Bali Tourism Officials (Dispar) have responded to a generalized travel warning issued by the Australian Government via the official Smartraveller Website, operated by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), regarding travel to Bali and the rest of Indonesia.
Quoted by the Indonesian State News Agency ANTARA, the Dispar Chief, I Wayan Sumarajaya, said on Monday, 09 June 2025, “If all tourists follow the rules, I am certain they will be safe in Bali.”
The official Australian Website for Overseas Travel has warned its citizens to exercise caution in Indonesia, especially in Bali because people have drowned off the Resort Island’s shores due to strong rip tides and unattended beachfronts.
The Indonesian Government is calling on all Australian visitors to become familiar with Indonesian rules and regulations regarding entry and exit requirements for visiting the Country. Indonesia has strict penalties for those who overstay or present a damaged passport when landing in Bali and other international ports of entry.
Australian visitors are asked to carefully read government-produced lists of dos and don’ts in order to avoid offending Indonesian culture, religious beliefs, places of worship, and traditional ceremonies. Foreigners who violate local norms and mores can be sanctioned criminally and deported.
Australian officials also warned of the risk of nefarious poisoning and doping when visiting bars and nightspots in Bali. Recently, the Bali press has been awash with reports of drinks contaminated with sedatives and methanol. Accordingly, Australian tourists are being warned by their government not to leave drinks unattended, particularly in Bali and Lombok.
The Bali Tourism Office views Bali as an international tourism destination visited by tourists from many countries. The Bali Provincial Government is aware that numerous risks may be encountered by tourists. At the same time, Bali relies heavily on its natural tourism attractiveness embodied in the Island’s beaches and ancient culture.
“If something happens to tourists while on vacation in Bali, it will have a very bad impact on the image of Bali tourism,” said Sumarajaya. Therefore, to ensure the safety of Australian foreign nationals, the local government is endeavoring to ensure that visitors enjoy Bali’s nature and culture safely and comfortably.
“The Bali Provincial Government has implemented tourism industry standardization, both in terms of tourism safety standards and disaster safety standards,” said the Head of the Bali Tourism Office.
Furthermore, the government is requesting the cooperation of tourists to comply with all rules contained in Circular Memorandum Number 7 of 2025, concerning Rules and Procedures for Foreign Tourists While in Bali. This circular is then presented in the form of Do’s and Don’ts, naming what is allowed and what is prohibited for foreign tourists while in Bali.
So far, the Bali Provincial Government has also seen no impact from the Australian Government’s travel warning on foreign tourists visiting Indonesia. In 2023 from January to May, the total number of visits was 1,876,975 visits, in 2024 2,391,860 visits, and in 2025 the total jumped to 2,663,734 visits, still dominated by Australian visits.
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