Is Bali safe? What the Australian Government says, and what it means on the ground

The advice level, and how to read it

Exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia overall due to security risks.

Smartraveller's levels run from 'exercise normal safety precautions' through 'exercise a high degree of caution' and 'reconsider your need to travel' to 'do not travel'. Indonesia overall is at the second level; Papua Pegunungan and Papua Tengah are at the third. The level changes rarely, but the page under it changes often (the 11 September 2026 update is the one we read), so the useful habit is to subscribe to updates for Indonesia before you book and read the page again the week you fly.

Smartraveller also points Bali visitors to the provincial government's official 'Do's and Don'ts' card: modest temple dress, licensed guides for sacred sites, authorised money changers, no single-use plastics, and the warning that not observing local customs and laws can bring a criminal penalty or deportation.

Crime and theft in Bali

Petty and violent crime occurs. There've been reports of sexual assault, including in popular tourist areas, such as Bali. Solo women are at higher risk. Be alert in taxis and rideshares, public transport, crowds, bars and nightclubs.

Theft, robbery, pickpocketing and bag and phone snatching happen, and Smartraveller says they can sometimes be violent. Its list of where to be careful is specific: thieves on motorcycles, especially if you are walking; upmarket shopping malls; crowded public transport; at traffic lights in a stopped car; bars and nightclubs; and when entering and leaving accommodation, including villas in Bali. The phone-snatch from a passing scooter is the Bali version, which is why the guide's advice is nothing loose and pockets zipped.

Two lines from the same page that people do not expect: some tourists have been robbed or had drugs planted on them after taking new friends back to their hotel rooms, sometimes after a spiked drink; and kidnappings sometimes occur in Bali, with an increasing number of victims linked to the cryptocurrency industry. Neither is a tourist's ordinary week. Both are on the government page, so they are on this one.

The scams to know about

Smartraveller's Indonesia page and its general scams page between them name the Bali repertoire. None is clever.

Drinks: spiking and methanol

People have died or become very sick from poisoned drinks overseas. This includes Australians. Methanol is highly toxic. As little as one shot can be fatal. Methanol can be added or accidentally created during poor quality alcohol production. Only drink branded, sealed drinks. Get urgent medical help if you think you've been poisoned.

Drink spiking has been reported in Indonesia, including in Bali and Lombok, and Smartraveller's partying page adds the tells: if you feel drunk too quickly your drink may be spiked, so tell your friends and get somewhere safe. The methanol line is the serious one on this page. The guide's rule is sealed, branded drinks from licensed venues, no free-pour spirits, no street arak, and if you are unsure, do not finish it. The staying-healthy page has the symptoms and what to do.

Drugs, and the laws that surprise Australians

Cannabis-based products such as cannabis oil and creams, hemp, CBD, THC, hash and edibles, including for medicinal purposes, are illegal. A medical prescription doesn't make it legal. If you bring such products, purchase or use them in Indonesia, you can be arrested and face imprisonment, fines, deportation or the death penalty.

The death penalty exists for drug offences, police target tourist destinations and events, and Smartraveller's drugs page says plainly that Australians have received it. Some ADHD medicines are illegal too, prescription or not, and the medical kit page has the restricted list. Gambling of any kind is illegal.

Indonesia's revised criminal code includes penalties for cohabitation and sex outside marriage between a man and a woman; Smartraveller notes that authorities act on a complaint from a spouse, or from a child or parent if you are unmarried, which is why it is on the page and why it has not been a tourist's problem. People have been arrested for what they posted online, so think before posting about a ceremony or a temple. Dress and behaviour standards are conservative in many parts of Indonesia; Bali is the relaxed end, and the temples are not.

Solo travellers and women

The Indonesia page's line is the one quoted above: solo women are at higher risk, be alert in taxis and rideshares, public transport, crowds, bars and nightclubs. Smartraveller's advice-for-women page turns that into habits: use only official, licensed taxis and be wary of people posing as drivers; sit in the back seat behind the driver; act as if someone is expecting you and mention it to the driver; book and check in using only your first initial and surname; and if you are travelling alone, avoid accommodation with entrances in back streets or isolated locations, checking reviews if the map cannot tell you.

The same page's line on sleeping arrangements applies to villa shares and couch offers: when you are asleep you are particularly vulnerable, so avoid sharing accommodation with strangers or people you have just met. Bali's solo-traveller scene is large and mostly kind; the advice is about the exceptions.

Bali with kids: the safety bits

Smartraveller's children page asks you to check the safety standards of any equipment you will use, and lists pools, balconies, car seats, cots and play equipment. In Bali that means unfenced villa pools, balcony rails lower than home, and ride apps with no car seat. Its Indonesia page adds that it is unlikely a boat's crew will have life jackets for children, which decides the fast-boat question for most families. Our Bali with kids page has the doctor visit, the water rules and where to base.

LGBTQIA+ travellers

Smartraveller's Indonesia page says some laws and regulations may be applied in a way that discriminates against the LGBTQIA+ community, including laws on pornography and prostitution. Its LGBTQIA+ page's general advice applies: research the local law, consider avoiding public displays of affection, and be aware that in destinations where people are persecuted, authorities may monitor apps and create fake profiles. Aceh applies aspects of Sharia law; Bali does not, and its tourist areas are the least conservative in the country, which is not the same as a guarantee.

Volcanoes, earthquakes, floods and the sea

Natural disasters such as severe weather, floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis occur regularly in Indonesia, and many of its volcanoes are active and can erupt without warning. Mount Batur and Mount Agung are both on Bali. Smartraveller's rules: follow exclusion zones, check volcano status with local authorities and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre before hiking, and follow evacuation orders; staying despite one may be illegal and may void your insurance.

Heavy rains can cause significant flooding in urban areas, including in Bali and the greater Jakarta region, disrupting transportation. Walking and driving in flooded areas is dangerous. Weather conditions can change quickly during the wet season (usually around October to April).

The sea is the everyday hazard. Many beaches are unpatrolled and can be dangerous due to rough seas and strong currents, and Australians have drowned in rips at popular beaches including in Bali; local rescue services may not match Australian standards. Swim between the flags where there are flags, and ask locals where there are not. Boats are the other half:

Travel by boat or ferry can be dangerous. Commercial and private operators may not comply with international safety and maintenance standards. Some operators may not be licensed, especially those not operating from main ports or terminals. Passenger and luggage limits aren't always observed. Equipment may not be properly maintained, and they may not have GPS or emergency communications equipment. There may not be enough life jackets. It's unlikely that the crew will have life jackets for children.

Smartraveller lists a fast boat to Nusa Penida capsizing in Sanur Harbour in August 2025 with three deaths, and 117 people rescued from a boat that sank on the way to Padang Bai from Gili Trawangan in March 2026. Use the safety gear, check the boat, and choose another operator if you do not like what you see.

Terrorism and protests

There is an ongoing risk of terrorist attack in Indonesia, and Smartraveller says attacks could happen anywhere and anytime, including popular tourist areas, with little or no warning; authorities continue to investigate and disrupt groups, including in Bali. Public protests occur regularly and can turn violent with little notice; the advice is to avoid them and monitor local media. Neither has shaped an ordinary Bali holiday in years, and both are the reason the advice level is what it is.

Health is the other half of safe

Roads, rabies, dengue, the sun and the water are where most Australians actually come unstuck, and they have their own pages: staying healthy in Bali covers mosquitoes, animals, drinks, roads and the sea; how to get around has the scooter law and the licence rule that decides whether your insurance covers a crash; the medical kit has what to carry. Smartraveller's medical line belongs here too: the standard of medical facilities, including critical care, is generally lower than in Australia, including in Bali, which is the plain reason travel insurance is not optional.

Is Bali safe right now? How to check in two minutes

• Read the Smartraveller Indonesia page and check the date at the top; the version we read was 11 September 2026.
• Subscribe to updates for Indonesia so the next change lands in your inbox.
• Read the Bali Do's and Don'ts card the provincial government publishes and Smartraveller links.
• Check volcano and weather alerts if you are hiking or travelling in the wet season, October to April in Smartraveller's phrasing.
• Leave an itinerary with someone at home, Smartraveller's advice for every traveller, and keep your insurer's 24-hour number offline.