Is Bali Safe for American Travelers?

The US government's advisory for Indonesia, which includes Bali, asks travelers to exercise increased caution; it does not advise against going. The risks that matter there are specific, and several of them turn on choices you make: the road, what you drink, the island's animals and mosquitoes, and Indonesian law. This page goes through each using official sources.

What the US government says about Bali

The US State Department's travel advisory for Indonesia, which covers Bali, is Level 2, Exercise increased caution, on a four-level scale. The advisory cites natural disasters, unrest and terrorism as the reasons. Its strongest warning, Level 4, applies to two provinces in Papua, far from Bali.

How to read a Level 2

Level 2 is not a warning against going. It asks travelers to stay aware and to read the country guidance. The advisory is issued for Indonesia as a whole, a country that stretches across three time zones, so parts of its reasoning concern places a Bali visitor will never be near. Read the current text before you travel, since advisories are revised.

Natural hazards

The advisory notes that Indonesia regularly experiences earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, and that these can disrupt transport and services. For a visitor, the practical step is small: know where the high ground is if you are staying on the coast, and keep your airline's app on your phone so you learn of disruptions directly.

The road is the risk to plan around

Traffic is the hazard a visitor to Bali meets every day, and scooters are where it concentrates. The State Department describes roads shared by cars, trucks and large numbers of motorcycles that weave between vehicles and pass on either side. Riding one yourself adds a legal problem, because a US driver's license alone is not recognized in Indonesia.

If you do not ride

Riding is a choice, not a requirement. Ride-hailing apps operate in Indonesia and licensed taxis are available, and a car with a driver can be hired by the day. Each of those puts someone else behind the wheel.

If you do ride

Indonesian law requires a helmet and a license matching the vehicle, and Bali's own rules for visitors prohibit riding under the influence of alcohol. The licensing question, and what it means for insurance, has its own page on renting a scooter in Bali.

Drinks, and what is in them

Drink safety is the Bali risk the State Department describes most bluntly. Its guidance warns of drink poisoning, including alcohol mixed with methanol, and reports drink spiking and sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. The official advice is to watch drinks being prepared, never accept drinks from strangers, and never leave a drink unattended.

What that means on a night out

Our advice, which goes beyond the official wording: order drinks whose seal you can see broken, such as bottled beer, be cautious with unusually cheap spirits and mixed drinks, and go out with people you trust to notice if something is wrong. If someone becomes ill in a way that seems out of proportion to what they drank, treat it as a medical emergency.

Animals and mosquitoes

Health risks in Bali come more from animals and insects than from anything exotic. The CDC says dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Indonesia, and it currently lists a Level 2 travel health notice for Zika in Bali. On the reassuring side, the CDC reports no malaria transmission in the resort areas of Bali, in Ubud, or in the Gili Islands.

Dogs and monkeys

Do not pet street dogs, and keep your distance from monkeys at temples and forests, however tame they look. Any bite or scratch that breaks the skin needs washing and prompt medical attention; the CDC's advice after a bite is to seek care immediately.

Mosquitoes

The CDC notes that dengue is a risk throughout Indonesia, and its Zika notice advises all travelers to Bali to prevent mosquito bites. Use repellent in the daytime as well as the evening. Anyone who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy should read the Zika notice and speak with a doctor before booking.

Indonesian law is strict where Americans least expect it

Indonesian drug law applies to visitors in full, and it reaches products that are legal at home. Marijuana, cannabis and CBD products are illegal in Indonesia, and the State Department warns that some prescription medications, including those for ADHD, are illegal in Indonesia. Convictions can bring heavy fines and long jail sentences.

An enforcement campaign is under way

The US Consular Agency in Bali reports a current enforcement campaign by police, immigration, transport and tourism officials, with stepped-up attention to traffic violations, visa violations and drug possession by foreigners. Bali also has a formal list of rules for visitors, covered on its own page.

Who to call in Bali

Emergency services in Bali are reached on short national numbers: 112 for the unified emergency line, 110 for police, 119 for an ambulance and 113 for fire. The 112 line is free and works without phone credit. Save the numbers before you land, since you will not want to search for them when you need them.

The US Consular Agency

The United States has a Consular Agency in Bali, in Jimbaran, reachable at +62-361-958-6161. For a medical or safety emergency, call the local emergency numbers first; the agency is the contact for a lost passport, an arrest or other consular help.

What this decision actually sits inside

Notice what happened across all of this. "Is Bali safe" turned out not to be one question. The answers pointed at things you decide before you leave: whether you ride, what medication is in your bag, which vaccines you have, what your insurance covers and where the nearest hospital is from your hotel. Each choice is small, and each one changes what a bad day would cost.

How those choices connect, from your medicine cabinet to your insurance policy to your choice of base, is worked through in Bali, in Its Own Time.