Bali travel advisories have been unusually active heading into 2026. Several governments updated their official guidance in late 2025 and early 2026 — not because Bali became more dangerous, but because specific regulations, entry requirements, and regional conditions shifted enough to warrant updates. If you’re travelling to Bali this year and your information is from 2024 or early 2025, some of it is out of date.
This bali travel advisory 2026 guide covers what the major issuing governments are currently saying, what’s actually changed on the ground, and the practical things that affect your trip — visa rules, the tourist levy, drone regulations, and the areas outside Bali’s main tourist corridor that carry different risk profiles.
Quick Facts
- Overall risk level (most governments): Low to moderate — exercise normal precautions
- Entry requirement: Valid passport (6 months minimum validity), Visa on Arrival or e-Visa depending on nationality
- Tourist levy: IDR 150,000 (approx. USD 10) per arrival, paid online or at airport
- All Indonesia App: Required for some travellers — check current status for your nationality
- Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). ATMs widely available in tourist areas
- Emergency number: 112 (national); Tourist Police Ubud: (0361) 755 316
What the Major Government Advisories Currently Say
Travel advisories are issued by individual governments and reflect their own assessment criteria — which means the same destination can carry different official ratings depending on where you’re from. The broad picture for Bali in 2026 is consistent across the major issuing authorities: normal precautions apply, with specific callouts for natural disaster risk, petty crime in tourist areas, and road safety.
Australia (Smartraveller): Exercise normal safety precautions. Specific warnings for road accidents (particularly scooter incidents), natural disasters including volcanic activity and earthquakes, and the risk of being offered counterfeit or dangerous alcohol. The advice notes that Bali has a high rate of traffic accidents involving tourists.
United Kingdom (FCDO): Exercise normal precautions. Updated guidance in late 2025 added specific language around the tourist levy and clarified visa requirements following the All Indonesia App rollout. Volcanic activity around Mount Agung and Mount Batur is noted as an ongoing consideration.
United States (State Department): Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution for Indonesia as a whole, primarily due to terrorism risk at the national level. The advisory specifically notes that Bali itself has not experienced a terrorist incident since the 2002 and 2005 bombings, and the Level 2 designation reflects the country-wide assessment rather than Bali-specific conditions.
Canada (Travel.gc.ca): Exercise a high degree of caution for Indonesia. Similar framing to the US — national-level terrorism designation with Bali not specifically flagged for elevated risk beyond the country baseline.
The practical read: no major government is advising against travel to Bali. The elevated cautions at the national level (US, Canada) reflect Indonesia’s overall profile, not conditions in the tourist corridor of southern Bali or Ubud.
Visa and Entry: What Changed in 2025–2026
This is the area where the most travellers are operating on outdated information.
Visa on Arrival
The Visa on Arrival (VoA) remains available for citizens of most countries — currently over 90 nationalities. Cost: IDR 500,000 (approximately USD 35) for a 30-day stay, extendable once for an additional 30 days at an immigration office. Payment at the airport is by card or cash (IDR or USD accepted at most counters).
The e-VoA — purchased online before travel via the official Molina immigration portal — remains the faster option. Processing takes 1–3 business days. Arriving with an e-VoA means bypassing the VoA queue at Ngurah Rai, which during peak season can run 45–90 minutes.
The All Indonesia App
The All Indonesia application — a digital health and travel declaration platform launched in late 2024 — has had an uneven rollout. As of early 2026, requirements vary by nationality and flight origin. Some travellers are required to complete a declaration before boarding; others are not. The Indonesian government has indicated the system will be more uniformly enforced through 2026.
Check the current requirement for your nationality directly at the official immigration site (immi.imigrasi.go.id) before travel. Airlines are increasingly checking completion at check-in.
Social and Cultural Visa
For longer stays — digital nomads, those considering an extended time in Bali — the Social and Cultural Visa (B211A) allows up to 60 days initially, extendable multiple times up to 180 days total. Requires a sponsor (a hotel, villa, or local contact will typically serve this function) and more paperwork than the VoA. The Second Home Visa, for those with significant financial ties, allows up to 10 years.
The Tourist Levy
Since February 2024, all foreign tourists arriving in Bali pay a tourist levy of IDR 150,000 (approximately USD 10 / AUD 15 / GBP 8) per person per arrival. This is separate from the visa fee.
Payment is made via the Love Bali platform (lovebali.baliprov.go.id) before arrival, generating a QR code that may be checked at the airport or at popular sites. In practice, enforcement has been inconsistent — many travellers report never being asked to show the QR code. The levy still applies and paying it is required by law.
The revenue is directed toward environmental conservation and cultural preservation programs in Bali. Whether you support the principle or find it adds friction to entry, it’s a fixed part of arriving in Bali in 2026.
Natural Disaster Risk: Volcanic Activity and Earthquakes
Bali sits within the Pacific Ring of Fire. This is not new and it’s not a reason to avoid the island — it’s context for understanding the risk profile honestly.
Mount Agung (3,031m, East Bali) — erupted significantly in 2017–2018, causing airport closures and mass evacuations. As of 2026 the volcano is at Alert Level II (Waspada) — elevated monitoring, no active eruption, no exclusion zone beyond 4km from the summit. The Besakih Temple complex, Bali’s most important Hindu site, sits on Agung’s slopes and is fully open.
Mount Batur (1,717m, central Bali) — active but stable. The popular sunrise trek operates normally. Alert Level I (Normal) as of early 2026.
Earthquake risk is real across Bali and Lombok. The 2018 Lombok earthquake sequence caused significant damage and loss of life on the neighbouring island. Modern accommodation in Bali’s main tourist areas is generally built to reasonable standards, but this is worth knowing.
Practical steps: register with your government’s travel notification system (Smartraveller for Australians, FCDO alerts for UK, STEP for US citizens) to receive updates if conditions change during your trip.
Road Safety: The Advisory Item Most Travellers Underestimate
Every major government advisory flags road safety in Bali, and the data supports the concern. Traffic accidents — predominantly involving scooters — are among the most common causes of serious injury to tourists in Bali.
The specific conditions: Bali’s roads outside the main tourist corridor are narrow, often poorly lit, sometimes potholed, and shared with trucks, dogs, ceremonial processions, and other scooter riders with varying levels of experience. The combination of unfamiliar roads, left-hand traffic for those from right-hand countries, and the relative ease of hiring a scooter with no licence check creates a risk profile that most travellers don’t fully account for.
If you ride a scooter in Bali: wear a helmet (required by law, enforced inconsistently but fines apply), carry your international driving permit, do not ride at night in unfamiliar areas if avoidable, and understand that your travel insurance may not cover scooter accidents if you don’t hold a valid licence for that vehicle class.
Private drivers for the day (IDR 500,000–700,000) eliminate this risk entirely and are genuinely good value when split across two or three people.
Alcohol Safety
This appears in most government advisories and is worth stating clearly: counterfeit alcohol — typically arak or spirits adulterated with methanol — has caused deaths in Bali, most recently in incidents in 2019 and 2023. The risk is concentrated in cheap, unlabelled spirits sold in small warung or at very low price points in tourist areas.
Practical rule: drink beer (locally brewed Bintang and Anker are safe), wine from licensed establishments, or spirits from sealed bottles from reputable bars and restaurants. Avoid arak cocktails in establishments you’re not confident about. The risk is real but entirely avoidable with basic awareness.
Areas Outside the Main Tourist Corridor
Bali’s main tourist areas — southern Bali (Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Uluwatu), Ubud, and the main north coast (Lovina, Singaraja) — carry the risk profile that government advisories describe: normal precautions, low crime, occasional petty theft.
East Bali (Amed, Candidasa, Karangasem) and west Bali (Negara, Jembrana) are quieter, less developed, and carry no elevated risk. West Bali National Park is fully operational.
The one regional note worth flagging: Lombok, Sumbawa, and the islands further east (Flores, Komodo) carry different infrastructure, healthcare access, and in some cases different security considerations. If your 2026 Bali trip extends to eastern Indonesia, check the advisory for those specific areas separately — the Bali risk profile does not apply.
What’s Not Worth Worrying About
Government advisories are comprehensive documents that include low-probability risks alongside genuinely practical ones. For most travellers, the things that actually affect a Bali trip are: road safety (real, manageable), petty theft in crowded tourist areas (real, manageable), alcohol safety (real, completely avoidable), and natural disaster monitoring (worth registering for alerts, not a reason to change plans).
The terrorism designation in US and Canadian advisories reflects the 2002 Bintang bombings in the country-level risk calculation. Bali has not experienced a terrorist incident in over 20 years. The risk exists in the same way it exists in most major tourist destinations globally — it’s in the advisory because it belongs there, not because it’s an active operational concern for travellers visiting in 2026.
FAQ
Is Bali safe to visit in 2026?
Yes. No major government is advising against travel to Bali. The standard advisory level is “exercise normal precautions” — the same designation applied to destinations across Europe and North America. The practical risks that affect most tourists are traffic accidents and petty theft, both of which are manageable with basic awareness.
Do I need a visa to visit Bali in 2026?
Most nationalities need either a Visa on Arrival (IDR 500,000, purchased at the airport) or an e-Visa (purchased online before travel). A small number of nationalities are eligible for visa-free entry. Check the current list at the official Indonesian immigration portal (immi.imigrasi.go.id) for your specific passport.
What is the tourist levy and do I have to pay it?
The Bali tourist levy is IDR 150,000 per person per arrival, paid via the Love Bali platform before travel. It is legally required. Enforcement has been inconsistent but that doesn’t change the legal obligation.
Is the All Indonesia App still required in 2026?
Requirements vary by nationality and are being updated through 2026. Check the current status for your passport at immi.imigrasi.go.id before travel. Airlines are increasingly checking completion at check-in, so don’t leave it until you arrive.
Is Mount Agung dangerous for tourists in 2026?
Mount Agung is at Alert Level II as of early 2026 — elevated monitoring but no active eruption and no exclusion zone affecting tourist areas. Besakih Temple is open. Monitor PVMBG (Indonesia’s volcanology agency) for updates if you’re planning to be in East Bali for an extended stay.
The bali travel advisory 2026 picture is broadly positive for travellers: entry requirements are navigable, no government is recommending against the trip, and the practical risks are the kind that awareness and basic precaution address. The areas that have changed since 2024 — the All Indonesia App rollout, tourist levy enforcement, and updated visa guidance — are worth checking before you book rather than after.
For entry requirements specifically, the Bali entry requirements guide covers the visa process, the levy payment, and the All Indonesia App in more detail. For building your itinerary once you’re there, the things to do in Ubud Bali guide and the Ubud market guide are good starting points for the interior.