15 Essential Travel Accessories for a Bali Adventure
Packing for a trip to Bali can be overwhelming, so we’ve created this list of essential travel accessories for a Bali trip. Bali is on most people’s bucket list, and for good reason. As with many islands in Indonesia, it provides a culturally-rich experience along with some of the most beautiful beaches and rain forests in the world.
But Bali is a much different climate, economy, and environment than most of us are used to, which is why it’s important to bring the right things with you when you go! Otherwise, you’ll end up with a bag full of useless stuff and be forced to purchase new products once you get there. In some areas of Bali, there aren’t a lot of shopping opportunities available. Therefore, it’s best to be prepared so that you can enjoy your trip from the moment you step off of the plane.
Keep reading for a list of products that will elevate your trip to Bali and ensure that it’s the journey of a lifetime!
If you’re shopping on Amazon, please click through the links in our blog posts! It costs you nothing extra and gives us a little kickback that helps us keep these tires rolling down the road to our next adventure!
Lightweight Backpack
Since you’ll likely do a lot of walking in Bali, whether it be on hikes to waterfalls, beaches, or amazing temples, it’s a good backpack is an essential travel accessory for a Bali trip. It’s hot and humid in Bali, which means you want a backpack that doesn’t make you sweat like a sinner in church the moment you step outside of your hostel. Look for a backpack with a secure pocket on the inside for important items like your hotel key, wallet, and copies of your passport.
If you’re carrying a larger, DSLR camera, you need a bag that has a compartment large enough for that. In addition, you’ll likely want to carry snacks, water, sunscreen, bug spray, and a light jacket, so make sure everything will fit!
In our experience, it’s easy to bring a backpack that folds down small in your luggage so that you can use it for day trips or grocery shopping.
Good Walking Sandals
It’s far too hot for shoes and socks in Bali, so sandals are the best choice. In addition, your feet will likely get wet from either a torrential downpour that is common to the island, or even walking on the beach looking at tidepools.
Since you’ll be walking quite a bit, be sure to bring sandals that are comfortable for all day wear. If you need arch support, a hard-soled sandal like Chacos are a great choice. Otherwise, we love our Luna Sandals since they are durable, and form to your feet!
Loose clothing
It’s important to wear clothing that protects you from the sun, but that is also very lightweight, loose and comfortable. Like I mentioned, Bali is very hot and humid. You’ll be sweaty the minute you leave your hotel room, which is why most people like to lounge at the beach all day.
You don’t need to invest in super expensive clothing, but you do want to make sure you have clothing that fits loose, transfers heat from your body and wicks moisture away. Clothing made of synthetic materials like these items in our Amazon Travel List were my go-to outfit for the three weeks we were in Bali. These items were essential travel accessories for a Bali trip since we could wear them a couple days in a row and hand wash them in the sink at our hotels.
Poncho or umbrella
A raincoat is far too heavy for the weather in Bali. While it does rain very hard at times, it will still be 80 degrees outside. Wearing a traditional raincoat is extremely hot and uncomfortable. You’ll be as wet under your jacket from sweat as if you’d stood out in the rain the whole time!
You’re better off bringing a poncho or a small umbrella with you. Ponchos take up less room in your luggage. And you can get extra long ones that keep you dry all the way past your knees. However, ponchos can tear easily and don’t really last in the long term. If you have a lot of room in your luggage, it doesn’t hurt to bring both.
Swim Suit
If you’re like us, most of your time will be spent in your swim suit. Whether it’s surfing epic waves, scuba diving world class reefs, or just lounging on the beach, Bali is the place to do it. With some of the most iconic beaches in the world, maybe a swim suit is all you need to bring at all!
Light Jacket
Although it is hot in Bali, the nights can feel cool sometimes. A light hoodie or jacket is good for layering. Not only that, but many tourist spots like shopping malls and restaurants are over-air-conditioned and you may need another layer. Which makes a light jacket an essential travel accessory for a Bali trip.
Sarong
Sarongs are the traditional dress of the Balinese people. They are very versatile garments and can be transformed from a skirt, to a dress, to a beach blanket. In addition, it is respectful of the Balinese culture and the Hindu religion to wear a Sarong while touring temples and attending other religious events.
Balinese people are very welcoming, in our experience. They enjoy sharing their culture with others, but it is important to dress respectfully by covering your legs to the knees and wearing a shirt that covers your shoulders (no tank tops or bikinis).
If you don’t have one already, there are plenty for sale in every market in Bali. A sarong is a critical travel accessory for your Bali Adventure.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen
While the sun doesn’t feel as intense in Bali as it does in many parts of North America, it’s important to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun. Blocking UVA and UVB rays while you bask in the sunshine is really important to your long-term health. Especially when you’re on vacation and you’re most likely spending hours relaxing on the beach in the sun.
Reef-safe sunscreen in really important anywhere, but even more so in places like Bali where there is world-class scuba diving. The reefs in Bali are absolutely incredible, and protecting them is a serious challenge. By using reef-safe sunscreen, you can do a good deed for the little fishes in the sea!
Body powder
We didn’t realize we needed this until we got to Bali. Have I mentioned how humid it is there yet? Well, it is.
And when it’s super humid, your body parts start to get sticky, bits rub together and cause uncomfortable chafing. You can use body power to help prevent heat rash, keep your skin dry and avoid chafing. You can put it on as often as you need to, so our advice is to apply often!
Diarrhea pills
These are a critical travel accessory for Bali. No matter how hard you try, you will probably get a case of Bali Belly. It’s hard to avoid when your body isn’t used to the different bacteria that are present in other parts of the world.
Even mild cases of diarrhea can ruin your day if you had plans for an adventure or an excursion. No one wants to feel chained to their hotel room because of indigestion.
Be sure to bring along a pack of your favorite anti-diarrhea medicine to stave off the squirts.
Bug Spray
The bugs in Bali weren’t as bad as I expected. However, I tend to be a mosquito breakfast buffet, so I was prepared for the worst.
I also don’t like to use toxic chemicals on my skin, so that leaves me in a bit of a pickle as to what kind of spray to use. All natural bug sprays with strong citronella essential oil seem to work really well. Buy some and carry it with you EVERYWHERE, as this is another really critical travel accessory for enjoying your time in Bali.
Small First Aid Kit
We’re always prepared with a small first aid kit no matter where we travel. You just never know what will happen and they typically don’t take up much room in a backpack. We’re glad we had one with us in Bali because we ended up helping some fellow tourists from Australia. They cut their feet on some sharp rocks near a blowhole and we were able to provide them with band aids and antiseptic ointment.
Look for a first aid kit that has basic wound care items such as disinfectant, antiseptic ointment, band aids, and gloves. Tweezers are a great item to have as well. In addition, medications like ibuprofen, antihistamines, and anti-diarrhea pills are always good to have with you also.
LifeProof Phone Case
Did I mention it can rain cats and dogs in Bali? Despite beautiful weather most of the time, it is likely that you will experience a few heavy rainstorms. Bali doesn’t mess around when it rains. When it rains, it rains HARD.
Keep your phone safe in a waterproof case like the LifeProof cases. It’s the only phone case brand we’ve used for all of our years of adventuring and it’s never let us down.
Power Bank
Snapping selfies and making viral videos can drain your phone battery pretty quickly. Since there’s no shortage of beautiful places to capture in Bali, make sure you don’t miss a single moment by keeping your phone charged and ready to go. A reliable, and quick-charging battery bank is an essential travel accessory for Bali. This Anker Power bank can recharge your phone several times before needing a charge itself.
WALL OUTLET ADAPTER
If you’ve traveled to countries outside of your hemisphere, you already know that outlets are different on the other side of the world. You’ll need an outlet adapter to charge your phone, camera batteries, and run other small electronics. The best outlet adapters are modular, and work with many different kinds of plugs. With these units, you only have to buy one, and it will work for all of your travels around the world.
DSLR Camera, Action Camera, and Drone
In a place as beautiful and unique as Bali, you will want to capture each moment in great detail. We brought all kinds of electronics to document our once-in-a-lifetime experience in Bali, and highly recommend that you do as well.
You don’t have to bring one of everything either. Since many action cameras have the capability to take photos, you can save room in your luggage and just bring one of these along.
DSLR Camera
While these can be heavy and take up a lot of room in your luggage, they take great quality photos that will last a lifetime. Be sure to bring an extra memory card. If you’re like us, you’ll take a lot of pictures and need the extra storage space!
DJI Drone
Those epic beaches, waterfalls and rice paddy fields can be captured by a drone video or picture in such a different way. You can get a great perspective on an area from the air and if you have room in your luggage, it’s definitely worth bringing a small drone to take some great photos of the places you visit.
DJI Action Camera
An action camera can be the most utilitarian option, since it takes great photos and video. Many travelers opt for carrying only an action camera since they are so versatile. You can easily run out of storage space though, so be sure to have an extra memory card for all of your footage. In addition, a selfie stick is a great accessory to go along with it!