Is Bali safe for your honeymoon?

Is Bali safe for Americans right now?

Yes, with normal care. The U.S. advisory for Indonesia is Level 2, issued on 7 July 2026, and the Level 4 warning covers two provinces of Papua, not Bali.

The U.S. State Department cites natural disasters, unrest and terrorism for Indonesia as a whole, and sets Level 4, "do not travel", only for Central Papua and Highland Papua because of civil unrest. Those provinces sit at the far eastern end of Indonesia, more than 2,000 km from Bali.

The same advisory also mentions violent crime against U.S. citizens in Bali, sexual assault and drink spiking. Take that as the practical part: watch your drinks, use registered drivers, and keep your passport in the villa safe. Bali has a U.S. Consular Agency for emergencies.

What is the red zone in Bali, and can you wear red?

The red zone is a commercial land-use zone on Bali's spatial plans, not a danger area. And yes, you can wear red.

On Bali's zoning maps, red (zona merah) marks land for commerce: shops, offices, restaurants. Pink is tourism, yellow is housing, green is farmland or protected land. The colours matter to people buying land or building a villa. They have nothing to do with where visitors can safely go.

Clothes are a separate question with the same answer. There is no rule about colours in Bali. What temples ask is covered shoulders and knees, a sarong and a sash. Uluwatu lends sarongs at the gate.

What are the temple rules in Bali?

Dress modestly, wear a sarong and sash, stay out of the inner sanctums, and do not climb shrines or sacred trees. Bali's governor set this out in Circular No. 7 of 2025.

The provincial Circular No. 7 of 2025 lists what foreign tourists must and must not do. At temples:

• Wear modest clothing and traditional dress where asked: a sarong and a sash.
• Do not enter the inner sacred zones unless you are there to pray in Balinese dress. Menstruating women are asked not to enter.
• Do not climb sacred trees, shrines or monuments, and no nude or disrespectful photos at holy sites.
• Use a certified guide at cultural and natural sites.

At Tirta Empul you can join the purification ritual in the spring pools; bring a change of clothes and a towel, as the Ubud day listing advises. Do not step on the offerings you see on the ground; walk around them.

Tirta Empul with a driver-guide who knows the etiquette, plus the terraces and three waterfalls.

★ 5.0 · 6 to 10 hours

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What do you need before arriving in Bali?

Three things for most visitors: the Bali levy, the free All Indonesia arrival card and, for many nationalities, a visa on arrival or e-VOA.

• The Bali levy: paid once per trip by foreign tourists, cashless, through the official Love Bali system or at counters at the airport. You get a voucher with a QR code by email. Diplomatic and official visa holders, crew and residence permit holders are exempt.
• The arrival card: All Indonesia is a free digital form that combines immigration, customs and health. Fill it in within 72 hours before landing and keep the QR code. It is not a visa.
• The visa: many passports qualify for a 30-day visa on arrival, extendable once for 30 days. Apply for the e-VOA on the official e-Visa site at least 48 hours before you fly. Your passport needs at least six months of validity from arrival.

Use the official sites only; copycat sites charge extra for the same forms. The details, with dates, are in the 2026 arrival rules post.

Is it safe to drive or ride a scooter in Bali?

It is the biggest everyday risk. Hire a car with a driver instead, and if you do ride, wear a helmet and carry an International Driving Permit.

Traffic in the south is heavy, roads are narrow and scooters come from every side. Australia's Smartraveller says motorbike accidents have killed and injured Australians in tourist areas, Bali in the lead, and that a foreign licence alone is not enough: you need an Indonesian licence or an International Driving Permit. Bali's circular adds a helmet, no overloading and no riding after drinking.

A honeymoon is not the time to learn. A driver costs more than a scooter and saves the whole trip. The private car charter covers ten hours with parking; Mizuki, from Japan: "The driver spoke English fluently and communication was very easy."

Are the monkeys, the water and the food safe?

Mostly, with care. Keep sunglasses and phones away from the Uluwatu monkeys, drink bottled or filtered water, and avoid unlabelled spirits.

Monkeys: the macaques at Uluwatu Temple grab sunglasses, hats and phones, and trade them back for food. Pack loose things away before you walk in. Smartraveller notes that rabies is present and is passed on by dogs, cats and monkeys: after any bite or scratch, get medical help the same day.

Water and food: drink bottled or filtered water, not the tap. Busy warungs with fast turnover are usually a safer bet than empty ones. Pack something for an upset stomach just in case.

Drinks: Smartraveller warns of methanol poisoning from tampered spirits in Bali and Lombok. Order sealed beer or wine, or drink in licensed venues, and skip cheap cocktails of unknown origin.

Uluwatu at sunset with a driver who knows where the monkeys gather, then the kecak at 6 pm.

★ 4.7 · About 6 hours

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What are the rules on Nyepi, the Day of Silence?

No going out, no travel, no work, no entertainment and minimal light for 24 hours. The airport closes. Hotel guests stay inside their hotel.

Nyepi falls on 9 March 2027 (it was 19 March in 2026). The ban runs from 6 am to 6 am the next day and covers the whole island, visitors included. Pecalang, the village security wardens, patrol the empty streets. Hotels keep serving their guests, who may move within the grounds.

Plan the day as a rest day in a villa you love, with food stocked up the day before. Watch the ogoh-ogoh parades the evening before, and do not book a flight that lands or leaves on Nyepi. The Nyepi 2027 post has the timings; the season guide covers the other festivals.

What should you buy in Bali?

Sarongs, silver from Celuk, batik and hand-woven endek or songket, wood carvings and Kintamani coffee. Skip coral, turtle shell and anything sacred.

• Sarongs: useful at every temple and light to pack. Buy two.
• Silver: Celuk village, between Denpasar and Ubud, is known for silversmiths; you can watch them work.
• Textiles: batik prints, and endek and songket weaving from villages such as those around Sidemen.
• Carvings: wood from Mas, stone from Batubulan, both on the road to Ubud.
• Food: Kintamani coffee, Balinese spices, spa oils.
• Markets: the Ubud Art Market for everything at once. Bargain with a smile.

Do not buy coral, turtle shell or other protected species, or anything taken from a temple: the governor's circular bans trading endangered animals and sacred artefacts. Change money only at licensed money changers, which the circular also requires.

Frequently asked questions