Getting from Bali to Australia (and return)

Those who travel within Asia will, at one time or another, travel between Bali and Australia , or the other way around. Australia’s airports offer at least some flights into Bali operated by low cost carriers, which are excellent choices for those on a budget.

Practically, there is only one way to get between Bali and Australia: by plane. Ideally, you should choose an airport located closest to Bali , rather than fly into a larger hub, which is too many hours (and too much money) away. The reason for this is that once you are in Australia, you can choose to travel by land to the destination.

Quick summary

There are two airports to choose between if you want to get to Australia fast and not spend too much on a ticket. The flight time to Darwin is about 3 h and the rates start at US$97. And the flight to Perth takes 3h 40 , with rates starting at US$127. Sure, these are rates valid for the end of the dry season in Bali and the start of spring in Australia.

Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport (SYD) is a major hub for Qantas and a secondary hub for Virgin Australia and Jetstar Airways. It is the busiest airport in Australia. Direct flights from Denpasar (Bali) are operated by Garuda Indonesia, JetStar and Virgin Australia. Flights start at US$409 one way for an adult on JetStar. The flight time is 4h 45 min.

>>read more about Flights to Sydney

You can also fly from Bali into Brisbane Airport (BNE), which is also hub for Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Pacific Blue. Direct flights between the two airports are operated by JetStar, Strategic Airlines and Virgin Australia. The cheapest fare is offered by Virgin Australia and starts at US$459. The flight time is 5h 40 min.

>>read more about Flights to Brisbane

Perth Airport (PER) also receives fights from Bali. The airport is hub for Strategic Airlines, Alliance Airlines, Cobham, Network Aviation, Qantas, Skippers Aviation and Skywest Airlines. It is the fourth busiest airport in Australia. The direct flights from Bali to Perth are operated by Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia, JetStar Airways, Skywest Airlines and Virgin Australia. The cheapest tickets are offered by Indonesia AirAsia and they start at US$127 one way. The flight time is 3h 40 min.

>>read more about Flights to Perth

There is also the possibility to fly into Darwin Airport (DRW) , which although it’s not among the top five busiest airports in Australia, offers excellent rates for connections to/from Bali. Indonesia AirAsia and JetStar operate flights between Denpasar (Bali) and Darwin and the rates start from US$97 one way (on Indonesia AirAsia). The flight time is 2h 55 min. Generally speaking, the fares are comparable to those into Perth.

>>read more about Flights to Darwin

There are also direct flights from Bali to Melbourne Airport (MEL) and Adelaide (ADLS) but the fares are high (from US$446 one way on Virgin Australia, respectively from US$630 one way on the same airline).

Photo credit

10 Days in Indonesia: Itinerary Ideas

Bali is one of the most famous places to visit in Indonesia. It is totally different than the rest of the country and offers a wealth of culture, beaches and friendly atmosphere. You can spend an entire 10-day vacation in Bali but it’s also worth it to check out some other places in Indonesia as well.

This itinerary starts in Bali , explores some of its landmarks and the takes you to Lombok for a day. Then you’ll enjoy an active day on Kanawa Island before heading to the capital of Jakarta, from where you’ll fly back home.

Itinerary assumptions:

fly into Denpasar (Bali) fly out of Jakarta use the public transport and limit the use of domestic flightsstay in 2-3 star hotels

Arrive in Denpasar . Spend the rest of the day exploring at least one of the temples located in the city. Pura Maospahit is definitely a good choice. It’s an ancient temple, with history dating back to the 14th century. Much of it was destroyed during an earthquake but there are some original parts still standing. Enjoy some traditional food at dinner.

Travel to Ubud and check in at the hotel. On your first day, take a bus to Tegallalang area and enjoy the lovely scenery, with the rice terraces and the green hillsides. Come back to Ubud and explore the Monkey Forest. Then, in the evening, check out the Jimbaran Seafood stalls and make sure to enjoy some traditional Balinese foods.

On your second day here, take the morning bus to Kintamani area. Spend the day soaking up the atmosphere and the scenery. Mount Batur and Lake Batur are popular spots for the tourists but totally worth your time. Enjoy a relaxing evening.

>>read more about 3 Days in Bali: Itinerary Ideas

Before departing for Lombok, spend some time at the Badung Central Market, which is at its best in the morning. Buy some treats for the long journey ahead of you.
Board a bus from Denpasar to Padang Bai (1-2 hours, depending on the traffic). Now take the ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar (Lombok). The journey takes about 4 hours.
Spend the rest of the day soaking up the atmosphere and checking out the area.

>>read more about Getting from Bali to Lombok

In the morning, head to Tanjung A’an, a lovely area near Kuta Beach. It is famous for its sand which looks like pepper. Arrange with a guide (preferably someone recommend from the hotel or a travel agency) to take you to the 3 famous waterfalls located close to Lombok. The first one is on the slopes of Mount Rinjani, the second one is a further 1 hours walk and the 3rd one is the hardest to get to and requires some climbing experience. Spend the evening relaxing at the hotel.

From Lombok, take the public bus to Bima. Then board the mini bus to Sape (about 2 hours travel time). Now board the ferry from Sape (Sumbawa Island) to Labuan Bajo (West Flores). This part of the journey takes about 8 hours.
Enjoy dinner and get a good night’s sleep.

Prepare for a day in the nature, burning some calories. It’s best to arrange with a local guide, preferably recommended by the hotel staff or a travel agency. Before leaving, don’t forget to pack some food for the day.

Kayak to the Kanawa Island (about 2 hours) and then walk up the hill for some lovely views of the area. It is also possible to snorkel here.

Fly from Labuan Bajo to Jakarta. The flight time is 1h 35 min on Merpati. Please note that it’s not possible to book the flights on the very well known booking sites. You’ll have to do a bit of searching.

Now that you’ve arrived in the Big Durian, check in the hotel and start to explore this large city. There are plenty of museums to visit , including the National Museum which houses large collections of prehistoric, ethnographic and archaeological artifacts. Don’t miss “Monas”, Jakarta’s best known landmark.
You can also visit the Istiqlal Mosque, which is the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia.

>>read more about Cheap Flights to Jakarta

In the morning, explore the Pasar Baru, a market dating back to the Dutch colonial era. There are quite a lot of stores to check out and, with a bit of luck, you can find interesting and cheap things here. Then, for a unique shopping experience, stroll the Jalan Surabaya, which houses the open-air antique market.

Spend the rest of the day playing bowling and enjoying karaoke, which is one of the favorite ways to spend the time with friends. Or you can check out one of the many shopping malls.

Before heading to the airport for your flight back home, make sure to sample some of the street food.

Photo credits: Ulun Danu Temple in Bali , Kuta Beach , Kanawa Island , Jakarta antique

Getting from Bali to Jakarta (and return)

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and is located northwest of the island of Java. The Big Durian offers a lot of things to do and many put the city on their must-visit list while in Asia. Since Bali is located quite close to Jakarta , many travelers chose to travel between the two cities when working their way to mainland Asia or to Australia.

Quick summary

The Bali to Jakarta route is served by plenty of low cost carriers which makes flying really affordable. Single tickets start at US$30 and you can get between the two places in about 1 ½ hours.
But many budget travelers choose to travel either by a combination of bus, ferry and train or by bus and ferry. It does cost less than flying but you’ll be traveling about 24 hours (if there aren’t any delays).

Soekarno Hatta International Airport (CGK) is the main airport serving Jakarta and the island of Java. It is hub for Batavia Air, Cardig Air, Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia, Lion Air, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Republic Express Airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air.
Direct flights from Denpasar (Bali) to Jakarta are operated by Batavia Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia , Lion Air , Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air. The cheapest flights are offered by Indonesia AirAsia and start at US$60 one way. The flight time is 1h 40 min. Return flights start at US$125 per person, on the same airline.

You can use a mix of bus , ferry and train to get from Bali to Jakarta.
First you need to travel from Bali to Yogyakarta, Malang, or Surabaya. This can be done by bus and ferry.
Buses to Yogyakarta leave each evening from Ubung Terminal in Denpasar. It takes about 15 hours and the bus ticket also includes the ferry crossing (over Rp200,000 / US$23 per person).
Buses to Surabaya leave from the same terminal. The ticket includes the ferry crossing and the total travel time is 8 to 10 hours. Prices start around Rp150,000 / US$17.25 per person.

From Yogyakarta you can take the morning train to Jakarta. The price for the express train is around Rp300,000 / US$34.50 per person and the total travel time is 8-10 hours.
From Surabaya you can take the Express train to Jakarta, either during the day (departure at 8 a.m.) or during the night (departure at 8 p.m.). The total travel time is 10 h 30 min. The fare is about Rp200,000 / US$23 per person.

>>read more about The train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta

The alternative is to take the bus and ferry from Bali to Jakarta. Tickets can be bought from the travel agents in the town(s). Two companies operate on this route: Lorena and Pahala Kencana (buses depart Denpasar at 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.)
The total travel time is about 24 hours but the buses are clean and you are also offered two meals. Delays can and will occur (sometimes even up to 10 hours). The price is about US$30 per person.

It is possible to rent a car and drive from Bali to Jakarta, but you’ll also be taking the ferry. So make sure to consider the price for crossing with a vehicle. The total travel time is about 21 hours. For your safety, do consider taking some breaks along the way.