Published 29 June 2026

Bali Vaccine Guide: What You Actually Need Before You Go

Bali receives millions of international visitors every year — Australians, Europeans, North Americans, and digital nomads who stay for months at a time. It is one of the world's most beloved travel destinations, and for good reason. It is also a destination with a genuinely complex health picture that most first-time visitors underestimate. Dengue fever cases doubled in some of Bali's most popular tourist districts in 2024 compared to 2023. The island recorded more than 39,000 rabies bite incidents in 2024 alone. And Bali belly — traveller's diarrhoea — remains one of the most common reasons visitors end up spending a day or two horizontal rather than exploring.

None of this should put you off. It should make you take your pre-travel health preparation seriously. This guide covers every vaccine and health precaution relevant to a trip to Bali, based on guidance from the CDC, WHO, and NaTHNaC, broken down by trip type and length of stay.

No vaccines are legally required to enter Bali or Indonesia for travellers arriving from most countries. The only exception is yellow fever: if you are arriving from a country with active yellow fever transmission, you will need to present a valid yellow fever certificate. For the vast majority of Bali visitors arriving from Australia, North America, Europe, or East Asia, this does not apply.

Hepatitis A and Typhoid: The Non-Negotiables for Every Visitor

These two vaccines are recommended for virtually all travellers to Bali by the CDC and WHO, regardless of where you are staying or how long you are visiting.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is spread through food and water contaminated with human faeces. It is one of the most common vaccine-preventable illnesses acquired by travellers to Southeast Asia. The risk is present even at well-run restaurants and hotels, because the standards of food handling in some kitchens may differ from what you are accustomed to at home. Street food and local warungs carry a higher risk, but are absolutely worth eating — the point is to be vaccinated, not to avoid Balinese food.

The vaccine requires two doses spaced six to twelve months apart. A single dose before travel provides protection for approximately one year. Get the first dose before departure regardless of whether you can complete the second dose before travel. Sources: CDC — Indonesia Travelers' Health | Bali.com — Vaccinations for Bali

Typhoid

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection spread through food and water contaminated with Salmonella typhi. It is particularly relevant for travellers who eat at local establishments, drink unfiltered water, or travel beyond Bali's main tourist corridors. The injectable vaccine provides two years of protection; the oral capsule course provides five years. Food and water hygiene remain important even after vaccination, as neither option provides complete protection. Sources: CDC — Indonesia | NaTHNaC — Indonesia

Rabies: Bali's Most Underestimated Risk

Rabies is the health risk that most Bali visitors do not think about until they are sitting in a clinic with a dog bite on their leg. By that point, the conversation becomes considerably more stressful.

The numbers from 2024 and 2025 are stark. The Bali provincial health ministry recorded more than 39,000 people bitten by rabies-carrying animals in 2024 alone — approximately 90 percent of those bites were from dogs. Since January 2024, Bali recorded 268 confirmed positive rabies cases and five human deaths. In 2025, by March of that year, a further 8,800 bite incidents and at least six human deaths had been recorded. Bali health authorities declared red zones in several popular tourist areas including Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, and Canggu's Pererenan Beach. Bali has the highest rate of rabies in Indonesia. Sources: Illawarra Medical Centre — Rabies in Bali Rising, August 2025 | Trishnanda Care Centre — Rabies in Bali 2024–2025 | FOUR PAWS International — World Rabies Day 2024

Rabies is transmitted through the bite, scratch, or lick on broken skin or mucous membranes of an infected animal. Dogs account for the vast majority of infections. Monkeys — which are present in large numbers at Bali's temples including the famous Monkey Forest in Ubud and Uluwatu Temple — are a secondary risk. Do not feed, pet, or provoke monkeys at temple sites, no matter how accustomed to tourists they appear.

Rabies is fatal once symptoms develop. There are no exceptions. The incubation period ranges from one week to a year but is typically two to three months after exposure. This long window means that even if you feel fine after a bite, you are not safe without treatment.

Pre-exposure vaccination — a course of two injections given before travel, now reduced from three injections under updated guidance — is recommended by the CDC and NaTHNaC for travellers who will be spending time outdoors or in rural areas, travelling with children (who are less likely to report a bite), cycling or motorcycling on roads with stray dogs, or spending more than a few weeks in Bali. Pre-exposure vaccination does not mean you are immune after a bite. It means that if you are bitten, you need only two booster injections afterwards rather than four to five doses of vaccine plus rabies immunoglobulin (RIG). This matters enormously in Bali, because RIG — the component of post-exposure treatment that neutralises the virus before the vaccine kicks in — can be difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities, particularly in rural areas or at short notice. Sources: NaTHNaC — Indonesia | CDC — Indonesia

If you are bitten or scratched by any animal in Bali: Wash the wound immediately with soap and running water for at least fifteen minutes. Apply an antiseptic if available. Go directly to a medical clinic — do not wait to see if it looks serious, do not monitor it overnight. Seek post-exposure treatment the same day. In Bali, international-standard clinics including BIMC Hospital, SOS International, and Kasih Ibu Hospital in Denpasar can provide post-exposure treatment. Do not delay: the window for effective post-exposure prophylaxis closes as the virus travels toward the brain. Once symptoms appear, survival is almost unheard of.

Dengue: The Biggest Day-to-Day Risk

Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne illness affecting Bali visitors, and it cannot be adequately prevented with a vaccine for most short-stay travellers. It is present across the entire island, including in Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud, and Uluwatu — all the places most visitors spend most of their time.

The 2024 case data is concerning. Badung Regency — which covers Seminyak, Canggu, and Uluwatu — recorded 2,405 dengue cases in 2024, double the 1,137 cases recorded in 2023. Gianyar Regency, home to Ubud, recorded 4,478 confirmed dengue cases in 2024 alone. Across Indonesia, 149,866 dengue cases were confirmed as of July 1, 2024 — approximately three times the number recorded during the same period in 2023 — with 884 deaths. Sources: Travelvax Australia — Bali and West Java Dengue Warning 2025 | Trishnanda Care Centre — Why Dengue Cases Are Rising 2025

Dengue is caused by four virus serotypes and is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite primarily during daylight hours — particularly at dawn and dusk. Standard advice to cover up and use repellent in the evenings only is insufficient protection against dengue. You need to protect yourself throughout the day.

Symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint aches — sometimes called breakbone fever — nausea, and rash. Most cases are unpleasant but not life-threatening. A small proportion develop severe dengue, which can be fatal without medical care.

On the dengue vaccine: The Qdenga vaccine (two doses, three months apart) is approved in Indonesia for those aged six to forty-five and does not require prior dengue infection. It provides protection against all four serotypes. However, the two-dose schedule makes it practical primarily for longer-stay visitors, digital nomads, expats, and frequent travellers to Bali rather than short-holiday visitors. If you are spending more than a month in Bali or return regularly, discuss it with your travel health clinic. For a one to two week holiday, consistent mosquito bite prevention is the standard and appropriate approach. Sources: Bali.com — Vaccinations for Bali | NaTHNaC — Indonesia

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids, including through medical and dental procedures, tattooing, piercing, and sexual contact. Bali is a popular destination for tattoos — many visitors get inked at local tattoo studios where standards vary. Hepatitis B is also relevant for anyone who may need emergency medical care during their stay, where exposure to blood products is possible. The CDC recommends it for most unvaccinated travellers. Many adults in Western countries received hepatitis B vaccination in childhood; check your records. Sources: Passport Health — Indonesia

Japanese Encephalitis: For Longer Stays and Rural Travel

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne viral infection of the brain present across Indonesia, including Bali. It is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in rice paddies and rural wetlands. For short-stay visitors who spend their time in urban and coastal areas — Seminyak, Canggu, Kuta, Sanur — the risk is low. The CDC and NaTHNaC recommend the JE vaccine for travellers who will be spending a month or more in Bali, those venturing significantly into rural areas, and those undertaking agricultural or outdoor work. It requires two doses given twenty-eight days apart, so planning ahead is essential. Sources: Passport Health — Indonesia | Travel Doctor TMVC — Bali

Malaria: Understanding the Island's Real Risk

Malaria is one of the most common concerns visitors raise about Bali, and the good news here is clear: there is no malaria transmission in the resort areas of Bali, the Gili Islands, or urban areas of Java, including Jakarta. No antimalarial medication is needed for a standard Bali holiday covering Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Sanur, or the Gili Islands.

Malaria risk does exist in other parts of Indonesia, particularly the eastern provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, Papua, and West Papua. If your itinerary extends beyond Bali to these regions, discuss antimalarial prophylaxis with your travel health professional. Sources: TripPrep — Indonesia | NaTHNaC — Indonesia

Bali Belly: The Most Common Health Complaint

Traveller's diarrhoea — nicknamed Bali belly — is the single most frequently reported health complaint among Bali visitors. It is caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites ingested through contaminated food or water, and it is exceedingly common.

The basic rules: drink bottled or purified water exclusively and do not drink from taps even to rinse your mouth. Be cautious with ice at street stalls and small local establishments — ice at international hotels and established restaurants is generally made from filtered water. Eat cooked food served hot. Be selective at small warungs and roadside stalls. Wash hands thoroughly before eating. Carry oral rehydration salts — they are available at every Bali pharmacy and are the most effective first response to diarrhoea and vomiting in the heat.

If symptoms are severe, include blood, or persist beyond seventy-two hours, see a doctor. Some bacterial causes of traveller's diarrhoea require antibiotic treatment. Do not self-prescribe antibiotics from a pharmacy without a medical assessment.

Polio: Check Your Booster

At least one polio case was reported in Indonesia within the past two years, per CDC surveillance data. The CDC recommends that all travellers ensure their polio vaccination history is current before visiting Indonesia. Most adults from Western countries were vaccinated as children; an adult booster may be recommended if you have not had one in the last ten years and are travelling to high-risk destinations. Discuss with your GP or travel health clinic. Sources: Passport Health — Indonesia | CDC — Indonesia

Routine Vaccines

Ensure MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), DTP or Tdap (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), and COVID-19 are current before any international travel. The CDC issued a global measles Level 1 notice in May 2025, noting rising case counts in multiple countries and recommending all international travellers be fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine before departure. Sources: CDC — Global Measles Notice, May 2025

What to Do If You Get Sick in Bali

Bali has a range of medical facilities of varying quality. For serious illness or injury, BIMC Hospital in Kuta and Nusa Dua, SOS International Clinic in Sanur and Seminyak, and Kasih Ibu Hospital in Denpasar are among the most established international-standard options. Medical care is not free — travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended for any Bali trip. Treatment costs without insurance can be significant, and medical evacuation to Singapore or Australia for serious conditions can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

If you are bitten by a dog or any animal, go to a clinic immediately — same day, not the next morning. This cannot be overstated given the rabies situation documented above.

Summary: Who Needs What

For a one to two week beach and culture holiday in Bali's main tourist areas: Hepatitis A, typhoid, routine vaccines, careful food and water hygiene, consistent dengue mosquito prevention throughout the day. Consider rabies pre-exposure if you have any outdoor activities planned or will be near monkeys at temples.

For longer stays, digital nomads, or those exploring rural areas: All of the above plus a stronger case for rabies pre-exposure vaccination and a conversation about Japanese Encephalitis and the Qdenga dengue vaccine.

For families travelling with children: Rabies pre-exposure vaccination is particularly worth discussing, as children are more likely to be bitten and less likely to report it.

See the full Indonesia country guide on Travel Vaccine Map for a quick-reference vaccine checklist, or check the interactive world map to compare Bali against other Southeast Asian destinations. For more on the region, see the guides to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Sources

Check Vaccines for Indonesia

See full vaccine, malaria and outbreak guidance for Indonesia on the interactive world map.

View Indonesia Guide →

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified travel health professional or GP before travel.