Opinions on Bluebird taxis in Bali

Hi there.

I’m planning to explore Bali solo for two weeks. I’m too late to get an international permit... Is it a good idea to get around with Bluebird taxis? Rates, schedules, reliability...

Thanks for your input! !

Hi there,

Bluebird is the official taxi company—no issues at all. They have counters all over, including one at the airport. Their taxis are spotless but pricier than other companies, and haggling isn’t an option. The fares are fixed and displayed. At Denpasar Airport, after the Bluebird counter, other companies have counters offering cheaper rates. For multi-day trips, ask your homestay to arrange a car with a driver—it’ll be *much* cheaper.

For an international driving permit, you can get a digital one in a day for around 30 € on this official site: https://international-permit.com/ or this one (a bit pricier) in just 8 minutes: https://internationaldriversassociation.com/fr/!

That said, I *strongly* advise against driving in Indonesia. You won’t be insured, and if you’re in an accident with injuries, jail time is almost guaranteed. The best deal is renting a scooter for a few euros a day—you’ll find them everywhere.

Hi and thanks for your reply!

About the scooter—do I need an international license? Do you have a rental place you’d recommend? I’m thinking of basing myself in Ubud.

Thanks!!

About the scooter, is an international license required?

When you rent, they don’t ask for anything, but an international license is mandatory if you get checked. In about ten rentals across several Indonesian islands, I’ve only been checked once—12 years ago. I don’t know what the risk is if you don’t have the license.

Do you have a rental address to recommend? I’m planning to stay in Ubud.

No, you can rent anywhere—just ask your hotel, a nearby restaurant, or any shop. In Ubud, there are professional rental places. But I always asked my homestay to find one for me; they bring it to your door, which is way easier.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply!

About the distances—on a scooter, is it better to go for something more powerful? And how many kilometers can you realistically cover on average? Depending on the route, the map shows 30 km...

Regarding distances, on a scooter, is it better to go for something powerful?

It's mainly the hills that can be really steep. They have scooters for two people, but they’ll give you one that’s only sufficient for one person.

And how many KM is it possible to cover on average? Depending on certain distances, the map shows 30 km..

It really depends. First, avoid the south—it’s too dangerous (Denpasar, Kuta, Sanur area), too much traffic. Plus, they drive on the left, so you have to get used to it, and vehicles come from all directions, overtaking on the right or left... it’s not reassuring. Then, some road sections are "normal" with straight lines and decent slopes, not too many villages (like the Amed area or the entire north coast), so you’ll cover quite a few km. But in the mountains, it winds a lot with some very steep slopes, intersections where you hesitate (no signs), and villages with kids playing ball on the road... way fewer km, but still more than 30.

And how did you manage to visit the south of the island? Is it really impossible by scooter?

And how did you manage to visit the south of the island?

Taxi from the airport to Kuta (it’s not really Bali but it’s convenient for resting a day after a long-haul flight), then on foot in Kuta, and taxi or bus to other parts of Bali where I often rented a scooter.

To get to the peninsula south of the airport, after the airport a scooter is possible, but between Kuta/Seminyak and the airport, there are a lot of people, so it’s doable if you’re really careful.

They were there in November 2024, and yes, there’s a lot of traffic, but scooters can get through everywhere with a little patience. Blue Bird has excellent service.

Hi there. Can I really trust https://international-permit.com/en-us? Thanks for your reply! !

In my opinion, yes, because I had looked for info from an official organization that says so, but I forgot which site... and since I wasn’t checked with this permit, I can’t certify that it’s okay 😅