Bali's main beach resort's, kuta, sanur and Nusa Dua, catering for huge numbers of tourists are located 20 km south of the provincial capital, Denpasar, and within 3-6 km of Bali's Ngurah Rai airport, which is becoming one of the main entry points to Indonesia.
Getting there
by air flights the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta are frequent, and if you land in Jakarta before 5 pm you can usually get a connection to Bali. (although in peak season, these 90-min flight are almost always full. Book your flight all the way to Bali) from airport, hire a taxi to the place you intend to stay.
by train one can also take a train from Jakarta (slow, and nightmare with scuba gear) which connects to Surabaya (12 hrs on Bima, $ 43 executive; 8 hrs on the new express, $ 44 executive class), then a train to Bayuwangi, (4 hrs, $ 7.5 Business class), then a bus to and across the ketapang, Java-Gilimanuk, Bali ferry ($ 3) and on to Denpasar (4 hrs $ 2).
by long-distance bus taking a night bus the entire way is probably a better option (24 hrs Jakarta-Denpasar, $ 30) from Ubung Terminal outside Denpasar, where you are dropped off, a minibus to the tourists triangle of Kuta-Sanur-Nusa Dua runs $ 3-5. All in All best to arrive by plane.
by sea there are six ferries a day from Lembar on Lombok, $ 2,5-4 passanger, $ 25 car. there is also a high speed (2 hr) Catamaran service that departs Lembar 11.30 am and 5.00 pm, $ 17.50-25. Arrange these through your Lombok acommodation. Pelni's Kelimutu, Dobonsolo, AWU and Tilongkabila all stop in Bali on their various twoo-week routes.
Transport in Bali
Cars and Minibuses there are numerous car hire offices. rates go from as low as $ 15 excluding einsurances per day for a jimny up to $ 40 for a Kijang minibus. it/s sometimes a good idea to ask at your hotel.
Motorcycle hire has become increasingly dangerous on Bali and is definitely not recommended for the inexperienced. Hire through car hire companies or personal contact. check the bike over very carefully before agreeing to the hire.
Bus Bali is covered by a network of minibus routes and you can be dropped anywhere you can also charter minibuses, but be prepared to haggle over the price ($30-40 a day plus fuel).
taken from Birding Bali. Periplus Publishing. Singapore