DPS
Pay the Bali levy before you fly
IDR 150,000 per person, paid online. Every foreign tourist pays it, ASEAN passports included. Lookalike sites charge more, so only use the .go.id one.
02 · HacksAirports & borders
Things I learned the slow way so you don't have to. Every one came from a form I actually filled in or a queue I actually stood in.
Checked against the official sites, Sep 2026. Rules change, so check the date on the portal before you rely on it.
Landing in Indonesia
VOA
Indonesia e-VOA: do it 72 hours out
IDR 500,000 per person, non-refundable, valid to enter within 90 days of issue. UK passports need it. Thai and other ASEAN passports don't.
00:35
Landing after midnight changes your form dates
Indonesia's arrival card opens 3 days before your local landing date. Land at 00:35 and that's the landing day, not the day you took off. Count from the right one.
Thailand
TDAC
Thailand's arrival card is free
Submit it within 3 days before you land, landing day included. The official site says no fees. Anything charging you is a middleman.
30D
Thailand's visa-free stay is now 30 days
Down from 60 for entries from 15 Sep 2026. It's your entry date that counts, so check the stamp you actually got, not what you read last year.
no form needed
Flights & arrival cards
14D
AirAsia check-in opens early
14 days before departure (10 on flights to or from Thailand), closing 1 hour before. Do it the day it opens and screenshot the pass.
no form needed
LATE
Get late check-in in writing
Landing in the small hours? Make the villa confirm it by message before you fly. A verbal 'no problem' isn't a key.
no form needed
MY/SG
Malaysia and Singapore want a card too
MDAC and the SG Arrival Card are both free and both open 3 days before arrival. Two minutes each, and saves a queue.
no form needed
Money & cover
INS
Read where your insurance actually covers
My policy was Thailand-only. Fine at home, useless the moment I crossed into Indonesia. Check the territory before every border.
no form needed
ATM
Take cash before the small islands
ATMs are fine in Canggu and Ubud and patchy on Nusa Lembongan. Boats, scooters and warungs want cash.
no form needed