Bali layover guide for crew

Late food, coffee, gyms and walks that crew recommend in Bali, plus Smartraveller advice on taxis and drinks, tap water and the emergency numbers.

Bali is bigger than it looks on a map, and traffic decides what you can do with a layover. Smartraveller warns of congested roads and unpredictable road users, so pick one area and stay in it. Crew pins cluster around Seminyak and Kerobokan, Canggu and Pererenan, the Bukit peninsula near Uluwatu, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa, and Ubud inland.

Food, early and late

Crew tag a few places in Canggu and Kuta as late-night spots. MASONRY on Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong carries the tag, and so does Penny Lane on Jalan Munduk Catu, which crew also pinned for breakfast. Crumb & Coaster on Jalan Benesari in Kuta has three tags: breakfast, healthy and late-night. For something quick in Kuta, crew pinned Shinta Warung on Gang Puspa Ayu.

If you land at an odd hour, read our guide to late-night food after a late arrival before you head out, and check the hours in the app.

Coffee

Crew pinned Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster in Kerobokan and Blacklist Coffee Roasters on Jalan Tanah Barak in North Kuta as coffee spots.

A walk or something to do

Campuhan Ridge Walk in Ubud is the walk crew pin. It starts on Jalan Raya Campuhan, with the south start by Pura Gunung Lebah. Crew also pinned Tegallalang Rice Terraces on Jalan I Wayan Lunga as a sight and a walk. Both are inland, so budget your time around the traffic.

On the Bukit, crew pinned Padang Padang Beach. Smartraveller warns that many Indonesian beaches are unpatrolled and can be dangerous because of rough seas and strong currents.

Gym and wellbeing

Crew added several gyms. Bali Social Club is on Jalan Raya Kayutulang in Canggu, FIT HUB Nusa Dua is on Jl. Kuruksetra, and The Wrong Gym on Jalan Pantai Pererenan also carries spa and pool tags.

Getting around and staying safe

Taxis and rideshare. Smartraveller says to stick to licensed, metered taxis from official ranks, book by phone, or use a reputable rideshare app, and to take extra care around airports and at night. Unregulated drivers can pose as rideshare drivers at airports, so check that the vehicle and driver match the details in the app. Our guide to taxi and rideshare safety abroad has the full checklist.

Drinks. Smartraveller says drinks in Indonesia may be spiked or contain methanol, with cases of methanol poisoning in Bali and Lombok. Keep your drink in sight, and follow your company's rules on alcohol before duty.

Motorbikes. Smartraveller says to wear a helmet, and that your travel insurer will deny claims if you are not licensed for the vehicle. Follow your company's fitness-for-duty rules before you ride.

Money and scams. Smartraveller says to use authorised money changers and to cover your PIN at ATMs. Our guide to common scams in Southeast Asia covers the usual tricks.

Tap water. Smartraveller's advice for Indonesia is to boil drinking water or drink bottled water, and the CDC advises travellers to avoid tap water unless they have good reason to think it is safe. Our tap water guide has more.

Emergency. Call police on 110, an ambulance on 119 or the fire service on 113. Our guide to emergency numbers for crew cities lists the others.

Find more on the map

All the spots crew recommend in Bali are on the On Chocks map. Filter by open now to see what is serving while you are up.

On Chocks is in free beta on TestFlight, or you can get one email when it's on the App Store.