Photo: Qamar Rehman

Can you shower in Bali?

Can I shower in Bali? Yes, please shower while traveling in Bali. The freshwater is clean, and you don't need to worry about the shower water hurting you.

pazooktraveljournal.com - Can You Drink the Tap Water in Bali? (Updated 2023)

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Is Bali tap water safe to drink?

You probably know that Bali is one of the top tropical destinations in the world, but if you have questions about staying safe in Bali, we can help!

For example– Can you drink tap water in Bali? How do I avoid getting sick on my holiday? Are there other items to pack or avoid in order to stay safe in Bali?

It’s easy to fantasize about hiking to beautiful waterfalls, learning to surf, and trying new exotic foods. But failing to take the necessary precautions during your trip could leave you sick in bed with the infamous ‘Bali belly.’ In this post, we want to help you understand the issues with drinking tap water in Bali, how to filter water in Bali, and more ways to avoid getting sick/injured on your trip!

Is the Tap water in Bali safe to drink?

No, tap water is not safe to drink in Bali

Bali’s tap water is known to be full of parasites, toxins, and microplastics. You should try to avoid consuming unfiltered tap water, even if you have a strong immune system or have lived overseas previously. Most tourists cannot drink tap water in Bali without getting sick to some degree.

Why is the Bali Tap Water Toxic?

Bali is one of the most heavily touristed islands in Southeast Asia. This leads to a lot of freshwater consumption and pollution on an island that doesn’t have great infrastructure for disposing of sewage and industrial waste. In fact, it is estimated that the tourism industry uses about 3 million liters of fresh water per day (according to the university of Notre Dame). The general public water supply cannot keep up with this, so the island turns to groundwater. This excessive usage, combined with improper solid waste disposal and agricultural runoffs, has caused almost all of Bali’s freshwater to become polluted.

What happens if you drink Bali Tap water?

If you consume too much tap water in Bali, there is a very high chance that you will end up with a nasty case of Bali Belly!

What is Bali Belly?

Bali Belly is the local term for traveler’s diarrhea. Traveler’s Diarrhea is the general diagnosis when someone becomes sick after they consume bacteria found in foreign food or contaminated water. Obviously, this can happen at home, but it’s less likely, of course, because your stomach has adapted to the bacteria in the food and water of your own country. As you travel to Bali, your gut experiences brand-new foods, bacteria, and parasites. Our foreign tummies are not used to this and get overwhelmed, consequently leading to illness.

Symptoms of Bali Belly

We experienced our own case of ‘Bali belly’ during our honeymoon in Bali. And it’s not the first time. We’ve also had cases in Sri Lanka and Thailand over the last 5 years.

IT SUCKS

Each time we got food poisoning or traveler’s diarrhea, it knocked us out for at least 2 days. Some cases are not as severe, lasting only 24 hours or so… but we have also heard of worse scenarios. The most common symptoms (of which we were spared none) are stomach discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, cramping, and nausea.

What to do if you get Bali Belly

If you get Bali Belly while traveling, you might need to go and see a doctor, especially if the fever gets too extreme. Doctors should be able to give something to reduce the symptoms and provide recommendations for how to ease your comfort as it runs its course. The biggest negative effect to worry about is dehydration. It is very easy to get dehydrated when you are sick, so drink plenty of FILTERED water to stay hydrated. Here are some common remedies that have worked for us in the past!

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See a doctor if you have a fever (we are not medical professionals, so this is going to be your best option for optimal care)

Drink lots of (clean) water

Rest as much as possible (sleep really is the best medicine)

Try Taking Activated Charcoal for diarrhea

Don’t Drink alcohol

Don’t push yourself. Only eat what you can and listen to your body. If you need rest, take it. Overdoing it will just have you feel sick longer.

How to avoid drinking tap water in Bali

Everything we read online just tells us to drink boiled water, which is super inconvenient. These days, there are much better options than boiling every drop of water you drink. For instance, there are some amazing water bottles on the market that come with a purifying water filter. These make an awesome travel companion to places like Bali.

Use a Portable Water Filter in Bali

If you are concerned about the tap water in Bali, consider adding a portable water filter to your Bali packing list! Not only do these water bottles filter out the nasty pathogens in your water, but they also save a ton of plastic, making them great for people who want to travel sustainably and eco-friendly.

Here are the best bottles on the market:

GRAYL GeoPress (Best All-Around Purifying water Bottle)

The GRAYL GeoPress Water Bottle is the industry leader. The price tag seems a little steep at first, but when you realize this purchase is saving you from buying hundreds of water bottles overseas, it is worth it. The bottle filters any sketchy water and would make the tap water in Bali perfectly safe to drink. Each replaceable filter can filter 250 Liters (65 gallons) of water before losing potency. The bottle is super easy to use and loved among global travelers. Lifestraw is one of the oldest names in the game and they have wonderful filters that will clean any water and make it safe to drink. People tend to love this bottle, but complain that it can be more difficult to suck through the straw than a regular bottle. We would agree with this, but it seems that you get what you pay for. It’s not the most easy-to-use bottle on the market, but it is eco-friendly, filters 100 liters (25 gallons) of water per cartridge, and is a great budget-friendly option.

Iodine Tablets (Emergency Water Filtration)

We have used these portable iodine tablets while camping and hiking in the past when we’ve run out of water on a longer hike, and they work well. We have never been sick while using them, but they do affect the taste of the water negatively.

These tablets are a great emergency water purifier to have on hand.

Common Questions about Bali Tap water

It’s easy enough to filter your water to avoid drinking any contaminated water. But there are other ways you can unintentionally consume unfiltered tap water. Showering, brushing your teeth, and even eating fresh fruits and veggies that have been washed with tap water can all pose risks to travelers. Here are a few common questions we had about the gray areas of using tap water in Bali. Can I brush my teeth in Bali? This is controversial. We personally do not worry about it too much. We just do our best not to swallow any of the water while brushing. If you want to be extra cautious, simply choose to use some of your filtered water when brushing your teeth in Bali. Can I use ice in Bali? The ice is usually filtered in the touristy sections of Bali, like Ubud, Canggu, Kuta, and Uluwatu. If you traveling in the hills or smaller cities of Bali, it is probably wise to avoid adding ice to your water/drinks. Simply ask for no ice.

Can I shower in Bali? Yes, please shower while traveling in Bali.

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The freshwater is clean, and you don’t need to worry about the shower water hurting you. Only ingesting it could be cause for minor concern. Simply do your best to keep the water out of your mouth, and don’t swallow it. Can I drink bottled water in Bali? Yes, but it isn’t perfect. The bottled water in Bali is free of bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens, but they still contain a lot of microplastics that can be avoided if you filter your own water. This seems to be the case no matter where you are around the world. Can I eat fresh fruits and veggies in Bali? This is the hardest one to avoid. We want you to be safe, but don’t be too paranoid about everything you eat on your holiday. While eating out in Bali, you will probably want to eat all the fresh fruit and veggies, but almost all of these have been washed in unfiltered water. We honestly choose not to worry about this too much. Just be aware of it if you start to feel sick after eating. If you’re concerned, just stick to eating fruit with a protective layer around it, such as pineapple, mango, coconut, banana, and others.

Make sure to Have Travel Insurance

The last time we caught a stomach bug while traveling was in Ella, Sri Lanka. We had just arrived and were so excited to finish exploring the hill country of Sri Lanka, and within just a few hours, things took a turn for the worst. Terrible stomach cramps and fevers led to us taking turns running to the bathroom and puking out our guts all night. To this day, we don’t know exactly what made us sick, but it was not a fun way to spend the next couple of days. The scariest part was being without travel insurance. The last thing we wanted to do was go see a doctor and risk being hospitalized without any kind of insurance to take care of us. Luckily, we ended up recovering on our own, but that night we were reminded of the importance of having travel insurance even if you may never need to use it. Better safe than sorry.

Safety Wing Nomad Insurance

Since our last occurrence of a scary stomach bug, we decided not to travel without insurance again. We also discovered recently that most countries require travel insurance as an entrance protocol after the recent pandemic. Most travel insurance is pretty expensive, but Nomad Insurance through Safety Wing was specifically created for budget-conscious travelers and is the best value for your dollar on the market. This has saved us from a lot of hassle during our recent trips and we highly recommend that you consider insuring your safety coverage with Nomad Insurance. Nomad Insurance even includes COVID insurance that covers a percentage of quarantine costs, mandatory COVID tests, and other COVID-related illness costs! Make sure to stay safe on your travels! Check out our Bali archives for loads of other travel tips and things to do in Bali including;

– Caleb & Sarah

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pazooktraveljournal.com - Can You Drink the Tap Water in Bali? (Updated 2023)

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