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What to Wear on a Helicopter Flight in Bali: A Short Packing List

Wear light clothes, flat closed shoes and sunglasses, leave the hat at the hotel, bring soft bags only and put your phone on a wrist strap. The rotor wash on the pad pulls at hats, scarves and loose items, and windows stay shut in flight. This page covers clothes, shoes, bags, cameras, children, nervous flyers, motion and what is not allowed. A 12-minute flight is $450 for the whole helicopter, and the pilot weighs bags before you board.

PlanningUpdated 2026-10-116 min read

Passenger photographing the Bali coast through a helicopter window with a phone

In this guide

What to Wear on a Helicopter Flight in Bali, Item by Item
Clothes and Shoes: Why the Rules Exist
What to Bring in a Soft Bag
Phones and Cameras: The Window Is Shut
Children, Older Guests and Nervous Flyers
Avoiding Motion Sickness
What Is Not Allowed on the Pad or in the Cabin
The First 20 Minutes at the Pad

Quick answer

What to Wear on a Helicopter Flight in Bali, Item by Item

The rule behind every line: anything that can blow away or swing around the cabin is a problem. Keep it close to you or leave it at the hotel.

Item	Wear or bring	Skip
Clothes	Light, breathable layers; trousers or shorts; a thin jacket for morning flights	Long loose skirts, capes, anything that flaps
Shoes	Flat, closed or strapped shoes with grip	Flip-flops, heels, wedges
Head	Sunglasses on a strap; hair tied back	Hats, caps, scarves, long veils
Bags	A soft bag with a zip; one small bag per guest	Hard suitcases, boards, bulky camera cases
Phone	A wrist strap or a zipped pocket	A loose phone in your hand while boarding
Camera	A small camera on a neck strap, lens cap off	Flash, tripods, selfie sticks
Jewellery	Small items that stay on	Dangling earrings or necklaces that catch headset cords
Drink and food	A light snack beforehand, sealed water if you must	A heavy meal, alcohol, an open cup

The pilot weighs bags and asks for weights; see weight limits and baggage. For sizes and classes see helicopter classes.

Reasons

Clothes and Shoes: Why the Rules Exist

The rotor wash on the pad is stronger than you expect. It lifts skirts, scarves and dupattas, it takes hats and it flings grit. Trousers or shorts avoid a wardrobe problem, and a dress is fine if you wear shorts under it and hold the hem when you walk to the aircraft.

You step up onto a skid to board. Flat shoes with grip are safest, and closed or strapped shoes stay on. Flip-flops can slip off on the step, and heels catch. Bali's pad surfaces can be hot concrete, grass or gravel, so closed shoes also protect your feet.

For photos through the window, plain dark clothes reflect less on the glass than white or patterned ones, which helps a little. For a morning flight such as the Mount Batur flight, bring a thin layer, because the air is cooler near the caldera. Weather and heat differ by hour; the best-time guide gives the pattern.

Pack list

What to Bring in a Soft Bag

Sunglasses with a strap. The sun is bright off the sea, and a strap saves them on the pad.
Phone with a wrist strap. Charge it, clear the screen and set the camera before you board.
A small camera on a neck strap. Lens hood or soft cloth, no flash.
Sunscreen applied before you arrive. Glass does not stop all the sun, and your hands will be busy later.
Motion-sickness tablets if you need them. Ask a pharmacist, and take them before the flight, not during.
Photo ID. Bring it for airport and island transfers in case the operator or the airport asks.
A thin layer. Useful at a cool pad in the morning or at a clifftop landing with a sea breeze.

Phone and camera

Phones and Cameras: The Window Is Shut

Windows stay closed in flight, so every photo is through glass. Hold the lens close to the window without pressing hard to cut reflections, switch off the flash and keep your fingers off the glass. Your phone belongs on a wrist strap or in a zipped pocket until the pilot has told you it is fine to take it out. There is no room for a second camera person in the cabin, and drone filming is done from the ground, not from the helicopter.

You will get more keepers with short video clips than with a hundred stills, because the view moves. Our photo tips for Bali flights go through settings and seats. If you also want a ground photographer, it is $250 as an add-on.

Children and nerves

Children, Older Guests and Nervous Flyers

Children

Tell us each child's age and weight when you book. The operator confirms the seat and the headset size, and we ask the operator to seat each child next to a parent where the layout allows. A short flight is easier than a long one; the 12-minute Bukit flight at $450 is a good first helicopter. Ask us about any age limits before you pay, since the operator sets them.

Older guests and anyone with limited mobility

Boarding uses a skid step and a seat that may be higher than a car's. Ground crew help, and we need to know in advance so the crew can plan the boarding and give you time.

Nervous flyers

Say so at the pad, and tell the pilot. Choose a morning flight, when the air is usually calmer, and a route over land such as the Ubud flight. Keep your eyes on the horizon, wear the headset for quiet, and agree a signal that means you want a calmer pace. A short first flight is a better test than a long one. Our safety questions guide helps you ask the operator what you want to know.

Motion

Avoiding Motion Sickness

Light helicopters can feel bumpier than airliners, especially in the heat of the afternoon. Fly in the morning if you are prone to motion sickness, eat a light meal an hour or two before and skip alcohol the night before. Keep your eyes on the horizon rather than on your phone, and tell the pilot at the first sign of nausea so the pilot can ease the pace. A short flight over land, such as 12 minutes over the Ubud terraces, is a gentle test.

Not allowed

What Is Not Allowed on the Pad or in the Cabin

Hats, scarves and loose cloth. The rotor wash takes them, and they can hit the rotor.
Opening windows or doors in flight. Windows and doors stay shut from boarding to landing.
Walking toward the helicopter before the pilot signals, or approaching from the rear. Always go from the front, as the pilot directs.
Smoking and vaping. Not on the pad and not in the cabin.
Alcohol before the flight. The pilot can refuse a guest who has been drinking. Sparkling wine is served after landing.
Corks popped in the cabin. A flying cork is a hazard in a small cabin.
Selfie sticks, tripods and loose items. Anything that can swing or fly around the cabin stays at the hotel.
Hard suitcases. The hold is small. Use soft bags and keep weights low.

On the pad

The First 20 Minutes at the Pad

20 min beforeArrive and meet the crewGround crew take bags and weigh them. Keep your phone and camera on you.
15 min beforeWeights and briefingThe pilot confirms your weights, seats you and explains the doors, belts and exit.
10 min beforeHeadsets and beltsHeadsets go on, microphones are checked, belts are tightened.
5 min beforeWalk to the aircraftGo together, from the front, as the pilot signals, with your head low and your things held.
Lift-offHands free, eyes outSettle in, look at the horizon and enjoy the flight.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What should I wear on a helicopter tour in Bali?

Light, breathable clothes, trousers or shorts, flat closed shoes with grip and sunglasses on a strap. Bring a thin layer for morning flights. Skip hats, scarves and long loose skirts, because the rotor wash on the pad pulls at them.

Can I wear a hat or scarf on a helicopter flight?

No. The rotor wash takes hats and scarves, and loose cloth can hit the rotor. Leave them at the hotel or in a zipped bag until you land.

How do I take photos from a helicopter?

Hold the lens close to the window without pressing, switch off the flash and use a wrist or neck strap. Windows stay shut in flight. Short video clips often work better than stills; see our photo tips.

How much luggage can I bring?

Soft bags only, in a small hold, within a combined weight limit. Hard suitcases do not fit. Tell us the number of bags and rough weights when you book so we can confirm the class.

Can children go on a helicopter flight in Bali?

Usually yes, with a seat and headset sized for them. Send the ages and weights when you book and the operator confirms. The shortest flight, 12 minutes from $450, is the easiest for a first helicopter ride.

What if I get motion sickness or I am afraid of flying?

Choose a morning flight and a route over land, eat lightly, and look at the horizon. Tell the pilot, who can ease the pace. Ask a pharmacist about tablets and take them before the flight.

Send Your Date and Any Questions

Tell us the date, the guests, the bags and anything you are unsure about. We reply the same day on WhatsApp with the aircraft, the pad and a fixed price. Nothing is paid on this site.

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