Whilst walking about, you may be accosted by people with offers of "Transport, transport?" Competition is tight and many drivers know several languages. Tell the driver your desired route and negotiate a fee. Be cautious of being taken to his "friend's" restaurant or shop in which you may have no interest, so the driver can collect a commission for taking you there!
While on the road, an important virtue to have here is patience! Although the road system in the heavily populated areas is in reasonable condition compared to those in other developing countries, it can be heavily congested at peak hours. Ceremonial processions sometimes occupy the whole road so if you are caught behind a procession, enjoy the colorful experience. Roads can also be quite narrow with heavy pedestrian traffic on each side.

The public transport system in Bali can take you to most places but slowly. Buses, microbuses (frequently called colt and Izusu, to name them after the car made) and bemos are often overcrowded and hot, so they are recommended for short trips only. They do have the redeeming factor of being very cheap! Wait by the side of the road and one will inevitably pass by for you to flag down. Alight where you want by loudly saying "STOP!"

Bemos generally cater for local traffic routes not tourist routes, but you can charter empty bemos for a higher price. The main bus terminals are in Denpasar and travel to different areas of Bali usually means transferring between terminals which can be both inconvenient and time consuming.