Discover the hidden gems of the Grab app with 12 incredible features that will revolutionize your Bali experience, including XL bikes, convenient car rentals, airport stands, food recommendations, hassle-free grocery shopping, and more.
There is no denying the convenience of the Grab app – in fact, it is difficult to imagine how we’ve functioned without it! Transforming our daily lives with the click of a button, it has become our go-to for organising car and bike transport, as well as hassle-free food delivery. But did you know that there is more to the Grab app than meets the eye? Here, we’ll share with you 12 fabulous features on the app that you may not know about…
1) GrabCar and GrabBike XL
In the busy Bali traffic, motorbikes can often be the most convenient way of getting around. However, there is nothing worse than the discomfort of balancing on the back of a small 50cc Vario, especially when you have a longer journey to make. But with the Grab app you now have the freedom to choose one of their larger XL bikes so that you can travel in total comfort! And for those who prefer the safety of a car, this Grab feature also gives you the option to select the perfect size car you need – ideal for families or groups of friends wanting to travel together!
How to find in the app: After inputting the address you want to go to, there will be a choice of transport options to choose from. Here you will be able to select the larger GrabCar and XL GrabBikes.
2) GrabCar Rent by the Hour
Not only does Grab get you from A to B but there is also the option to rent a driver by the hour. We have found this to be amazingly helpful for those busy days where you have a few places to be, or when you simply want the convenience of having your own driver on standby. Ranging from 4 hours up to 12 hours, it can cut out the hassle of arranging another Grab later to take you back home. And if you already have a list of sight-seeing hotspots you want to check out, this is a great option for organising a day adventuring around the island.
How to find in the app: Open the ‘Car’ icon for transport options and there you will find the button to hire a driver by the hour.
3) Grab stand at the airport
You’ve finally arrived on the beautiful island of Bali, and after a long plane journey, the last thing that you want to be doing is haggling over the price of a taxi to take you to your hotel. You’ll be pleased to hear that Grab is the official partner for online transport at Gusti Ngurah Rai airport, and their stand can be easily located as you exit the baggage claim area and follow signs towards the international car park. There you will see the Grab Lounge where staff are on hand to assist you with ordering your transport.
If you already have the Grab app downloaded, it’s easy to follow the in-app directions to book the ride that suits your group size and luggage needs. All GrabChat messages are automatically translated, so there is no need to worry about communication barriers with your driver. And with upfront price fares, there are no hidden costs, allowing you to start your holiday off hassle-free!
4) Grab Food recommendations
There’s no denying that Bali has plenty of amazing restaurants to try. Whether you’re new to Indonesian cuisine, or just feeling a bit overwhelmed with the wide variety of foods on offer, GrabFood has plenty of recommendations to satisfy those hunger cravings. And to make it even easier, their app has two helpful features to locate some of the best local dishes on the island.
The ‘Lokal Legends’ icon will direct you straight to a list of restaurants in your surrounding area that are renowned for their delicious food, as well as the ‘ENAK! by Laurence Benson’ icon – where you’ll find expert recommendations of some of the best cuisine Bali has to offer. Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional Babi Guling (suckling pig) or an authentic Nasi Goreng, you’ll be shown plenty of highly-rated hidden gems for you to try! However, if you fancy something Western or a tasty curry, you can easily use the app to search by cuisine or find restaurants that are closest to your location – easy!
How to find in the app: Hit the ;Food’ icon and find the option to search for food near you as well as ‘Local Legends’ and ‘Enak! by Laurence Benson’.
5) Grab Food Dine-in or Pickup options
For those people who are in a hurry, Grab’s Pickup and Dine-in options are a real winner! Here, you can pre-order from your favourite restaurant so they can have your food ready and waiting for you as soon as you arrive to either dine-in or take-away. It’s super handy for those hectic days when time is of the essence, or pre-empting a hangry melt-down from the kids after a full-on day down the beach!!
How to find in the app: In the ‘Food’ section, you will also find the icons to select food for delivery, dine-in or self pick-up.
6) Grab Packages
If you enjoy making the most of Grab’s awesome features like we do, then don’t miss out on saving yourself some money and grabbing a bargain with their great savings packages and bulk discount offers. Not only are these packages really cheap, but they also give you access to tons of savings on various Grab services! It has everything from food, shopping and transport benefits, to reduced express package delivery charges. We love the GrabUnlimited package which not only has heaps of GrabFood vouchers to use at over 800,000 restaurants, but also plenty of GrabBike and GrabCar discounts also. They even offer a free trial period, so you can try it out for yourself before subscribing to a monthly renewable package – what’s not to love?
How to find in the app: At the bottom of the app open the ‘Payment’ icon, then scroll across to ‘Save More With Subscription Plans’. In here you will find all of the different subscription offers to browse.
7) Grab Mart
Just arrived in Bali and realised that you’ve forgotten to pack the suncream? Need some snacks to keep the kids entertained? Don’t worry! GrabMart is on hand to help sort out all of your shopping stresses. This online grocery store is the perfect place to stock-up on all of those essentials, without having to even leave your villa! There are plenty of stores to choose from, such as Indomart, Pepito and Grand Lucky, or you can look for a specific item in their search bar. And what’s even better is that it all gets delivered hassle-free directly to you – so you can enjoy more time relaxing by the pool!
How to find in the app: Tap on the ‘Mart’ icon on the Grab app homepage which will take you to where you need to go to shop for all your essentials.
8) Grab Express
GrabExpress is an easy way to send and receive items without having to navigate the crazy Bali traffic. Simply pick your delivery location and select the size of your item, and you will receive an instant price quote. Once your item has been collected, you will be sent live updates of its location and estimated arrival time for total peace of mind!
How to find in the app: Click on the ‘Express’ icon for a step-by-step guide to organising your delivery.
9) Grab Recycle
We all know how important it is to recycle our household waste, which is why we absolutely love GrabRecycle! Simply separate your waste into recyclable and non-recyclable materials, then open up the Grab app to select GrabExpress. Simply type in ‘Langkah hijau’ and choose the recycling centre location that is closest to you.
Once you press ‘Instant Recycle’ you can arrange for a Grab rider to come and collect your waste to drop-off at the recycling centre. You also have the option to select a date and time for your recycling to be collected that suits you best. And don’t forget to tap ‘Use offers to get discounts’ then choose the ‘LANGKAHHIJAU Diskon 40rb’ as your promo to automatically discount the delivery fee up to 40,000rp – making the service totally free for many pickup points on the island. Now you can feel good knowing that you have done your part in helping to look after the planet!
How to find in the app: Open the Grab app and choose GrabExpress. Then follow all of the instructions above to organise this free and easy recycling collection.
10) Grab Safety Features
With Grab’s inbuilt safety features you can relax and enjoy your Bali holiday knowing that they have got your back! Whether you choose to travel by car or bike, Grab’s Personal Accident Insurance will have you covered for every ride. You are also able to share your ride details with friends and family, providing the peace of mind you need for your loved ones – we have found this especially helpful when keeping track of younger members of the family who are travelling back from a Seminyak night out! And if at any point during your ride you feel unsafe, simply press the ‘Report Safety Issues’ button and it will be instantly reported straight to Grab. There is also a ‘24/7 Emergency Help’ button if you require immediate instant assistance during your trip. So you relax in the knowledge that with Grab, your safety is their number one priority!
How to find in the app: Once your ride is booked you will be able to see a shield icon at the top of the page labelled ‘Safety Centre’. Click on here and you will be able to share your ride details, which sends a live location and trip status to your family and friends. Here you can also report a safety issue or request the police or ambulance for any emergencies.
11) Jastip
Got errands to do but don’t want it to cut into your precious holiday time? No need to worry! With Jastip on Grab you can organise for a Grab driver to sort your life admin out for you, whilst you catch a few more rays of Bali sunshine. All you need to do is tell them which shop you would like the driver to start from, add the items and an estimated price, select the service that suits your budget and then place your order. You can then sit back and relax whilst you wait for your delivery to arrive straight to your door – the perfect solution for busy travellers!
How to find in the app: At the top of the Grab app homepage, scroll across until you reach the ‘Jastip’ icon.
12) Various payment options
For us, what makes Grab so convenient is that you have so many different options to pay. Whilst cash is king, if you’re a bit light in rupiah don’t worry, because you also have the option to link your credit or debit card to the app for seamless transaction payments. And even better, you can still enjoy all of your card’s benefits and loyalty points each time you spend on Grab.
For more hassle-free payment options, you can also use OVO – a top-up payment feature where amounts are automatically deducted from your OVO account. Simply follow the instructions in the app to activate your account and you can start to use it straight away to pay for any of the Grab features. You can also easily check your transaction history, pay bills and even make direct payments to shops and businesses by scanning their QR code – easy and painless.
How to find in the app: In the homepage, look for the ‘Payment’ button at the bottom of the page. Once you click on it you will be directed to a secure site with all of the different payment options. This is where you can link your debit/credit card, and also where you can activate and top-up your OVO account.
Final Words
So now you can see for yourself why Grab is definitely one app that we can’t live without in Bali. From food to transport and everything in between, it certainly makes our lives easier! And keep your eyes peeled for more exciting up-and-coming app additions, like GrabPet – a new service where you can bring your pet around Bali with you anywhere and anytime! Purrrrfect!
Like This Post? Pin it!
You can save this page to your Pinterest board for later. Feel free to follow Bali Buddies Blog’s boards and get the latest pin directly from there as well.
