How likely am I to get rabies in Bali?

Rabies is a serious but preventable disease, and questions about its risk are common for visitors to Bali. This article explains the current situation on the island, who faces higher risk, practical prevention steps before and during travel, immediate actions after an animal bite, and how vaccination fits into both prevention and treatment. Read on to understand the facts and make informed choices that keep you safe.

Current rabies situation across Bali

Bali continues to have active rabies transmission among animals, though human cases have fallen significantly from their peak over the past decade. Public health authorities maintain targeted vaccination campaigns and surveillance, but the virus persists in localized pockets where dog vaccination coverage is incomplete and free roaming animals are common.

Recent trends

Since the large outbreak that began in 2008, reported human fatalities have decreased thanks to expanded access to prompt care and dog vaccination efforts. Animal case reporting now shows an irregular pattern with local spikes rather than sustained islandwide waves, reflecting progress in many districts alongside remaining vulnerable communities.

Where cases are concentrated

Cases most often trace to areas with high numbers of unvaccinated free roaming dogs and limited veterinary access—typically some peri-urban zones and remote villages rather than the main international tourist hubs. Incidents involving monkeys are less common but still occur in forested and temple areas where people feed wildlife.

Control measures and surveillance

Provincial authorities and non-governmental organizations run periodic mass dog vaccination drives, community education programs and improved reporting at local clinics. Many hospitals and private clinics now stock post exposure vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin, though supply gaps can occur in outlying health posts. Ongoing challenges include tracking transient dog populations and maintaining repeat vaccination coverage where animal turnover is high.

Understanding where and why cases persist helps target practical precautions for travelers and residents alike. With that context, it becomes clearer who and what factors increase individual risk.

Who and what increases your risk in Bali

Certain activities and groups face higher chances of exposure. Identifying them helps you take precise, practical precautions tailored to your travel plans.

• Tourists who approach or feed animals. Many incidents follow visitors who attempt to touch, photograph closely, or feed stray dogs and monkeys, creating opportunities for bites and scratches.
• Children and small adults. Bites to the face and neck occur more often in smaller people and carry a higher chance of viral transmission and faster symptom onset.
• Animal workers and volunteers. Veterinarians, shelter staff and volunteers who handle unvaccinated or unpredictable animals face repeated exposure unless strict protective practices are followed.
• Residents in rural or underserved villages. Limited veterinary services and lower dog vaccination coverage in some districts lead to persistent animal reservoirs and delayed access to care after exposures.
• Long-stay travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. Those staying for extended periods, lodging in homestays where free roaming dogs are common, or trekking in forested areas encounter animals more often and therefore face increased cumulative risk.

Risk is not uniform across Bali and is largely preventable. Avoiding direct contact with animals, supervising children closely, and seeking prompt wound care and medical assessment if bitten or scratched markedly reduce the chance of developing rabies. Knowing who is most vulnerable points directly to the prevention steps described next.

How to prevent rabies before and during your trip

Prevention combines sensible planning before travel with consistent caution while in Bali. A few specific steps reduce exposure risk to very low levels for most visitors.

Prepare Before You Travel

Consider preexposure vaccination if you will handle animals, volunteer in shelters, stay in remote areas for more than a few weeks, or otherwise expect frequent animal contact. The standard preexposure schedule is three intramuscular doses given on days 0, 7 and 21 or 28; this primes your immune system and simplifies later treatment if exposed.

Before departure, assemble a small first aid kit with soap and sterile gauze, and list the nearest hospitals in the regions you will visit. Carry proof of any prior rabies vaccination and let your accommodation host know if you expect to encounter animals during your stay.

• Avoid contact with stray dogs and monkeys. Do not approach, touch or feed unfamiliar animals even if they appear tame, since provoked bites and scratches are the most common source of transmission.
• Supervise children closely near animals. Children are more likely to approach animals and to receive bites to the face or neck, which require urgent care.
• Know where to get postexposure care. Identify clinics or hospitals in your travel area that provide wound washing and rabies vaccine so you can act without delay if needed.
• Practice prompt wound care and reporting. Any bite or scratch should be washed thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and assessed by a clinician even if it seems minor.

Taken together, these measures provide strong protection. Plan ahead and treat any animal exposure seriously to ensure a safe, worry-free stay in Bali. If prevention steps fail, the next section explains immediate actions after a bite.

What to do immediately after an animal bite

Act quickly and calmly. Move away from the animal to a safe place and control heavy bleeding with gentle pressure. Wash the wound under running water using soap for at least fifteen minutes, scrubbing gently to remove saliva and dirt. After thorough washing, apply a clean, sterile dressing or gauze and, if available, an antiseptic such as povidone iodine to the wound edges. Do not close the wound with glue or tight sutures unless directed by a clinician, because leaving it open can reduce infection risk. Avoid traditional remedies or substances that could trap bacteria. If the bite is to the face, head or neck, treat it as urgent and seek professional assessment without delay.

Obtain medical evaluation as soon as possible because timely PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) can prevent rabies. A clinician will assess the exposure and arrange rabies vaccine according to the recommended schedule—doses on day 0, day 3, day 7 and day 14—when indicated. For deep wounds, multiple bites or bites to high-risk sites, a clinician may also administer rabies immunoglobulin at the wound site on the day of presentation. Ask about tetanus protection and whether an antibiotic is needed to prevent bacterial infection. Provide as much information as possible about the animal and the circumstances of the bite to help with risk assessment. In Bali, medical supplies can vary by location, so do not delay seeking care at the nearest clinic or hospital. Treat every unprovoked bite as potentially serious and act promptly to reduce the risk of a life-threatening outcome.

Understanding immediate care leads naturally to knowing the vaccination choices available and when to use them.

Vaccination options and when to get them

Vaccination is the most reliable protection against rabies, and options depend on whether you seek protection before travel or require treatment after exposure. Preexposure vaccination is advised for people who handle animals, volunteer in shelters, spend extended time in rural or remote areas, or otherwise have increased animal contact. The standard preexposure schedule uses three intramuscular doses given on day 0, day 7 and day 21 or day 28, which creates immune memory and simplifies later treatment.

Postexposure vaccination is required after any bite or scratch that breaks the skin. If you have not been vaccinated previously, clinicians will typically give rabies vaccine on day 0, day 3, day 7 and day 14 and may administer rabies immunoglobulin at the wound site for severe exposures to provide immediate antibodies. If you have completed a preexposure series or a full postexposure course before, the recommended response is two vaccine doses on day 0 and day 3 with no immunoglobulin required. Modern cell culture vaccines such as human diploid cell vaccine or purified chick embryo cell vaccine are the accepted types and are given intramuscularly. Intradermal regimens exist but require trained personnel and may not be available at every clinic. Timing matters, so obtain preexposure doses several weeks before travel when possible to allow a full immune response and carry proof of vaccination while abroad. After any exposure, prompt wound washing with soap and water remains critical and should be followed by immediate medical assessment to start vaccine without delay. In Bali many hospitals and private clinics offer PEP, but stock levels can vary in remote locations, so plan ahead.

If you are organizing a stay in Bali and want practical local support—such as help finding nearby clinics or safe accommodation—consider checking https://www.balivillahub.com/en for up-to-date local information and assistance.

In short, get preexposure shots if your itinerary places you at higher risk, avoid contact with animals, and seek urgent postexposure care for any bite or scratch to ensure the best possible outcome.