Jul 2, 2010

You can't transit properly at Bali airport

I got really mad at Ngurah Rai International Airport airport in Bali when I was on my way to Bangkok. I was only slated to be the airport for a couple of hours as I had a connecting flight to Singapore, but you can't transit at Bali airport without entering and then leaving the country.

It's ridiculous. There's even a sign on arrival that points to the transit desk. There are doors that could have let me into the international departures lounge, but they were locked, and nobody was manning the desk. Would it be that hard to put someone on the desk?

The reason I complain is because you have to spend $25 to enter the country and then $15 to leave it. You essentially spend $40 for the privilege of waiting in a queue for ages and then walking around.

I hate Bali airport. It's the worst. The queues at immigration are usually horrendous. One time I bought a visa in advance and actually had to queue for longer than if I'd got a visa on arrival. Indonesia has also stopped doing the $10, one-week visas, which is fair enough, I suppose, but come on, at least let people transit at Bali.

4 Responses

  1. Courts says:

    Yogya airport is the same.. I arrived there from singas and had to stand in line for 40 minutes as opposed to the other westerners who got VOA and were through immigration in 5 minutes

  2. Edward Rees says:

    I know a system whereby you pay 20US and bypass all the lines.

  3. Figures says:

    That figures. Bali is a rubbish dump full of annoying people constantly annoying you and trying to rip you off… even purposely attempting to short changing you in convenience stores.

  4. Figures says:

    I got charged $25 and $20 US, was asked for a tip on the way out and watched as an airport employee scammed people by asking for souvenir coins and later converted them for notes on other tourists.