Before you travel to Bali: health, phone and local customs

Health and insurance

• Travel insurance with medical cover is essential. If you plan to snorkel, raft, hike or ride a scooter, check that the policy covers it.
• Ask a travel clinic which vaccinations are recommended for you, ideally a few weeks before departure.
• Dengue fever, spread by mosquitoes, occurs in Bali. Use repellent, especially in the morning and late afternoon.
• Don't drink tap water, not even to brush your teeth. Use bottled or filtered water.
• The sun is strong even when it is cloudy: high-factor sunscreen, a hat and plenty of fluids.

Phone and internet

• Wi-Fi is standard in hotels and cafés, but mobile data is worth having for day trips, maps and ride-hailing apps.
• The easiest option is an eSIM bought before you travel, or a local SIM at the airport or in a phone shop (you need your passport). A phone bought abroad with a local SIM is registered temporarily for up to 90 days.
• Download before you go: Grab or Gojek, WhatsApp (drivers and tour operators use it to confirm pickups), offline maps and your bank's app.
• On Nyepi (8 March 2027) the island stops for 24 hours, and in recent years mobile internet has also been switched off. Plan that day offline.

Power, time and emergencies

Temples and local customs

Bali is a Hindu island and ceremonies are part of everyday life. The Governor's 2025 rules for foreign tourists turned many customs into written rules:

• Dress modestly in temples and sacred places. A sarong and sash are needed and are often lent at the entrance.
• Don't enter the inner temple areas unless you are praying and wearing Balinese temple dress. Women who are menstruating may not enter temples.
• Don't climb sacred trees, shrines or temple structures, and don't take or post disrespectful photos at holy sites.
• Don't step on the small offerings (canang sari) on pavements and in doorways.
• If a ceremonial procession is on the road, wait. Don't overtake it.
• Avoid single-use plastic, use licensed tour guides and accommodation, and remember that working without a work permit is not allowed.
• Drug offences are punished extremely severely in Indonesia.
• In Uluwatu and Ubud the macaques grab sunglasses, hats and phones. Keep loose items in a closed bag.

Sea safety

On the west coast (Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu) strong currents can run under water that looks calm. Swim between the flags where lifeguards are on duty, and don't swim alone at quiet beaches.

Packing list

1. Passport, visa or e-VOA, arrival card and Love Bali QR code (see visas and entry).
2. Travel insurance details and a second payment card.
3. Repellent, sunscreen, a hat and reef shoes.
4. A light warm layer for the mountains and early starts.
5. Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples.

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Sources and fact-check

We checked the facts in this text on 24 Oct 2026 against these sources. Rules, prices and timetables change, so check them before you travel.

1. Bali Provincial Government – Governor's Circular 7/2025: rules for foreign tourists (opens in a new window)
2. Bali Tourism Office – Bali cracks down on unruly tourists, new regulations (8 Apr 2025) (opens in a new window)
3. Customs Ngurah Rai – registering mobile phones (IMEI) (opens in a new window)
4. Smartraveller (Australian Government) – Indonesia travel advice (opens in a new window)
5. Lonely Planet – Best beaches in Bali: currents (Jan 2026) (opens in a new window)
6. Peraturan BPK – Law 35/2009 on narcotics (opens in a new window)
7. Setneg – national holidays 2027 (15 Sep 2026) (opens in a new window)