Bali is an amazing place to visit or live, but I do think it makes sense to know a bit about some of the health and medical information here. I get messages in my DMs every single day asking about Bali Belly, Dengue and rabies. In this email I’ll break down all I know from living here for nearly two years so you can have the information in your back pocket for your next visit.
Two weeks after we moved to Bali my 3 year old daughter decided to do a belly flop into the bathtub, as though it was a deep pool. She split her chin wide open and definitely needed stitches. I started messaging anyone I knew in Bali to ask where I should take her. My landlord, a random mom I met on the beach, our neighbors… no one had great info. I brought her to a clinic near our house and the young doctor said “I think I can do it…” That did not instill confidence, so I went to another clinic that was closed and finally to a hospital a ways away that caters to foreigners.
Through this experience we learned that not all health facilities are the same, that you’ll need to provide proof of insurance before they’ll work on you (or pay in cash all up front) and that there are different prices for foreigners and locals.
Dangers
Bali has its share of health hazards. Bali Belly is one that many visitors struggle with. It is also called simply travelers diarrhea and most often caused by contaminated water. Always drink bottled water, and better yet, bring your own bottle and fill it up at your accommodation or at restaurants with their large jugs of filtered water. Ice is generally safe as it is delivered to restaurants and strictly regulated here. Do not brush your teeth with tap water and be careful not to get it in your mouth while showering. I would also use caution in swimming pools at hotels and resorts as I have a theory this is where a lot of people get sick as well.
My friend Mindy, a health professional, wrote an excellent blog post on Bali Belly which you can read here: https://therunawayfamily.com/bali-belly/
Dengue has also been in the news lately. It is a super common mosquito borne disease in the tropics and symptoms range from not knowing you even have it to so severe you’ll need medical attention. The mosquitoes that spread dengue are mostly out first thing in the morning, and just before sunset so be sure to spray up with a good bug spray during these times (Soffell can be purchased at any convenience or grocery store or Utama Spice makes one with essential oils). You can also go inside during this time or wear long lightweight loose clothing.
For more information on dengue, check out information on the WHO (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue) or CDC websites (https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/index.html)
Vaccines
Many of you have asked me about vaccines you should get before coming to Bali. My response is always talk to your doctor and see what is appropriate for you.
My understanding is that if you’re just coming for a couple of weeks and are up to date on the standard vaccines you should be fine. We chose to get the rabies vaccine for our kids as it is still present here in Bali and it is more likely that children would come into contact with it.
Travel Insurance
This one is so important! Do be sure you have a good travel insurance policy. One that will cover you here in Bali and if you need to be evacuated due to a serious emergency.
Many people like Safety Wing (https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=Semicuratedlife&utm_source=Semicuratedlife&utm_medium=Ambassador) for travel medical insurance. I’ve also heard good things about Visitors Coverage (https://visitorscoverage.tp.st/FVLPM3lb)
We use NOW Health International for our expat insurance, which is different than travel insurance.
Emergency Numbers
Main Emergency = 112 (like 911)
Ambulance = 118
Police = 110
Fire Dpt. 113
Search & Rescue = 111, 115, 151
If you have a mobile with Local SIM dial first 0361
(South Bali)
If you have International SIM dial first+62 361
Via Landline dial directly the emergency number
If you are in a remote area of Bali, bring someone along to
to the hospital who can translate for you. In all of South
Bali, medical facilities will mostly speak English.
Most of the time it is faster to get a Gojek/Grab/Taxi than
call for an ambulance, so definitely do that if you can.
Hospitals
BIMC Hospital has locations in Kuta and Nusa Dua. It caters towards foreigners and has the prices to match. All staff and doctors will speak English.
Siloam Hospital is probably best for children. They have the biggest pediatric ward and if you need things like IVs administered, they’re the best at finding those tiny veins. The most recommended pediatrician is also here, Dr Irene. She can be hard to get into, but we’ve appreciated her counsel on several medical issues we’ve had with our kids. To make an appointment you can email [email protected] or WhatsApp 081802979900.
Bali Royal Hospital (BROS for short) is another big hospital that handles a lot of emergency situations. It is not as flashy as some of the other hospitals but has a lot of experience with motorbike accidents and things like emergency appendectomies.
Like I said earlier, you’ll probably have to pay first before treatment can be administered. You should understand if your insurance will reimburse you for treatment if you pay up front or what the procedure is to get a letter stating they’ll pay for treatment.
At home services
Many medical services can be done at home, which is nice if you’re not wanting to leave the house. Here are some services you may want:
Sanur Medical Clinic: +62 823-3969-9820
House calls in Sanur
Hydro Medical +62-822-9829-8911
IV Drips, Rabies vaccine, doctor house calls.
Dr Kadek Martine
+62 819 99425751
Halodoc App
Download this app to get medicine delivered, chat with a doctor and I think you can also schedule a home lab or doctor visit. It is in English or Indonesian, so be sure to change the language in your profile settings to English to make it easier.
Medications
Unlike in your home country, here in Bali you don’t really need a prescription so you can walk into any pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist themselves and they’ll give you the medicine you need. You can also use the Halodoc App above to get medicine delivered to your hotel or villa – it is fast and easy!
You can easily get most medications in South Bali. If you’re going to a more rural location or to another island in Indonesia, you should stock up on basics to have with you. We went to Sumba last year and didn’t bring Immodium… it was a huge mistake! There was no pharmacy nearby and we had to ask other (more prepared) hotel guests if they had any.
One note on pharmacies: there are “salespeople” in the aisles who will assist you but ignore them and just talk to the pharmacist behind the counter. The salespeople will try and get you to buy a $50 bottle of vitamins – it is one of the biggest scams in Bali and drives me crazy!
I hope this helps give you some good resources for your time in Bali! Hopefully you won’t have to use any of this intel, but it should give you some peace of mind to have it in your back pocket.