The most efficient way to see Bali in one day is simple: hire a private car with a driver.
You can piece things together with taxis and buses. People do. But taxis get expensive fast when you’re hopping between temples, waterfalls, cafés, and viewpoints. And buses… well, they’re slow, limited, and not built for the kind of wandering most people come here for.
So yes – private car and driver is the way.
Getting one is easy.
Getting a good one is not.
Truthful, relaxed, not trying to squeeze you for commissions. That kind of driver takes a bit more effort to find. And if you’re not careful, you might end up spending your day in places you never wanted to go.
Which brings us to this.
Be wary of drivers pushing you to certain commissioned places
There’s a reason this comes up again and again in travel forums.
You’ll be sitting in the car, half awake, staring out the window, and the driver casually asks:
“Do you like coffee?”
You say yes. Because… of course you do.
And suddenly you’re in a “traditional coffee plantation” in Ubud, being handed free samples and politely cornered into buying a $100 bag of luwak coffee you never asked for.
That’s not hospitality.
That’s a setup.
Some drivers earn commission from certain shops, restaurants, and tour operators. And some of them will quietly steer your day in that direction. No explanation. No discussion. Just… a turn of the wheel.
If you’re new to Bali, it’s easy to miss what’s happening.
How to avoid places you don’t want to visit
A few simple habits will save you a lot of frustration.
1. Build your own loose itinerary.
Before you land, list the places you actually want to see. Be clear about them. And be just as clear about what you don’t want. You don’t need to be rigid- but you do need to have an opinion.
2. Treat spontaneous suggestions carefully.
If your driver suddenly recommends a place that wasn’t in your plan, pause. Ask for the name. Look it up. Read a few reviews. If it feels off, trust that feeling.
You’re allowed to say no. Politely. Firmly. Without guilt.
3. Be realistic with time.
In most areas, 4-5 spots in a day is comfortable. More than that and you’re rushing, not traveling.
Most car-and-driver hires in Bali are based on 10 hours per day. Go over, and you’ll usually pay around 10% extra per hour.
All of this only works, though, if your driver is already a decent human being.
Which leads us to the real difference.
Good vs bad drivers
Every driver in Bali, good or bad, has their own recommendations. For lunch. For activities. For spas.
That’s normal.
The difference is how they handle it.
A good driver will:
Ask if you already have a place in mind
Or suggest a place and tell you the name so you can check it yourself
And most importantly, respect your answer
No pressure. No sulking. No steering the car anyway.
A bad driver will:
Keep pushing after you’ve said no
Downplay your choice
Or quietly take you somewhere you didn’t agree to
And they know something important: you can’t exactly jump out of the car in the middle of nowhere. Once you’re in, you’re kind of stuck.
Good drivers understand that their reputation is everything. One bad experience can live online forever. Bad drivers gamble that you won’t bother writing about it.
Choose accordingly.
Finding reliable drivers
The easiest place to start is Google Reviews.
Many private car companies, and even groups of independent drivers, are listed there. And they care deeply about their reviews. As they should.
But here’s something most people miss:
Not all drivers in the same company are equal.
Some are smoother. Some are better with maps. Some drive like they’re carrying eggs. Some… don’t.
A skillful driver could turn the riding experience of an $18,000 Toyota Avanza into a $60,000 Lexus sedan.
2019 Toyota Avanza
And interestingly, many travelers don’t review the company. They review the driver. By name. Sometimes years later. That’s how strong the relationship can be.
My advice:
Find a 5-star company
Read 30–50 reviews (yes, really)
Look for the driver name that keeps coming up
Request that driver specifically
If he’s not available, ask for someone else who’s also mentioned often.
Patterns don’t lie.
About the price
I know bargaining is part of Southeast Asian culture. I get it. But there’s a limit where “good deal” turns into “bad idea.”
From experience running a private car company, here’s the honest range:
IDR 800,000–900,000 for popular areas
IDR 900,000–1,100,000 for remote areas
Anything far below that? Someone is losing. And it’s usually the driver.
There’s an old saying:
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
Harsh. But often true.
Breaking down the cost of car hire business in Bali
Let’s be real about the numbers.
A typical Toyota Avanza (the most common 7-seater here):
Monthly loan: IDR 7,000,000 → IDR 233,000/day
Fuel: IDR 150,000–250,000/day, depending on travel distance
Driver salary: IDR 200,000–300,000/day, depending on car model they drive and how fair the company is
Maintenance: IDR 15,000–20,000/day
Tax & legal fees: IDR 15,000/day
Total?
Roughly IDR 650,000 per day just to operate.
That’s before profit. Before staff. Before office costs.
So when you see someone offering a full-day car + driver for a suspiciously low price… ask yourself:
Where is that money being cut?
Because it’s being cut somewhere.
And when it is, you usually feel it. Whether in the car condition, the driving, or the constant pressure to visit commission places.
Truth be told, these companies simply don’t have the same liberties as places like gift shops to set high profit margins.
Cheap doesn’t always equal good
I’m always cautious of apps and agents advertising unbelievably low rates.
Sure, it looks attractive. And yes, it might be cheaper than Thailand or Vietnam. But talk to any local Balinese who owns a car and they’ll tell you: that price doesn’t make sense.
What tends to happen:
Older cars
Weak air-conditioning
Higher risk of breakdowns
Drivers chasing commission aggressively just to survive
It’s not personal. It’s economics.
2005 Suzuki APV. Definitely no longer up to standards when it comes to air conditioning and hygiene.
If you need help finding a reliable driver…
This is exactly why we created Get Bali Driver.
We work only with drivers we know personally. Drivers who’ve built real reputations on platforms like Google Business and Tripadvisor. Drivers who understand that this is your holiday, not their sales funnel.
Our cars are no more than 4 years old, regularly maintained, clean inside, and strictly non-smoking.
You can book up to 2 hours before pickup, though if you like flexibility, booking at least a day ahead is smarter.
If that sounds like what you’re looking for, you can book our private car and driver service here.
No pressure, just an option.
