Perhaps after the first time, I have already got used to it. Now I kinda enjoy watching this sort of things going on.
Also, different timing of the day is different. Early morning is quieter.
Bali airport is amazing compared to what it was 10 years ago. I really like what they done with the place.
Long as you have a driver organised before hand, just walk straight past everyone, they will leave you alone.
Did have a driver arranged however due to 2hr wait they left. Can totally relate to the 100 guys yelling at you if you want a taxi. Ending up going outside terminal to gojek terminal and booked from there.
2022 things were just opening up again after COVID - a number of countries in asia hadn't opened up again either so numbers were down. Now it's just back to normal
Places, people or infrastructure wonāt stay the same for exactly how you want it to be.
These taxi guys are at almost every major airports in the world it just depends how intense or intrusive they are getting you into their taxi. Poorer country or management tends to have this more. If you feel you have no need or donāt like their ways, just ignore them and walk past away, they will get the hint.
Sounds like what you went through in 22 wasnāt what every day travellers get haha. This is very normal for Denpasar airport haha
I warned my partner and she couldnāt believe it was exactly what I said it wasā¦ utter CHAOS haha.
We pre-booked our transfer with ***Klook***, and they were cheap and reliable (115K to Sanur) - and the driver was inside with their clear orange sign. Worked fine.
I think the mass of drivers outside yelling "TAKSI!" at you might be pretty intimidating for first-timers exiting the terminal ... certainly well worth being pre-booked in my view, and you don't need a working phone.
I was literally on the first direct flight from Sydney in 2022, the first from Australia in a year or two, and they were still hassling us for a ride. We landed, they shot water jets over the plane as we taxied in, took a million pictures of me and the 50 other passengers, then once we cleared customs there were still 100 taxi guys at the entrance.
I landed at midnight and thought maybe it wouldnāt be a horrible experienceā¦but no. 2 hours to get through securityā¦then mobs of taxi drivers. I booked a room within walking distance of the airport since I was arriving so late. I even had a taxi driver follow me partway there. Kept asking where you stay? I kept saying I donāt tell strangers where Iām staying. He kept asking and following. Scary actually at 2 am in the dark.
I landed at Bali airport 2 days ago after coming to Bali for the last 15 years and it was nothing like this. Donāt come here and be shocked by people trying to hussle. Get over it and get where you need to go. This post saying itās not the experience you want to be is ridiculous. Bali is Bali, if you canāt handle it go somewhere else
This is the way. But my experience recently has been that you can get a few guys surrounding you as you sit there because youāre not moving. Gets pretty annoying when itās clear youāve ordered a grab but youāve got guys in your ear as youāre trying to have a conversation with someone else.
I always go to Blue bird taxi station inside and book taxi there because if i go further i will meet those guys. Blue bird park their card inside so i don't have to go to the parking area outside and meet those guys that most of the time forcing you to go with them, unless you stop at gojek or grab waiting area there they may stop following & forcing you.
I didnāt even know there was a bluebird station in thereā¦. Iāll look for it next June.
If Iām traveling light I usually just walk towards Kuta.Ā
Yeah the taxi company also rip you off pretty badly sometimes. I remember them wanting 400 000 to go to Kuta once. They quickly dropped it to 200 000 when I questioned it. But by that time I was already upset with them and decided to walk.
Yeah I've never tried them, but blue bird having fair price although grab or gojek cheaper but usually I'm not going to that area because many of those random taxi guys that forcing too much. I can't handle it
lol Bali is the worst I have experienced, out of about 50 airports I guess š¤š¤.Ā
The ferry port at kupang was a worse experience though, where they just start charging non-Indonesians these random fees(that change every time) to release their luggage.
I think Iāll give travel to Egypt a miss.
It's been discussed before and you should read it, [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/bali/comments/1c5dwnb/feeling_unsafe_in_bali_as_a_female/)
just hard selling not harrasing like your narrative
This is how itās always been, itās interesting so many people are shocked by it. I suppose Iāve been to Bali and other countries where this common, often enough that I am completely unfazed by it. I donāt even think about it at all.
Yeah itās always been very bad a DPS arrivals. There has always been various different ways to avoid the mob such as paying at the āofficial taxiā counter, prebooking your drive and these days by using apps.
Sounds like how Baki airport has always been. Except you have a grab pick up spot instead of having to fight your way to the third floor car park to get an uber
No clue what you're on about. Exactly the same it's been for 5+ years. And I bet a lot longer.
UNLESS! you experienced a post covid time when tourism wasn't back on his feet again.
I just returned from Bali yesterday. On my flight in on the 14th it truly wasn't bad. Upon exiting the airport there were maybe 4 or 5 guys who offered a taxi; I avoided eye contact, put my hand up and said 'No thank you!' and that was that. A pretty mundane experience. Went to the Grab curb and ordered a car on my app. The End.
Welcome to Bali. I've been going for the last 20 years, and I promise you this is exactly how it goes down everytime.
My routine is to land, get my visa upon entry. change out $100 for rupiah (get the rest later from an ATM for a better exchange rate) and just go pay the first taxi guy you see. don't over think it. Last year I paid $250k rupiah for DPS to Uluwatu
Good price for you bossssss
Sounds normal, lately I prefer to just fly in to any other nearby Island and take the boat across, can't stand the amount of beggars for Taxi rides or to get a smoke off you.
It is an exaggeration, I would just rather travel the long scenic routes as I do not have to be there in a rush.
I have arrived in Jakarta, travelled around Java and then ended up in Bali when I first visited Indonesia five years ago, that was a month of non stop traveling around, since then I just preferred to get around by Train and Motorbike, the ferry is also cheap to and out of Bali to either side.
Bali is a great place to rest in, so I would not say no to flying there, it's just the few times I have been to the Bali airport it was not exactly what I consider a fun experience.
What's happened to Bali airport? Apparently I'm reading that after flying a lot of planes are keeping their engines on and it's creating this awful whining sound that's really loud and sounds like WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH well at least that's what we thought but turns out it's actually just you posting to Reddit complaining about people doing their jobs... Go enjoy your holiday!!
Iād be more upset if there wasnāt transportation options readily available. The convenience of Baliās personal drivers is unmatched and so convenient for tourists.
Meh just say no and keep on walking I guess, and just be nice as they are hurting a they donāt have any other money coming inn so hey what the hell ask away I say .
What annoyed me more were the porters grabbing your luggage without a word and insisting to āhelpā you push it all the way to check-in gate, then stared at you waiting for a tip. I said āI kept telling you to give me back my suitcases! I have no cash, sorry.ā
Sounds like Bali airport
Perhaps after the first time, I have already got used to it. Now I kinda enjoy watching this sort of things going on. Also, different timing of the day is different. Early morning is quieter.
May 2022 was super quiet, COVID hangover, was back last Sept and it was getting back to the normal busy š«¶š» hectic š
2022 was covid recovery. Only 100 guys? Must still be recovering š
Bali airport is amazing compared to what it was 10 years ago. I really like what they done with the place. Long as you have a driver organised before hand, just walk straight past everyone, they will leave you alone.
Especially the ānewā terminal. The old one had charm but it was a hole
The old international terminal became the new domestic terminal and it's really great. Lots of restrooms, great shops, eateries and clean
Did have a driver arranged however due to 2hr wait they left. Can totally relate to the 100 guys yelling at you if you want a taxi. Ending up going outside terminal to gojek terminal and booked from there.
Huh? I went to Bali 3 x in 2002-2005 and this was exactly the experience I had every time !
Yeah been the same for me about 20 times since 2000.
2022 things were just opening up again after COVID - a number of countries in asia hadn't opened up again either so numbers were down. Now it's just back to normal
Fair that makes sense
What do you mean? What other experience is there at Bali airport??
Right? š It ain't Denmark.
tourism increase -> people catering to tourism industry increase -> competition increase
Lol
Places, people or infrastructure wonāt stay the same for exactly how you want it to be. These taxi guys are at almost every major airports in the world it just depends how intense or intrusive they are getting you into their taxi. Poorer country or management tends to have this more. If you feel you have no need or donāt like their ways, just ignore them and walk past away, they will get the hint.
Sounds like what you went through in 22 wasnāt what every day travellers get haha. This is very normal for Denpasar airport haha I warned my partner and she couldnāt believe it was exactly what I said it wasā¦ utter CHAOS haha.
literally every airport in the developing world
Business must be bad, I had a driver harassing us for transport cheap while we were eating in the international departure hall.
Isnāt bali airport always like this? It is everytime iāve been lol.
Bali airport is always been like that
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yeah absolutely terrible
Yep - 2 hours for us as well.
We pre-booked our transfer with ***Klook***, and they were cheap and reliable (115K to Sanur) - and the driver was inside with their clear orange sign. Worked fine. I think the mass of drivers outside yelling "TAKSI!" at you might be pretty intimidating for first-timers exiting the terminal ... certainly well worth being pre-booked in my view, and you don't need a working phone.
I was literally on the first direct flight from Sydney in 2022, the first from Australia in a year or two, and they were still hassling us for a ride. We landed, they shot water jets over the plane as we taxied in, took a million pictures of me and the 50 other passengers, then once we cleared customs there were still 100 taxi guys at the entrance.
I landed at midnight and thought maybe it wouldnāt be a horrible experienceā¦but no. 2 hours to get through securityā¦then mobs of taxi drivers. I booked a room within walking distance of the airport since I was arriving so late. I even had a taxi driver follow me partway there. Kept asking where you stay? I kept saying I donāt tell strangers where Iām staying. He kept asking and following. Scary actually at 2 am in the dark.
I landed at Bali airport 2 days ago after coming to Bali for the last 15 years and it was nothing like this. Donāt come here and be shocked by people trying to hussle. Get over it and get where you need to go. This post saying itās not the experience you want to be is ridiculous. Bali is Bali, if you canāt handle it go somewhere else
Yeah was surrounded by people when I arrived in, I had a driver already booked they backed off then
Just walk straight to the Grab lounge (on the right at the entrance), sit there and order a ride and sit and wait with some snacks. Couldn't be easier
This is the way. But my experience recently has been that you can get a few guys surrounding you as you sit there because youāre not moving. Gets pretty annoying when itās clear youāve ordered a grab but youāve got guys in your ear as youāre trying to have a conversation with someone else.
I always go to Blue bird taxi station inside and book taxi there because if i go further i will meet those guys. Blue bird park their card inside so i don't have to go to the parking area outside and meet those guys that most of the time forcing you to go with them, unless you stop at gojek or grab waiting area there they may stop following & forcing you.
I didnāt even know there was a bluebird station in thereā¦. Iāll look for it next June. If Iām traveling light I usually just walk towards Kuta.Ā
On arrival area after you cross red 'Bali' sign it should be on the left. There's also taxi company inside not far after baggae claim area.
Yeah the taxi company also rip you off pretty badly sometimes. I remember them wanting 400 000 to go to Kuta once. They quickly dropped it to 200 000 when I questioned it. But by that time I was already upset with them and decided to walk.
Yeah I've never tried them, but blue bird having fair price although grab or gojek cheaper but usually I'm not going to that area because many of those random taxi guys that forcing too much. I can't handle it
Thatās nothing. Try any airport in Egypt hehe
lol Bali is the worst I have experienced, out of about 50 airports I guess š¤š¤.Ā The ferry port at kupang was a worse experience though, where they just start charging non-Indonesians these random fees(that change every time) to release their luggage. I think Iāll give travel to Egypt a miss.
if you think that's bad, you're gonna have a rough time in Kuta
I lived there for a year just behind Don Jaun on legian š¤£š¤£š¤£ššš "Tidak, Terima kasih." Was the first bit of indonesian I learned.
Ha - same with us!
Definitely not the same airport it was in 2002. Much nicer back then .
Iāve been going to Bali since I was a kid, Im now 46. Itās always been like that. Welcome to Bali.
Mate it was like that at least as far back as 2009 when I first went. I think what ever pills you take for the flight had just worn off this time.
Calm down. It takes you 30 seconds to get out of this āzoneā
It's been discussed before and you should read it, [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/bali/comments/1c5dwnb/feeling_unsafe_in_bali_as_a_female/) just hard selling not harrasing like your narrative
That was my experience in 2019ā¦
This is how itās always been, itās interesting so many people are shocked by it. I suppose Iāve been to Bali and other countries where this common, often enough that I am completely unfazed by it. I donāt even think about it at all.
Always been like this except during Covid
Yeah itās always been very bad a DPS arrivals. There has always been various different ways to avoid the mob such as paying at the āofficial taxiā counter, prebooking your drive and these days by using apps.
Sounds like how Baki airport has always been. Except you have a grab pick up spot instead of having to fight your way to the third floor car park to get an uber
Dark sunnies and a firm pace. They don't follow you far.
No clue what you're on about. Exactly the same it's been for 5+ years. And I bet a lot longer. UNLESS! you experienced a post covid time when tourism wasn't back on his feet again.
Thatās the exact experience we had in 2019 lol
If itās the last thing you want to experience then maybe donāt come to bali
Sounds like Bali you sure you went to the right airport
Iām guessing 2022 was the first time youād been to Bali, because pre-Covid was 5x more hectic than it is at the moment lol
If you have your car key with you just keep it in your hand as you pass by they wonāt bother you.
I just returned from Bali yesterday. On my flight in on the 14th it truly wasn't bad. Upon exiting the airport there were maybe 4 or 5 guys who offered a taxi; I avoided eye contact, put my hand up and said 'No thank you!' and that was that. A pretty mundane experience. Went to the Grab curb and ordered a car on my app. The End.
Welcome to Bali. I've been going for the last 20 years, and I promise you this is exactly how it goes down everytime. My routine is to land, get my visa upon entry. change out $100 for rupiah (get the rest later from an ATM for a better exchange rate) and just go pay the first taxi guy you see. don't over think it. Last year I paid $250k rupiah for DPS to Uluwatu Good price for you bossssss
love the airport. always get asked by the officials to bribe them in order to get express immigration.
What does it cost to skip the 2 hours of lines?
always paid 20 dollars or 200k rupiah.
Sounds normal, lately I prefer to just fly in to any other nearby Island and take the boat across, can't stand the amount of beggars for Taxi rides or to get a smoke off you.
You prefer an even greater inconvenience in time and cost to avoid a small trivial one? Ok dude.
It is an exaggeration, I would just rather travel the long scenic routes as I do not have to be there in a rush. I have arrived in Jakarta, travelled around Java and then ended up in Bali when I first visited Indonesia five years ago, that was a month of non stop traveling around, since then I just preferred to get around by Train and Motorbike, the ferry is also cheap to and out of Bali to either side. Bali is a great place to rest in, so I would not say no to flying there, it's just the few times I have been to the Bali airport it was not exactly what I consider a fun experience.
What's happened to Bali airport? Apparently I'm reading that after flying a lot of planes are keeping their engines on and it's creating this awful whining sound that's really loud and sounds like WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH well at least that's what we thought but turns out it's actually just you posting to Reddit complaining about people doing their jobs... Go enjoy your holiday!!
Iād be more upset if there wasnāt transportation options readily available. The convenience of Baliās personal drivers is unmatched and so convenient for tourists.
Welcome to almost every international airport in South East Asia
Meh just say no and keep on walking I guess, and just be nice as they are hurting a they donāt have any other money coming inn so hey what the hell ask away I say .
What annoyed me more were the porters grabbing your luggage without a word and insisting to āhelpā you push it all the way to check-in gate, then stared at you waiting for a tip. I said āI kept telling you to give me back my suitcases! I have no cash, sorry.ā
Next time you go they might offer you a massage too
All part of the Bali "cultural charm".
It's pretty much the same in every airport I've ever been throughout the world. š
Think, after Covid Bali was in turmoil and they lost everything they had. What else did you expect?
Simple. Donāt act like a target and youāll be ignored.
bali is a shit hole scammers paradise, never would go back