Safety tips for Bali

Bali is a relatively safe place to visit, in comparison with other major destinations, such as London, Miami, Rio, Joburg and Bangkok. Still you need to be carefull, and keep aware of the possible dangers / crimes. Here’s a few tips.

•Gaps in the sidewalk. In Europe, America and Australia, we can walk down the road, looking at the sky, fairly confident we won’t fall into a hole. That’s not the case in Bali, and in places such as Ubud, you’ll find regular gaps, dropping down to a sewer / drainage canal, that could do you a lot of injury, should you fall down one. Watch out of holes in the sidewalk.

•Getting expensive belongins stolen. The average person in Kuta probably makes around 800,000rp per month, half of that in the more rural areas. Your $2,000 Nikon, gold jewelry and Toshiba laptop, look mighty good when left unattended. Don’t bring expensive gear to Bali. If you do, put it in the hotel safe.

•Stuck in a rip-tide. The more water that goes up onto a beach, the more that has to come back. Bali gets strong swell, and the power of the undertow is extremely strong. One moment you are having fun in waist deep water, next minute you are 100 meters from shore, madly trying to get back. Avoid swimming in areas marked by a solo red flag, or in areas where you can see more than 1 set of waves breaking.

•Eyes on your wallet. People sit outside a lot in Bali. When I leave my house, a dozen people notice. Similarly, when you come out of a shop, warung, money changer, many people will notice what you are carrying. When I walk along with my keys in my hand, people notice the large carabiner, because it’s shiny. Put your wallet away before you leave the hotel, warung, shop, money changer, not out on the street.

•Tip toe off of the curb. Part of my wake up routine each day, is to get almost run over by a local on a motorbike. In my alley, on small gang, on the main street. Doesn’t matter, if you step off of the curb, be sure to look both ways (including on the sidewalk!).

•Bags inside the restaurant. Many cafes / warungs in Bali have a patio area next to the street, with a row of flowers / bushes, separating the diners from the pedestrians. On occassion, a person has had their bag taken, after leaving it next to the street, unable to spot the hand coming through the bushes. Keep your bag, out of reach from anyone on the street, while sitting in a cafe.

•Slippery when wet. People arriving in Bali from cold climates, often forget to bring sandals, opting to buy a cheap local pair when they arrive. I have made this mistake twice. The fact that the local sandals will fall apart in 2 weeks or less, is good news, as they are a hazard. The light foam material, that is used in these sandals, turns them into rollerskates on a wet surface. Bring your own footwear, or pick up something decent in Matahari in Kuta Square.

•The eyes have it. My eyes are worth a lot to me. My Nike sunglasses are UV protective and are polarizing. Cheap knock offs are on sale in Bali, but if you end up with a pair that doesn’t have UV protection, you are actually damaging your eyes. The dark shades will cause your pupil to open wider, allowing the unblocked UV to burn your retina. There are good shops selling name brands (The Station in Kuta for example) and the price reflects this. Leave those $5 sunglasses with the person who is selling them, your eyes are worth spending $100.

•Who to call in an emergency. If you find yourself in a spot of bother, who do you call? You might jot down the address and phone numbers of your consulate, plus the numbers for SOS International and BIMC.

There are of course, many tips depending on what activity you plan on doing. Safe travels to Bali.