Bali taxis

[harryopal1]

Having a car I don't often use taxis. If returning from somewhere and arriving at the airport I leave it to my WIN wife. It seems a few years ago Bluebird taxis offered best service and using meters. They used to have a spot at the airport but that seems to have disappeared and far fewer Bluebird taxis around. Anyone acquainted with the story of what has happened or is it my imagination?

 

[Samoerai]

Having a car I don't often use taxis. If returning from somewhere and arriving at the airport I leave it to my WIN wife. It seems a few years ago Bluebird taxis offered best service and using meters. They used to have a spot at the airport but that seems to have disappeared and far fewer Bluebird taxis around. Anyone acquainted with the story of what has happened or is it my imagination?

Competition from Gocar and Grab, I guess. Check this article. The "Gocar Instant"-service at Bali airport is expensive however. The tiktok footage says 45 us dollars.

New Taxi Service Opened At Bali Airport For Tourists

With over 18,000 passengers arriving every single day, there is a huge volume of eager Bali tourists who need a ride!

thebalisun.com

 

[scouser59]

Having a car I don't often use taxis. If returning from somewhere and arriving at the airport I leave it to my WIN wife. It seems a few years ago Bluebird taxis offered best service and using meters. They used to have a spot at the airport but that seems to have disappeared and far fewer Bluebird taxis around. Anyone acquainted with the story of what has happened or is it my imagination?

The local Taksi co ,note the spelling , they have a bad rep , I suspect a few shekels greased palms to get the exclusive contract , you will only see bluebird on the road outside the airport.

 

[snpark]

Shocking Footage Shows Bali Taxi Driver Threatening American Tourists

Shocking footage is circulating online that shows a taxi driver in Bali threatening two American tourists on vacation.

thebalisun.com

 

[mas_dam]

Bluebird has a good App. The drivers almost never cancel. Drivers are sometimes less responsive on the chat/phone as Grab/Gocar but it's not a big problem. You can choose whether you want to use meter or fixed price on the App, and pay via Cash or E-Wallet like GoPay etc.

It's an excellent alternative - especially in Bali with areas where Grab/Gocar is not allowed to enter without getting into trouble with local taxis.

 

[Samoerai]

The local Taksi co ,note the spelling , they have a bad rep , I suspect a few shekels greased palms to get the exclusive contract , you will only see bluebird on the road outside the airport.

My experience, a decade ago, with blue bird taxis in Bali .. in the weekends, specially in the evening, is not good. They all drive without meter ("argo") and ask absurd fixed prices.

Is that still the case?

 

[snpark]

Now all the BB taxi in Jakarta have new drivers who don't know even the basic or biggest landmarks or hotels or even have the sense to ask
They literally just drive and drive in random directions and mumble no English even if you talk to them in Bahasa

And of course none ever has change

 

[Balifrog]

I use Grab or Go Car to go point to point, easy and cheap. App is easy to use and you can chat with driver on the app. Can pay cash or through OVO or GoPay. Much easier and avoids the "no have change" drama !

I use BlueBird (the real one) when I do multiple stops, say bakery, laundry, supermarket. App easy to use, driver much more professionnal for the vast majority. Pay by the meter.

I avoid 1000% the taxi mafia, many of them are just trouble.

after 6 years here using them, we end up knowing many of the drivers and it makes things even easier.

 

[Samoerai]

I use Grab or Go Car to go point to point, easy and cheap. App is easy to use and you can chat with driver on the app. Can pay cash or through OVO or GoPay. Much easier and avoids the "no have change" drama !

I use BlueBird (the real one) when I do multiple stops, say bakery, laundry, supermarket. App easy to use, driver much more professionnal for the vast majority. Pay by the meter.

I avoid 1000% the taxi mafia, many of them are just trouble.

after 6 years here using them, we end up knowing many of the drivers and it makes things even easier.

The question however is: "What about Saturday night"? Will the taxis still use the "argo" or not? Are BB-taxis even driving around or are they forced by mafia to stay home? Will the fee on the Gocar-app go up?

 

[Balifrog]

The question however is: "What about Saturday night"? Will the taxis still use the "argo" or not? Are BB-taxis even driving around or are they forced by mafia to stay home? Will the fee on the Gocar-app go up?

never had a problem on Friday or Saturday evening.
BlueBird is a very big company, they are not influenced by the taxi mafia.
When I leave, say Casablanca at midnight, I always have one of my "regular" tourist taxi around.
We both know the price to my place, of course a bit more expensive than daytime, but not outrageous.
Now, I have not yet tried at 04.00 am because I am a bit old for that.

In 6 years I have never had a serious argument with a driver. When I lived in BKK, it was a regular occurence and a pain in the ass.
Try to get a cab in SGP or HK on a rainy Friday night at 10.00 pm .....

 

[Bad_azz]

Grab wanted 150k to take us 1.7km.
I nearly had a heart attack! Bali is so expensive & vastly over-rated.

 

[centurion]

Now all the BB taxi in Jakarta have new drivers who don't know even the basic or biggest landmarks or hotels or even have the sense to ask
They literally just drive and drive in random directions and mumble no English even if you talk to them in Bahasa

And of course none ever has change

Silver Bird all are english speakin drivers.

 

[harryopal1]

MS BA, I don't argue against your point. Cost of living including accommodation are pushing upwards in Bali but can't help comparing with Australia. A taxi distance here for $10 would cost $60 in Australia. Tens of thousands of people who have lived for years in rented houses or flats are being priced out of a place to live. People living in tents, vans, cars and on the streets. The costs for utilities like gas and electricity have gone through the roof along with food stuffs. Even lesser cities such as Darwin now have median house rental price at $600 a week and $590 a week for a unit. Renting a room in a share apartment can be upwards of $300 a week.

Again, I don't argue that Bali is overrated but at least can still live comfortably here on the pension rather than live in poverty in Australia

Meanwhile Australian governments respond to the crisis with plans for increased housing that will not bear fruit for another 5 years or more. The Reserve Bank is still allowed to try and control inflation by raising interest rates which impacts most those on lower incomes.

 

[Samoerai]

MS BA, I don't argue against your point. Cost of living including accommodation are pushing upwards in Bali but can't help comparing with Australia. A taxi distance here for $10 would cost $60 in Australia. Tens of thousands of people who have lived for years in rented houses or flats are being priced out of a place to live. People living in tents, vans, cars and on the streets. The costs for utilities like gas and electricity have gone through the roof along with food stuffs. Even lesser cities such as Darwin now have median house rental price at $600 a week and $590 a week for a unit. Renting a room in a share apartment can be upwards of $300 a week.

Again, I don't argue that Bali is overrated but at least can still live comfortably here on the pension rather than live in poverty in Australia

Meanwhile Australian governments respond to the crisis with plans for increased housing that will not bear fruit for another 5 years or more. The Reserve Bank is still allowed to try and control inflation by raising interest rates which impacts most those on lower incomes.
View attachment 3722

Sounds like The Netherlands.

 

[Balifrog]

Grab wanted 150k to take us 1.7km.
I nearly had a heart attack! Bali is so expensive & vastly over-rated.

i doubt it was Grab.

The price is fixed by the application, not the driver and usually very cheap.

When you order on the app you have the driver name, number plate of the car, price clearly identicated.

you more likely had " Taksi Bali" ... the ones to avoid.

Concerning Bali overrated, let me smile.....

And sure not very expensive.....
Now, yes Tahiti, Seychelles or St Martin are better but that would require to triple my pension....

 

[Bad_azz]

i doubt it was Grab.

The price is fixed by the application, not the driver and usually very cheap.

When you order on the app you have the driver name, number plate of the car, price clearly identicated.

you more likely had " Taksi Bali" ... the ones to avoid.

Concerning Bali overrated, let me smile.....

And sure not very expensive.....
Now, yes Tahiti, Seychelles or St Martin are better but that would require to triple my pension....

It was Grab. I think I know the difference between a shyster taxi & a Grab app- so I didn't use it.
However , as some of you know I have been extremely ill & my hubby went off & got a different ride & he paid 100k for it -he was concerned for my health if I had to walk 1.7 km. By that point it seemed senseless arguing with him.
For the record, I am not comparing prices to Tahiti, Seychelles or St martin. I am comparing them with Java.
24 sticks of sate at the nearest resto- 350,000idr vs 20 sticks at my local sate stall 40,000 idr & at my favourite sate resto maybe 50,000.
A different place had rendang on the menu for 200,000idr. The hotel menu had nasi goreng at 130,000IDR.
The other downside was the prolific amount of arrogant self-involved aggressive people I came across.
A couple of examples:
One guy got chatting with us & he was ready to beat someone up for taking pictures of him. Some geezer in the shop was being a complete ass with the staff there. An Eastern European guy (a twenty something), very pushy, tried to get me to go to his room and boink . It is just embarrassing to see so much of that distasteful & disrespectful behaviour in such a short space of time (we only stayed 4 nights).
It just is not my scene at all. The only good thing for me about the place is catching up with some of our friends who live there, which we were able to do.

 

[Bad_azz]

MS BA, I don't argue against your point. Cost of living including accommodation are pushing upwards in Bali but can't help comparing with Australia. A taxi distance here for $10 would cost $60 in Australia. Tens of thousands of people who have lived for years in rented houses or flats are being priced out of a place to live. People living in tents, vans, cars and on the streets. The costs for utilities like gas and electricity have gone through the roof along with food stuffs. Even lesser cities such as Darwin now have median house rental price at $600 a week and $590 a week for a unit. Renting a room in a share apartment can be upwards of $300 a week.

Again, I don't argue that Bali is overrated but at least can still live comfortably here on the pension rather than live in poverty in Australia

Meanwhile Australian governments respond to the crisis with plans for increased housing that will not bear fruit for another 5 years or more. The Reserve Bank is still allowed to try and control inflation by raising interest rates which impacts most those on lower incomes.
View attachment 3722

I am not comparing Bali with Australia- I am comparing it with other Indonesian provinces. Apples with apples, not apples with oranges.
Yes Indonesia is so very much cheaper to live in than so many other countries.
I was merely comparing one tourist hot spot with another- namely Bandung- always bustling with tourism, not so many international people as Bali, for sure- but day to day living is much cheaper here in the city where the tourism is hot year round.

 

[Samoerai]

day to day living is much cheaper here in the city where the tourism is hot year round.

I am planning to visit Bandung and stay for a couple of days. Been to Ciater hot springs and like it a lot. However the hotel with same name not. Is there a good hotel you could recommend close to the hot springs?

 

[harryopal1]

I am not comparing Bali with Australia- I am comparing it with other Indonesian provinces. Apples with apples, not apples with oranges.
Yes Indonesia is so very much cheaper to live in than so many other countries.
I was merely comparing one tourist hot spot with another- namely Bandung- always bustling with tourism, not so many international people as Bali, for sure- but day to day living is much cheaper here in the city where the tourism is hot year round.

We are not in disagreement. It seems there is a world wide inflationary trend. Nonetheless, I am still relieved to be living in Bali even though sights are set on an even higher number of tourist visits than pre-Covid. More tourists, more greedy behaviour. With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of winding up then more Eastern Europeans coming to avoid being sent to the front lines. Can't blame them for that but amongst those a sprinkling of tough, shrewd characters who will do anything to make money by fair means or foul. Things are not likely to get better any time soon.

 

[Bad_azz]

I am planning to visit Bandung and stay for a couple of days. Been to Ciater hot springs and like it a lot. However the hotel with same name not. Could you advice a good hotel close to the hot springs?

Sorry, no. I never stayed in a hotel up there.