Women should take a few long-sleeved blouses and longish skirts. Skimpy clothing, backless dresses, and shorts can be offensive in Bali’s small back-road villages, on formal occasions, and particularly if worn in the island’s temples or to religious festivals. Your bikini is acceptable provided it’s worn only at the swimming pool or to the beach.

Take one wrinkle-proof dress that is easy to wash and dress up or down with. Dresses of double-knit cotton T-shirt material are excellent. If you prefer to complete your travel wardrobe on arrival, the clothes shops and boutiques of Kuta and Legian have a wide selection of contemporary and economically priced dresses, jackets, skirts, blouses, pants, and beachwear. Always closely scrutinize the quality of the fabric and workmanship.

As an alternative to possibly poorly sewn ready-made clothes, commission one of Bali’s hundreds of seamstresses to sew a dress (Rp15,000-30,000) or skirt (Rp7500-10,000). Your hotel or a clothes shop can recommend a dressmaker. Just give them one of your best-fitting garments or a photograph from which they will make a paper pattern.

If you lighten your hair, bring enough lightener with you to last your entire trip. Only black and a few brown shades can be found on Bali. Also bring deodorant and antiperspirant. The only decent products here are FA or Purol powder; the rest are ineffective.