In Reply to: Bali basics: money, Visa, global roaming posted by gnik on Wednesday, 5. August 2009 at 18:21 Bali Time:
I take clean unmarked $A50 notes with credit cards as a backup. I keep nearly all of my money and my passport in a moneybelt.
You will have to pay $US25 or equivalent for a Visa On Arrival which lasts up to 30 days. I pay with a $A50 note and receive change in Rupiah. This Rupiah is more than enough for the taxi fare to my hotel.
You will have to ring up your mobile phone company to set up global roaming before you leave Australia. I also carry another unlocked GSM phone with me. I buy a local Mentari SIM which I use to ring Australia and send SMSs. Using a local SIM is far cheaper than global roaming eg Rp 400 per SMS and Rp 1,000 per minute for talk.
Another tip, buy a guidebook such as the Lonely Planet Guide to Bali and Lombok.