Vaccines for Bali, and What to Do After a Dog or Monkey Bite

No vaccine is required to enter Bali, and that fact leads many travelers to skip the subject. The CDC still recommends several for Indonesia, and one health risk on the island needs a decision before you fly, not after: rabies, which the CDC says is commonly found in dogs in Indonesia and is the reason a bite or scratch is always treated as urgent.

Vaccines for Bali: required versus recommended

Indonesia requires no vaccinations for entry, according to the US State Department. The CDC separately recommends that travelers to Indonesia be up to date on routine vaccines and recommends hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid for most travelers. Recommended is not the same as required: nobody checks at the airport.

The routine ones first

The CDC's starting point is that routine vaccines should be current before any international trip. Its Indonesia page also carries a global measles notice, a reminder that the basics matter more than anything exotic. A pre-travel appointment is the simplest way to check your record.

Hepatitis A and typhoid

Both are spread through contaminated food and water. The CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for unvaccinated travelers aged one and over going to Indonesia, and typhoid vaccination for most travelers. The CDC adds that the typhoid vaccine is not fully protective, so careful food and water habits still matter.

Hepatitis B and Japanese encephalitis

The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for unvaccinated travelers of all ages. Japanese encephalitis vaccine is a narrower recommendation, aimed at travelers who are moving to an affected area, spending long periods such as a month or more there, or visiting frequently. For a one- or two-week vacation, that one is a conversation with a doctor, not a default.

Malaria, dengue and Zika

Mosquito-borne illness in Bali is mostly about dengue and Zika, not malaria. The CDC reports no malaria transmission in the resort areas of Bali, in Ubud, or in the Gili Islands. Malaria is present in other parts of Indonesia, which matters if your trip continues beyond Bali.

Dengue

The CDC lists dengue as a risk throughout Indonesia. There is no pill to take against it; protection means avoiding bites. Use an effective repellent during the day as well as in the evening, and choose accommodation with screens or air conditioning where you can.

Zika and pregnancy

The CDC currently has a Level 2 travel health notice for Zika in Bali, issued after cases were reported in travelers returning from the island. The notice advises all travelers to Bali to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission during and after travel. Anyone who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy should read the notice and talk to a doctor before booking.

Rabies is the decision to make before you fly

Rabies is a risk the CDC flags for the whole of Indonesia: it says dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in the country. The CDC also says rabies vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country after an exposure. Whether to be vaccinated before travel depends, in the CDC's words, on your planned activities and on how quickly you could reach treatment.

Who should consider the pre-travel vaccine

The CDC frames it as two questions: will your activities increase the chance of contact with potentially rabid animals, and might you have difficulty getting prompt post-exposure treatment? Travelers heading to remote parts of the island, families with small children who are drawn to animals, and anyone planning long stays have more reason to ask their doctor about it.

The cost question

Pre-travel rabies vaccination is a series of shots, and whether your US health plan pays for it is a question for your insurer. It does not remove the need for treatment after a bite; it simplifies that treatment. Ask your doctor and your insurer what each route would cost you.

What to do after a dog or monkey bite

A bite or scratch from a dog, monkey or other mammal in Bali should be treated as a possible rabies exposure, whether or not the animal looked healthy. The CDC's instruction is to seek medical attention immediately. Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, and treatment given promptly after exposure prevents it.

The first minutes

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water, then go to a clinic or hospital the same day. Do not wait to see whether the wound looks serious, and do not let a small scratch persuade you that it does not count. Tell the staff exactly what happened and what animal it was.

Monkeys are the common case

Monkeys at Bali's temples and forests live close to visitors. Do not feed them, do not carry food in your hands, and do not try to take anything back that a monkey has grabbed. Keep small children close. The CDC's general advice for Indonesia is to avoid wild animals and unfamiliar dogs and cats.

Call your insurer the same day

If you have travel insurance, phone the assistance number as soon as you have washed the wound and are on your way to care. Treatment can involve several visits, and it is easier to have the insurer involved from the start than to claim afterward.

Food and water habits

Food and water precautions matter in Bali because the two most commonly recommended vaccines, hepatitis A and typhoid, protect against illnesses spread that way, and neither covers ordinary traveler's diarrhea. The CDC advises travelers to Indonesia to follow safe food and water practices and to wash hands at key times.

Practical habits

Our advice, beyond the official wording: drink sealed or filtered water, eat food that is cooked and served hot, and be more careful in the first days while your stomach adjusts. The CDC also warns against swimming or wading in water that may be contaminated, particularly after flooding.