The new tourist entry fee to Bali will come into effect from 14 February 2024. As previously announced, foreign travellers will be required to pay a fee of IDR 150,000 per person on arrival to the Indonesian island.

The new charge can be paid in advance via https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id or on arrival, by cash or credit card. This fee is applicable once per stay in the country (including multiple entries to Bali per visit to Indonesia) and to all travellers including children who will be charged the same rate. The fee is payable in addition to the existing Visa on Arrival (VOA) charge of IDR 500,000.

It is recommended to settle the entry fee in advance to expedite the arrival process. The voucher receipt, sent via email on completion of the process, will be required for presentation upon arrival.

Revenue from the levy will be used to fund various initiatives, such as preserving rich Balinese culture, safeguarding the environment, enhancing tourism services and upgrading local infrastructure.

For more information, contact Asian Trails Indonesia

Asian Trails’ commitment to delivering exceptional trails goes beyond supplying high-end leisure products and the best accommodation choices across Indonesia.

We curate every detail of the journey, which involves selecting the best local restaurants for every itinerary – an exclusive approach that enhances our guests’ overall experience.

In recent months, our team in Bali scouted over 30 of the island’s best eateries in the most frequented areas. Business Development Manager Mattia Lorusso and Service Delivery Manager Mathias Ziolkowski personally visited each restaurant to evaluate the quality of food, cleanliness and service, while also noting each venue’s capacity, ambiance and setting.

This focus underlines our holistic strategy to crafting memorable journeys and elevating guests’ overall enjoyment. Only the best restaurants are included in our tour programmes, ensuring visitors to Indonesia enjoy the pinnacle of Indonesian cuisine in establishments hand-picked and vetted by our destination experts.

For more destination insights and recommendations, contact our team at Asian Trails Indonesia.

Asian Trails in partnership with Bali Blue Harmony (BBH) – a well-established NGO dedicated to marine conservation – engaged in a programme to restore delicate coral ecosystems in the sea off Bali.

The choice of Nusa Dua highlighted the significance of preserving marine life in a region known for its natural beauty.  Twenty-nine of our Indonesia office staff participated with their counterparts from BBH and the group collectively created steel ‘reef stars’ which are attached to coral fragments, creating a framework for flourishing corals when placed underwater.

Coral reefs provide an important ecosystem for marine life, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast and they provide a crucial source of income for millions of people through sea food yields. The Coral Triangle, a coral-rich marine region in South-East Asia, which includes the sea off Indonesia, is the most biologically diverse marine ecosystem on Earth.

For more details about our sustainable activities, contact Asian Trails Indonesia.

Visitors to Indonesia can now travel on South-East Asia’s fastest train which cuts the travel time between Jakarta and Bandung, the capital of West Java province, from three hours to 40 minutes.

The Chinese-made bullet train called Whoosh covers the 142-km distance between the two cities at speeds of up to 350-kph. It is equipped with a safety system that can respond to floods, earthquakes and other emergency situations.

Whoosh has a capacity of 601 passengers in VIP, First and Second Class sections, plus a dining car and facilities for people with disabilities. Travellers heading to downtown Bandung need to take a feeder train which adds 20 minutes.

The government has urged citizens to switch from vehicles to mass transportation to reduce gridlocks and pollution, adding that congestion in Jakarta and Bandung costs the economy an estimated US$6.5 billion a year.

The new link is part of a planned 750-km high-speed track that will cut across four provinces on the island of Java and terminate in the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya.

For more about the train journey or tours in Jakarta or Bandung, explore our Indonesia Trails or contact Asian Trails Indonesia.

From travelling on the world’s highest altitude train to self-driving a vintage-style electric car around an ancient city, Asian Trails has rolled out a wealth of exciting new alternative transport options which are kinder to the planet.

As part of our ongoing drive to provide the best leisure products possible across Asia and meet our sustainable and responsible tourism goals, guests can enjoy some new fun and eco-friendly leisure travel activities.

Visitors to Bangkok can undertake a smoother, cleaner and more environmentally conscious start to their holiday with an electric car transfer from the capital’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to city centre hotels.

We also use electric cars and tuk-tuks on excursions around the metropolis. Besides zero carbon emissions, some of these vehicles have CCTV and free Wi-Fi for an enhanced experience.

For an electrifying trip around Bangkok’s Chinatown, our E-scooter tours enable tourists to avoid traffic jams and whizz down narrow alleyways to discover hidden attractions on speedy two wheelers with natural air-conditioning and 360-degree views!

In Malaysia, our design specialists have created the ultimate sustainable tour which takes adventurers down Borneo’s Semadang River in kayaks to interact with riverside communities. Explorers paddle down a 10-km stretch famed for its pristine environment and idyllic scenery.

This themed ‘Sustainable Trail’ minimises negative impacts on the environment through clean, water-based travel. It also maximises positive impacts on local communities, such as sourcing locally produced food for meals, thereby raising revenue for our hosts.

For those keen to enjoy a culinary insight without weight gain, our ‘bike and bite’ tour in Singapore takes cyclists to the Chinatown, Kampung Glam and Little India districts to try the island’s three main cuisines – Chinese, Malaysian and Indian.

Another possibility in the city-state is a night bike tour to see iconic landmarks, such as world-famous Marina Bay illuminated with powerful floodlights. As using a cycle instead of a car for short trips can reduce travel carbon emissions by around 75 per cent, according to the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security, this tour follows Asian Trails’ sustainable directives.

Our China team has created abundant excursions that capitalise on the world’s largest high-speed rail network. Super-fast routes include Beijing to Shanghai in just over four hours.

We also provide exceptionally scenic journeys, such as travel on the Silk Road Orient Express, one of the most luxurious rides available.

Another highlight is the overnight train from Xining to Lhasa, the world’s highest rail link which takes passengers over 4,000-metres above sea level for 960-km. With the highest point at Tangula Mountain Pass, a dizzying altitude of 5,072-metres, it is easy to see why this is known as the ‘railway to the sky’.

One more outstanding product in China is the Tea Trail Caravan, a combined hiking and glamping multi-day adventure along the ancient Tea Horse Road trade route. Reaching heights of up to 4,200-metres above sea level in Yunnan province, the trail is led by local sherpas, using horses. This takes guests back to the 6th century when horses leisurely plodded from East to West carrying goods, such as tea, through the remote mountain terrain.

In Laos, our team is offering a range of exciting electric vehicles to discover the ancient palaces and temples of Luang Prabang. These include a vintage 1920s-style car with space for eight, and a speedy compact four-seater with a top speed of 105-kph and a range of 170-km from one battery charge. These can be driven without a licence.

Over in Vietnam, a new luxury rail link between the capital Hanoi and the coastal city of Danang takes indulgence to a higher level in super comfortable carriages, with the ever-changing landscape unfolding through expansive windows.

This form of transport is also better for the planet; a rail journey, compared to a car can cut carbon emissions by around 80 per cent, according to the UK government’s data. Environmentally friendly is the only way to go!

Visitors to the paradise island of Bali can ride all-terrain vehicles on a guided outing through sublime scenery, with stops to enjoy locally grown fruit at plantations and refreshing dips in natural rockpools fed by spectacular waterfalls.

Phnom Penh’s compassionate side is revealed on a tour that takes in development projects that benefit the underprivileged, with travel partly conducted in three-wheeled cyclos, a form of transport that has long been a mainstay in the capital.

Highlights include visits to the vibrant city’s landmark attractions, including the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Participation also financially benefits the cyclo-drivers who use pedal power to convey guests around the capital. Read more about giving back via our collaboration with Phnom Penh’s KVL Hotel and the Cyclo Conservation and Careers Association (CCCA).

Whatever form of transport we use in our tours and transfers, we go that extra mile to deliver unique and alternative experiences. The routes are not set in stone either – we produce bespoke products to meet every individual’s need. For more details and bookings, connect with our inbound teams via the link below.