What should you pack for a trip to Bali?

The short list

• Plug adapter for Type C/F (two round pins) if you're coming from the US, UK or Australia. Bali runs at about 230 volts.

• A Bali belly kit: oral rehydration salts, loperamide, hand sanitiser and any standby medicine your doctor prescribes.

• A sarong and sash, or a sarong you can tie properly, for temple visits.

• Mineral sunscreen and a rash guard for snorkelling.

• Insect repellent with DEET or picaridin.

• A warm layer for Kintamani, Munduk and any sunrise trek on Mount Batur.

• Sandals plus one pair of grippy shoes for waterfall steps and rice terrace paths.

• A refillable water bottle, filled from filtered refill stations, not the tap.

The Bali belly kit

"Bali belly" is travellers' diarrhoea, and the main defence is habit: drink sealed, boiled or filtered water, eat food served hot, and wash hands before eating. The tap water is not for drinking. Pack a small kit so a bad day doesn't become a bad week: oral rehydration salts, loperamide for travel days (the CDC advises against using it alone if you have a fever or blood in the stool), and hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol.

Ask your doctor before the trip whether a standby antibiotic makes sense for you, and about hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines, which the CDC recommends for most travellers to Indonesia. Pharmacies (apotek) are common in Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud and sell rehydration salts and basic remedies.

Everything else about food and water safety, including how to choose a warung and when to see a doctor, is in our Bali belly guide. Bring prescription medicine in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription; Indonesia treats narcotics severely, so if you take any controlled medicine, check with the Indonesian embassy before you fly.

Temples: why a sarong is worth packing

A sarong (kamen) and a sash are required to enter Balinese temples, for men and women. Big sites such as Uluwatu, Tanah Lot and Besakih lend or rent them at the entrance, but owning one means you can walk into village temples and ceremonies without searching for a rental, and it doubles as a beach cover-up, a scarf on a cold scooter ride and a blanket on a flight. Sarongs sell for little at Ubud market, so you can also buy one on day one.

Temple rules go beyond clothing: covered shoulders, no stepping on offerings, and some rules on who may enter. Our Bali temple etiquette guide explains them, and temple dress codes in Vietnam and Bali covers the dress side.

Sun, sea and the highlands

Bali sits about 8 degrees south of the equator and the sun is strong all year. Pack a high-SPF mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) if you plan to snorkel at Amed, Padangbai or Nusa Penida; it is kinder to coral and you'll find fewer imported options on the island, often at high prices. A long-sleeved rash guard and a hat cut down how much you need.

The highlands are a different climate. Kintamani and Munduk sit high enough that evenings and early mornings are cool and often misty, and a Mount Batur sunrise trek starts in the dark around 4am in chilly air. One fleece or light down jacket and long trousers cover it. In the rainy season, roughly November to March, pack a light rain jacket; showers tend to come in heavy bursts. Month-by-month detail is in best time to visit Bali.

Waterfalls such as those around Munduk and Sidemen involve wet, steep steps: sandals with a heel strap or light trail shoes are safer than flip-flops. A small dry bag helps on boat trips from Padangbai or Sanur.

Power, drones and money

Plugs: Indonesia uses Type C and Type F sockets (two round pins) at roughly 230V, 50Hz. Phone and laptop chargers marked 100-240V work with an adapter; US 120V-only appliances do not.

Drones: the rules are unclear and changing. Indonesia's civil aviation authority requires registration and permits for some drones, Bali's own regulations restrict flying over temples and at night, and there is a large no-fly zone around Ngurah Rai airport. Published guides disagree on what a tourist with a small drone must do, so check the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or the Indonesian embassy before you pack one, and assume temples and ceremonies are off limits without permission.

Money: cards work at hotels, malls and many cafés, but warungs, small shops, temple donations and drivers usually want rupiah cash. Use bank ATMs inside shops or branches rather than standalone street machines, and decline the ATM's currency conversion.

Paperwork is not packing: the levy and arrival forms

Bali charges foreign visitors a tourist levy, and Indonesia uses an electronic visa on arrival and a digital arrival card. None of these is something you pack, but each is something to sort out on your phone before you land. Our Bali tourist tax and arrival guide explains the levy and how to pay it, the e-VOA guide covers the visa, and the All Indonesia arrival card guide walks through the customs form. Our Denpasar airport arrival guide covers what happens after you land.

For our own route, see the 18-day Bali itinerary and the Ubud guide. The core kit for longer trips is in our long-trip packing list.

Frequently asked questions