Summer Camp
Know before you go.
Three things to do online before you fly. A pack list that checks itself off. How money, power and etiquette work. How to get home at 2am. And a FAQ.
Four things. One already done.
Insurance is sorted — the whole crew's covered. The other three you need to knock out online before you fly. Two of those require an official Indonesian government site (and only the official one: the lookalikes overcharge).
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01
Travel insurance. All sorted.
Comprehensive · 1Cover · All 8 crew covered · Adventure & Sports Pack includedThe whole group is insured. Policy 1C-AU-CPN4948097, issued 26 May 2026. Comprehensive plan with Adventure & Sports Pack. Policy excess $200, Cancellation & On-Trip Disruption limit $5,000.
Covered: Amanda Barna, Micah Howard, Chloe Vick, Natalia Inga Ziarkowska, Henry Spicer-Short, Sophie Costello, Matthew Porter, Alexander Bailey.
Emergency assist (24/7): +61 2 8776 3010 · Email: help@1cover.com.au
Trav's insurance (separate): Travel Insurance Direct · Policy TIDAUS25516463 · Excess $250 · Cancellation $4,000 · +61 2 8256 1537 · info@tid.com.au
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02
e-VOA, Visa on Arrival, online.
IDR 500,000 per person (~AUD 50-55) · 30-day stay · do it from 14 days outDo it at the official site, evisa.imigrasi.go.id, and only that
.go.idsite (lookalikes overcharge). Available from 14 days out; recommended at least 48h before you fly.You'll need: a passport scan (valid 6+ months beyond travel), a passport-style photo, your return ticket details, and a 3D-Secure Visa/Mastercard, one person can pay for the whole group; the card doesn't have to be the traveller's.
You get the e-VOA + a QR code by email, save it and print it. It lets you walk straight to the automated e-gates and skip the 20-45 min VOA payment queue. (You can pay at the airport instead, just slower.)
Your e-VOA — download & save it
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03
All Indonesia arrival card. ✓ All sorted
Group filing · Amanda Barna as lead traveller · Arrival Card #2605300054285The combined customs + health declaration (replaces the old e-CD and the SatuSehat health pass since 1 September 2025). Barna's filed it as a group with herself as lead — one QR covers all 8 of us at customs.
Group arrival QR — screenshot & save
Tap the image to open full-size, then save / screenshot it to your phone. Show this after baggage claim at customs.
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04
Bali tourist levy.
IDR 150,000 per person (~AUD 15) · one-time · on top of the VOASeparate from and on top of the VOA. Pay it online before you fly at the official site lovebali.baliprov.go.id — only that
.go.iddomain (.com/.orglookalikes overcharge). Card / QRIS / bank transfer.You get a QR-code voucher by email, keep it handy. Random checks happen at temples and big attractions.
Your voucher — download & screenshot it
The card to screenshot.
This is the single most useful block on the site. Screenshot it, save the WhatsApp link, copy Barna's number. If it's 2am and you're confused, this is your move.
The camp group.
Live updates, "where's everyone", lost-and-found, last-minute plans. Join it before you fly.
Join the camp WhatsApp →
Scan to join the camp WhatsApp group.
Barna.
Call or text for anything, lifts, plans, "is this the right villa", whatever.
Genuine emergency?
Call Barna first, then Trav. "I'm bored" is not an emergency. "I'm lost in Canggu at 2am" is fine, that's literally what we're here for.
Where you're staying.
Show this to a Grab/taxi driver, or just open the pin below and let them follow it.
Tap as you pack.
It remembers, and it'll tell you how done you are. Lives in your browser, no login, nothing to lose.
You're 0% packed.
The lay of the land.
IDR to $1 AUD. Carry cash for warungs, markets, temples, drivers; cards at bigger places.
Not expected, always appreciated. Drivers, rounding up is plenty.
2-pin Euro sockets. Bring an adaptor, and a powerboard.
GoJek & Grab.
Install both before you fly. Grab = cars; GoJek = cheap scooters + food delivery. Patchy in Ubud (driver zones), use a private driver there.
Convenience stores nearby.
Circle K, Indomart, Coco Express, all a 2-4 min walk from the villa. Snacks, drinks, sunscreen, basics. Coffee Phora and Foodmart are on the same stretch.
Don't drink the tap.
Villa's got filtered water, refill there. Ice at proper venues is fine. Brush with bottled if you're cautious.
Eat sensibly.
Busy, high-turnover spots. Go easy on sketchy roadside until your stomach adjusts.
Bit of respect.
Modest dress at temples, shoulders & knees. Shoes off in homes. Right hand for giving & receiving.
Bargain politely.
Start ~30-40% of the asking price. Smile while you do it. Petitenget boutiques are fixed-price.
Watch the sugar & chilli, both are in everything.
Gula = sugar. Cabe = chilli. Drinks especially. If either's a problem for you, learn those two words: "tidak gula" / "tidak cabe".
Do this. Don't do that.
Stuff that isn't obvious from the lay-of-the-land tiles. Read once, screenshot for later.
Do
The bits that'll save you money, embarrassment or a bad night.
- Use Blue Bird taxis if you're hailing one off the street. Real ones are dark blue, "Blue Bird Group" bird on the door, driver in a blue shirt with ID. Anything else paints itself the same colour and tampers the meter, Grab from your phone is always safer.
- Agree a price before any private driver / scooter ride that isn't on Grab/GoJek. "How much to X?" → agreed → go. No "you said / I meant" at the destination.
- Carry small notes (20k, 50k, 100k). Drivers, parking, warungs and temple donations all need change. Breaking a 100k for a 25k fare drains everyone's float by day 3.
- Ask before photographing people, ceremonies or offerings. Ceremony processions can block roads, wait, don't push through, and walk around the canang sari (palm-leaf offerings) on the footpath.
- Tell your bank you're travelling. Aussie banks still block transactions in Indonesia without notice. Wise / Revolut cards work great and dodge most FX fees.
- Drink water constantly. The heat sneaks up. Bintangs don't count.
- Screenshot the villa address in Bahasa too, not just English, useful for drivers who don't read Latin script well.
- Carry tissues / hand sanitiser. Many public toilets don't have paper or soap.
Don't
The bits that get tourists scammed, hospitalised or jailed. Don't be a stat.
- Don't get in an unmarked taxi at the airport ("transport, transport?" guys). Use the official airport taxi counter, a pre-booked transfer, or Grab from the designated pickup zone outside the terminal (follow the signs, there's a specific Grab/GoJek spot because of local driver disputes).
- Don't rent a scooter unless you're properly licensed and confident. Aussies fill Sanglah hospital every week. Aussie travel insurance usually won't cover scooter accidents without a valid motorcycle licence (your car licence does not count). Check your PDS.
- Don't flash big notes or count cash in the open. Pull what you need before you walk up. Bag-snatch-from-scooter does happen, wear bags cross-body, on the inside shoulder, away from the road.
- Don't touch anyone's head (especially kids). Most sacred part of the body in Balinese culture.
- Don't point your feet at people, shrines or offerings. Sitting on the floor at a temple, tuck them under you.
- Don't wear swimwear off the beach / pool deck. Walking into a warung in a bikini reads as disrespectful. Throw a sarong on.
- Don't step on or kick offerings on the pavement. Three times a day, placed deliberately. Accidents happen, no drama, just don't make a thing of it.
- Don't do drugs. Indonesia has the death penalty for trafficking and serious jail for possession. Tourists do get caught. Not worth the conversation.
- Don't lose your temper in public. Balinese culture values composure. Raised voices read as massively rude, and you'll get worse outcomes. Don't be the "Aussie shouting at the driver" stereotype.
- Don't fall for "temple closed, come to my friend's shop" at major sites. It's not closed. Walk past.
- Don't swim outside flagged beach areas. West-coast surf beaches (Echo, Berawa, Batu Bolong, Double Six) have rips. Red flag = don't go in. Yellow = caution.
- Don't buy souvenirs at the airport, 3-5× mainland prices. Krisna or Seminyak Square instead.
- Don't double-tip. Many restaurants already add 15-21% "service + tax". Check the bill before adding 10% on top.
- Don't expect punctuality. "Jam karet" (rubber time) is real. Build buffer into pickup times, don't wind up when a driver's 10 min late.
- Don't leave valuables visible in cars or on the beach. Use the villa safe for passports and excess cash.
Rupiah, roughly.
Punch a number in. The rest is rough late-2025 / early-2026 ballparks, they drift, so treat them as "about that" not "exactly that".
AUD ↔ IDR
Using a rough rate of 1 AUD ≈ 10,000 IDR, for a feel, not a quote.
- Large Bintang at a minimart~IDR 25-40k
- 1-hour Balinese massage (good Seminyak spa)~IDR 200-300k
- Grab / GoJek car to Ubud~IDR 200-350k
- Short Grab within Seminyak~IDR 25-80k
- GoJek scooter ride~IDR 15-40k
- Private driver, full day (whole car, ~5-6 ppl)~IDR 500-800k
- Beach-club day (cover + drinks + lunch)~IDR 250-600k pp
- DPS → Seminyak airport taxi~IDR 200-300k
- DPS → Seminyak pre-booked private transfer~AUD 10-25
- Temple entries (Uluwatu / Tanah Lot / Tegalalang / Monkey Forest)~IDR 30-80k ea
- Uluwatu Kecak fire dance~IDR 150k
- Beginner surf lesson~IDR 400k
- Ayung rafting (incl. transfer + lunch)~IDR 370-450k
- Private chef at the villa, multi-course~IDR 295-500k pp
Five words go a long way.
You'll get a heap of mileage out of just five of these. If you learn one, make it Terima Kasih.
| English | Bahasa | Pronounced |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Selamat Pagi | suh-lah-mat pah-gee |
| Good night | Selamat Malam | suh-lah-mat mah-lahm |
| Thank you | Terima Kasih | te-ree-ma ka-seeh |
| You're welcome | Sama-Sama | saa-maa saa-maa |
| Getting a woman's attention | Mba | mmm-ba |
| Getting a man's attention | Mas | mass / muss |
| No | Tidak | tee-dak |
| Delicious | Enak | e-nak |
| Goodbye | Dadah | dah-dah |
| Foreigner (us) | Bule | boo-ley |
| Sugar, it's in everything | Gula | goo-lah |
| Chilli / spicy | Cabe | cha-bey |
| Open / Closed | Buka / Tutup | 00 |
| Entrance / Exit | Masuk / Keluar | 00 |
| Push / Pull / Press | Dorong / Tarik / Tekan | 00 |
The questions that get asked.
Do I need a visa?
Yes, a Visa on Arrival (e-VOA): IDR 500,000 per person, 30-day stay. Do it online before you fly at evisa.imigrasi.go.id (only that .go.id site), save the QR, and you skip the airport queue. Full details up the top of this page.
What's this customs form?
The "All Indonesia" arrival card, the combined customs + health declaration that, since 1 September 2025, replaced the old e-CD and the SatuSehat health pass. One form per person at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id (or the app), within 72 hours before arrival. You get a QR code; you show it at customs. No separate health app needed.
Is the tourist levy actually real / enforced?
Yes, it's a legal requirement (IDR 150,000 per person, one-time). Enforcement has been patchy, but pay it anyway: random checks do happen at temples and big attractions, and it's online and quick at lovebali.baliprov.go.id. Don't be the one who didn't.
Can I bring my partner?
TBA, check with Trav or Barna. If it's a yes, costs (flights, their share of the villa, etc.) are likely on you.
How much cash should I bring?
Keep a few hundred thousand rupiah on you at all times, warungs, markets, temples and a lot of drivers are cash-only. Hit a bank-branded ATM (BCA / Mandiri / BNI) on arrival at DPS rather than changing money at the airport. Cards work fine at bigger restaurants, beach clubs and shops.
Is the tap water OK?
No, don't drink the tap. The villa has filtered water, so refill your bottle there. Ice at proper venues is fine. Brush your teeth with bottled water if you're being careful.
What's the dress code for the night out?
Bali's chill, smart-casual does it. But a few of the bigger Seminyak spots (Motel Mexicola, La Favela and the like) aren't keen on thongs and singlets at the door, so pack one going-out outfit that isn't pool gear.
What if there's a real emergency?
Call Barna first, then Trav, both numbers are in the comms card above (and Barna's is the one to copy into your phone now). "I'm bored" doesn't count. "I'm lost in Canggu at 2am" absolutely does, that's what we're here for.
Can I expense X?
TBA, Trav will confirm what's covered vs what's on you before we go. When in doubt, ask before you spend.
Who do I talk to about flights / rooms / activities?
Barna's the trip lead, flights and rooms go through him. Activities get sorted as a group: check out Explore Bali and we'll lock the big ones in.
Dietary needs and FF details.
Dietary needs and frequent flyer details now live in one spot on the home page. Takes two minutes, and Barna handles the rest.
TerimaKasih.
Can't wait to see you all in Bali.
Thank you · NBH