Preparing for your trip

Checklist

Documents & Entry Requirements

Entry requirements are provided for your convenience. However, unless otherwise stated, it is your responsibility to determine the requirements that apply to you and your trip and to comply with them, including obtaining any necessary visas or other travel documents by the required deadlines and carrying them with you. Especially with COVID-19, requirements are subject to change, so check back for the latest before you depart.

U.S. passport holders will need to purchase an Indonesian visa upon arrival to Bali. Visas cost approximately IDR 500,000 (approximately $35 USD).

Bali Entry Requirements

Advice from Friendly Planet

Please see entry requirements for Indonesia. 

Indonesia Entry Requirements

Advice from our partner Sherpa

Singapore Entry Requirements

Advice from our partner Sherpa

General Requirements & Guidelines

• In general, you must have a passport to travel abroad, which should be valid for at least six months after your return date. Passports expiring before then should be renewed as soon as possible. Passports contain at least 2 blank pages for each country visited. If your passport does not have this many pages, obtain a new passport as soon as possible.
• if your passport and visa are not in order, airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding, countries may deny entry, and your trip may be disrupted. Travel insurance may not cover such losses.
• Any changes in names or passport information should be reported to us immediately. Airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding if the name on your passport does not match your tickets.
• Minors (age 17 or younger) departing and/or returning to the U.S. without parents or with only one parent may be required by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to present a notarized parental consent letter and/or unabridged birth certificate (more information). Many other countries have similar entry requirements, especially for minors traveling with a parent/guardian with a different surname; check with the consulates of all countries you'll be visiting to learn more.

Final Documents

Your final travel documents will be sent to you via email by 14 days prior to departure. These will include your daily itinerary, hotel and emergency contact information, and other relevant information. Please print your documents and take them with you. If you're departing in less than a week and haven't received your documents, let us know immediately!

Travel Insurance Documents

If you purchased travel insurance, please print and carry your policy documents, including contact information for emergency travel assistance and instructions on how to make a claim. If you purchased the travel protection plan we offer, we recommend you print the full policy.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

We encourage all U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service allows you to receive important updates about safety and security issues in your destination, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy, as well as family & friends, to contact you in case of an emergency. To enroll or get more information, please visit the STEP website or any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Flights, Transfers & Arrival

Questions about your flights before you depart? Read the information below first. If you still have questions, contact our air specialists at 800-555-5765 ext. 2 or air@friendlyplanet.com.

Flights & Tickets

For this package, we generally book your flights and issue tickets after your final payment due date.

If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule and quote for your approval within 5 business days of your booking (or approximately 330 days prior to travel, if you booked further out than that).

Once we have issued your tickets, we'll send you an "e-ticket receipt" which contains all of your flight information, including times, carriers, an airline booking reference number, and an e-ticket number. If you have not received this, or have questions about the flights we booked for you, please contact our air department. You will not receive paper tickets. We recommend you print and carry a copy of your flight details, including the airline booking reference number and e-ticket number, as some airports require this to enter the terminal. You do not need to reconfirm your flights with the airline prior to your departure, as we will handle this for you.

Flight Schedule

You may review the sample flight schedule(s) below. This information is for general planning purposes. You will receive your actual flight schedule by email once we issue your tickets.

If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule for your approval, and a confirmed schedule once we issue your tickets.

Airlines may change schedules at any time, even after flights have been confirmed, and we are not responsible for such changes. Please check for updates to your flight schedule prior to booking any connecting flights and again 72 hours prior to departure.

Connecting Flights

If you need to fly from (and/or return to) a different U.S. or Canadian city, we suggest you request those flights from us. If feasible, we will try to book all your flights together with a single carrier or a partner network on a single ticket. This ensures that your luggage will be transferred between flights for you, and more importantly, that if there are any schedule changes, flight cancellations, or delays that affect your trip, the airline(s) will adjust your flights to ensure you have sufficient time to make your connections and/or make alternate arrangements to get you to your destination. Besides offering the most peace of mind, this often yields lower fares than purchasing separate connecting flights.

If you plan to purchase connecting flights to your departure city, we strongly suggest waiting until after your final payment due date and after you receive the e-tickets for your international flights, to reduce the chances that that your departure might be cancelled or rescheduled or that your international flight times might change. Before purchasing connecting flights, verify the times for your international flights. Leave at least 3½ hours connecting time between flights, and if you're traveling within a few weeks of Daylight Savings Time changes (in March and November, when flight schedules may change even more dramatically), allow 5–5½ hours between flights. Nobody likes waiting around the airport, but missing your flight is far worse!

Airport Transfers

Scheduled group airport arrival and departure transfers are included with this package. When you arrive in each country, an English-speaking airport representative will meet you at the arrivals hall to direct you to the airport transfer that will take you to the hotel.

Arrival Complications

We make every effort to ensure our tours run smoothly and trouble-free. We don't expect any problems, and nor should you. But when things don't go as planned, here's what to do:

• You miss your flights, or your flights are cancelled: Please call us immediately. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox, with a phone number at which to reach you, and we'll get right back to you.
• Your flights are delayed and you're worried about missing your included transfers: Please contact us to let us know about the delay, and we will notify our partners in destination. If you are arriving on one of our group flights, or booked your own flights and supplied us with the details, our partners will be tracking your arrival and will plan accordingly.
• Your package includes transfers, but you can't find our representative at your destination: Don't panic—they may have been unexpectedly delayed. Wait up to 30 minutes. Then contact our local partners in destination, listed on the emergency contact page of your final documents. If you can't reach them, call us. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox. If all else fails, make your own way to the starting hotel (or cruise port), and we'll refund you the cost of your transfer.

Packing & Luggage

Baggage allowance: In general, our tours & packages allow per person: one checked bag, not to exceed 44 pounds; one personal item such as a purse or camera bag; and one carry-on bag, which should fit under your seat or in the overhead compartment. If your trip includes domestic flights within your destination and/or travel by motor coach, your carry-on should also fit should also fit under your seat or in the overhead bins on those flights or coaches.

Learn more about Baggage Allowances on your international flights. Note that our baggage allowances may be less than those for your international flights. If you exceed the baggage limits, you may be subject to excess baggage charges levied by the airlines and/or by Friendly Planet.

Regardless of the limits—we recommend a smaller size and weight for both your checked and carry-on bags. It's so much easier and faster for you to get around when you have fewer, lighter bags! For your carry-on, consider a soft-sided bag such as a duffel rather than a hard clamshell-type case, which may not fit as easily into overhead compartments or under your seat, especially on buses. For your protection, we suggest your checked luggage have a TSA-approved lock.

Luggage tags: For your safety, we are no longer mailing Friendly Planet luggage tags to you. We encourage you to use your own. Fill in the luggage tags with your name and contact information and attach to each bag, including carry-ons and camera cases, so that your luggage can be identified should it get misplaced during your trip.

What to pack: Check out our list of top 10 must-haves for international travel, as well as what not to pack. Pack smart: put your travel documents, medications, one change of clothing, and other essentials in your carry-on, in case your checked baggage is misplaced. And pack light, for your own comfort and convenience. For clothing, we suggest packing a variety of separates with climate and comfort in mind.

What not to pack: U.S. law forbids you to carry hazardous materials aboard aircraft in your checked or carry-on baggage or on your person, including explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids & solids, loaded firearms, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials. Common examples include paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, mace/tear gas and oxygen bottles. Restricted materials may vary by airline and destination. Some items, in quantities of no more than 70 ounces total, may be carried within baggage, including medicinal or toilet articles such as hairspray, perfume and certain medicines that are necessary during your journey. Please check with the airline and/or visit the FAA website prior to travel if you have any questions.

While on Tour

What to Expect

This leisurely-paced, independent tour requires minimal walking and is suitable for most levels of physical fitness. This tour does not include a tour guide or escort. The included tour in Bali requires a higher level of physical fitness and has some walking on uneven terrain and drives on bumpy roads. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols.

You may have heard about Singapore’s laws against spitting, littering, chewing gum and the many types of fines.  Please keep in mind the laws are meant to discourage unpleasant behavior and are vital in making Singapore an extremely safe place to visit. Travelers can walk alone in the city very late at night without any issue. As long as you don’t challenge the laws, you’ll have a great time.  

A visit to one of Bali’s beautiful Hindu temples will certainly astound you. It is important to be respectful of the culture and to keep in mind that the temples are holy places of worship. When visiting any Hindu temple in Bali, men and women are required to cover their legs below the knees. Shoulders and midriffs must also be covered. As a gift from Friendly Planet, our local partners will provide a sarong and sash for you to use during your time in Bali.

Remember that you're a guest in someone else's homeland, and that you're traveling to experience their country and culture. Be sensitive to local customs and manners, as many things may be done differently than what you're used to. And while we have made every effort to secure modern and comfortable accommodations and transportation, please note that the standards in other countries may be different from those you are accustomed to at home. Overall, you will find a polite, positive, patient, and open-minded approach generally yields the best travel experience!

Eating & Drinking

The meals included with your package are listed in the itinerary.

Singaporean cuisine hails from Chinese, Malaysian, and Indonesian influence, due to its history and geography. Eat your way through Singapore’s famous Hawker Food Centers, and you can even try food from hawker stands that have earned Michelin stars! 

Indonesian cuisine is mouthwatering and hearty, with dishes that use a lot of spices and chili’s. Satay or skewered meat is common on most Indonesian menus, but the recipe flavors can vary throughout the country. You will certainly try to find the best satay on the island once you get a taste.

Non-included meals: Your guides will be glad to direct you to good restaurants that are both local to the area and inexpensive. While English may not be widely spoken in such restaurants, they normally have pictures of popular dishes displayed in their menu and you can point out your choice to the server. Your hotels while on tour will have several dining choices, from coffee shops to specialty restaurants. Average cost for lunch and dinner (not including drinks) in the shops in Singapore will be about $15 - $50 per person, per meal. The restaurants and cafes in Bali are relatively inexpensive. The average cost for lunch and dinner (not including drinks) in Bali will be about $15-$25 per person, per meal. Your hotels accept credit card payments for non-included meals.

Please see above for special meal requests.

Tipping

You will be traveling in the company of a professionals who are very committed to making your tour the dream vacation you are counting on. These people feel great pride in being given a chance to show foreign visitors their country. If your guide, driver and others with whom you are traveling are doing a good job, please take our suggestions for tipping seriously. Naturally, tipping is personal and voluntary, and if you have not received good service, your tip should reflect this fact. 

The recommended amounts are as follows: 

• Guide: $6-8 per person per day
• Driver: $2-3 per person per day
• Porter: $1 per bag
• Housekeeping: $1 per person per day
• Restaurant staff: $1 per person

In Singapore, most restaurants, bars & hotels include a 10% service charge in the bill. Tipping is not customary or expected, but a modest tip to the guide and drivers will be appreciated.

Optional Excursions

Optional excursions in Singapore must be prepaid; they will not be available for purchase in Singapore. 

Optional excursions in Bali can be purchased locally; however, space will be subject to availability, and the local selling price will be higher. Payments may be made directly to the guide by cash (in local currency or US dollars) or by major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express). Credit card payments may incur additional fees.  

Independent Activities

Your hotels are within a short distance to a multitude of activities and places to visit. Savor Michelin starred meal at the Hawker’s market in Singapore or shop to your heart’s content. Explore the Hindu and Buddhist temples in Bali; 

If you decide to not participate in the group activities and explore on your own instead, please make sure to inform your guide in advance. There is NO refund for unused group arrangements. We recommend that you ask the front desk for a business card of the hotel with the address and local phone number in both the local script and English. Or take the name of the hotel and phone number (written in the local language and in English) with you so that you can communicate with taxi drivers. The hotel staff will gladly assist you with these translations.

Special Needs & Requests

Please see above for special meal requests and seat requests. If you have any other special requests, including wheelchair or electric cart assistance, please mention your request when you book with an agent, or in the special requests section when you book online. We will do our best to accommodate them!

Country FAQs

Bali Fast Facts

Indonesia Fast Facts

Singapore Fast Facts

Fine Print

Terms & Conditions: Please review our terms & conditions for this package.

Cancellations: If something comes up and you need to cancel your trip, please let us know as soon as possible. All cancellations must be made in writing. Cancellation fees vary by package; please see the cancellation fees for this package.