Hiring A Private Driver In Bali: What You Need To Know!

Last Updated: January 30 2025

Known as the ‘Land of the Gods’, Bali is an intriguing destination, one that leaves travellers full of awe and wonder. Boasting lush rice fields, incredible temples, and stunning beaches, this island really does have it all.

Unfortunately, the driving situation on this island is not so serene. Getting around Bali comes with its challenges and hiring a scooter can feel overwhelming for many travellers. This is why people often opt for a private driver instead as it’s a much more convenient option.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about hiring a private driver in Bali. This includes what you can expect to pay, who you should choose (our own personal recommendation), and some other top tips!

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Table of Contents

Why should you hire a private driver in Bali?

Tegenungan Waterfall, private driver in Bali

We’d highly recommend hiring a private driver in Bali. Although you can easily rent a scooter during your Bali trip, not everyone will want to drive on this island (we certainly didn’t). Between the crazy traffic and weaving motorbikes, it’s not a pleasant driving experience, especially for those who aren’t confident behind the wheel.

Here are some advantages of hiring a private driver in Bali:

Travelling with a local – Not only will you get to learn about the island’s culture and attractions first-hand, but you’ll often have a lot of fun doing so. In fact, we’re still friends with our driver to this day!

Avoiding the traffic – There’s no denying that traffic in Bali can quickly ruin a day out (especially if you’re short on time). Luckily, the locals will often take you down hidden/quieter roads which is a huge advantage.

Flexibility – Another highlight of hiring a private driver is that you can choose your own itinerary. If you take your driver’s recommendations, you’ll often visit some hidden gems along the way too!

Value for money – Hiring a driver in Bali is very affordable, especially if you’re travelling in a group and you can split the cost. For a full day, you can pay as little as 600,000 IDR for the vehicle (around £30).

Stress-free – By opting for a driver, you can travel around the island without worrying about driving yourself. You also won’t need to worry about car/scooter rentals, fuel, or traffic – allowing you to really enjoy the day.

Helpful information about hiring a driver in Bali

How much does it cost to hire a driver?

Hiring a Bali driver for a day can cost as little as 600,000 IDR (£30). This is typically for a full day, with your tour lasting for approximately 8-10 hours. Of course, the price depends on the type of vehicle. For a larger SUV, prices can increase to around 1,000,000 IDR (£30 – £50) or more.

For half-day tours (6 hours), the price typically starts from around 375,000 IDR (£18.75) although this varies. Be aware that this price is per vehicle, not per person. This is why hiring a driver is such a cost-effective way to get around – especially if you’re travelling as a group.

Be aware that the price will vary depending on other factors, aside from the tour length. These include the type of vehicle, seasonal demand, and which area of Bali you’re visiting.

What’s included in the price?

This will depend on who you choose. Typically you pay per vehicle, and can then split the cost if you’re travelling in a group. Fuel is also included, and many drivers choose to provide bottled water and snacks too.

Some drivers also factor in parking charges and toll roads to your fee, but you’ll need to discuss this beforehand. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay additionally for these. Charges are minimal so bring along some cash!

How to book a private driver

Honestly, there are so many Bali private drivers to choose from that it’s hard to know where to start! Here are a few different ways to find your perfect driver.

Personal Recommendations

If your friends or family have visited Bali, we’d always suggest checking with them first. There’s nothing better than a personal recommendation, especially from someone you trust. Don’t worry, we’ll give our own personal recommendation below – he’s amazing!

Tour Platforms (GYG/Viator/Klook)

If you don’t have a personal recommendation, then we’d suggest checking out one of the tour platforms listed below. GetYourGuide, Klook, and Viator all offer private driver options but you’ll want to check the reviews first. Here are some of the listed options:

GetYourGuide – Private car or van charter with driver

Viator – Full-day Bali private driver

Klook – Bali private car charter

Booking Through Your Hotel

Alternatively, some hotels offer private driver services so you won’t have to worry about booking elsewhere. If they don’t offer the service themselves, they’ll likely offer to book it for you, or at least give a recommendation. The good thing about booking through your hotel is that they’ll only want to offer their guests the best.

Searching Google

Not that you’ll struggle to find a private driver, but you can always search for private drivers on Google too. There are various websites and Facebook pages to check out too, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s also the option of checking social media platforms.

But if you want to save yourself all this trouble, we’ve got the perfect recommendation…

The driver we chose

Looking for the best private driver in Bali? We can highly recommend Tama! We met Tama back in 2015 and then again in 2022, and it’s safe to say, we consider him a great friend now.

During our search for a driver, we found him on Tripadvisor under ‘Bali Driver and Tour Guide’. The reviews praised Tama and his team for their local knowledge, friendliness, flexibility, and punctuality – all big selling points for us. After reading all the incredible reviews, we decided to drop Tama a message and we weren’t disappointed.

After having such a great experience on our Ubud tour, we quickly booked another. This time, we headed to East Bali. Due to the early rise (pick-up at 5 am), Tama thoughtfully packed us pillows and blankets so we could have a snooze along the way.

Throughout both of these tours, Tama took fantastic photos of us and took us to some beautiful hidden gems. He’s an outstanding guide and is the only person we would ever use when hiring a private driver in Bali.

You can find Tama here:

This article isn’t sponsored – we’ve just had fantastic experiences with Tama over the years so we can highly recommend him!

Example Tours

Acouplescalling at Tirta Gangga Water Palace

When you hire a private driver in Bali, there are so many different options. Whether you’re looking to visit the beaches of Uluwatu, explore the jungles of Ubud, or wander around Ubud, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Here are some of our trips to give you an idea:

Ubud – Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Tegallalang Rice Terrace, Alas Harum, Goa Gajah & Tegenungan Waterfall.
East Bali – Pura Lempuyang Luhur, Taman Soekasada Ujung & Tirta Gangga.
Uluwatu – Uluwatu Temple, Melasti Beach, Padang Padang Beach & more.

Important Things to consider

Macaque in the Sacred Monkey Forest, Bali

When choosing a Bali private driver, there are a few things to think about – especially if you want to negotiate the price. Here are a few quick points:

Tour length – Tours are typically either half-day (approx 6 hours) or full-day (8 – 10 hours) and this will have an impact on the price. If you want to hire a Bali driver for a few days, you can often get a better deal.

Type of vehicle – The majority of vehicles in Bali will seat four people. If you have a larger group, then you’ll need a bigger vehicle (such as an SUV) and this will be more expensive.

Seasonal demand – During the peak season (July to August) you may find that prices are higher due to increased demand. The rainy season can also have an impact so just keep this in mind.

Where you visit – For example, hiring a private driver in Ubud will typically be easier and pricing will be competitive, compared to the likes of North Bali and Uluwatu.

English-speaking driver – This isn’t something that will affect the price, but having an English-speaking driver with you is a huge benefit. Not only can you chat away, but you’ll learn so much about the island.

Tips for hiring a private driver in Bali

Here are some of our top tips!

Before you book a private Bali driver, we’d highly recommend checking out the reviews first. This may seem like an obvious one, but it will give you a good idea of the driver’s personality and driving skills.

Some private drivers will have a set price for tours, whereas you may have to negotiate with others. It’s best to decide whether you’re after a half-day or full-day tour first and then go from there.

Although you can decide on the itinerary, we’d suggest asking for some local recommendations too. On our tours with Tama, we visited some beautiful places that we never would have chosen on our own.

While on your tour, why not ask your driver to join you for lunch? You can also ask them to visit attractions with you, so you can get local insight. This is a personal preference and of course, depends on your budget.

If you’ve had a fabulous day, then please tip your driver. Although tipping isn’t expected in Bali, your driver will certainly appreciate it. We’d say that anywhere between 100,000 – 300,000 IDR (£5 – £15 ) is a good tip.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring A Private Driver

Coffee tasting with a private driver in Bali

Should you get a private driver in Bali?

In our opinion, hiring a private driver is a fantastic idea in Bali. Not only are the fees very affordable, but you won’t have to worry about driving around the island yourself which does come with its fair share of challenges.

Having your own private driver allows ultimate flexibility and you’ll likely visit some hidden gems too. However, the main highlight is getting to chat with your driver, who you may even become friends with like we did!

How much to tip a private driver in Bali?

Tipping isn’t expected in Bali but it’s a great way to show your appreciation. In our opinion, 50,000 IDR (£2.50) is a relatively small tip for the experience, and we’d suggest giving at least 100,000 IDR (£5) if you can.

Alternatively, if you’re travelling in a group, you could easily spare 200,000 – 300,000 IDR (£10 – £15). Honestly, it all depends on how your day was (and your budget) but we’d definitely recommend giving a tip.

Do you need to hire a private driver before getting to Bali?

In our experience, you don’t need to hire a private driver before you get to Bali. Bali drivers tend to be readily available, and you often only need to give a few days notice (or perhaps a week if it’s a popular driver).

Better yet, many drivers like to communicate via WhatsApp which makes the tours very easy to organise. If you’d prefer to be organised, there’s certainly no harm in booking in advance, especially if you have someone in mind.