suciu

I'm wondering how difficult it is to find a driver in Bali on short notice. I'm taking a 5-day trip to Bali and want to maintain a lot of flexibility. Some days, I think I'll just want to stay in the hotel or just go out to see one site--not a whole day touring.

Will it be easy/affordable to find a driver for short trips on a whim? Or am I better off forgoing flexibility and booking drivers in advance?


Secondary question: I'll be traveling from the Nusa Dua area to Ubud on my second day, but want to make a few (very few) stops on the way. Also, not exactly sure what time I want to leave. Should I try to hire one of FT's recommended drivers in advance? Or can I hire someone on short notice (taxi/driver?)?

I'm not too interested in having an excellent guide, I'm just worried about being ripped off.

Thanks in advance!

jiejie

Well, I thought it was easy to walk out to the street when I wanted to head out somewhere, and the drivers were plentiful--begging for business (though it was the off-season). Picked and "interviewed" one for about 5 minutes, bargained a fare for the journey and return, and off I went. This was in Ubud...not sure about Nusa Dua but should be doable unless you are really in an isolated location. My preference is to put the money directly in the hands of the service provider rather than to the hotel that skims off a lot of cream, though some people feel more secure/safe with a hotel-provided driver. Don't forget to get straight--before you commit--who pays for fuel and driver's lunch.

suciu

This is exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks!

Jaimito Cartero

And make sure upfront, that no stops at Batik shops, elephant dung paper shops, silver shops, etc.

pennywern

Let your hotel organize a driver for you. They have an interest in not pissing you off too much, and they're likely to have access to more candidates than you will.

There's never a shortage of drivers in Bali so availability isn't an issue. It's more a matter of, as you intuited, not being endlessly pestered with unwanted gift-shop stops.

jiejie

Interesting. I didn't have a single instance or issue with the unwanted stops with any of the impromptu drivers I used. It was just never tried, or even suggested. Anyway, if you do-it-yourself, probably something to add to the upfront negotiation. "I hate shopping...no shopping stops!"