Bali Travel Health: Vaccines to Ask About, Dengue, Mosquitoes & a Simple First-Aid Kit

Bali has good private clinics and hospitals in the tourist areas, and most visitors stay perfectly healthy. A little preparation before you leave makes that even more likely: the right vaccines for your trip, a plan for mosquitoes, and a small kit for the cuts, burns and stomach upsets that are the most common reasons tourists visit a pharmacy. This guide gives you the questions to ask your travel clinic, explains dengue in plain language, and lists what to pack and what to do on the island. It is general information, not medical advice — your doctor or a travel-health clinic can tailor recommendations to your age, health, the length of your stay and what you'll be doing.

Vaccines: what to ask your travel clinic

Indonesia doesn't require vaccines for most travellers. The one entry requirement to know: a yellow fever certificate is needed if you arrive from, or have recently transited through, a country with yellow fever risk. Beyond that, these are the vaccines travellers to Indonesia commonly discuss with a clinic — what's right for you depends on your trip.

Book the appointment 6–8 weeks before departure, since some vaccines need more than one dose. Bring your itinerary: a week in a Seminyak hotel is different from a month in rice-field villages.

Dengue and mosquitoes

Dengue is a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite mainly during the day, especially early morning and late afternoon. It occurs year-round in Bali, with more cases in and after the rainy season. Most cases are uncomfortable rather than dangerous, but a small number become severe, so it's worth taking seriously.

How to avoid bites

• Repellent containing DEET, picaridin (icaridin) or another ingredient recommended by your health authority — reapply after swimming and sweating, and put sunscreen on first.
• Cover up with light long sleeves and trousers in the early morning and late afternoon, and around gardens, rice fields and water.
• Air-conditioning, screens or a mosquito net in your room; mosquito coils and plug-in devices are sold everywhere.
• Empty standing water around your villa (plant saucers, buckets) — that's where these mosquitoes breed.

Symptoms and what to do

Typical symptoms are a sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea and sometimes a rash, usually 4–10 days after the bite. See a doctor if you get a high fever in Bali or after you get home — a simple blood test confirms it. While dengue hasn't been ruled out, many health services advise using paracetamol for fever rather than ibuprofen or aspirin, which can increase bleeding risk; follow your doctor's advice. Warning signs such as severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or extreme tiredness need urgent care.

Is there malaria in Bali?

Most official health guidance treats Bali as very low or no malaria risk, and anti-malarial tablets aren't usually recommended for a Bali-only trip. Parts of eastern Indonesia, such as Papua, are different. If you're travelling beyond Bali — Lombok, Flores, Sumba or further east — tell your clinic so they can check the current advice for each place.

Rabies and animals

Bali has rabies in its dog population, and monkeys at temples can bite or scratch. Don't touch street dogs, puppies or monkeys, and don't carry food openly around monkeys. After any bite or scratch: wash the wound with soap and running water for 15 minutes and get medical care the same day. Full details: dogs & rabies in Bali.

Wounds, burns and the tropics

Small cuts, coral scrapes and the classic "Bali tattoo" — a burn from touching a scooter's hot exhaust — are common. In heat and humidity, wounds get infected quickly. Clean them well with safe water, use antiseptic, keep them covered and dry, and see a clinic if a wound gets red, hot, swollen or pus-filled. Read exhaust burns: prevention & first aid.

Stomach, sun and heat

The other two everyday health issues are stomach bugs and too much sun. Drink safe water only, wash your hands before eating, wear sunscreen and a hat, and drink more than you think you need. See Bali belly: how to avoid it and sun & heat safety on a scooter.

A simple Bali first-aid kit

• ☐ Your prescription medicines, in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.
• ☐ Insect repellent and an after-bite cream.
• ☐ Sunscreen (SPF 30+), after-sun gel and lip balm.
• ☐ Oral rehydration salts.
• ☐ Paracetamol (and anything else your doctor suggests).
• ☐ Antiseptic, plasters, sterile dressings and tape.
• ☐ Burn gel for minor burns.
• ☐ Hand sanitiser.
• ☐ Travel insurance details and emergency numbers saved on your phone.

Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals in Bali

Pharmacies (apotek) are everywhere in tourist areas and many stock familiar medicines; staff in busy areas often speak English. Private clinics in Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua treat travellers daily and some make hotel visits; larger hospitals are in Denpasar, Kuta and Nusa Dua. Save emergency numbers — 112 (emergency) and 118/119 (ambulance). See hospitals & clinics in Bali, and make sure your travel insurance covers what you plan to do.

Longer stays: remote workers and long-term visitors

If you're staying for months — to work remotely, surf or study — health planning looks a little different. Ask your clinic specifically about rabies pre-exposure and Japanese encephalitis, since risk builds over time. Check that your insurance covers long stays and doesn't stop after a set number of days abroad. Register with a local clinic you trust, find the nearest 24-hour hospital to where you live, and keep a stock of your regular medicines (bring a doctor's letter; some medicines are restricted in Indonesia). Long-term riders should keep tetanus up to date and get any road rash looked at early. Dental care is widely available in tourist areas, but get a check-up before a long trip.

If you get sick at home after the trip

Some illnesses show up only after you're back. If you develop a fever, persistent diarrhoea or an infected wound within a few weeks of returning, tell your doctor you've been to Indonesia — it changes which tests they'll consider.

Ears, eyes and skin

• Swimmer's ear (outer ear infection) is common for people who surf or swim daily; dry your ears after swimming and see a pharmacist or doctor if they become painful.
• Eyes: wind, dust and insects on a scooter make sunglasses or a visor worth wearing; avoid sleeping in contact lenses after swimming.
• Skin: heat rash and fungal infections love humidity — loose cotton clothes, showers after sweating and dry skin help.
• Sunburn: reapply sunscreen after swimming, and remember the backs of hands and neck on a scooter.

Staying healthy on a scooter

• Ride in long sleeves and closed shoes — they block sun, mosquitoes and scrapes.
• Carry water in the scooter seat and stop in the shade on long rides.
• Avoid the hottest hours (roughly 11 am–2 pm) for long trips.
• Don't ride if you have a fever, are dehydrated or on medicines that make you drowsy.
• Use the helmet every time, strap fastened.

Our Bali scooter rental includes two helmets and delivers to your accommodation. Popular choices: the Yamaha Grand Filano 125 Hybrid (IDR 130,000/day), comfortable for two, the Honda Scoopy (Gen 4) (IDR 90,000/day) and the Honda Vario 125 (IDR 100,000/day). Staying long term in Ubud or Canggu? Weekly and monthly prices are on the scooter rental page — a Honda Vario 125 for 30 days is IDR 1,510,000.

• Free delivery and pick-up to Ngurah Rai Airport and hotels or villas in Kuta, Legian & Seminyak.
• Other areas cost extra: Kerobokan, Berawa, Umalas, Sanur & Jimbaran IDR 60,000; Nusa Dua, Canggu & Pererenan IDR 80,000; Uluwatu IDR 100,000 (return trip included); Ubud and anywhere else, ask on WhatsApp.
• Pay in Indonesian Rupiah when the scooter arrives (bank transfer or e-wallet) — nothing paid in advance.
• Your passport is shown, not held — with your home licence + International Driving Permit at handover.
• No deposit on regular scooters. Big bikes (Harley-Davidson etc.) need a IDR 3,000,000 safety deposit, paid at your hotel after you confirm.
• 2 helmets with every scooter. Minimum rental 2 days. Free cancellation — just message the same WhatsApp chat.
• Optional extras: brand-new helmet IDR 50,000, phone/GPS holder IDR 20,000 per rental, plastic raincoat IDR 10,000 each.

Scooter with two helmets