For an Australian holiday in Bali, arrange travel insurance and a pre-travel health appointment before deciding on activities. The most useful preparation is straightforward: update routine vaccines, prevent mosquito bites, choose safe food and water, and use transport you are licensed and insured for. If you do not already ride a motorbike confidently, use a driver rather than learning on holiday. Plan Ubud, the coast and island extensions around the time you have.
Vaccines and a useful pre-travel appointment
Take your immunisation history and complete itinerary to your GP or travel clinic, including any nights on Lombok or trips farther east. Aim to arrange the appointment well before departure: NaTHNaC's Indonesia advice recommends four to six weeks, while noting that a late appointment is still worthwhile. Information checked on 4 November 2026. Explain medical conditions, pregnancy, children's ages and the actual activities you expect to do.
Routine immunisations come first. NaTHNaC recommends hepatitis A for previously unvaccinated travellers and typhoid for most visitors; hepatitis B, rabies and Japanese encephalitis depend on individual risk. A rural stay or repeated animal exposure is different from a short resort holiday. Ask the clinician to turn the itinerary into a vaccination and prevention plan rather than buying a generic list of travel products.
For UK visitors, the current NHS travel vaccination page directs readers to TravelHealthPro for country advice and explains where vaccines are provided; checked on 4 November 2026. US visitors can start with the CDC Indonesia page. Travellers arriving from yellow-fever risk countries may need a certificate; include previous destinations and stopovers in the assessment. Use the separate Bali entry guide for visa and arrival paperwork.
Bali belly, drinking water and when to get help
Bali belly is the travel nickname for traveller's diarrhoea. Reduce exposure by choosing safe drinking water, avoiding ice of uncertain origin and eating food that is thoroughly cooked and served hot. Wash your hands with soap and water before eating and after using the toilet. The Victorian Government's food safety advice for travellers, checked on 4 November 2026, covers these measures. A busy restaurant does not reveal how every ingredient has been stored.
If diarrhoea develops, rest and replace fluids; oral rehydration solutions help replace lost water and salts. Ask a pharmacist or clinician before using anti-diarrhoeal medicines. Healthdirect, checked on 4 November 2026, identifies severe diarrhoea, dehydration, heavy rectal bleeding and severe abdominal pain as reasons for immediate assessment. Reduced urination and a dry mouth are warning signs, with young children and older adults particularly vulnerable to dehydration.
Do not keep a paid excursion at the expense of getting help when symptoms worsen. High fever or blood warrants medical advice rather than assuming every stomach problem is ordinary Bali belly. Record when symptoms began and the medicines you have taken. If you become unwell after returning home, tell the clinician which islands you visited and when; the travel history helps direct the assessment.
Dengue, the Zika notice and malaria on island extensions
Protect against mosquito bites during the day as well as in the evening. Use a suitable repellent as labelled, cover exposed skin and choose accommodation with effective barriers against mosquitoes. NaTHNaC's country advice linked above includes dengue and bite prevention, checked on 4 November 2026. A city stay does not remove the need for protection, and a repellent packed but never used provides none.
The CDC Zika notice for Indonesia, dated 7 August 2026, reports cases in returning travellers from Bali. It advises preventing mosquito bites and sexual transmission during and after travel; notice checked on 4 November 2026. If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, discuss whether to travel and the precautions afterwards with your health professional before committing to flights.
Malaria advice depends on the itinerary. The CDC country page, checked on 4 November 2026, lists no transmission in Ubud, Bali's resort areas or the Gili Islands, but identifies rural West Nusa Tenggara, including Lombok, and eastern Indonesia, including Labuan Bajo and Komodo, as transmission areas. Adding those places changes the consultation. Ask for destination-specific prevention rather than treating all Indonesian islands as having Bali's resort-area risk.
Rabies and monkeys: respond to bites immediately
Avoid feeding, touching or playing with monkeys, dogs and cats, including in tourist attractions. Keep children close and put food and loose belongings away. NSW Health's rabies advice, checked on 4 November 2026, includes Bali among risk destinations and explains that prior vaccination does not remove the need for assessment after exposure. Familiarity with tourists is not protection against infection.
After a bite or scratch, immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least fifteen minutes, then seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if previously vaccinated. These are NSW Health's instructions in the source above. Do not wait to see whether the animal looks ill or postpone care until the flight home. If treated overseas, obtain a written record of dates, products and the clinic's contact details for follow-up in Australia.
At Monkey Forest, follow staff instructions and avoid approaching animals for photographs. The Ubud guide explains how to organise the visit alongside museums, walks and temples. Build enough time into the day to leave an activity if somebody needs attention rather than committing to another timed excursion immediately afterwards.
Scooters, licences and the insurance questions to ask
For Australians, Smartraveller says driving in Indonesia requires an Indonesian licence or an International Driving Permit alongside the Australian licence, with the correct vehicle category; checked on 4 November 2026. An ordinary car entitlement does not automatically authorise a motorbike. A rental desk handing over keys does not establish that you are licensed or insured.
Before hiring, ask your insurer about riding and travelling as a passenger, engine-size restrictions, helmet requirements and exclusions. The separate Smartraveller road-safety advice, checked on 4 November 2026, distinguishes personal travel cover from vehicle insurance and warns about invalid cover when driving without the correct licence. Photograph the vehicle's condition and agree the return arrangements with the rental business.
UK visitors cannot rely on a UK licence alone: the FCDO Indonesia transport advice says to use a UK-issued IDP and the appropriate licence; checked on 4 November 2026. For every nationality, if the paperwork or riding experience is missing, use a driver. Agree the route, waiting time and return pickup so a temple visit does not depend on finding another car afterwards.
Choose medical and evacuation cover as part of the holiday budget. FCDO's health advice, checked on 4 November 2026, warns that good care can be expensive and treatment for serious conditions may be unavailable in remote areas. Save the policy number and assistance contact outside your email, and check activity exclusions before booking diving, mountain outings or other adventure trips.
Scams, the sea, volcanoes and emergency contacts
Check the driver's identity and vehicle against your ride-hailing booking before getting in, and share the trip with a travelling companion. Watch drinks being prepared and do not leave them unattended. The FCDO safety page linked above reports drink spiking in Bali, Lombok and the Gilis; checked on 4 November 2026. For cash withdrawals and exchanges, use the practical steps in Bali money and costs.
Smartraveller warns about methanol poisoning and dangerous currents at unpatrolled beaches; advice checked on 4 November 2026. Keep doubtful spirits out of your evening and follow beach signs and lifeguard instructions. People already swimming or a calm-looking photograph do not establish safe conditions. Before a boat crossing, consult BMKG's marine forecasts and your operator about conditions and changes; service checked on 4 November 2026.
Before a volcano excursion, consult MAGMA Indonesia and local closure instructions. For an earthquake near the coast, protect yourself during shaking, then move towards high ground or inland as soon as safe, following evacuation routes. NOAA's tsunami guidance, checked on 4 November 2026, explains that natural warning signs require action without waiting for an official alert. Do not stay on the beach to watch unusual sea retreat.
Save 118 for ambulance and rescue, 119 for medical emergencies and 110 for police, as published by Smartraveller and checked on 4 November 2026. Give your location and accommodation name when requesting help, and contact your insurer. Use the Bali travel guide to arrange bases and transfers with enough room to change plans.
Staying connected
Download your insurance details, assistance contacts and accommodation location so they remain available without reception; use mobile data to share your position and coordinate help. The Indonesia eSIM is data-only and keeps WhatsApp on your existing number, so arrange another way to call ordinary emergency numbers rather than relying on a messaging app alone.