Essential apps for Indonesia travel

Essential apps for Indonesia travel – TL;DR

Category	App
Taxi & motorbikes	Gojek, Grab, inDrive
Maps	Google Maps
Accommodation & bookings	Agoda, Klook
Food delivery	GoFood, GrabFood, foodpanda
Translation	Google Translate, Papago
Payments	Wise, Revolut
Weather	AccuWeather

1. Taxi & motorbikes — install both Gojek and Grab

Gojek

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Indonesia's #1 super-app. Launched in Jakarta in 2010 as a motorbike-taxi (ojek) service, it has grown into a full lifestyle platform covering food delivery, shopping, payments, and even home services. Essential in both Bali and Jakarta.

GoRide (motorbike): perfect for cutting through Bali's narrow lanes and Jakarta traffic. Often cheaper than Grab, and being a motorbike, it's fast when you're only carrying light luggage.
GoCar (car): use it when there are 4+ people or a lot of luggage — convenient for airport transfers.
GoFood: the #1 food delivery service. Order a wide variety of dishes in Ubud, Kuta, or Seminyak, including Indonesian classics like nasi goreng, mie goreng, sate, and gado-gado.
GoPay: the app's in-app payment method — foreigners can pay by credit card without a local phone number.
Payment: register an overseas Visa/Mastercard card to use GoCar and GoRide. GoFood accepts card or cash.
Tip 1: in Ubud, Bali, local drivers hail you along the street shouting "taxi" — ignore them all and call a Gojek instead, which is significantly cheaper.
Tip 2: GoCar is a sensible choice for trips between tourist areas, like Jimbaran Beach to Kuta.
Caution: always wear a helmet on a Gojek motorbike — the driver will provide a spare.

Grab

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Gojek's main competitor. Registering an overseas card is sometimes easier on Grab, and in some areas it dispatches a driver faster.

GrabBike / GrabCar: compare fares against Gojek in real time and choose accordingly — keeping both apps open and picking whichever is cheaper is the most economical approach.
GrabFood: compare the menu and price against Gojek's GoFood, and order from whichever makes more sense.
Tip: taking Grab GoCar from Bali's airport (Ngurah Rai International) into the city runs about 30–40% cheaper than the official airport taxi. Board at the pickup zone on Basement 1.

💡 Tip: Gojek is often cheaper in Ubud and Kuta, while central Jakarta varies by situation — install both apps.

inDrive

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

A fare-negotiation ride-hailing app operating in Bali and Jakarta — a good alternative during Gojek/Grab surge-pricing hours.

Fare negotiation: propose the amount you want to pay, and if a driver accepts, you're on your way.
Tip: for rides from Bali's airport into Kuta or Seminyak, compare against Gojek and Grab and go with the cheapest option.

Google Maps

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Covers Bali, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Lombok, and more. Offline downloads are essential, since remote parts of Bali and Lombok Island often have unreliable connectivity.

Offline maps: save the whole Bali map (about 120MB) and Lombok (about 60MB) before you leave.
Distances between Bali's main areas: airport to Kuta ~15 minutes, Kuta to Ubud ~1 hour, Ubud to Amed (east Bali) ~1.5–2 hours.
Tip 1: for natural attractions like Bali's rice terraces (Jatiluwih, Tegalalang) or Kanto Lampo Waterfall, search their location on Google Maps and save it offline in advance.
Tip 2: Jakarta's MRT line (North-South Line) is also on Google Maps — helpful for public transit.

3. Accommodation, flights & bookings

Agoda

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

The go-to platform for Bali and Jakarta accommodation — compare Bali villas, resorts, and guesthouses at a glance.

Bali villas: from private pool villas to shared hostels. Villa prices spike during peak season (July–August, December–January), so book 2–3 months ahead.
Jakarta business hotels: useful for comparing hotels near the central business districts (SCBD, Sudirman).
Last-minute discounts: same-day room specials appear often.
Tip: jungle villas in Ubud can show up to 30–40% off in Agoda's Secret Deals.

Klook

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Good things to book on Klook for Indonesia:

Bali ATV + rafting combo: a jungle ATV ride near Ubud combined with white-water rafting on the Ayung River.
Bali scuba diving: dive tours to Tulamben (the USAT Liberty shipwreck) or Amed.
Bali Tegalalang rice terrace tour: guided, including a coffee farm and an art village visit.
Bali → Lombok fast boat: fast-boat tickets departing from Padang Bai harbor.
Yogyakarta Borobudur sunrise tour: watch the sunrise at the world's largest Buddhist temple.
Komodo Island tour: a boat tour to see Komodo dragons in their natural habitat.
Tip: popular Bali tours (ATV, rafting, and others) sell out fast in peak season — book 2–4 weeks ahead.

4. Food delivery

foodpanda

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

A food delivery app also available in Indonesia, covering major cities like Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya.

Bali delivery: order a wide variety of food in Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu.
Local dishes: nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles), sate, babi guling (Balinese roast pork), and more.
Tip: ordering food delivered poolside at sunset in Bali is a hard-to-forget experience.

5. Translation

Google Translate

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) uses the Latin alphabet with fairly regular pronunciation, making it one of the easier Southeast Asian languages to pick up. Even so, camera translation makes reading menus much easier.

Indonesian offline pack: download it in advance for basic translation without data.
Camera translation: local restaurant menus in Bali are often written only in Indonesian — use camera translation to figure out what's on offer.
Basic phrases: "Terima kasih" — thank you, "Berapa harganya?" — how much is it?
Tip: English works well in Bali's tourist areas. In Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Lombok, you'll need Indonesian more often.

Papago (Naver)

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Translates between your language and Indonesian. Compare against Google Translate and use whichever gives the more natural result.

6. Payments

Wise

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

The Indonesian rupiah (IDR) uses very large numbers (roughly 15,000–16,000 IDR to the US dollar). A Wise card lets you pay by card without losing money on the exchange rate.

ATM withdrawals: free IDR cash withdrawals within your monthly limit.
Tip: always choose IDR (rupiah) at a Bali ATM — decline any DCC prompt.

Revolut

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

A travel-focused card similar to Wise, with a preferred exchange rate when paying by card at upscale Bali resorts and restaurants.

7. Weather

AccuWeather

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

Indonesia sits near the equator and stays hot and humid year-round, but has a wet season (October–April) and a dry season (May–September).

Best season for Bali: the dry season (May–September) — calmer wind and water, ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling.
Tip: Ubud sits at a higher elevation than Bali's coastal areas, so it's cooler and rains more often — bring a light jacket or rain gear.

App installation checklist

Why an eSIM matters for an Indonesia trip

Connectivity can be unreliable on islands like Bali and Lombok. Calling a Gojek or Grab, using Google Maps, and checking Agoda all need data. Install an Indonesia eSIM in advance and you're set the moment your plane lands.

👉 Compare the best Indonesia eSIM prices on esimoa

Note: app details are current as of 2025 and service policies may change.

Essential Apps for Indonesia Travel – Bali, Jakarta

At a glance

Looking for eSIM plans?

Essential Apps for Indonesia Travel – Bali, Jakarta

At a glance

Looking for eSIM plans?