13 Bali Drinks: What to Drink in Bali

You most likely are already dreaming of sipping on a refreshing beverage with the soft sand between your toes and the ocean breeze in your hair.

This can easily be your reality when you travel to this island of the gods. When deciding what to drink in Bali, you will realize that there is a drink for every occasion.

Whether you are sipping on a lime juice-spiked Arak cocktail in a coconut by the hotel pool bar or sipping on a glass of Jamu after doing yoga in Ubud, you will have made the right decision. 

Bali Drinks You Should Try

1. Young Coconut Juice

After hours of surfing or diving with the giant manta rays, you will not only be thirsty but also dehydrated.

The perfect solution is self-contained inside of young coconuts right from the palm.

Coconut juice is rich in electrolytes and antioxidants while remaining low in calories.

This is nature’s sports drink and it’s actually better for you than the ones supposedly created by scientists. Look for vendors selling coconuts that are stored on ice for a really refreshing treat.

2. Jamu

The origins of this beverage date back over 1300 years from Java but is now widely consumed all over Indonesia.

Jamu is a traditional herbal medicine drink that starts with a simple base recipe that is used to cure all kinds of ailments including inflammation to digestive orders.

Turmeric, ginger, honey, tamarind, and lime juice are mixed together to make this super drink.

From this base recipe, extra ingredients from cinnamon to bee larvae can be added to treat a person’s specific needs.

Personally, we go with the simple version and avoid any of the stranger options as the anti-inflammatory benefits are great after doing some yoga or going for a run through the rice terraces.

3. Es Cincau and Es Daluman

Both Es Cincau and Es Daluman are jellies that are served with shaved ice. They then add a sweet syrup made with coconut palm sugar, coconut milk, and sometimes sweetened condensed milk.

Es Cincau jelly is derived from the Chinese Mesona plant while Es Daluman is made using the Cyclea barbata plant.

Both varieties are known for their medicinal qualities that help with adding with many different ailments.

These very inexpensive drinks can sometimes be upgraded with coco pandan syrup for an extra special treat.

4. Balinese Coffee

Coffee is a big deal on the island of Bali which produces the most expensive coffee on the planet.

The three types of coffee you will find in Bali are Kopi Luwak, Kopi Bali, and Kintamani Coffee.

• Kopi Luwak is a type of coffee that is made from coffee cherries that are consumed and partially digested by an Asian Civet, then excreted.

What makes this coffee so special is that the civet is very picky about eating only the best coffee cherries.

This, along with the fermentation during the digestion of the animal, then reduces the acid and smooths out the taste by reducing the bitterness.

• Kopi Bali is made through the traditional method by placing very finely ground coffee into a cup and topping it with boiling water.

It is then covered and left to steep in the same cup that you will drink it out of. This produces a very rich and robust-tasting brew with very strong aromas.

• Kintamani Coffee is a 100% Arabica coffee cultivated in the mountainous Northern Highlands between Mount Batukaru and Mount Agung.

This area has a cooler climate and super nutrient-rich volcanic soil that makes for the perfect conditions for growing coffee cherries.

What to Drink in Bali: Alcoholic Drinks

5. Brem

A ceremonial Balinese wine made from glutinous rice that was originally used to replace blood in ceremonies. This sweet and sour wine is an easy-going beverage that is only up to 8% alcohol.

6. Tuak

Less popular for everyday consumption than Brem but has an equally cultural and ceremonial significance.

This palm sap wine is generally mixed with dried fruit to liven up the flavor and can vary from dry to extremely sweet.

This traditional wedding wine in Bali has a perfect low alcohol percentage of about 4%.

7. Arak

This extremely popular spirit used for mixing cocktails is the cheapest and most potent form of alcohol in Bali.

It is made by distilling either fermented fruit, sugar palm sap, or glutinous rice. It can be quite pungent with alcohol as high as 50%.

8. Cider

This extremely popular spirit used for mixing cocktails is the cheapest and most potent form of alcohol in Bali.

It is made by distilling either fermented fruit, sugar palm sap, or glutinous rice. It can be quite pungent with alcohol as high as 50%.

9. Bintang Beer

If you are craving a beer after a long day at Canggu beach, you will most likely end up drinking a Bintang.

Crafted by the number one beer producer in Indonesia and can literally be found everywhere on the island.

This pilsner producer is co-owned by Heineken and is supposedly similar to its Dutch sister beer.

10. Bali Hai

Although Bintang controls the market share, this family-owned independent brewery is gaining ground with a growing interest in locally produced products.

Their German-style lager is their flagship beer but they also brew a Belgium-style golden ale and a dark Munich-style Dunkel lager.

If you want to eat and drink local, this should be your beer of choice.

11. Stark Craft Beer

This is not only the first craft beer in Bali, but it is also the only beer made in Bali.

This brewery is going the extra mile to make a name for their craft beer on an international level by using the highest level ingredients including water right from a mountain stream.

They have several different beers in their lineup from a hoppy IPA to a mango ale that begs to be sipped on while watching the sunset.

12. Anker Beer

This pale lager is the closest thing that Bintang has as a competitor for control of the Indonesian beer market.

The Delta Djakarta brewery in Jakarta has been making this distinctively flavored beer since 1932.

If you are looking for a crisp beer with a deeper flavor and a bitter bite, this is your new Bali vacation beverage.

13. Albens Cider

Albens is a locally brewed cider that features hand-selected Fuji apples. Champagne yeast from France is brought in to craft this off-dry beverage with 4.9% alcohol content.

If you are in the mood for a relaxing beverage but are burnt out on drinking beer, this is a very nice option.

They also produce mango and strawberry-infused versions that both have a base of the same Fuji apples.

Cost of Drinking Alcohol in Bali

Bali is one of the few areas of Indonesia that doesn’t have an Islamic majority. With that goes a little more relaxed attitude towards alcohol and the laws that surround it.

The atmosphere in regards to drinking socially may be encouraged on the island, but government laws still levy heavy taxes on all alcoholic beverages.

It’s far from the cheap drinking paradise that you find in places like Thailand, but you can still grab a cold beer or a locally distilled Balinese cocktail for a price far cheaper than back home.

Price of Beer in Bali

Even though the cost of beer in Bali is not as low as other southeast Asian countries, it is still relatively cheap compared to back home.

With that in mind, there is no reason not to spread the wealth and try out all the local offerings instead of just settling for a Bintang.

As beer is the unofficial beverage of sunny beaches everywhere, this should be where you start when it comes to cold beverages and enjoying watching the sun go down.

Beer prices vary significantly depending on if you are sitting at a restaurant or picking up some refreshments at a local convenience store.

If you decide to drink at a club, you might end up paying prices similar to what you would pay at a restaurant back home.

Whether you are on a two-week holiday or on an around-the-world backpacking trip, there will be cold and affordable beer available for everyone.

• Bintang                  330ml – 25,000 to 50,000 IDR ($1.76 to $3.50 USD)
• Bali Hai                  330ml – 20,000 to 45,000 IDR ($1.40 to $3.15 USD)
• Stark Craft Beer     330ml – 35,000 to 70,000 IDR ($2.46 to $4.90 USD)
• Anker Beer             330ml – 20,000 to 45,000 IDR ($1.40 to $3.15 USD)
• Albens Cider          330ml – 40,000 to 85,000 IDR ($2.84 to $6.04 USD)
• Heineken                330ml – 35,000 to 70,000 IDR ($2.46 to $4.90 USD)
• Other Imports         330ml – 50,000 to 90,000 IDR ($3.58 to $6.40 USD)

Is Drinking Alcohol in Bali Safe?

When ordering mixed drinks in Bali, there is no way of knowing if the alcohol was made in a safe manner or if they topped off the bottles of liquor from western producers.

There have been many reported cases of tourists going blind and even more deaths from drinking these methanol-tainted liquors.

We have rolled the dice just as so many tourists and locals do every day and haven’t had any issues.

If you decide that the risk is too high, stick with beer, grab a bottle of your favorite spirit at the airport, or stick with reputable brands of liquor that you get from the store.

Although these incidences are few and far between, you might decide to play it safe so that your vacation doesn’t end in disaster. Drink smart and stay safe!

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