Where Is Bali? Location, Size, Time Zone & How to Get There

This guide is part of our Bali Travel Guide — start there for the overview, itineraries and costs.

Bali is an island and province of Indonesia, lying about 8° south of the equator between Java and Lombok. Java sits just 2.4 km to the west across the Bali Strait, and Lombok lies to the east across the much deeper Lombok Strait.

Bali at a Glance

Where Is Bali Located?

Bali sits in the Indonesian archipelago, in the tropics of the Southern Hemisphere, roughly 8° south of the equator. It is the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, the chain that runs east from Java towards Timor.

• West: Java, across the Bali Strait. At its narrowest the strait is only about 2.4 km wide, and car ferries cross between Ketapang on Java and Gilimanuk in west Bali.
• East: Lombok, across the Lombok Strait, which is about 20 km wide at its narrowest southern end and at least 250 m deep.
• North: the Bali Sea.
• South: the Indian Ocean.

The Lombok Strait also marks the Wallace Line, the boundary named after naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. Bali's wildlife is broadly Asian, while islands east of the strait show increasing Australasian influence. Even during ice ages, when lower sea levels joined Bali and Java to mainland Asia, the strait's deep water kept Lombok separate.

Is Bali Close to Australia?

Closer than most people expect. Perth is about 2,577 km from Bali by air, and a direct flight takes under four hours. Bali shares Perth's time zone, which helps make it a popular short-haul holiday for Australians.

Bali Is in Which Country?

Bali belongs to Indonesia. It is not an independent country. It is one of Indonesia's provinces, and its capital, Denpasar, is on the south of the island. Denpasar is the largest city in the Lesser Sunda Islands, with an official estimate of about 670,000 residents at the end of 2024.

Bali Province includes the main island plus several smaller ones: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan to the southeast, and Menjangan off the northwest coast. The province is divided into eight regencies (Jembrana, Tabanan, Badung, Gianyar, Klungkung, Bangli, Karangasem and Buleleng) and the city of Denpasar.

Bali also differs culturally from the rest of the country. Indonesia is majority Muslim, but in 2024 about 86% of Bali's population followed Balinese Hinduism. This is why temples, daily offerings and festivals such as Nyepi, the Day of Silence, shape life on the island.

How Big Is Bali?

Bali Province covers about 5,590 km² (roughly 2,160 square miles), which includes its offshore islands. This was the figure given by Bali's governor in June 2023. Official datasets differ slightly, from about 5,580 km² to 5,640 km². The older and widely repeated figure of 5,780 km² is now outdated. Part of the difference is coastal erosion: the governor reported that the province had lost about 50 km² of land in five years.

The main island measures about 153 km (95 miles) from east to west and 112 km (70 miles) from north to south. Driving distances are short, but traffic in the south can make journeys slow.

Bali's Size Compared

With about 4.46 million people, Bali is densely populated, at roughly 800 people per km². Most of them live in the south, around Denpasar and the tourist coast.

Bali's Main Regions

• South Bali: the busiest area, close to the airport. It includes the beach and nightlife strips of Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu, quieter Sanur on the east coast, and the cliff-top Bukit Peninsula around Uluwatu.
• Ubud and central Bali: the inland cultural centre, in Gianyar Regency, surrounded by rice terraces, temples and craft villages.
• East Bali: Karangasem Regency, dominated by Mount Agung. It includes the mother temple of Besakih, the rice valleys of Sidemen, the dive coast around Amed and the ferry port of Padang Bai.
• North Bali: Buleleng, the largest regency. It includes the black-sand beaches of Lovina, the highland lakes and waterfalls around Munduk, and good diving near Menjangan Island.
• West Bali: Jembrana and western Tabanan, the least developed part of the island, with forest, quiet surf beaches and the Gilimanuk ferry to Java.
• The Nusa Islands: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, reached by fast boat from Sanur and known for sea cliffs, beaches and snorkelling.

How to Get to Bali

Most visitors arrive at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), also called Denpasar airport. It is in Tuban, about 13 km south of Denpasar and next to Kuta. It is Indonesia's second-busiest airport after Jakarta's Soekarno–Hatta and handled about 23.9 million passengers in 2024.

Flight Times to Bali From Major Hubs

Flight times are scheduled block times and vary by airline and season. Travellers from Europe and North America usually connect through a hub such as Singapore, Jakarta or an Australian city.

By Ferry From Java or Lombok

Overland travellers can cross from Ketapang in East Java to Gilimanuk in west Bali by car ferry. From Lombok and the Gili Islands, ferries and fast boats run to Padang Bai in east Bali.

What Time Zone Is Bali In?

Bali uses Central Indonesia Time (WITA), UTC+8, and has done so since 1988. Indonesia does not observe daylight saving time, so the clock never changes. Indonesia has three time zones: Jakarta and the rest of Java use Western Indonesia Time (UTC+7), one hour behind Bali, and Papua uses Eastern Indonesia Time (UTC+9).

Visa Basics for Bali

Many nationalities can enter Indonesia with a Visa on Arrival (VoA), either applied for online beforehand as an e-VoA or bought at the airport. The fee is currently IDR 500,000. It allows a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days, for a maximum of 60 days.

On 12 August 2026, Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration announced plans to raise the fee to IDR 750,000 for the e-VoA and IDR 1,000,000 for a visa bought on arrival. No start date had been confirmed at the time of writing. Check the official Indonesian e-Visa site for the current fee and eligible countries before you travel.

Foreign visitors to Bali must also pay a separate IDR 150,000 tourist levy, which has applied since 14 February 2024. It is paid online through the provincial government's Love Bali portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Bali on the map?

Bali is in Southeast Asia, in the Indonesian archipelago, about 8° south of the equator. It lies directly east of Java and west of Lombok, with the Indian Ocean to the south.

Is Bali a country?

No. Bali is a province of Indonesia, and its capital is Denpasar.

How big is Bali in square kilometres?

About 5,590 km² for the whole province, including the Nusa islands. The main island is about 153 km long and 112 km wide.

Is Bali bigger than Delaware?

Not quite. Delaware's total area is 6,450 km², so Bali is about 87% of its size. Bali is slightly larger than Delaware's land area alone (5,130 km²).

Is Bali part of Asia or Australia?

Asia. Bali is part of Indonesia in Southeast Asia, but it is only about a 3h 40m flight from Perth.

What is the time difference between Bali and Sydney?

Bali (UTC+8) is 2 hours behind Sydney, or 3 hours behind during Australian daylight saving. Bali shares the same time as Perth and Singapore.

What is the highest point in Bali?

Mount Agung, an active volcano in east Bali, at 3,031 m (9,944 ft). Its most recent eruptive period ran from 2017 to 2019.