Safety and Local Laws

Bali is generally a safe and welcoming place, and the most serious risks are ordinary ones. Road accidents, mostly involving scooters, injure and kill visitors every year. If you are not an experienced rider, use a driver or ride-hailing car instead. The ocean is the second big danger: powerful rip currents form along many beaches on the west and south coasts. Swim between the red-and-yellow flags where lifeguards patrol, respect red flags, and never swim alone or after drinking.

Indonesia's drug laws are among the strictest in the world. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking are severe and include long prison terms and the death penalty, and even small amounts can lead to arrest. Cannabis and CBD products are illegal, regardless of prescriptions from home. Police target nightlife areas, and offers of drugs on the street may be setups. Gambling is also illegal. Some prescription medicines are controlled, so carry documentation for anything you bring.

Bali's government publishes a list of do's and don'ts for visitors, handed out on arrival. It asks travelers to dress modestly at sacred sites, follow traffic laws and never climb sacred trees or enter temple inner sanctums without purpose. Foreigners have been deported for disrespectful behavior such as posing nude at holy sites, working without a permit and repeated traffic offenses. Ceremonies sometimes close roads for an hour or more; wait patiently and give processions space.

Petty crime is relatively low but does happen. Bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes occurs in busy areas, so keep phones away from the road side and wear bags across your body. Use hotel safes for passports. In an emergency, dial 112 for general emergencies, 110 for police, 118 or 119 for ambulance and 113 for fire. Bali also has a tourist police unit, and your embassy or consulate can help with lost passports and serious incidents.