Renting a Car in Bali

If you’re super brave, and confident of your driving skills you can rent a car to drive yourself around Bali.  This is a super economical, flexible way to see the island.  I rented a well used, beat up, Suzuki Karimun for about 145,000rp per day ($14US).  Gas/petrol is also super cheap.  A full tank on this car cost about 180,000rp ($17US)  This allowed me to circle the whole island and more.

Insurance is fully comprehensive with a $200US max liability.  Driving license of any kind is fine. The agent suggested if any problems with the police I should start counting out money in 10,000rp increments until the necessary “fine” level was reached.  😉

Driving around Kuta/Denpasar is quite insane with crazy narrow streets with thousands of motorcycles.  As you head around the coast the traffic thins out, but then you become faced with the ever present truck of cement travelling at 25km/h up a hill in front of you.

Also watch out for:

• Cars and trucks coming towards you on your side of the road when overtaking
• Motorbikes pulling out on the wrong side of the road and doing impromptu u-turns
• Idiots overtaking you uphill on blind bends
• Motorbikes loaded up with 3 people along with 3 sacks of rice.
• Tourist buses/coaches who just must overtake everything

Pertamina is the company which seems to hold the monopoly on gas/petrol and there are plenty to be found, although many only have one pump in operation.  Indomaret is a nice little convenience store chain which you stop at to buy your coke zeroes and other driving junk food essentials.

All in all, good fun.