Bali travel warning: Australian travellers urged to 'exercise a high degree of caution'

The advice comes after the deaths of a number of Australians on the popular holiday island in recent months.

Two people with their backs to the camera, dragging their luggage behind them at the airport.

A warning has been issued to Australians hoping to escape the winter chill after number of high-profile incidents. Source: AAP / Diego Fedele

Australians are being warned about the risks associated with travelling to Indonesia, particularly Bali, after a number of incidents.

In an update on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website urged travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution" while holidaying at the popular destination.

The advice highlighted that Australians had drowned at unpatrolled beaches "due to rough seas and strong rip currents".

It also cautioned against leaving food and drinks unattended due to a rise in drink spiking and methanol poisoning, with several cases reported in Bali and nearby Lombok.

The travel advice came only two days after a 23-year-old Sunshine Coast man, Byron Haddow, died while holidaying in Bali. The cause of his death is unknown.

In the last six months, three other Australians have died in Indonesia in water-related incidents.

The Smartraveller site also issued a reminder about saltwater crocodiles, which are present in Indonesian rivers and lakes.

It urged Australians travelling to Indonesia to respect local customs, publishing a list of dos and don'ts.

It included checking visa and passport requirements to ensure entry, with travellers reportedly denied due to tears or water damage to their passports.

More than one million Australians visit Bali each year.


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2 min read

Published

Updated

By Ewa Staszewska

Source: SBS News




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