Travelling to Bali Doesn't Need to Be Complicated

There's something that happens before every trip.

You start searching.

One website tells you to buy your visa before you leave.

Another says you can do it at the airport.

Someone on YouTube tells you to download three different apps.

Facebook insists you need something completely different.

Before long, what should be an exciting holiday starts feeling like paperwork.

It doesn't have to be that way.

I've always believed that good travel starts long before you board the aircraft.

The more you can organise before you leave home, the less you'll have to think about when you arrive.

Before You Leave

For Bali, there are only a handful of things you really need to organise.

• Visa on Arrival
• Bali Tourist Levy
• Health Pass
• Customs Declaration

Complete them through the official government websites, save the QR codes to your phone, and you're done.

Ten or fifteen minutes at home can save you an hour at the airport.

Simple.

Choosing Your Flight

I've travelled to Bali several times with Jetstar.

Like every airline, delays can happen, but overall my experience has been positive. The crews have been professional, the flights comfortable and the fares make Bali one of Australia's most affordable international destinations.

The important thing is not to let a delayed flight become the story of your trip.

Travel rewards patience.

If you arrive prepared, a delay is simply part of travelling.

Nothing more.

Arriving in Bali

One of the biggest surprises for many first-time visitors is just how efficient Bali's airport has become.

If you've completed everything before you leave Australia, the process is remarkably straightforward.

Scan your passport.

Take your photo.

Walk through immigration.

Collect your luggage.

Head through customs.

That's it.

Instead of standing in queues filling out paperwork, you're already thinking about your first meal, your first walk along the beach or watching the sun disappear over the Indian Ocean.

That's exactly how arriving somewhere new should feel.

Technology Is Your Friend

We spend a lot of time complaining about technology.

This is one time when it genuinely makes travel easier.

Keep your passport handy.

Save your QR codes to your phone.

Take screenshots in case you don't have internet access.

Store everything together in one folder before you leave home.

When someone asks for a document, you're not searching through emails while twenty people wait behind you.

You're simply ready.

Why Preparation Matters

Preparation isn't about removing the adventure.

It's about removing the unnecessary stress.

I'd much rather spend my first afternoon wandering through Sanur than standing in another queue completing forms I could have filled in days earlier.

Travel should be about discovering new places.

Meeting new people.

Experiencing another culture.

Not worrying whether you've forgotten a document.

The better prepared you are before you leave, the quicker you'll be doing the reason you came to Bali in the first place.

Enjoying it.