Redpoint StudioIs Bali tap water safe to drink?
No. Use bottled or treated water instead.
By Redpoint Studio, makers of Bali Belly · Updated 4 November 2026 · Scores from October 2026
Short answer
No. Travel health advice is not to drink Bali tap water. Drink sealed bottled water, a sealed galon, or water brought to a rolling boil for one minute. Brush your teeth with bottled or boiled water too. Showering and washing your face are fine for most people, as long as you keep the water out of your mouth.
The usual advice for visitors to Bali is not to drink the tap water, and that is what travel health guidance for Indonesia says as well. Unless a hotel or villa says its tap water is treated for drinking, assume it isn't, and the pipes it comes through can add to the problem. Locals boil water or buy refill bottles, and visitors should do the same.
What water should you use for what in Bali?
| Use | What to use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking | Sealed bottled water, a sealed galon, or water you boiled | CDC advice is factory-sealed or treated water only |
| Brushing teeth | Bottled or boiled water | Listed by the CDC with drinking as a use where tap water might be unsafe |
| Washing your face | Tap water is fine, mouth closed | The risk comes from swallowing it |
| Showering and bathing | Tap water, mouth closed | Don't gargle or rinse your mouth with it |
| Contact lenses | Fresh lens solution only, never water | CDC advice for lens wearers; take lenses out to shower |
| Washing fruit you eat raw | Bottled or boiled water, or peel it | Raw produce is only as clean as the water it was washed in |
| Making ice in a villa | Bottled or boiled water | Freezing doesn't kill most germs |
| Tea and coffee | Water that has just boiled | The CDC calls drinks made with just-boiled water generally safe to drink |
For ice in drinks out, see is ice safe in Bali? Check that the seal is intact whenever you buy a bottle.
Can you brush your teeth with tap water in Bali?
CDC guidance for travellers lists brushing teeth alongside drinking, cooking and making ice as uses where tap water might be unsafe. The easy fix is a bottle of water by the bathroom sink: wet your toothbrush from it, rinse your mouth from it, and rinse the brush with it. If you slip up and rinse with a little tap water once, don't panic. The habit is about lowering your risk over a whole trip.
Can you wash your face with tap water in Bali?
Washing your face with tap water is fine for most people, and the important part is keeping it out of your mouth. CDC advice is to keep tap water out of your mouth when showering or bathing. Close your mouth while you rinse, and pat your face dry with a towel.
Contact lenses are the exception. CDC advice for lens wearers is to use fresh lens solution only, never water, and not to shower or swim while wearing lenses, because germs in the water can be carried into your eye.
Where does Bali's tap water come from?
Tap water in Bali comes from two main places. Some buildings are on the mains supply from the regional water utility, known as PDAM. Others draw groundwater from their own bore well. According to Mongabay Indonesia, Bali's clean water comes from both surface water and groundwater, and almost all of the island's PDAMs draw from bore wells 100 to 250 metres deep, with surface water treated before it is piped out.
Groundwater is often cheaper than mains water, so many villas, hotels and businesses run their own wells, and the same report notes that most groundwater permits in the province are in Badung, the regency that covers Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and the Bukit. As a visitor you usually can't tell which supply your tap is on, or how the tank on the roof is kept. That is why the advice is the same either way: don't drink it untreated.
Is boiled tap water safe to drink?
Boiling is a reliable way to make water safer to drink. The CDC says to bring clear water to a rolling boil for one minute, and for three minutes at elevations above 6,500 feet (about 2,000 metres). The World Health Organization says a rolling boil is enough to inactivate bacteria, viruses and protozoa.
- Wait for a full rolling boil, with big bubbles that don't stop when you stir, not just steam.
- Let it cool in a clean, covered container, and don't add ice to speed it up.
- Boiling does not remove chemicals, the CDC notes, so start with water that looks clear. If it is cloudy or smells odd, use bottled water instead.
- Water filters and purification tablets are another option. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Do shower filters do anything?
Shower filters are mostly sold to reduce chlorine or help with hard water on your skin and hair. They are not a way to make water safe to drink, and none of the travel health advice on this page treats them as one. If you like how your skin or hair feels with one, use it, and keep the same habit of not swallowing the water.
Are refill stations and galon water safe?
Many villas and homes in Bali use a galon: a large reusable bottle of drinking water on a stand or pump. Indonesia's food and drug agency, BPOM, advises checking the condition of the packaging, the label, the distribution permit and the expiry date. In practice, that means:
- Seal. The cap should have an intact plastic seal. If it is missing or loose, ask for another.
- Brand and label. A known brand with a printed label and a registration number is easier to trust than an unlabelled bottle.
- Expiry date. Check it is printed and in date.
- Look at the water. It should be clear, with nothing floating in it, in a bottle that isn't cracked.
- Refill depots. Cheaper unbranded refills from a refill depot are harder to judge. Ask how the water is treated, or boil it before drinking.
Refill stations in cafes and hotels work the same way: a busy, well-kept station with a visible filter or a sealed galon is a better sign than a dusty tap.
Cutting down on plastic
Bali has a plastic problem, and a trip's worth of 600 ml bottles adds up. Refill stations are common in Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu and other busy areas, and many hotels, villas and cafes offer filtered water. A reusable bottle is cheaper and easier than carrying cases of bottled water.
Water is one route, food is the other
Sorting out your water lowers one part of the risk. Where you eat is the other part. Our safest places to eat in Bali lists, by area, show which places scored 80 or more on 300+ reviews, and the Bali food safety data page has the numbers for the whole island.
Quick answers
Can you drink tap water in Bali?
No. Travel health advice for Indonesia is to treat tap water as unsafe to drink, and to use commercially bottled water from a factory-sealed container, or water you have boiled or treated yourself. Unless a hotel or villa says its tap water is treated for drinking, assume it isn't, and the pipes and tanks it passes through can add to the problem.
Can you brush your teeth with tap water in Bali?
The lower-risk habit is bottled or boiled water. CDC advice for travellers lists brushing teeth alongside drinking and making ice as uses where tap water might be unsafe. Keep a bottle by the bathroom sink, wet your toothbrush and rinse your mouth from it, and rinse the brush with it too. It costs very little and soon becomes automatic.
Can you wash your face with tap water in Bali?
For most people, yes, and the main thing is to keep the water out of your mouth. CDC advice is to keep tap water out of your mouth when showering or bathing, so close your mouth while you rinse and pat your face dry with a towel. If you have a cut or broken skin, or you wear contact lenses, take more care.
Is it safe to shower in Bali?
Showering is fine for most people, because the risk comes from swallowing the water. Keep your mouth closed, and don't rinse your mouth or gargle with shower water. Take contact lenses out first: CDC advice is not to shower while wearing them, as germs in the water can be carried into your eye. Children who drink bath water need a closer eye.
Is boiled tap water safe to drink in Bali?
Boiling is a reliable way to make tap water safer to drink. The CDC says to bring clear water to a rolling boil for one minute, or three minutes above about 2,000 metres, and the WHO says a rolling boil is enough to inactivate bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Boiling does not remove chemicals, so start with water that looks clear.
Is refilled galon water safe in Bali?
A sealed galon from a known brand is the lower-risk choice. Indonesia's food and drug agency, BPOM, advises checking the packaging, the label, the distribution permit and the expiry date. Check the cap seal is intact and the water is clear. Unbranded refills from a refill depot are harder to judge, so ask how the water is treated, or boil it.
Do shower filters make Bali water safe?
Not for drinking. Shower filters sold in Bali are mostly aimed at chlorine, hard water, skin and hair, not at making water safe to swallow, and none of the travel health advice we cite treats them as a drinking-water treatment. If you buy one for your skin or hair, keep the same habit of not swallowing the water.
How can I avoid using lots of plastic bottles?
Many hotels, villas and cafes in Bali offer free or cheap filtered water refills, and refill stations are common in busy areas. A reusable bottle makes it easy. A large galon on a stand or pump in your villa also replaces dozens of small bottles. Boiling water in a kettle is another option if you have one.
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 2026: Food and Water Precautions for Travelers
- CDC: Boil Water Advisory (how long to boil water)
- World Health Organization (2015): Boil water, technical brief
- CDC: Travel Tips for People Who Wear Contact Lenses
- Mongabay Indonesia (2020): Mungkinkah Bali nol penggunaan air tanah?
- InfoPublik (2026): BPOM on reusable galon water bottles
- CDC Travelers' Health: Travelers' Diarrhea
- World Health Organization: Five keys to safer food
- Smartraveller (Australian Government): Indonesia travel advice