Redpoint Studio

How to avoid Bali belly

You can't remove the risk, but nine habits lower it.

By Redpoint Studio, makers of Bali Belly · Updated 4 November 2026 · Scores from October 2026

Short answer

You can't remove the risk, but you can lower it. Eat food cooked fresh and served hot, choose busy places, skip food that has sat out, drink sealed bottled water, take care with ice and raw food, and wash your hands before eating. Then pick places with a good record: 770 Bali places score in our low-risk band.

“Bali belly” is the local nickname for travellers' diarrhoea: an upset stomach picked up from food or water your body isn't used to. It is one of the most common travel illnesses. The US CDC says that in high-risk regions, which include most of Asia, somewhere between 30% and 70% of travellers have an episode over a two-week trip. Bacteria cause most cases, according to the same guidance.

Those numbers are no reason to skip Bali. They are a reason to build a few habits before you go. Here are the ones that matter most.

1. Eat food that is cooked fresh and served hot

Heat kills most of the bacteria that cause stomach trouble. A noodle dish fried to order, a bowl of soup that arrives steaming and fish grilled in front of you are all lower risk than food that has been cooked earlier and left warm. If your plate arrives lukewarm, it is fair to send it back.

2. Choose busy places

A busy kitchen turns food over quickly, so less of it sits around. A warung full of locals at lunchtime is a better bet than an empty restaurant with a long menu. You can also check a place before you go: the safest places to eat in Bali list is built from what reviewers say happened to them after eating.

3. Skip buffets and food that has been sitting out

Health agencies single out buffets, because food spends a long time at a temperature bacteria like. The same goes for display cabinets, where dishes can sit for hours. Food cooked to order is the safer way to eat.

4. Drink sealed bottled water

Don't drink tap water in Bali. Choose bottled water and check that the cap is sealed when it arrives. Many travellers also use bottled water to brush their teeth. See Is Bali tap water safe?

5. Be careful with ice, juices and smoothies

Ice is made from water, and so are many juices and smoothies. In tourist areas a lot of ice is made at factories from treated water, but you can't check from the table. Sealed drinks and hot drinks are the lowest-risk options, and our ice guide covers how to judge it.

6. Be wary of raw food

Salads, unpeeled fruit and raw seafood depend on how the produce was washed and stored. CDC advice is to eat fruit you can peel yourself and to be cautious with raw or undercooked seafood and meat. Cooked vegetables and peel-it-yourself fruit like bananas are the lower-risk choice.

7. Clean your hands

Wash your hands with soap and water before you eat. When there is no sink, a hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol is the CDC recommendation. Sanitiser works best on hands that aren't visibly dirty.

8. Pack a small kit

9. Know when to see a doctor

Most cases are mild and pass within a few days. See a doctor if you have blood in your stool, a high fever, you can't keep fluids down, you feel dizzy or very weak, or you aren't getting better after a few days. Small children, older travellers and people with other health conditions should get advice sooner.

How long does Bali belly last?

Most cases pass on their own within a few days. The CDC Yellow Book says untreated bacterial travellers' diarrhoea usually lasts 3 to 7 days and viral cases 2 to 3 days, while the rarer parasite cases can drag on for weeks. UK travel health guidance (TravelHealthPro) describes a typical episode as lasting three to four days, most often in the first week of a trip.

The same UK guidance says to get medical advice if you aren't improving within three days, and straight away if you have a fever of 38°C or more, or blood or mucus in your stool.

Can you avoid Bali belly completely?

No, and nobody who tells you otherwise is being straight with you. UK travel health guidance says food and water precautions can't remove the risk entirely, and the CDC notes that some factors, such as restaurant hygiene, are out of a traveller's control. Having had it once doesn't help either: the CDC says an earlier bout does not appear to stop short-term travellers getting it again.

The aim is to cut how many risky meals you eat, and to skip the lowest-effort mistakes, like drinking tap water or eating from a buffet in the heat. If you do get sick, it doesn't mean you did something wrong.

Do probiotics help with Bali belly?

The evidence isn't there yet. The CDC Yellow Book says studies of probiotics for travellers' diarrhoea are inconclusive and that the data are not enough to recommend them. The same goes for charcoal tablets and other popular remedies. If you want to take something, ask a doctor, pharmacist or travel clinic before you go.

Should you take Imodium or rehydration salts?

Fluids come first. Diarrhoea drains water and salts, and the CDC says replacing them is best done with oral rehydration solution made from packaged salts. That is why rehydration salts are on the packing list above.

Loperamide, sold as Imodium and under other names, can ease symptoms. healthdirect says to check with a pharmacist or doctor before taking an over-the-counter anti-diarrhoeal, and not to take one if you have a fever or blood in your stool. The NHS says loperamide is not suitable for children under 12. A pharmacist in Bali or at home can tell you whether it suits you and how to take it.

Is it OK to eat street food in Bali?

Plenty of visitors do, and it is part of the fun of Bali. It does carry more risk: the CDC says food and drinks from street vendors increase the risk of illness, and that fully cooked food served hot is the safest choice.

So choose carts that cook to order in front of you, eat it while it is hot, and skip pre-cut fruit, raw garnishes and iced drinks. Our score needs 300 or more public reviews, so most carts sit outside it. For the checks to run at a stall, see is street food safe in Bali?

Where to eat

Where you eat is the one habit you can check before you leave your villa. Of the places in Bali with 300 or more reviews, 770 score 80 or more, our low-risk band. Start with the area lists, such as Sanur, Kuta and Ubud, or see how areas compare in the Bali restaurant food safety data.

Quick answers

Can you completely avoid Bali belly?

No. Even careful travellers get sick, and UK travel health guidance says food and water precautions can't remove the risk entirely. Some things, like how a kitchen is run, are out of your hands. The habits on this page are about stacking the odds in your favour, not removing the risk.

How long does Bali belly last?

Usually a few days. The CDC says untreated bacterial travellers' diarrhoea usually lasts 3 to 7 days, and viral cases 2 to 3 days. UK travel health guidance says to get medical advice if you don't improve within three days, or straight away with a fever of 38°C or more, or blood or mucus in your stool.

What is the single most useful habit?

Eat food that was cooked recently and is served hot. Most of the other advice, from skipping buffets to going easy on salads, comes back to that idea: heat kills most of the germs behind stomach upsets, and food that sits around gives them time to grow.

Do probiotics or charcoal tablets stop Bali belly?

There is no good evidence that they do. The CDC Yellow Book says results for probiotics are inconclusive and the data are not enough to recommend them. If you want to take something before or during your trip, ask a doctor, pharmacist or travel clinic before you leave.

Should I take Imodium or rehydration salts for Bali belly?

Fluids come first, and oral rehydration salts help replace what you lose. Loperamide (Imodium) eases symptoms, but healthdirect says to check with a pharmacist or doctor first and not to take it with a fever or blood in your stool. It is not for young children. Ask a pharmacist or doctor what suits you.

Is it OK to eat street food in Bali?

Many visitors do. The CDC says food from street vendors raises the risk of illness, and that fully cooked food served hot is the safest choice. So pick carts that cook to order in front of you, and skip anything pre-cut, raw or iced. Our street food guide has a checklist.

Is it safe to brush my teeth with tap water in Bali?

Tap water in Bali isn't treated to a standard you can rely on, so many travel clinics suggest using bottled or treated water for brushing your teeth as well as for drinking. It is a small habit that costs little, and it keeps you from swallowing tap water by accident.

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

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