Redpoint StudioBali food poisoning statistics: what 238,000 reviews show
A typical Bali restaurant scores in the middle. The spread between places is the story.
By Redpoint Studio, makers of Bali Belly · Updated 4 November 2026 · Scores from October 2026
Short answer
As of October 2026, 770 of the 3,366 Bali food places with at least 300 Google reviews (23%) score 80 or more, Bali Belly's low-risk band. The median score is 70. The figures come from about 238,000 public reviews of 10,548 places and describe what reviewers report, not an official illness rate.
Bali Belly reads public 1★ and 2★ reviews of Bali restaurants, warungs and cafes and looks for people who say they got sick after eating there. This page sets out what that data shows across the island: how many places we scored, how many reach the low-risk band, and how it varies by area. It describes what reviewers say, not a health inspection.
The numbers at a glance
| Public reviews analysed | About 238,000 |
|---|---|
| Places scored | 10,548 |
| Places with at least 300 reviews | 3,366 |
| Of those, scoring 80 or more (low risk) | 770 (23%) |
| Median score across Bali | 70 out of 100 |
| Points lost for each doubling of the illness-report rate | 15 |
| Scores last computed | October 2026 |
Scores run from 0 to 100 and higher is safer. Under 50 is higher risk, 50 to 79 is moderate and 80 and up is low risk. A place at the Bali median scores 70.
How do Bali restaurants spread across the score bands?
Of the 3,366 places with at least 300 reviews, most sit in the moderate band. About a quarter score 80 or more, and about a quarter score under 50.
| Score band | Places | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 80 and up: low risk | 770 | 23% |
| 50 to 79: moderate | 1,779 | 53% |
| Under 50: higher risk | 817 | 24% |
What this says
- The typical Bali restaurant is in the middle. The median of 70 sits in the moderate band, so a score below 80 is common and is not a warning in itself.
- The low-risk band is selective. About 23% of places with plenty of reviews reach 80 or more.
- Differences are steep at the top. Every doubling of the illness-report rate costs 15 points, so a place that scores 85 has far fewer reports per review than one that scores 70.
Share of scored places that reach low risk, by area
This compares areas by the share of their places with at least 300 reviews that scored 80 or more. It is an average across many kitchens. It says nothing about any single restaurant, and it partly reflects the mix of places in each area, such as nightlife strips next to market warungs.
| Area | Places with 300+ reviews | Low risk | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanur | 230 | 61 | 27% |
| Kuta | 343 | 89 | 26% |
| Legian | 164 | 38 | 23% |
| Nusa Dua | 90 | 19 | 21% |
| Jimbaran | 170 | 30 | 18% |
| Ubud | 470 | 75 | 16% |
| Seminyak | 183 | 26 | 14% |
| Uluwatu | 146 | 11 | 8% |
| Canggu | 291 | 14 | 5% |
Each area page lists the low-risk places it counts. Start at the safest places to eat in Bali.
How common is food poisoning in Bali? Other numbers
Our data scores restaurants. It does not count how many visitors get sick, and we have not found an official illness rate for Bali. These figures from other sources give context. They measure different things, so don't add them to ours.
- Traveller's diarrhoea in general. The CDC Yellow Book says attack rates range from 30% to 70% of travellers over a two-week period, depending on destination and season. CDC travel guidance lists Asia, apart from Japan and South Korea, among the highest-risk regions.
- Restaurant hygiene matters. The same CDC chapter names poor hygiene in local restaurants, and gaps in sanitation, as likely the largest contributors to the risk. That is the part a restaurant-level score tries to shed light on.
- Insurance claims. Southern Cross Travel Insurance reported in August 2025 that Indonesia made up 56% of its gastro claims since November 2024, and that gastro claims in January 2025 were 79% higher than a year earlier.
How we measured it
We collected public Google reviews for Bali food venues. A keyword filter finds 1★ and 2★ reviews that mention illness, then an AI model reads each one and decides whether the writer says they got sick after eating there. We turn those reports into a rate relative to the number of reviews, and convert the rate to a score. Places with few reviews are pulled towards 70 so one report cannot sink them. The full method, with a worked example, is in how the Bali Belly score works.
Limits to keep in mind
- Reviewers can be wrong about what made them sick, and not everyone who gets ill writes a review.
- Scores describe past reviews. Kitchens and staff change.
- A score does not apply to a particular dish, and any meal anywhere can make you sick.
- Places with fewer than 300 reviews are not on the public lists, so they are not in the share table.
- This is not an illness rate for visitors, and it is not a health inspection.
- Scores were last computed in October 2026.
Download the data
Two free CSV files, updated with each data build:
- Bali low-risk restaurants (CSV): one row per place on our public lists, with name, area, neighbourhood, category, type, score and review count. Every place in it scored 80 or more on at least 300 reviews.
- Bali area summary (CSV): for each area, places scored, places with 300+ reviews, low-risk places and the low-risk share, plus a row for all of Bali.
The place file covers the nine areas in our guides plus the low-risk places on the seafood, local food and cafe lists elsewhere on the island. It does not include places outside the low-risk band.
How to cite this data
You are welcome to quote these figures. Please credit Bali Belly and link to this page. Suggested citation:
Bali Belly (Redpoint Studio), "Bali food poisoning statistics: what 238,000 reviews show", scores from October 2026. https://redpoint.studio/balibelly/bali-restaurant-food-safety-data
Page URL: https://redpoint.studio/balibelly/bali-restaurant-food-safety-data
Using this data
You are welcome to quote these figures in articles, newsletters and guides. Please credit Bali Belly and link to this page. For a chart, a different cut of the numbers, or a conversation about the method, email support@redpoint.studio.
Quick answers
How many Bali restaurants did Bali Belly score?
10,548 restaurants, warungs and cafes across Bali, from about 238,000 public Google reviews. 3,366 of them have at least 300 reviews, which is enough for a reliable score, and only those places count towards the shares and bands on this page.
What share of Bali restaurants score as low risk?
Of the 3,366 places with at least 300 reviews, 770 (23%) scored 80 or more, the low-risk band. Another 1,779 (53%) scored 50 to 79, and 817 (24%) scored under 50. Scores were last computed in October 2026.
What is the typical Bali Belly score?
The median place in Bali scores 70 out of 100. Under 50 is higher risk, 50 to 79 moderate and 80 and up low risk. Because the median sits in the moderate band, a score in the 70s is normal for Bali and is not a warning on its own.
How common is Bali belly?
There is no official rate for Bali that we know of. CDC travel guidance says traveller's diarrhoea affects 30% to 70% of travellers over a two-week trip, depending on destination and season. Travel insurer claims data points the same way for Indonesia. Our own data measures restaurants, not travellers, so it is not an illness rate.
Which area of Bali has the most low-risk restaurants?
By share, Sanur leads: 27% of its places with 300+ reviews score 80 or more. Canggu has the lowest share at 5%. That partly reflects the mix of places in each area, and says nothing about any single restaurant.
Can I download the data?
Yes. There are two free CSV files: one row per low-risk place on our public lists (name, area, neighbourhood, category, score and review count), and an area summary with places scored, places with 300+ reviews and the low-risk share. Both are linked in the "Download the data" section of this page.
Can I use these numbers in an article?
Yes. Please credit Bali Belly and link to this page; a suggested citation is in the "How to cite this data" section. We can provide a chart, a different cut of the numbers or more detail on the method on request at support@redpoint.studio.
This is general travel information, not medical advice. No habit removes the risk of an upset stomach, and it is not a substitute for a doctor or travel clinic. See a doctor if you have blood in your stool, a high fever, can't keep fluids down, show signs of dehydration, or aren't getting better after a few days.
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book: Travelers' Diarrhea
- CDC Travelers' Health: Travelers' Diarrhea
- Southern Cross Travel Insurance: Bali's most unusual insurance claims (28 August 2025)