to handle than a suitcase. You don’t want to be dragging your suitcase across the sandy beaches in the midday heat.

2. Packing cubes

Nothing will make life easier than decent packing cubes. Organising your clothing is a lifesaver during a trip.

3. Laundry bag

Try for a water resistant one, this keeps your wet, sweaty and dirty items separate from the rest of your clothing.

4. Rain jacket

Welcome to the tropics. A good quality rain jacket or poncho is always needed for the surprise showers in Asia.

5. Beach towel

There are so many amazing brands these days offering the ultimate travel towels. Look for sand-proof, quick drying ones that fold up nice and small into a carry case. Perfect for the beach or pool.

6. Universal travel adapter

Hotels, and hostels are pretty good with the plugs they offer. It’s always best to check online which plugs are needed for where you are going. Make sure you have all the functions, USB, USB-C, micros etc. depending on the gadgets you travel with.

7. Bumbag/Fanny Pack

Perfect for quick access for phones, travel documents, hand sanitiser, etc. for your day trips and walking around.

8. Flip flops

Always an essential for any trip. Easy to slide on and off between all water activities, to wear in public showers if you need them, and on day trips to temples, it makes it way easier to take your shoes off before entering religious sites and places of worship.

9. Templewear

One of the most important outfits for men and women travelling to Asia. Templewear has multiple uses: sun protection, a barrier between mosquitoes, and of course is culturally appropriate for entering religious sites. A breakdown of what this means; shoulders and knees are covered, no mid riffs, torsos, stomachs or backs showing.

All over travel pages you see everyone in long skirts, long sleeve shirts, dresses, linen or cotton matching sets with full length pants and button ups – this is mainly why. The outfit is culturally appropriate and practical during your trip. For most daytrips it’s important to have these items in your daypack as you never know where you’re going to end up exploring and stumbling across a temple.

Tattoos can be visible on your body, as long as you are appropriately dressed. If your tattoos have offensive imagery or text then they need to be covered – this includes imagery of Buddha’s head only (extremely offensive), and other religious icons. Tattoos are a historical part of the Indigenous cultures found across in Indonesia.

10. Reusable water bottle

A lot of venues across Bali have access to refillable drinking water. Bring your own bottle to reduce the amount of plastic on the island, after all we want to keep this place a dream for everyone who visits. Lifestraw offer a large number of products which even have built in filters in the bottle. It might seem a little pricey but it’s a worthy health investment and peace of mind for you.

In case you forget to pack any of your essential items, most things can be purchased once you arrive in Bali. Supermarkets, pharmacies and minimarts carry all the traveller essentials like sunscreen, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, aloe vera gels and insect repellents. Due to the tropical climate, I would always recommend buying the local insect repellents as the brands work much better than the ones you bring from home.

What to wear and what not to wear in Bali?

Flying into the country I would suggest dressing modestly, Asia works on respect. Something light, loose and comfortable for your travel days, keep in mind Indonesia is an Islamic country and if you are flying into Denpasar, Bali, it is a Hindu community. Immediately you will be greeted with a smile for showing your respect to the local culture.

Keep swimmers, bathers and shirtless days with boardshorts for around the beaches and pool areas. Boat trips, sails and dive days these are the essential items to wear and always bring something to cover up whilst you’re hopping around the best beaches in Bali. A light throw over is perfect to keep the sun off your shoulders during the long days.

If you’re planning to walk around the streets, shop, and go restaurant and café hopping, it’s best to cover up. The tropical climate can be overwhelming for your first time so be prepared to sweat! Quick drying, light loose clothing are the best things to pack. Comfortable walking shoes, flip flops or slides, and of course trainers and runners for the adventure days filled with ATVs, sunrise hikes etc.

What can you not bring into Bali?

There are many items which are prohibited to bring into Indonesia and Bali. These include narcotics, psychotropic substances, precursors, illicit drugs, firearms, air guns, sharp objects, ammunition, explosives, pornographic imagery and sex toys, animals and plants. Penalties for bringing these items in can be severe. It’s best to check the official government website and foreign affairs if you have any questions regarding these items.

Drones are allowed in Bali, but the government has rules and regulations on licencing and flight zones where you can and cannot fly.

In terms of prescription medications that are on the prohibited list, it is best to speak to your medical professionals. They will provide you with an official letter, keep the medication in its original packaging, clearly labelled, and your dosage requirements labelled too. Failure to follow the regulations of the country is likely to have your items confiscated. Read up, ask your doctor, or travel doctors for advice and contact Indonesian foreign affairs if you need anything clarified.

What do I need to do to get into Bali?

Some countries require visas to enter Indonesia, it changes depending on your nationality. Check the official Indonesian government website, contact your local consulates or embassies to get the correct and legal requirements.

On arrival there are some digital documents to fill out, one of the local beach clubs in Bali has done a step by step breakdown which can be found here: customs regulation tips.

It’s important to do your research, make sure you have downloaded a digital version of all your documents, if you have issues with sim cards and Wi-Fi, these won’t be available to you. It’s normal for exit flights, trip itineraries and onwards travel plans to be presented for flight check ins or at the customs counters.

Checkout this website for Indonesian E-Visa.