Asia > Indonesia > Denpasar (DPS)
The Car or no Car advice for Denpasar can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Denpasar ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Denpasar ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Denpasar?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
🚗 Renting a car — possible, but not ideal for most
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) offers a wide range of rental cars. Prices may look reasonable. However, the driving environment is challenging. Roads are crowded with scooters. Lanes appear flexible. Junctions can feel chaotic. And navigation is not always clear. Parking is limited in tourist hubs like Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud.
Because of this, most visitors avoid self-drive. Instead, the common solution is to hire a car with a driver, which is affordable and far safer. Drivers know local shortcuts, understand Bali’s unwritten road rules and can adjust routes around ceremonies or road closures.
🛵 Scooters — popular with locals, risky for visitors
Scooter rental is everywhere in Bali. However, it carries real risks. Traffic conditions are unpredictable. Insurance rules are strict. And accidents involving visitors are common. Unless you are a very experienced scooter rider with full international insurance, it is best avoided.
🚕 Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis, Grab, and Gojek are the easiest way to move around Denpasar and the wider island. Prices are fair, and journeys are usually efficient. However, a few tourist zones restrict app-based pickups. In those areas, you may need to walk a short distance to meet your driver.
For airport transfers, official taxis and rideshares both work well.
🚌 Public transport — limited reach
Bali has the Trans Sarbagita bus system, but routes are sparse and frequencies low. It is useful for a handful of corridors, yet it does not replace taxis or drivers. For most visitors, Bali remains a place where public transport plays only a small role.
🌺 Car-free ways to enjoy Bali
Despite transport challenges, you can still enjoy many parts of Bali without driving:
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Beaches in Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran and Sanur
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Markets and temples in central Denpasar
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Museums such as the Bali Museum
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Coastal walks in Sanur
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Local food tours by taxi or organised group
Hotel areas are often walkable, and taxis fill the gaps between neighbourhoods.
🌄 When a driver becomes essential
Bali’s real magic lies away from the busiest strips. A car with a driver is perfect for:
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Ubud and the surrounding rice terraces
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Mount Batur sunrise trips
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Waterfalls in the north
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Tanah Lot and Uluwatu temples
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Besakih Temple, Bali’s “mother temple”
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Sidemen Valley
These routes involve long distances, mountain roads and scattered attractions. A driver lets you relax while still seeing everything.
✈️ Are there any other commercial airports in Bali?
At present, Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is the only operational commercial airport on the island of Bali. It is famously busy, hemmed in by the sea on one side and dense urban development on the other.
A second Bali airport is planned
Indonesia has approved plans for a major new airport called:
North Bali International Airport (sometimes referred to as “Buleleng Airport”).
It is envisioned as an alternative to DPS and would sit in the far north of the island, near Singaraja. The goals are:
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shifting tourism growth away from overcrowded south Bali
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creating better connections for the northern communities
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handling additional long-haul traffic
However — and this is important — the project has not yet begun construction, and the timeline has shifted repeatedly. At present, it remains a planned airport rather than an imminent one. DPS therefore continues to handle all commercial air traffic.
🌉 The Bali Mandara Toll Road
This is an existing and impressive piece of infrastructure. It:
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runs over the sea between Nusa Dua, the airport and Benoa
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cuts journey times dramatically
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offers fantastic views
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is one of Indonesia’s most dramatic modern highways
It is also one of the few roads in Bali where traffic usually moves smoothly.
🚌🚢🚆 Travelling from Bali to Jakarta overland
This is possible — but it’s very long, very tiring, and definitely aimed at niche experience hunters.
Here is the realistic breakdown:
🚌 Stage 1: Denpasar → Gilimanuk (Bali’s western tip)
You can do this by bus or minibus.
Travel time: 4.5–6 hours, depending on traffic.
This part is slow because roads pass through countless villages with heavy motorbike traffic.
⛴️ Stage 2: Gilimanuk → Ketapang (Java)
The ferry crossing is short and frequent.
Crossing time: 30–45 minutes
Allow ~1–2 hours including waiting time.
🚆 Stage 3: Ketapang → Banyuwangi → Surabaya → Jakarta
This is the long stretch. From Ketapang (Banyuwangi), you can board Java’s intercity trains. These are clean and reliable, but distances are huge.
🧭 Who actually does this?
This route appeals to:
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rail enthusiasts
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overland backpackers
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travellers collecting unusual journeys
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those avoiding domestic flights
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people who enjoy watching how Indonesia’s landscapes evolve region by region
Most tourists choose to fly:
DPS → CGK takes 1 hour 45 minutes.
🧳 Conclusion — Should you rent a car in Denpasar?
Usually no — at least not for self-drive. Bali’s traffic, narrow streets and unpredictable road conditions make driving stressful. Instead, taxis, ride-hailing and car-with-driver services offer a relaxed and efficient way to explore. If you want to see the island’s temples, waterfalls and mountains, hiring a driver gives you flexibility without the pressure of navigating Bali’s challenging roads.
