VIP Visa

Since our Airport post we've had quite a few people contact us in regards to the VIP Visas that are available. Here's what you need to know;

• The cost of the VIP Visa is $30 per person in Australian currency.
• You still need to pay the Indonesian Government Visa of $25 US. (You can pay in other currencies however this is easiest)
• You will be met in the arrival hall of Denpasar Airport where you'll need to hand over your $25US, passport and visa form to your guide.
• Your guide will walk you through immigration and take you to collect your bag. They will then go back and complete all paperwork on your behalf.
• Once you have your bag, your guide will walk with you through customs and out to the arrivals area.
• Here you'll be met by Murti, the company owner and you will pay your $30Aus for the VIP service.

If you would like to take advantage of this service please email Murti at murti@iprimus.com.au stating your full names, flight number and arrival day and time. Please also mention you are with the Barry Wedding and you may receive a discount.

If you'd like, Murti can also arrange your transfers to the hotel. Once you've paid your $30Aus to Murti, you can be escorted directly to your car and whizzed away to your hotel!
To get to the Pelangi or Breezes will cost around 110,000Rp (around $12) for up to 6 people. If you have more people headed in the same direction we can look at getting a larger transport where required.

"Taxi!"

There are several ways to get around in Bali. One of the easiest and most comfortable to new travellers are taxis (or Taksi!). Plenty of Taxi companies exist however there's only 1 reputable one - Blue Bird.

Blue bird taxis are distinguishable by their light blue colour car and the large blue bird symbol on top of the cab.



 Blue Bird taxis always put their metres on unlike some of the others and have a much better reputation. You can try your luck with some of the other random taxis that get around however you may be ripped off on arrival because 'the metre is broken' or 'I forgot' etc etc. Unless you know how much a trip should cost always insist on the driver using the metre.

You can also pay drivers in regular cars and vans to take you where you'd like to go. One depot is located on the road that connects the Pelangi and Breezes. It is customary to let the driver know where you're headed and then negotiate a price. Speak to some of the Bali regulars to get an idea on how much it should cost to get to your destination. If you have more than 4 people or you can't locate a Blue Bird, private transport is a good option at times.

Some people will also rent scooters while in Bali, these are available for rent quite cheaply and petrol costs next to nothing. You should have an international motorbike license to ride these however many tourists take the risk.

Travel laws in Bali are fairly simple - keep moving! Stay left an go slow and you can't get in too much trouble. If you're wise you'll avoid JL Legian after 11am...

Happy travels!

Wedding FAQ's

We've been getting a few questions that keep popping up so here's the answers to the frequently asked questions we've received so far;

What do we do with the kids?

We love that so many of you are making this a family holiday. It's entirely up to each of you but children can certainly attend the ceremony. Please be aware that the area is an open space that leads directly to the beach so you'll need to keep an eye on little ones!

We have arranged transport from each hotel to the ceremony location, this transport is then available after the ceremony and will be available through to the end of the reception.
The reception is an adults only event. The hotels we've recommended can organise babysitters. There will be ample time in between the ceremony and reception to return children to the hotel and settle them for the evening.

On special request, babysitters may be arranged on location at the reception. Children will be inside with babysitters however entertainment and sleeping arrangements will need to be sorted out in advance by parents. With children on site, parents are certainly able to check in during the course of the evening but we respectfully request that children not attend the reception. 

What's 'Smart Summer Casual' AKA the dress code for the wedding?
Bali has a tropical climate and in early May is on the cusp of Dry and Wet season. This means that during the day the humidity is fairly high and it's very hot in the sun.

Boys - We ask that you not wear singlets, board shorts or bintang t-shirts! A nice t-shirt or short sleeved collared shirt will work, as well as a pair of dress shorts and thongs/sandals. The bridal party will NOT be in full suit so you won't be out of style!

Girls - A summer dress would be perfect! Early in the day a longer dress may be too hot but from experience it's quite comfortable to wear a maxi style dress (if this is your preference) or light fabric dress early afternoon through to evening. Heels definitely won't be needed as we'll be on grass or sand most of the night!

Will we need to arrange transport or in-between drinks on the wedding day?

No. All of the wedding day, from pick up for the ceremony to drop off at the end of the night, has been taken care of. So unless you're planning on visiting the Bounty Disco at the end of the night, you shouldn't require any money or alternate plans.

Please let us know if you have any other questions that we can answer. Hope this clarifies things a little further!

Negotiating the Airport

Now that the wedding/holiday/damn-good-reason-to-travel is 'this year', we thought it may be a good chance to give you some information on hanging out in Bali. Part one of this is actually getting through the airport!!
In days gone by it wouldn't have been unheard of to stand in line for up to 3 hours waiting to purchase your visa and then be processed by immigration. Thankfully this has been a lot quicker in recent times, although you may still get 4 planes all landing at once!!

Most planes now land out in the airport and require you to jump on a bus to the terminal. Once your bus pulls up at the terminal, the seasoned Bali travellers will be pushing past you to sprint to the Visa Counter. This counter is now on your left as you enter the arrivals hall. You will need to line up aong with everyone else and pay $25USD per person to enter the country. They do accept Aus or Rupiah however I'll leave the calculations to you!

A Balinese Visa

Once you've received your visa, you'll need to take it, your passport and your customs declaration form (which you'll receive and fill in on the flight) to one of the open immigration queues. The queues are fairly straight forward and once through you'll need to find your bags.

Beware! From here on out, assume that anyone offering to assist you will want to be paid! There are porters in the baggage area that will pull your bags off the conveyor belt. This is fine and no payment is required. There are also additional porters who will try and start wheeling or carrying your bag to 'assist' you. Politely but strongly say 'No thanks' several tmes if they're persistent or just grab your bag and keep walking!

The final hurdle is getting through customs. Standard rules apply here so declare if you have something (food etc) or hit the other line if you have nothing. All bags are scanned though so be prepared. Once through here it's a hairpin turn to the left and you'll come out into the loudest, most crowded arrival area you've possibly ever seen! Head to the right, there's a gate to get out and a reputable taxi queue. It's a set fare to each of the suburbs so you'll just need to tell the guy at the window which suburb and your hotel and you'll be billeted out to a driver to get you on your way!

Finally, if all of this sounds too difficult there is such a thing as a VIP Visa. A nice man will meet you in the arrivals hall where you'll hand over your passport and US dollars. They then bypass the line and get your visa, escort you through immigration skipping those queues and getting you to the baggage carousel before the bags have even come out! They'll then assist you through customs and deposit you safely and quickly outside the arrival area! While handing over your passport to a complete stranger in a foreign land is not normally recommended, we and many other have used this service several times and it can be very worthwhile. We make it out in around 15 minutes. Cost is around $30Aus and we can coordinate this for anyone who would like it. This company can also have a car ready and waiting to drive you for a pre-arranged fee, it usually costs less than $15 to get to your hotel.