GUIDE · PACKING
What to bring to Bali as a creator, and what to rent instead
The gear that earns its place in a Bali bag is smaller than you think. The rest you rent for the day you need it.
You'll shoot more here than you planned to. Rice fields at sunrise, a warung at lunch, a ceremony you didn't know was happening. Pack for that, not for every possible shot.
Bring
One camera you know cold. Bali's light is a gift at sunrise and brutal at noon, and you'll be shooting in both without time to think. Bring the body you can operate with your eyes closed, not the one you're still learning.
Cards and more cards. Villas don't sell SD cards at midnight. Bring double what you think and a way to back up.
Dry bags and silica. It's humid every single day, and from roughly November to March it rains hard most afternoons. Salt spray on the coast, mist in Ubud. Your gear will sweat.
One universal adapter. Indonesia uses the two round pin plugs, types C and F, at 230 volts.
Lens cloths. Scooter dust and sea spray, every day.
A small travel tripod. Sunrise at Batur, long exposures at the waterfalls. Not the heavy one.
Rent when you get here
A drone. Flying it through three airports, keeping the batteries legal, then finding out about village rules on arrival. For most trips it's two days of actual flying. Rent for those two days, after you've read what the rules actually say.
An action camera for the water days. Nusa Penida, Amed, a dive course. One or two days underwater don't justify owning a housing and a set of mounts.
A lav mic and a small light for talking-head videos at the villa. Rent them the day you record and send them back.
A second body or a long lens for one specific shoot. A ceremony, a wedding, a client job.
Skip
A laptop stand and an external monitor. Every coworking space in Ubud has them. Ten lenses. Two is plenty. A full-size tripod. It'll stay in the villa.
Batteries and flying
Lithium batteries go in your carry-on, never checked luggage, and airlines cap the size. Check your carrier before you pack drone batteries. Spares in a fireproof pouch save arguments at the gate.
If you'd rather not carry it
That's the point of a go-bag. Pick a kit or a single item, send your dates, and we bring it to your villa. Here's who else rents gear in Bali, and what to check before you book with anyone, including us.
Quick answers
Should I bring a drone to Bali?
Only if you'll fly it most days. Otherwise rent one for the two days you actually need it, after reading the local rules. Batteries, airport rules and village bans make owning one a hassle for a short trip.
What plug does Bali use?
Indonesia uses the two round pin plugs, types C and F, at 230 volts. Bring one universal adapter.