How To Prevent Bali Belly
Avoid travellers’ diarrhoea in Bali
Bali Belly, Delhi Belly, travellers’ diarrhoea or Montezuma's revenge. Call it what you will, but every traveller can agree that stomach illnesses are a sure way to take the shine off your hard-earned holiday.
We all know the symptoms, the sweaty palms, the gurgling stomach, the panicked dash to the nearest toilet and all the joy that follows. Indonesia has so many beautiful things to offer, but Bali Belly certainly isn’t one of them.
But what exactly causes Bali Belly and what can you do to avoid it?
What is Bali Belly?
Bali Belly is another name given to travellers’ diarrhoea, which can be caused by consuming bacteria found in contaminated food and water. Always check the travel advisory here when visiting Indonesia.
Bali Belly can include stomach discomforts like:
Cramping
Nausea
Vomiting
Bloating
Diarrhoea.
And other ailments like:
Fever
Fatigue
Dizziness
Dehydration
Lost appetite.
It’s often caught within the first week of travel, as your body tries to adjust to new environments and new bacteria. Bali Belly can clear up within a matter of days, however, more serious cases can require hospitalisation if you become severely dehydrated.
Is Bali Belly contagious?
The bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause Bali Belly can be transmitted between people and also in food and water.
So, if you’re caring for someone who is sick, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, avoid touching your face, and don’t share food and drinks.
Other countries where travellers’ diarrhoea is common
Bali isn’t the only popular travel destination where stomach bugs are common. Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia are also prone to cases of travellers’ diarrhoea, alongside countries in Central America, South America, the Middle East and Africa.
According to the UK Department of Health’s TravelHealthPro website, up to 20% of visitors to these higher-risk regions will suffer from travellers’ diarrhoea during their trip. While the severity of stomach illnesses can vary widely, it’s worth taking precautions to avoid conditions like Bali Belly wherever you travel.
Common causes of Bali Belly
A lot of things can cause travellers’ diarrhoea. Some are easy to avoid if you’re especially careful, but others can be put down to plain bad luck. Below are five common causes of Bali Belly and tips on how to avoid them.
1. Contaminated food
Bacteria thrive in hot and humid environments like Bali, which is why food can spoil faster than at home.
Food can become contaminated when it's:
Not stored and refrigerated correctly before cooking
Not prepared correctly during cooking
Not kept at the right temperature after cooking
Reheated after cooking
Handled by an infected person.
To reduce your risks of ingesting contaminated food, avoid eating:
Undercooked meat and seafood
Street food from vendors that appear unclean
Buffets unless from a reputable restaurant
Peeled fruit
Raw salads
Cold or lukewarm food that should be hot
2. Contaminated water
Next to food, contaminated water is one of the most common causes of Bali Belly. Tap water in Indonesia is inconsistent in quality, so it’s recommended that all travellers stick to bottled water.
To reduce your risks of ingesting contaminated water, avoid:
Ice in your drinks
Eating foods washed in tap water
Wet plates, cutlery and glasses
Brushing your teeth from the tap
Getting shower water in your mouth and eyes.
Unfortunately, the need for bottled water is a key driver of Bali’s pollution problems. To reduce your environmental footprint:
Consider using a personal filtration system, which can make contaminated water safer to drink.
Carry your bottles until you’re able to recycle them. Many hotels and restaurants have recycling facilities you can use.
If you can’t avoid using single-use plastic bottles, choose large bottles to reduce the overall number you need.
3. Poor hygiene
Like many other illnesses, the bacteria that can cause Bali Belly can be passed from person to person. Poor hygiene is a sure way to increase your risk of contracting a stomach bug and can be avoided by:
Always washing your hands with sanitiser before eating
Avoiding touching your face with unclean hands
Not sharing food and drink.
4. Change in diet
A dramatic change in diet can also be enough to trigger an upset stomach. Exploring new cuisines is one of the most exciting things about travelling, but if you’re not accustomed to certain flavours and food groups, this can sometimes prove too much for your tummy to handle.
To be kind to your stomach, remember to:
Ease into the local cuisine by choosing familiar foods
Have alcohol in moderation, as it can irritate the stomach lining
Ease into local favourites like sambal if you’re not accustomed to spicy food. If you don’t want your meal to include the spicy chilli paste, you can ask for “tanpa sambal”, which means “without sambal”.
5. Change in environment
Travelling can be physically demanding and take a toll on your immune system, especially while you adjust to unfamiliar environments. The combination of Bali’s hot and humid tropical climate, adjusting to a new time zone, and the stress and excitement inherent in travel can make your body more vulnerable to infection.
Adapt to the new environment by:
Avoiding strenuous activities as soon as you arrive
Avoiding excessive alcohol and drinking plenty of water
Gradually decreasing the amount of air conditioning you use while indoors so your body can acclimatise.
How to recover from Bali Belly
If you’ve been struck by a stomach bug, it’s essential that you treat your body correctly to get back on your feet. While the thought of food might put you off, it’s important to replace the electrolytes you may have lost through diarrhoea and vomiting.
According to WebMD, the ‘BRAT’ diet is a common way to recover from diarrhoea:
Bananas
Rice
Apple sauce
Toast.
Things to avoid while you still feel under the weather include:
Spicy food
Dairy
Alcohol
Fatty foods.