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Bali is generally a safe destination for tourists, including solo and female travelers. While violent crime is rare, visitors should stay alert to petty theft, scams, and occasional political unrest. Taking basic safety precautions can significantly reduce your risk during your trip.
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Whether safety is your top priority or just a passing concern, it’s important to understand the common risks and travel regulations before heading to Bali. This article highlights what to watch out for, who may be more vulnerable, and how to protect yourself while enjoying all that the island has to offer.
Common Crimes in Bali Tourists Should Know
While violent crime in Bali is pretty rare, tourists should be aware of petty crimes like pickpocketing and theft, as well as scams targeted towards tourists. Terrorist attacks and protests are also quite rare, but they can and do occur, especially during politicized events and global summits.
Let’s look at these two common crimes and their risk level in further detail.
Pickpocketing and Theft in Bali: What to Watch For
Pickpocketing and bag snatching is fairly common in Bali, as it is in places with high numbers of tourists. Pickpockets typically ride motorcycles to target pedestrians or sneak up on shoppers in shopping malls. They often work in pairs or groups and strike when tourists are distracted.
To avoid being a victim of pickpocketing in Bali, make sure you don’t wear flashy jewelry or hold on to valuable items that make you stand out as a valuable target. Keep your bag close to you and don’t leave it unattended and exercise caution when in crowded areas.
Risk level: High
Tourist Scams in Bali and How to Avoid Them
From fraudulent ATMs to fake taxi drivers and beyond, scams that target tourists are also very common in Bali. In fact, there’s an entire ecosystem built around scamming foreign tourists out of their money. With that said, there are some scams involving criminal gangs and are far more dangerous.
Let’s look at some common scams on the island and how you can avoid them:
- Fraudulent ATMs: Make sure you only use ATMs inside banks or other reputable locations to avoid fraudulent ATMs that have card skimmers. What’s more, make sure you cover your pin number and aren’t being watched.
- Unofficial money exchange: Don’t be fooled by exchange rates that are too good to be true. Chances are, these are unofficial money exchanges that may scam you for your money.
- Untrustworthy visa agents: If you decide to live in Bali as a digital nomad, you might be lured by untrustworthy visa agents. They may claim to sort out your digital nomad visa for you, but end up scamming you for your money and/or committing identity theft with your passport.
- Unlicensed taxis: To make sure you’re not robbed by your taxi driver, be sure to only use licensed taxis. In addition, ask the driver to turn the meter on when you get in to avoid being taken for a ride.
- Fake monks: You may also come across scammers who pose as pious Buddhist monks who offer a blessing in exchange for money. In these cases, it’s best to be polite and firm.
Risk level: Medium
Is Bali Safe for Female Travelers? Key Safety Tips
As far as travel destinations go, Bali is fairly safe for female travelers (including solo female travelers). With that said, female travelers are more susceptible to crimes like drink spiking and sexual assault. Extra vigilance should be taken when around drunk tourists or dodgy areas after dark.
Here are some additional safety tips for female travelers in Bali:
- Dress modestly to avoid attention, especially when visiting temples and other cultural places that require modest dressing.
- Avoid public shows of affection like kissing or embracing as these are taboo in Balinese culture and could send the wrong signal to others.
- Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts if it tells you to remove yourself from a situation.
- Limit alcohol consumption and never leave your drink unattended.
- Make sure to select appropriate lodging by researching the location’s safety and reading online reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is Bali a top destination for tourists?
Bali is a top destination for tourists as it’s home to some gorgeous beaches and mystical temples. Other natural wonders the island boasts include mountainous peaks, lush greenery, serene lakes, gushing rivers, breathtaking waterfalls, and quintessential rice fields.
When is the high season in Bali?
High season in Bali is between April to October, which are the island’s summer months. With that said, Bali attracts visitors all year round as the temperature and climate is always comfortable.
Is it possible to travel cheaply in Bali?
As accommodation, transport, food, and living expenses in Bali are relatively low, it’s possible to travel cheaply on the island. At the same time, the island also has its fair share of luxury properties and amenities for those looking to travel in style and splurge.
Are there any drawbacks associated with visiting Bali?
Like any other tourist destination, parts of Bali’s natural landscape has suffered from the effects of overtourism. For example, you may end up seeing more resorts than rice fields – particularly in the south of the island. Other drawbacks include traffic and pollution.
Conclusion
To sum up, Bali is one of the safest places for tourists in South East Asia, and the crimes on the island are also common occurrences in other tourist destinations. Simply being aware of them and exercising caution goes a long way in ensuring your safety in Bali.
Another way to stay safe in Bali is to secure a valid health insurance plan for the island. This ensures that you can access the best medical care if you fall sick or meet with an accident, and not have to worry about paying for it out of pocket.
If you need help finding and securing a health plan, feel free to reach out to Pacific Prime. With over two decades of experience, we can offer you expert and impartial advice, and plenty of support throughout your insurance journey.
Contact us today!
With over 5 years of experience in the field, Suphanida spends the majority of her day synthesizing complex pieces of insurance-related information and translating this into easy-to-understand, engaging, and effective content across a variety of media such as articles, infographics, whitepapers, videos, and more.
Suphanida is also responsible for planning and publishing three whitepapers released annually by Pacific Prime: The State of Health Insurance Report, The Cost of Health Insurance Report, and The Global Employee Benefits Trends Report. Additionally, she handles the LinkedIn profiles of Pacific Prime’s Founder and CEO, as well as Global HR Lead.
Suphanida’s strengths lie in her strong research and analytical skills, which she has gained from her BA in Politics from the University of Warwick and Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in Journalism from Aarhus University and City, University of London.
Being of Thai-Indian origin and having lived, studied, and worked in Thailand, the UK, and Denmark, Suphanida also has a unique, multicultural perspective that helps her understand the struggles of expats and globetrotters.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to new places and immersing herself in different cultures.
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