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Bali Travel Insurance and Travel Guide for Australians
Bali feels like a second home to Australians, which is exactly why it catches so many out: the scooter you aren’t licensed to ride, the hospital that wants payment sorted before it treats you, the volcano that closes the airport under a clear sky. Go Insurance provides Australian travel insurance for Bali at goinsurance.com.au, and this guide covers what most travellers don’t know before they go.
Five Things to Know About Cover in Bali
Bali at a Glance for Australian Travellers
Information current as at 14 October 2026
Ten Things That Catch Australians Out in Bali
Bali looks familiar. These are the places it isn’t. Each one links to the detail further down the page.
Get seriously sick or hurt and you may be flown out
Bali’s hospitals often aren’t equipped for serious cases. An international medical evacuation can cost more than $100,000. Healthcare
A volcano can strand you under a clear sky
Ash from eruptions on Bali or nearby islands can close the airport even when Bali’s weather looks fine. Natural hazards
A car licence isn’t a scooter licence
Indonesia requires a motorcycle licence, and police check tourists. Travel insurance commonly won’t cover an unlicensed rider. Scooters
Rabies treatment after a bite can be hard to get
The treatment you may need is scarce, and you may have to travel elsewhere for it. Ask your GP about vaccination. Healthcare
Hospitals often want payment sorted first
Get emergency treatment, then call your insurer’s emergency line, or you may be asked for a large deposit. Healthcare
A 1cm tear in your passport can get you sent home
Airlines are fined for every passenger Indonesia refuses, so many won’t let you board. Laws
Your ADHD medication may be illegal
Australians declaring amphetamine-based medicines have been detained. CBD is illegal even with a prescription. Medicines
Drugs can carry the death penalty
Australians are arrested in Bali every year, and small amounts still mean prison. Laws
Your villa may not be legal
Unlicensed listings are being pulled from booking sites, and Bali’s rules require licensed accommodation. Where you stay
One shot of bad spirits can kill
Methanol in counterfeit or home-made alcohol has killed Australians. Drink only branded, sealed drinks. Healthcare
Make your own PDF guide. Tick any topic as you read, or start with a trip type:
Health and safety
Emergency Numbers to Save Before You Land in Bali
Call 119 for a medical emergency and 110 for police. Indonesia is second only to Thailand for the number of Australians who need consular help overseas, so save the Australian Consulate-General in Bali too: +62 361 2000 100. Dial the short numbers as shown. The others are in international format, which works when you’re roaming on an Australian phone.
| Need | Number | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Medical emergency | 119 | Ambulances are often slow. See healthcare |
| Ambulance and rescue | 118 | An alternative to 119 |
| Police | 110 | Or 112 |
| Fire | 113 | |
| Single emergency number | 112 | Being rolled out across Bali, but coverage isn’t complete yet |
| Bali Tourist Police | +62 361 759 687 | Theft, scams and police reports |
| Australian Consulate-General, Bali | +62 361 2000 100 | Jl Tantular 32, Renon, Denpasar. Weekdays 8am to 4pm. After hours, press 4 then 6 |
| Consular Emergency Centre, Canberra | +61 2 6261 3305 | 24 hours |
| Go Insurance 24/7 emergency assistance | +61 7 3481 9880 | Emergency treatment comes first. Call as soon as you can, or ask someone to call for you |
Alerts, arrival paperwork and live travel advice
Sources: Smartraveller, Australian Consulate-General Bali, DFAT consular data
What Happens If You Need a Doctor in Bali
Bali has good private clinics and hospitals for everyday problems, but critical care is limited and serious cases are often evacuated. Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Indonesia, so Medicare can’t help, and the Australian Government won’t pay for treatment or evacuation. Many hospitals want to know how you’ll pay before they treat you.
Get emergency treatment first. Then call our 24/7 emergency assistance line on +61 7 3481 9880 as soon as you can, or ask someone to call for you. Our team can help assess your cover and coordinate arrangements with the hospital. What’s covered depends on your policy, so read the PDS.
Paying for treatment, getting to hospital and the health risks that matter
Paying can come before treating
Getting to hospital
Ambulances can be slow, especially in heavy traffic. For anything short of a life-threatening emergency, a taxi or private car to a hospital emergency department is often faster. The Australian Consulate-General publishes a list of local hospitals, as information rather than a recommendation.
The health risks that matter
Off the main island
Nusa Penida has a small public hospital. Serious cases have had to cross to mainland Bali by ordinary speedboat, and a privately run sea ambulance only began operating from Nusa Lembongan in late September 2026. On Nusa Penida, Lembongan or the Gilis, assume serious care is at least a boat ride away and that the sea decides when you can cross. We’ve seen it in our own claims: a traveller on an outer island became seriously ill with typhoid and needed a helicopter evacuation to hospital.
Cosmetic surgery, dental work and tattoos
Bali markets cheap cosmetic and dental procedures to Australians. Australian health authorities and plastic surgeons warn about consultations with sales staff rather than surgeons, payment upfront, counterfeit or expired products, drug-resistant infections, and a higher risk of blood clots when major surgery is followed by a long flight home. When things go wrong, they’re usually fixed back in Australia, often at considerable cost. Tattoo parlours may reuse needles, with a risk of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, and black henna often causes serious skin reactions.
Vaccinations
See your GP or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go. Vaccines commonly recommended for Indonesia include hepatitis A and typhoid. Some need more than one dose or take a few weeks to protect you, so don’t leave it late.
Sources: Smartraveller, Consulate-General: medical, Immunisation Handbook: rabies, Antara: rabies bites, Sydney rabies study, Plastic surgeons: cosmetic tourism, TravelHealthPro
What Our Indonesia Travel Insurance Claims Show
Most of Go Insurance’s Indonesia claims since 2021 are medical: 77% of them. Most medical claims are modest. But when something serious happens in Bali, the cost escalates fast, and several of our claims have run past $180,000.
The serious ones aren’t just scooter crashes. They include pneumonia, a near-drowning, appendicitis, typhoid with a helicopter evacuation from an outer island, and kidney failure. And the bill rarely stops at the hospital. It grows to include a trip cut short, changed flights, extra nights and an air ambulance or medical escort home.
A few days of cough and fever became a serious hospital admission and a medical evacuation to Australia, costing about $190,000.
A traveller knocked over by a wave briefly blacked out. Tests found breathing problems from inhaled water and a serious neck injury, followed by intensive care and an air ambulance home: more than $180,000.
The lesson is to know when something has moved beyond “I’ll see how I feel tomorrow”. Worsening breathlessness, unusual drowsiness, struggling to speak in full sentences, blacking out, vomiting, neck pain, or numbness or tingling in your arms all need medical help straight away.
Belongings are mostly phones, snatched, pickpocketed or dropped and broken. Delays and missed connections make up 5% of our Indonesia claims, and we’ve paid claims for flights cancelled by volcanic eruptions when the sky over Bali looked clear. See natural hazards.
Source: Go Insurance claims data, Indonesia, 2021 to 2026. Figures are rounded and describe past claims, not what any policy will pay. What’s covered depends on your policy, so read the PDS before you go.
Can You Take Your Medicines to Bali?
Indonesia treats some everyday Australian medicines as narcotics, in a country where drug penalties include death. Amphetamine-based ADHD medicines, such as dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine and Adderall, can be treated as narcotics. Cannabis in any form, including CBD and medicinal cannabis, is illegal even with a prescription.
Don’t bring amphetamine-based ADHD medicines unless the Indonesian Embassy has confirmed in writing that you can. A prescription or doctor’s letter alone may not be enough. Allow several weeks for a reply, and talk to your treating doctor early about whether a non-stimulant alternative suits you.
What to check, how to bring medicines in and buying them in Bali
Check before you pack
How to bring your medicines in
Buying medicines in Bali
Counterfeit medicine is common in Indonesia. It may not work, may be the wrong strength or may contain dangerous ingredients. Bring what you need from home. If you must buy locally, use a hospital pharmacy or a large, reputable chain.
Sources: Smartraveller, Indonesian Ministry of Health, US State Department. Rules change, so check the official pages before every trip.
Indonesian and Balinese Laws That Catch Australians Out
Bali’s relaxed feel doesn’t extend to its laws. Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty and small amounts still mean prison. Your passport needs six months’ validity and no damage. Indonesia’s new criminal code applies to visitors, and Bali has its own rules for tourists on top, enforced by an immigration task force.
Drugs, the new criminal code, visas, ID checks and Bali’s tourist rules
Drugs
The new criminal code
Indonesia’s new criminal code took effect on 2 January 2026 and applies to visitors as well as locals.
Passports, visas and arrival
Working, ID checks and Bali’s rules for tourists
What you can bring in and take out
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 1 litre per adult, duty free. Anything over is destroyed on the spot |
| Cigarettes | 200 per adult |
| Vape liquid | 30ml for a refillable vape, or 12ml for a closed system such as pods |
| Cash | Declare IDR 100,000,000 (about A$10,000) or more, arriving and leaving |
| Coral, shells and wildlife | Coral, protected shells and turtle products need a permit to leave Indonesia |
Sources: Smartraveller, Indonesian Immigration: e-VOA, Love Bali, Governor’s Circular 7/2025, RRI: deportations
Volcanoes, Ash Clouds, Surf and the Wet Season in Bali
The hazard that disrupts a Bali trip isn’t always on Bali. Ash from a volcano on another island can close Bali’s airport or airspace even when the weather looks fine, and cancellations can last days. While the airport is closed, affected flights can’t operate, medical evacuations included. Leave a buffer before anything you can’t move at home.
Ash closures, earthquakes, rips and the wet season
Volcanoes and ash clouds
An insurer can’t override an airport or airspace closure, for a medical evacuation or anything else. Alternative airports or routes may sometimes be possible. If there’s no safe and legal way to fly, the medical team has to manage the traveller on the ground until an aircraft can operate.
If you’re stranded
Earthquakes and tsunami
A major fault line runs south of Bali and the airport sits right on the shoreline. If you feel strong shaking near the coast, move to high ground straight away. Don’t wait for a siren.
Water
The wet season
The wet season usually runs from October to April, with flooding and landslides. Heavy rain can hit outside it too: in September 2025, floods killed at least 14 people and cut roads to the airport. Allow extra time for airport transfers when heavy rain is forecast.
Sources: Smartraveller, MAGMA Indonesia, Al Jazeera: flight cancellations, RRI: Lewotobi level, RNZ: Bali floods
Bag Snatching, Scams and Drink Spiking in Bali
Most crime against visitors in Bali is opportunistic: a bag or phone grabbed from a passing motorbike, a short-changed currency exchange, a skimmed card. Australians are a common target because there are so many of them. Drink spiking is a real risk in nightlife areas, and it isn’t the same as methanol poisoning.
Everyday crime, fines, drink spiking, terrorism and protests
Everyday crime and scams
Drink spiking
The UK and US governments both report spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands, and tourists have been robbed after their drinks were spiked. Men are targeted too, usually for robbery.
Warning signs include suddenly feeling very drunk, drowsy, confused or unsteady, vomiting or passing out after very little to drink. Get to a safe place and get medical help straight away, and ask for blood and urine samples quickly, because some drugs leave the body within hours. Report it to the Bali Tourist Police on +62 361 759 687 and call your travel insurer’s emergency line. If you’ve been sexually assaulted, the Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 can connect you with counselling and help you report it.
Terrorism and protests
Attacks could happen anywhere in Indonesia, including tourist areas. Bali was targeted in 2002 and 2005. Be alert in crowded places, especially around religious holidays. Protests can flare quickly, as they did across Indonesia in August 2025. Avoid demonstrations. Travel insurance also commonly excludes claims arising from taking part in riots or civil commotion, or from breaking local laws.
Sources: Smartraveller, UK Foreign Office, US State Department, Victoria Police: drink spiking
Sick, Injured, in a Scooter Accident or Lost Your Passport in Bali: What to Do
If you’re sick or injured, call 119 in a life-threatening emergency, or take a taxi to a hospital emergency department. Once you’re getting care, call your travel insurer’s emergency line. After a scooter accident, don’t agree to pay anyone on the spot if you can avoid it. If your passport is lost or stolen, get a police report, then contact the Australian Consulate-General in Denpasar.
You’re sick or injured
You’ve had a scooter accident
Lost passport, arrest and theft
Your passport is lost or stolen
You’re arrested
Ask for the Australian Consulate to be told. Consular staff can visit you, check on your welfare, contact your family and give you a list of local lawyers. They can’t get you out of jail, pay your legal costs or intervene in the case.
Something’s been stolen
Report it to the Bali Tourist Police on +62 361 759 687 and get a written police report. You’ll need it for a claim.
Sources: Consulate-General: consular services, Smartraveller
Activities
Riding a Scooter in Bali: Licence, Helmet and Insurance Rules
To ride a scooter legally in Bali you need an Australian licence that includes motorcycles, plus an International Driving Permit showing it. A car licence isn’t enough, and police check tourists. Travel insurance commonly won’t cover a scooter crash if you weren’t licensed to ride, and the bills can be large.
Many shops will hand a scooter to anyone with cash. That doesn’t make riding it legal, and it doesn’t mean you’re covered. Bali Police’s own advice: if you can’t ride confidently, hire a rider instead.
Before you hire
Road deaths, police checks, crash costs and what to check in your policy
Before you ride, check your policy for
Go Insurance policies set licence, helmet, clothing and engine size conditions for scooters and motorbikes, for riders and passengers. Read them in the PDS before you ride.
Sources: Bali Police: road deaths, Bali Police: foreign riders, Smartraveller
Diving, Snorkelling and Surfing in Bali
Nusa Penida’s currents are strong and unpredictable, so sites like Crystal Bay are for experienced divers with an established operator. Decompression chambers are limited, with the main one at RSUP Prof. Ngoerah hospital in Denpasar. Wait at least 12 hours after a single dive before you fly, and 18 hours after several.
Dive safety, flying after diving and reef cuts
Sources: DAN: flying after diving, Smartraveller
Climbing Mt Batur and Mt Agung
Mt Batur’s sunrise trek is popular and generally safe with a local guide. Agung is a much harder climb. Both are active volcanoes, so check the alert level on MAGMA Indonesia before you go. Bali’s mountains are also sacred: dress modestly, stay on the trail and don’t take anything from the mountain.
Alert levels and respect on the mountain
Sources: MAGMA Indonesia, Smartraveller
Fast Boats, Day Boats and Rafting in Bali
Safety standards on Bali’s fast boats and day boats vary widely, and there’s no public register to check an operator. In March 2025 a snorkelling boat with 11 Australians aboard capsized off Nusa Penida, killing one. Choose established operators, check there are enough life jackets, and don’t travel after dark or in rough weather.
Boat safety and adventure activities
Sources: Jakarta Post, TTG Asia: maritime safety, Smartraveller
Practical
Money Changers, ATMs and Card Payments in Bali
Bali runs on rupiah and the zeros catch people out: IDR 1,000,000 is about A$100. Use only licensed money changers, which Bali’s tourist rules require, and count your cash twice. Use ATMs inside banks or shops, always choose to be charged in rupiah, and keep cash for warungs, markets and drivers.
Licensed changers, ATMs, card surcharges and tipping
Changing money
ATMs and cards
Tips and bill extras
Many restaurants add a service charge of up to 10% and a local tax of up to 10%, so check the bill before you tip. Tipping isn’t expected, but it’s appreciated, especially by drivers and guides.
Sources: Bank Indonesia, Governor’s Circular 7/2025, Smartraveller
Phones, SIM Cards and Ride-Hailing Apps in Bali
Keep your Australian number working, because your bank’s SMS codes, and calls back from a hospital, the police or your insurer, need to reach you. A data-only eSIM gives you data without switching SIMs. Tourist SIMs work for 90 days. Grab and Gojek are the main ride-hailing apps, but some areas block their pickups.
Backing up your phone, ride-hailing no-go zones and messaging
Sources: Ngurah Rai Customs, Smartraveller, Go Insurance claims data
Traffic, Airport Arrivals and Drivers in Bali
Bali looks small on a map. On the road, it isn’t: in peak season, a 5km trip in Canggu can take more than an hour. Allow far more time than the map suggests, especially for the airport. Hiring a driver for the day is common, affordable and far safer than riding yourself.
Arriving at Ngurah Rai, drivers and fast boats
Sources: Smartraveller, Indonesia Travel: autogates
Villas, Licensing and Pool Safety in Bali
Bali’s tourist rules require you to stay in licensed accommodation, and many online villa listings aren’t registered. In late 2025 there were more than 29,000 villa-style listings on booking sites, but only about 14,500 in the business registry. Unlicensed listings are being removed, so a booking you’ve paid for could disappear. Check the property is registered before you pay.
Private homes, unfenced pools and villa security
Sources: TTG Asia, Governor’s Circular 7/2025, Smartraveller
Temples, Offerings and Etiquette in Bali
Indonesia expects visitors to respect its laws, its religion and its people, and Bali has written that into rules for tourists. Bali is mostly Hindu and religion is part of daily life. Honest mistakes are usually forgiven. Disrespect at sacred sites, drunken or offensive behaviour and ignoring the rules aren’t, and tourists are deported for them every year.
Temples, everyday respect, ceremonies and Nyepi
Temples
Everyday respect
Nyepi, the Day of Silence
For 24 hours each year, usually in March, Bali stops. The airport closes apart from emergency flights, no-one may leave their hotel or home, and lights and noise must be kept low. Village security enforce it, and tourists who break the rules have been deported. Check the date before you book.
Sources: Governor’s Circular 7/2025, Antara: tourist guidelines, Smartraveller
Drinking Water, Air Quality, Power and Toilets in Bali
Don’t drink the tap water in Bali: drink bottled or boiled water. Small plastic water bottles are being phased out, so bring a refillable bottle. Bali runs on 230V like Australia, but the plugs are the European two-round-pin type (C and F), so you’ll need an adaptor.
Ice, water supply, haze and toilets
Sources: Smartraveller, Indonesia Travel: plugs, Asia News Network: landfill
Key Dates That Disrupt Travel in Bali
Bali runs on more than one calendar, so its big dates move every year. The one that matters most is Nyepi, usually in March, when the airport closes for 24 hours and you must stay in your hotel. Australian school holidays are Bali’s busiest weeks for Australians, and the wet season runs from October to April.
| When | What | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Usually March | Nyepi, the Day of Silence | The airport closes for 24 hours and you must stay in. The evening before, parades close most roads |
| Every 210 days | Galungan, then Kuningan 10 days later | Busy temples, some closures and processions on the roads |
| About 11 days earlier each year | Eid al-Fitr (Lebaran) | Indonesia’s biggest travel surge. Domestic flights and ferries fill up |
| Late December to January, and July | Australian school holidays | Book early and expect higher prices and heavier traffic |
| October to April | Wet season | Flooding, landslides and more dengue. See natural hazards |
| April to November | Haze season | Smoke from fires elsewhere in Indonesia can affect air quality |
Sources: Indonesian Government: 2027 holidays, Smartraveller
Your Bali Before-You-Fly Checklist
Most of what goes wrong for Australians in Bali can be sorted before you leave home. Start six to eight weeks out, because some vaccines need more than one dose.
Six to eight weeks out
Two weeks out
Within 72 hours of flying
When you land
Bali doesn’t bend its rules for visitors. Now you know the ones that matter. Go and enjoy it.
Make It Your Bali Travel Guide
Found something useful? Pick the topics that fit your trip and download them as one PDF, or copy a link for the people you’re travelling with. Emergency numbers and the before-you-fly checklist are always included.
Your guide opens in the print window. Choose “Save as PDF” to keep it.
How Go Insurance Can Help on Your Bali Trip
Medicare can’t help in Bali, hospitals often want payment sorted before they treat you, and serious cases are often evacuated, so travel insurance matters more here than many Australians expect. Go Insurance cover can be tailored when you quote, and Bali is listed as its own destination. If something goes wrong, our 24/7 emergency assistance team is a phone call away on +61 7 3481 9880 or sos@goinsurance.com.au.
Cover is subject to the PDS, including its limits, conditions and exclusions, and the conditions for riding scooters. Need to make a claim? Visit our claims support page. Travelling further in the region? Check which regions of travel apply to your trip.
Bali Travel Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need travel insurance for Bali?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s strongly recommended. Medicare doesn’t apply in Indonesia, many Bali hospitals want insurance confirmation, a deposit or a guarantee before they treat you, and serious cases are often evacuated. An international medical evacuation can cost more than $100,000, and without insurance the bill is yours.
Does Medicare cover me in Bali?
No. Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Indonesia, so Medicare can’t help with medical costs in Bali, and the Australian Government won’t pay for treatment or evacuation. You’re responsible for the full cost unless you have travel insurance that covers it.
Should I choose Bali or Indonesia when I get a quote?
If you’re only going to Bali, choose Bali. It’s listed as its own destination when you quote with Go Insurance, within the South East Asia region. If your trip also takes in other parts of Indonesia or other countries, add each destination so your quote reflects the whole trip.
Can I ride a scooter in Bali on my Australian car licence?
No. Indonesia requires a motorcycle licence, so you need an Australian licence that includes motorcycles plus an International Driving Permit showing it, and police check tourists. Travel insurance commonly won’t cover a scooter crash if you weren’t licensed to ride. Go Insurance policies set licence, helmet, clothing and engine size conditions, so read the PDS before you ride.
Can I take ADHD medication to Bali?
Amphetamine-based ADHD medicines, such as dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine and Adderall, can be treated as narcotics in Indonesia. Don’t bring them unless the Indonesian Embassy has confirmed in writing that you can, and allow several weeks for a reply. Talk to your treating doctor early, and don’t change your medicine without their advice.
What is the emergency number in Bali?
Call 119 for a medical emergency and 110 for police. Ambulances are often slow, so for anything short of a life-threatening emergency a taxi to a hospital emergency department is often faster. The Australian Consulate-General in Bali is on +62 361 2000 100. Go Insurance customers should call our 24/7 emergency assistance line on +61 7 3481 9880 as soon as they can.
What happens if a volcano closes Bali airport?
Flights affected by the closure can’t operate until aviation authorities say it’s safe, and that includes medical evacuations. Cancellations can last days. Carry extra medication and money, keep your accommodation if you can, keep receipts, and follow your airline’s updates. How your policy treats ash cloud disruption is set out in the PDS.
What do I need to do before I fly to Bali?
Check your passport has six months’ validity and no damage, apply for your e-VOA at least 48 hours before you fly, complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card within 72 hours of travel, and pay the IDR 150,000 Bali tourist levy through Love Bali. See your GP six to eight weeks out about vaccinations and medicines.
About This Bali Guide
This guide is general information, current as at 14 October 2026 and reviewed every quarter. Laws, fees and official advice change, so check Smartraveller before you go. It isn’t legal or medical advice and it doesn’t describe what your policy covers. For that, read the PDS. Official Indonesian and Australian government sources are used wherever they exist, and are linked in each section.
Your personal travel guide
Bali for Australian Travellers
In this guide
In an emergency in Bali: medical emergency 119, police 110, Australian Consulate-General +62 361 2000 100, Consular Emergency Centre +61 2 6261 3305 (24 hours).
Insured with Go? Call our 24/7 emergency assistance line on +61 7 3481 9880 or email sos@goinsurance.com.au.
Important Information
This guide is general information only, current as at the date shown on the cover. Laws, fees and official advice change, so check Smartraveller before you travel. It is not legal or medical advice and it does not describe what any policy covers.
Any advice in this guide is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before you buy, consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), which includes our Financial Services Guide, and the Target Market Determination, both available at goinsurance.com.au. Cover is subject to the limits, conditions and exclusions in the PDS.
sos@goinsurance.com.au
goinsurance.com.au/claims-support-when-it-matters/
Go Insurance is a trading name of Go Unlimited Pty Ltd, ABN 74 149 217 925, AFSL 404782. PO Box 5964, Brendale QLD 4500.