Bali Packing List: What to Bring, Buy and Skip

For a Bali packing list, bring light clothes for 29 to 31°C (84 to 88°F) weather, a sarong and a covered-shoulder top for temples, a warm layer for Mount Batur, a rain poncho in the wet season and a Type C or F plug adapter. Everything else you can buy or wash on the island, so one carry-on and a day pack cover most trips of a week or two. The list shifts with the season and your plans: a Batur sunrise, a Nusa Penida day and a waterfall hike each need one item a plain beach week does not. For the wider trip, start with the Bali destination guide.

What to Pack for Bali: The Short Answer

• Clothes. Five or six light outfits, one pair of long pants and one smart-casual evening outfit. Evenings are casual to smart casual, so heels stay home. Laundry shops charge by the kilo and many return clothes within a day, so rewash instead of packing more.
• Bag. Budget fares on Southeast Asian routes usually leave checked bags out of the base price, and the Bali flights guide compares allowances by airline.
• Paperwork. Keep your passport, your visa or e-VOA (how the Bali visa works) and your levy receipt (paying the tourist levy) on your phone.

Bali Packing List by Season: Dry vs Wet

Temperatures barely move across the year. Rain, humidity and altitude do, and they decide what goes in the bag.

April and October are transition months, so pack for both. Wet-season Batur climbs are often cancelled for lightning risk. The month-by-month weather and crowd calendar shows where your dates fall.

Bali Temple Kit: Sarong, Sash and Covered Shoulders

A sarong and sash are required at most Bali temples, and the entrance usually lends or rents them. Shoulders should be covered, so a T-shirt or light scarf in the day bag is enough; the Bali etiquette guide has the temple rules. Expect around IDR 10,000–20,000 (~USD 0.60–1.25) or a donation. A sarong of your own saves the queue and doubles as a beach cover-up.

Wear slip-on sandals, because shoes come off at some sites, and carry small notes for cash entry fees. For the purification pools at Tirta Empul, bring a change of clothes; Ubud’s temple and day-trip notes cover the visit.

Sun, Sea and Rain Gear for Bali

• Sun. A cap or hat, sunglasses and sunscreen cover most days.
• Reef-safe sunscreen. Mineral, reef-safe sunscreen is the usual choice around snorkel sites. We found no Bali rule that requires it, so treat it as a recommendation. The beach-by-beach guide notes that pharmacies and surf shops stock it.
• Rain and repellent. A poncho costs around IDR 20,000–30,000 (~USD 1.25–1.75) at petrol stations and street stalls. Add a refillable bottle, since tap water is not drinkable, and insect repellent for evenings in the rice fields.

Power and Phone Kit for Bali

• Plug adapter. Indonesia’s tourism site gives 230 V, 50 Hz and type C and F sockets. US plugs have flat blades and do not fit the round-pin sockets, so a US traveler needs an adapter. The world plug type chart shows where else those two types are used. Shops in town sell them.
• Chargers. Most phone and laptop chargers are marked 100-240V, so only the plug shape matters. A device marked 120V only, such as an older hair dryer, needs a voltage converter or should stay home. Heading on to Thailand, Singapore or Japan? The multi-country plug and voltage guide covers them.
• Phone setup. Install the ride apps before you fly (Grab and Gojek setup with a US number) and sort a local number with the Indonesia SIM card guide. QRIS and cash for tourists explains where small payments need which.
• Power bank. It goes in the carry-on, never the checked bag; the power bank flight rules give the limits.

Pack for Your Bali Plans: Batur, Nusa Penida, Waterfalls, Scooters

• Mount Batur sunrise. Treks start around 2am (how the Batur morning runs), and the summit can be about 10°C (50°F) before sunrise; guides give 10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F), with wind on the rim. Bring a light jacket or fleece, long pants (not jeans), trainers with grip and a spare dry top and socks. Ask your operator what it supplies. The seven-day first-timer itinerary puts the trek on Day 6.
• Nusa Penida. Fast boats leave Sanur and take 30 to 45 minutes. Hull space is limited, so leave the suitcase at your hotel and take a water-resistant day pack. On some tides you step into knee-deep water to land, so wear sandals or water shoes. Kelingking’s beach trail, Diamond Beach and the Blue Stairs are steep, so bring water and shoes with grip. The Nusa Penida island guide has the routes.
• Waterfalls. Grip matters most, because trails are muddier when the falls run hardest from February to April. Add a quick-dry towel and dry clothes for the ride back. The Bali things-to-do guide lists the falls by area.
• Scooter. Rentals include a helmet. Bring closed shoes, a poncho and, if you will ride, an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement. The scooter rental guide has licence rules and the latest status.
• Domestic flights. If your trip continues to Lombok, Labuan Bajo or Yogyakarta, you check in and clear security again at the domestic terminal (see the Bali airport guide). On a separate ticket, that airline’s baggage rules apply. Budget fares charge for checked bags, so check your airline’s allowance before you repack.

Buy It in Bali or Leave It Home

Put the small buys in the Bali trip budget, and find more practical guides under Bali Travel Tips.