Is Indonesia safe? Scooters, sea, volcanoes, health and emergency numbers

What actually goes wrong for visitors

The Canadian government's advice puts it bluntly: motorcycle and scooter accidents are the main cause of death and serious injury among foreigners visiting many parts of Indonesia, including Bali. The UK government adds that traffic discipline is very poor and that moped and motorbike accidents, some fatal, have increased sharply in Bali. That makes the choice of how you get around the single biggest safety decision of the trip.

After the road come the sea and the land itself. The UK advice warns that sea conditions can change rapidly and that boats are often crowded, overloaded or poorly maintained, while Indonesia regularly has floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis. Crime is mostly opportunistic: bag-snatching and pickpocketing in busy tourist areas, card fraud, and spiked or counterfeit drinks. Both the UK and Canada also warn about a threat of terrorism, and both advise avoiding demonstrations.

A few regions carry specific warnings. When we checked on 2026-10-03, Canada advised against non-essential travel to the provinces of Indonesian Papua, except the islands of Raja Ampat and the city of Sorong, and both the UK and Canada asked for particular care in Central Sulawesi (Palu, Poso and Tentena) and in Maluku, especially Ambon. Aceh enforces Sharia law, which also applies to non-Muslims: alcohol and gambling are illegal there. Read your own government's advice for these areas before you book.

Scooters, cars and taxis

Renting a scooter is easy; riding one legally and insured is not. The UK advice says you cannot drive in Indonesia on a UK licence alone and need an International Driving Permit, and it tells you to make sure you hold the right licence for the vehicle and that your travel insurance covers it. The Ministry of Tourism's local-law page says foreigners can drive with an international driving permit together with their home licence, that traffic drives on the left, and that the urban speed limit is 50 km/h. If you are not already a confident motorcyclist at home, Indonesia is not the place to learn.

If you do ride, wear a helmet in good condition, as the UK advice says, and avoid riding after dark outside the cities, where Canada notes that road lighting is poor and some drivers do not use lights. An accident is also a legal and financial problem. The UK warns that foreigners involved in even minor accidents may be vulnerable to extortion and that you must wait for the police at the scene and report the accident; Canada warns of possible mob anger after a serious accident and advises staying in your vehicle until an officer arrives. Rental motorbikes are often stolen, and Canada says you may then have to pay for a new one.

For most visitors the better answer is a car with a driver, which both governments suggest. For taxis, the UK names Bluebird, Silverbird and Express as registered companies, and Canada adds a warning about lookalike taxis and advises against hailing cars on the street or getting into one that already has passengers. With ride-hailing apps, check that the driver and car match the app and share your trip with a friend; the UK also warns about drivers who claim to be registered with an app and try to pick up passengers on the street.

Boats, beaches, currents and diving

Island hopping is part of almost every Indonesia trip, and it is where safety standards vary most. The UK advice tells you to check for life jackets and lifeboats before you travel, to bring children's life jackets if needed because suitable sizes are not always available, and to avoid travelling after dark unless you are satisfied the vessel is properly equipped. Canada says ferry accidents are common, often because of poor safety practices or extreme weather, and advises against boarding any vessel that looks overloaded or unseaworthy. If the boat, the crew or the sea looks wrong on the day, wait for the next departure or fly.

The weather at sea changes the plan more often than anything else. BMKG, the national meteorological agency, publishes marine forecasts and high-wave warnings for Indonesian waters and ports on its maritime site, which is worth checking the evening before a fast-boat crossing or a day trip to the outer islands. On beaches, follow the CDC's basic rules: swim only in designated swimming areas and obey lifeguards and warning flags. Currents are part of the appeal at many dive sites: the Ministry of Tourism describes Komodo National Park's strong currents as challenging and rewarding for experienced divers, which is a good reason for beginners to ask how strong the water will be before booking.

Diving is a highlight, but the UK advice says dive school standards are not always as high as at home. Check the operator's credentials and your insurance cover, make sure there is safety equipment on the boat, especially oxygen, and ask how they would get you to a hyperbaric chamber if something went wrong. Beginners should also ask what to do and how to call for help while at sea before signing up.

Volcanoes: alert levels and exclusion zones

Canada counts 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, and climbing one for sunrise is a classic trip. In its update of 18 September 2026, the UK government stopped advising against all travel to Indonesia's volcanoes and now tells visitors to follow the local authorities, who enforce exclusion zones that can change at short notice. The tool for that is MAGMA Indonesia, run by the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), which publishes a daily alert level for each monitored volcano, in Indonesian.

The levels run from I to IV. Under the official explanation, Level I (Normal) means daily activity can continue, although some volcanoes have toxic gas around the crater; Level II (Waspada) means activity is rising and people are advised not to go near the crater; Level III (Siaga) adds a warning to stay out of river valleys that start at the summit; and Level IV (Awas) means evacuation of threatened areas. When we checked on 2026-10-03, MAGMA listed no volcano at Level IV; Merapi, Semeru and Sinabung at Level III; Bromo, Rinjani, Anak Krakatau and Lewotobi Laki-laki among those at Level II; and Batur, Agung, Ijen and Kelimutu at Level I. Check again the day before you go, because these change.

A low level does not mean no hazard. At Ijen, which was at Level I, the daily report advised visitors not to descend to or approach the crater floor, not to camp within 500 m of the crater, and to watch for toxic gas. Canada warns that rain near volcanoes can trigger lahars, fast floods of volcanic debris, and that ash clouds can disrupt flights, including in Bali. If you have asthma or another breathing condition, the UK advice notes that ash and volcanic gases can make it worse, so carry your medication and a well-fitted mask.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and haze

Earthquakes are a fact of life here: Canada says Indonesia has thousands each year, and when we checked it reported a magnitude 7.7 earthquake near Flores on 14 August 2026, with significant damage and continuing aftershocks. On the coast, the rule from the UK advice is simple: if a strong earthquake happens near the shore, a tsunami could arrive within minutes, so move to high ground or follow the authorities without waiting for a warning. Canada adds that the tsunami risk can last for several hours after the first shock. Warnings come from BMKG's Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS), and the UK suggests installing BMKG's multi-hazard warning app. Coastal resorts such as Nusa Dua in Bali have orange tsunami evacuation route signs: note the nearest one when you check in.

After a quake, BMKG's own guidance is to leave buildings calmly by the stairs rather than lifts, check for injuries, gas leaks and electrical damage, stay out of damaged buildings, and follow official information rather than rumours. Do not walk around the affected area, because aftershocks are likely.

Floods and smoke are the seasonal risks. The UK advice says the rainy season usually runs from October to March, although in parts of eastern Indonesia it is usually April to August, and that flash floods and landslides can hit mountain areas as well as Jakarta and Bali. Floods can even cut the main toll road to Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, so leave extra time for flights in the wet months. In the dry season, peat and forest fires mainly on Sumatra and Kalimantan send haze across the region; the UK puts it from May to November, and Canada says pollution can reach unhealthy levels especially from June to October.

Health: vaccines, water, mosquitoes, rabies and stomach upsets

Start with a travel-health appointment: the UK advice says at least eight weeks before you go, and the US CDC at least a month. When we checked on 2026-10-03, the CDC recommended hepatitis A and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travellers and typhoid for most travellers, alongside routine vaccines such as measles, with rabies, Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya vaccines to discuss depending on your trip. Malaria is regional rather than countrywide: the CDC lists no malaria transmission in Jakarta, Ubud, Bali's and Java's resort areas or the Gili Islands, but recommends prevention for eastern Indonesia, including Labuan Bajo and the Komodo islands, and for rural parts of Lombok, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. Dengue is a risk everywhere, and the CDC had a Zika notice for Bali, so use repellent day and evening.

The UK government states plainly that tap water is not safe to drink in Indonesia. Canada calls travellers' diarrhoea the most common illness travellers get, sums up the rule as boil it, cook it, peel it or leave it, and says the key treatment is to keep drinking fluids. Avoid swimming in rivers and lakes, which carry a risk of schistosomiasis, and stay out of floodwater: when we checked, the CDC reported increased cases of leptospirosis, which rises after floods and heavy rain.

Rabies is the risk people most often underestimate. The UK warns of many street dogs in Bali and elsewhere and monkeys around temples and tourist areas, and the CDC reported increased human rabies cases in West Timor. Do not touch or feed animals; if you are bitten or scratched, Canada's advice is to wash the wound with soap and water for about 15 minutes and get medical care straight away, keeping written records of any vaccines you are given.

Plan for treatment as well as prevention. The UK says local medical care can be poor, that good care is expensive and that medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands of pounds, so buy insurance that covers your activities, any scooter riding and evacuation, and bring enough of your regular medicines.

Drinks, drugs, money and the law

Drinks are a bigger risk than food. Both the UK and Canada report deaths from alcohol containing methanol, including drinks bought in licensed bars, shops and hotels in tourist areas; Canada names Bali, Lombok, the Gili Islands and Sumatra. Methanol cannot be tasted or smelled, so stay with well-known brands from reputable places, avoid spirits sold by individuals, and get medical help at once if someone feels unwell after drinking. The UK also reports drink spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gilis: watch your drink being made and do not leave it.

Drug laws are severe. The Ministry of Tourism lists prison terms for possession and the possibility of the death penalty for trafficking, and the UK warns that cannabis in every form, including CBD and medicinal products, is illegal, that police raid venues popular with foreigners in Bali, and that a positive urine or blood test leads to arrest. Carry your passport or stay permit, which both the UK and the ministry advise, and remember that Bali shuts down completely for Nyepi, including the airport.

For money, the UK advises using only licensed money changers, which show a Bank Indonesia logo and a QR code you can scan to check the licence, and warns that card fraud is common. Canada suggests ATMs inside banks or businesses, covering the keypad and watching your card. In Bali, the UK also reports scams at tattoo parlours, nail salons and spas, so agree the price before you start.

Emergency numbers and getting help

When we checked on 2026-10-03, the Ministry of Tourism listed these numbers. The UK government lists the same ambulance and police numbers and gives 112 for fire; the search and rescue agency Basarnas gives 115 as its emergency contact.

• Police and general emergencies: 110, or 112 from mobile and satellite phones
• Ambulance and medical emergencies: 118 or 119
• Search and rescue (Basarnas), including at sea and in the mountains: 115
• Ministry of Tourism public communication bureau: +62 21 3838899
• Call your insurer as soon as you are referred to a hospital, as the UK advice recommends, and ask for a police report if you are the victim of a crime. For remote islands and parks, find out before you go where the nearest hospital is and how you would get there.