Today it is difficult to imagine your life without the Internet, including during your holidays in Bali. There are no problems with it on the island. You can use mobile Internet, find wi-fi in the hotel and rented house. In this article, I will talk about the best mobile operators and Internet providers, as well as which Internet is better to use during your holidays.
Wi-fi is available in almost every hotel. As a rule, it works quite well by local standards. If you are going to rent a house in Bali, then check in advance if there is an Internet connection. I always rent houses with Internet, checking its speed in advance.
If you liked the house, but there is no Internet there, then you can connect it yourself or ask the owner to do it. To connect home Internet, you must take into account the location of the house. There are more than enough Internet providers on the island, but not every one of them can boast of good Internet speed in the place where you need it.
Home Internet on the island is not the cheapest, so it is recommended to connect it if you decide to spend at least six months in Bali. The cheapest monthly tariff will cost $20, more or less high-quality can cost from $80 to $100 (speed 1 megabit). For comparison, in our countries, a package with a speed of 20 megabits costs 10-15 dollars, but for Bali such efficiency is not yet available.
The main providers on the island:
For tourists, mobile Internet is the ideal solution. Firstly, you will not be tied to a specific place, secondly, you can always stay in touch, and thirdly, you do not need to pay for its installation, plus the service is inexpensive. There are several operators on the island that offer good coverage and attractive prices.
Before choosing one or another operator, it is necessary to carefully study the terms of the tariff, since some of the traffic may be distributed at night.
Note! You will not find good unlimited internet tariffs in Bali. Some of the companies set a speed limit after a certain volume is exhausted. Some people immediately set the speed to low.
Almost all mobile operators in Bali, as well as throughout Indonesia, work according to the principle: you need to purchase an Internet package, which is connected additionally. The validity period of such packages can be from several days to several months. If you don’t buy the Internet, then its billing will result in a large amount for you, you will have to put money into your account regularly. After the expiration date, the package is purchased again.
In order to choose a mobile operator for yourself, you need to know what they generally exist in Bali.
Which of the mobile operators to choose depends on your goals and where you live. I lived in Ubud and used the mobile Internet only to look at a Google map, check my mail or access social networks, so I chose Telkomsel. I was quite satisfied with the quality of services.
Mobile Internet in Bali is inexpensive. Depending on the operator, the cost of a package of 3-5 GB will cost an average of $ 5, which is about 60 thousand rupees. If you put 100 thousand on your account, then there will be money left for calls and messages.
The cheapest internet is offered by Telkomsel. For 50 thousand rupees you can get 2 GB. This volume will be enough if you need the Internet to check mail, social networks and other small operations. You can't watch movies and videos with such a volume.
Buying a SIM card will not take you much time. They are sold everywhere and, most importantly, you will not need a passport or other document to purchase it. If you decide to get a SIM card at the first stages of your holiday, you can do it right at the airport.
If you decide to wait a little, then go to any store that sells mobile phones and accessories for them. Tell the seller the name of the operator. In the same place, they will help you with the activation of both the starter package itself and the Internet.
You can deposit money into your account in the same shops that sell phones. You will need to say "pulsa" (balance), name your carrier and show a phone number. After you make a deposit, check your balance immediately to avoid any unpleasant situations.
We got acquainted with all the intricacies of the Internet in Bali. This information will help you choose the best mobile operator or Internet provider.
The Indonesian tourist destination lags slightly behind popular Asian travel destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam. Things are somewhat worse here with the Internet. At the same time, the number of Internet users in the country continues to grow (especially 3 G-connections), and in terms of the number of users on Facebook, Indonesia ranks second in the world. In addition, local mobile operators offer their customers favorable rates and provide quite acceptable signal reception.
general information
Let's make a reservation right away that it is not worth using the services of Russian providers in Indonesia - it is too expensive. Cellular communication operates in all major cities of the country, but in remote areas there may be problems with coverage from time to time.
Big cities also delight with an impressive number of Internet cafes (pay attention to the signs Internet or Warnet ). These cafes are open until late in the evening, but the equipment here leaves much to be desired, and low prices are quite consistent with the low speed of the Internet. In order to enter the Russian portals (if it succeeds at all), you need to be patient.
A conversation on a landline phone will cost quite a lot, but after 23:00 the cost of an international call at public telephone offices Wartel Telecom noticeably decreases. Phone cards can be bought at the post office, at the mall or at the newsstand.
International country code - 62 . Ambulance operators answer phone calls 118 , police number - 110 , fire brigade - 113 . Phone for information - 108 .
mobile connection
As noted above, the best solution for a tourist would be to buy a local SIM card. There are several mobile operators operating in Indonesia, the largest of which are - Telkomsel And excelcomindo . The company is also popular indosat .
Cost Indonesian sim card 50-100 rubles , but in some tourist areas the price can jump significantly. There is no need to present a passport or any other documents. The balance (at the request of the buyer) is replenished on the spot. To avoid misunderstandings, it is recommended to ask the seller for help in activating the SIM card. Large discounts are offered for domestic calls between customers of the same provider.
SIM cards are sold in communication stores, shopping malls and even in small street shops. You can also buy a SIM card at the airport, but such a purchase will cost several times more.
A minute of conversation within the country will cost the owner of a local card 3-6 rubles , SMS – 50 kopecks . The starting price of a minute conversation with Russia is 8 rubles , SMS – order two rubles .
Mobile Internet andWi-fi
Free Wi-Fi is not available in all Indonesian hotels. But free Wi-Fi is available in many city restaurants, cafes and shopping malls. Wi-Fi is also caught within the popular resort areas.
For those who need the opportunity to access the Web on an ongoing basis, it is better to contact one of the 3G communication providers. These are the operators already listed above, as well as CBN And AHA . In Jakarta and Surabaya, in addition to 3G, a high-speed standard is also offered 3.5 G -connections.
Monthly prices for the unlimited internet package depend on the operator you have chosen and the connection speed and fluctuate in the range 350-650 rubles . Of course, there are cheaper options. In addition, you can connect for a shorter period (for example, 14 days). Note that there is no particular reason to overpay for speed, since mobile Internet in Indonesia can only be called fast, perhaps with a big stretch.
The signal quality decreases as you move away from major cities and the main resorts of the country.
cable internet
Those who are going to stay in Indonesia for a long time will certainly be interested in the state of affairs with wired Internet. Indonesia's largest ADSL provider is PT Telcom . Unfortunately, in many parts of the country (particularly in Bali), telephone cables are rarely changed, and those available are quite old and have low bandwidth. The monthly bill usually consists of the payment for the provider's services and the cost of using the PT Telcom line, amounting to 800-1000 rub. at a speed of 3 megabits per second.
In general, despite some disadvantages (low speed, interruptions in signal reception in remote areas), there should not be any serious communication problems in Indonesia. SIM cards from the main local providers can be easily purchased in major cities and resort areas of the country, and if necessary, you can use Internet cafes and city phones.
06.05.2019 Alexey Glazunov
We have published several hundred articles about the island of Bali on our blog - there is a lot of useful information there, but understanding all this diversity is not always easy. In this memo, we have collected answers to the most frequently asked questions that many people have before traveling to the island.
The dry season in Bali lasts from May to October. November to April is the rainy season. At this time it is hotter, more humid and the ocean is dirty. It rains often, but not constantly - usually several hours a day. Is it possible to go in the "off season"? You can, but you need to be prepared for rain and debris in the water.
The currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR), the current exchange rate:
To convert to rubles, in order to quickly navigate the price, you can multiply the price without zeros by 4.5, i.e. 100,000 rupees is about 450 rubles (to be very fast and very rude - you can multiply by 5)
If you are flying for up to 30 days, then you can get a free arrival stamp (this rule is valid for the vast majority of countries in the world, this list includes Russia, Ukraine, Belarus). This stamp cannot be renewed.
If the planned period of stay is 30-60 days, you can get a visa on arrival at the border, costing $35. It is issued for 30 days and can be renewed once at the immigration office.
For longer periods, you can apply for a tourist visa (at the Indonesian consulate of almost any country). It is issued for 60 days and can be extended 4 times (maximum total stay - 6 months).
Since recently, you can fly to Bali by a direct flight of Qatar from Moscow, the cost of the flight is about 50,000 rubles. The cheapest option will cost around 36,000 - with one or two transfers, usually in the UAE, Singapore or Jakarta.
If you already have cash (dollars / euros), you can go with it. If you plan to buy, then it’s better not to - it’s easier and faster to remove from the card. Tinkoff Bank has the most convenient travel card - free withdrawals at any ATMs in the world, free multi-currency cards (including opening an account in Indonesian rupees) and prompt, very qualified support via chat or phone. We have been using Tinkoff Bank cards for almost 10 years now.
Take off- skimming is very common in Bali (theft of money from credit cards by reading the magnetic strip from the card), so you can only withdraw money from reliable ATMs. Basically - at the airport, or at ATMs located in bank offices. In other places - at your own peril and risk.
Change- in exchange offices, especially in the south of the island, there are often scammers who can easily change bills or give less. Take your time, carefully count the money and check the denomination - due to the large number of zeros it is easy to get confused. Also specify the course - in fact it may differ from the one indicated on the scoreboard on the street. It is reliable at the airport, but the rate is not very good - it is better to change it there for the first days, and the rest is already in place.
Insurance for a trip to Indonesia is not required by law, but we highly recommend that you take it out. It is better not to deal with small-town clinics, and high-quality medicine is very expensive here, one appointment with a local "therapist" can cost about $ 100, not to mention treatment.
There is no ideal place in Bali - everywhere there are both pluses and minuses. A specific area needs to be selected individually according to needs, but in general, brief recommendations are as follows:
Despite the fact that Bali is an island with a coastline of more than 500 km, there are not so many beaches where you can swim here. The biggest problems are waves and low tides. Beaches most suitable for swimming: Geger, Melasti, Pandawa, Padang-Padang, White Sand Beach, "Secret" beach in Padangbai (Bias Tugal beach). In Nusa Dua, you can swim almost everywhere at high tide, at low tide only near the Ayodya Hotel. In Sanur, a more or less decent section of the beach is located in its southernmost part.
In general, Bali is safe, but sometimes here they can:
Basically, all this concerns the south of Bali (the Bukit and Kuta peninsulas), in other areas there are many times less such stories, we can say that they almost never occur.
Animals in Bali are very active, but harmless enough. In a hotel room, it is unlikely that someone will live with you, but in a villa - geckos and ants are most likely to be permanent neighbors. There are also snakes and scorpions in Bali, but meeting with them is rather a rare exception.
You do not need to be vaccinated before traveling.
There is coverage almost all over the island. In tourist areas, the Internet is stable everywhere, in any hotel there is wi-fi. The speed strongly depends on the specific place, so if this is a critical factor for you (you need it for work), it is better to check in advance. Mobile Internet is inexpensive and fast enough, for example, the Telkomsel operator issues D30 / U20 Mbps.
Buying a SIM card in Bali can turn into a small quest, so the easiest way is to pre-order it and get it right at the airport in order to post photos on Instagram on the way to the hotel. A prepaid package with 6GB will cost 100,000 rupees, on the spot, if you really try, you can find at best 80,000, and in tourist places such a tariff can cost 120,000, and 150,000 and more, depending on the impudence of the seller.
You can order a taxi at the counter at the airport in Bali, but there is a "taxi mafia" on duty, whose prices are as high as possible.
The cheapest option is to call Grab (use the promo code GRABBONUSRIDE to get free rides) or Gojek, but you will have to bargain with them, look for them somewhere in the parking lot (they hide from local taxi drivers) and they do not like to drive to remote areas (for example, to Ubud).
The option is easier and faster - book a transfer in advance, at a cost it will turn out to be about the same as an online taxi, sometimes it can be a little more expensive, but at the airport a driver with a sign with your name will meet you, help you carry your suitcases and will not beg for more than the agreed amount.
There is practically no public transport here, there are several main ways to travel:
Traffic on the island of Bali is left-handed, traffic is very intense, the roads are narrow and winding. All this leads to traffic jams and a very slow speed of movement, especially in the southern part of the island. In order to get behind the wheel, it is recommended to be a sufficiently experienced and confident driver. In addition, when planning movements around the island, it is better to take time with a margin, on average, the speed here is about 30 km / h.
In order to drive a car or motorcycle in Indonesia, you are legally required to have an appropriate category ("B" or "A").
When renting on the island of Bali, they almost never ask for a driver's license, but the police on the roads can check. If there is no corresponding category, you can "negotiate on the spot" with bargaining and a wide range of prices, starting from the upper bar of 1,000,000 rupees and the ability to bargain up to 50-100,000 rupees. Otherwise, your documents are collected and taken to the main police station in Denpasar. To avoid this - do not give any documents in hand, just show and hold tight. No one will take them by force.
Among the rules for which they are actively penalized are driving without documents, without a helmet, running a red light and stopping for a stop. line.
Local food on the island of Bali, with rare exceptions, is rather inexpressive, spicy and overcooked. At the same time, in tourist places on the island there are many restaurants with international cuisine, as well as places where seafood is cooked well. Prices vary greatly - on average, you can have breakfast for $5-7, lunch / dinner - $8-20. Of course, there are gourmet restaurants, with quality and prices that are approximately European level. In Ubud and Canggu, there are especially many different cafes and restaurants in the middle price category, where everything is beautiful, tasty and inexpensive.
Mobile communication on the island is not at all inexpensive and at the same time very affordable.
We, in turn, strongly advise you to purchase a local SIM card, already here, upon arrival. Moreover, it is absolutely easy to do this: SIM cards are sold in almost any store, mobile phone store, and even at the airport by good-natured local merchants. We still recommend that you refrain from the last purchase option if you do not want to overpay every 5-10 times.
The cost of a SIM card is on average from 5,000 to 15,000 Indonesian rupiah. (from about 0.5 - 1.5 $). Caring sellers activate the card right there on the spot. If for some reason they did not do this, we advise you to ask to activate the SIM card in front of you. Otherwise, later you may experience difficulties when trying to activate yourself. If you are fluent in the local language, then it is quite possible that you will be able to do this procedure yourself and without problems.
There is already some money in the account. As a rule, it may not be enough to call home. You can replenish the balance right on the spot.
If you are traveling with a family or a company, we recommend that you purchase SIM cards from the same operator.
Mobile operators are in great abundance. The most popular are Telkomsel (Simpati tariff) and XL Axiata Tbk, PT Smart Telecom.
How to call:
The international dialing code of Indonesia is +62.
For example, if you need to call Bali from abroad, then the number may look something like this +62 821 11 11 11 11. At the same time, if you make a call within the network, then +62 is boldly replaced by "0". And at the same time, the phone number now looks like this: 0821 11 11 11 11
A little about rates and costs:
Domestic calls within the country will cost you 1000-2000 Indonesian rupiah (3-6 rubles) per minute. Calling at night is even more profitable - the cost of a minute of conversation is almost halved. And SMS comes out even cheaper - 150 rupees (50 kopecks)
Calls to Russia:
A minute of conversation, for example, with Moscow or St. Petersburg will cost you about 25 rubles, and an SMS message will cost you 18–20 rubles. However, (ta-dam!) there is a little trick here: if you are calling to Russia with Telkomsel, first dial the code "01-01-177" or "01-019-7", then the area code or operator code, then the subscriber's number . For example, you need to call the number +7 903 111 11 11, instead of plus you dial the code as a result you get 01017 7 903 111 11 11 (two sevens side by side). This smart combination reduces the cost of a minute of conversation with Russia to 7.5 rubles.
(For card holders from XL Axiata code 01000.)
You can check the balance by dialing *888# (for TELKOMSEL) and *123# (for XL)
Check how much you spent for the last call or sms *887# (for TELKOMSEL)
Refill:
You can top up your account not only in mobile phone stores, but also in shops and kiosks. It is enough to say the incantatory “PULSA?”, And with an affirmative answer, you can safely proceed to payment.
👁 Do we always book a hotel on Booking? Not only Booking exists in the world (🙈 we pay for a horse percentage from hotels!) I have been practicing for a long time
Communication in our time is available and simple. And the Island of the Gods is no exception. Cellular communications, mobile Internet, Wi-Fi - all the benefits of civilization are at the service of tourists, inexpensively and conveniently. It is only necessary to understand the nuances. We will help you with this - we will tell you how and where to buy a SIM card, how much to put into your account, how to call your homeland and the Salvation Army, where to find Wi-Fi or an Internet modem.
1. ROAMING
First of all, if you are not going to buy a local SIM card, check the roaming conditions with your mobile operator. Most often, it is cheaper to connect additional services for those traveling abroad. Contact the representatives of the mobile operator in advance, find out about the possible conditions and tariffs.
2. CELLULAR IN BALI
There are 2 main Indonesian operators most popular on the island: XL And TELKOMSEL. They are distinguished by good prices for local and international calls and quality of reception. You can buy a coveted piece of plastic in shops located along the main roads of settlements, with large posters advertising cellular communications. No documents are required to purchase the coveted piece of plastic. The price of a SIM card is on average about 15-20 thousand rupees (about $ 2), but in tourist areas, the price can be inflated ad infinitum. Bargain and don't let the crooks fool you. The card usually only has a starting 5 thousand rupees - this amount is not enough for you to stay in touch. Put 50-100 thousand rupees ($ 5-10) into your account when buying, this money can be enough for a week, or even more.
You can replenish the balance in the same shops and at the cash desks of stores IndoMaret, CircleK, AlfaMart. You can check the balance for a TELKOMSEL subscriber by using the combination *888#
, subscriber XL — *123#
.
3. CALLS TO RUSSIA
It is cheaper to call home from a local SIM card using special IP telephony codes. For TELCOMSEL it is 01017
. These numbers must be dialed before the country code and subscriber number (01017-7 (Russian code) - 000 (operator code) - 000-00-00 (phone number)).
For XL you need to use the code 01000
(for example, 01000-7-000-000-00-00).
For calls to a landline phone, use the code 001 (international line access), then the country code, region code and subscriber number.
4. CALLS FROM RUSSIA TO INDONESIAN NUMBERS
To call Bali from a mobile, you need to dial the country code +62, followed by the operator code and subscriber number. From a landline phone, the dialing procedure is slightly different: first, the international call prefix (10) is dialed, then the country code, operator and subscriber number.
5. CODES AND IMPORTANT PHONES
We hand over the remaining secrets: the code of the island Bali - 361, Jakarta - 21. These codes are used to call landlines. I hope your vacation will not be overshadowed by emergencies, but it is always better to play it safe: write down the emergency numbers in your mobile phone memory. Information service - 108. Police - 110. Fire service - 113. Ambulance - 118.
6. MOBILE INTERNET
If you have enough Internet on your phone, then connect the service package from your mobile operator. Number combinations for activating service packages are indicated on the package of the SIM card. For those who need a 3G modem, it is better to use the services of such operators as Smart And Broadband. Tariffs and conditions for the sale of 3G modems are constantly changing, the quality of reception is guaranteed only in tourist centers, and the speed of the Internet connection leaves much to be desired.
7. WIFI
Everything is as usual here. The blessings of civilization came to the Island of the Gods almost everywhere: in tourist areas, free wi-fi is available in hotels, shops, cafes and restaurants. The connection speed is different everywhere, but it should be noted that watching video online will not work everywhere. Island Internet - slow Internet.
Communication is an essential part of life these days. Even at night, we keep the phone by the bed, and during the day we check Facebook 10 times, we cannot disappear from Instagram for 2 weeks, and work documentation continues to be sent to e-mail even on vacation. And so it will be in Bali. Use the information collected for you, call your mother, sign up for a lesson at Endless Summer by phone, stay up to date with the news and answer work emails.
Good network signal and long holidays!
