Is Bali Safe for Women Travelling Alone?

Generally yes, and many women travel to Bali alone every year without problems. The risks that come up most in the news are not violence but phone and bag snatching by people on motorbikes, plus drink risks (spiking or methanol-laced arak) in nightlife. The Australian government's Smartraveller also warns of sexual assault risk, including in popular tourist areas of Bali. This list covers what people usually miss, checked October 2026.

1. Motorbike snatch theft: the number one risk

Snatch thefts of foreign tourists' phones and bags have been reported repeatedly in Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud. Police arrested snatchers who had struck at 11 locations in Kuta (2023), and a female tourist went viral after two riders on one bike grabbed her phone in Seminyak (2024). The pattern is similar: the victim is walking by the road holding a phone.

• Hold your phone on the side away from the road, or put it away while waiting for a Grab on the pavement.
• Wear a cross-body bag in front of you, not a handbag on the road side.
• When riding a scooter yourself, put your bag under the seat or at your feet, not in the basket.
• If someone snatches it, let go. A tug of war with a moving motorbike can drag you and injure you.

2. Drinks: buy sealed, never leave your glass

Smartraveller flags drink spiking and methanol poisoning in bars and clubs. Drink at busy licensed venues, watch your drink being made and do not accept drinks from people you have just met. Avoid cheap arak or cocktails from unclear places; methanol is explained in Bali arak for visitors. If you feel far drunker than what you drank, ask venue staff for help straight away and go to a clinic.

3. Transport: use apps and share your trip

• Grab and Gojek record the driver's name, plate and route. Match the plate before getting in and use the share-trip feature with a friend.
• Bluebird taxis can be booked through the MyBluebird app or from official ranks.
• Some areas restrict ride-hailing pick-ups, so you may need to walk to a certain spot. Locations are covered in Grab and Gojek in Bali.
• At night, say no to "transport?" offers from people on the street that you cannot track.

4. Choose a place with 24-hour reception

An isolated villa in the rice fields is pretty, but the road there is often dark and empty after 9 pm. For a first solo trip, a hotel or guesthouse with 24-hour reception and a room that locks from the inside is more reassuring. Read recent reviews from women who stayed alone; they usually mention street lighting and staff.

5. Areas popular with solo travellers

• Ubud: lots of yoga classes, cafés and daytime walking. Side roads outside the centre are dark at night.
• Canggu: busy with cafés and coworking, easy to meet other travellers. Traffic is heavy and snatch thefts are reported here too.
• Sanur: calmer, with a long beachfront path for morning walks.
• Uluwatu: good for surfers, but places are far apart and cliff roads are dark at night.
• Kuta and Legian: closest to the airport and lively until late, but also where you meet the most drunk people at night.

6. What to wear at temples and in villages

Outside temples you can dress as you would in any beach town. To enter a temple you must wear a sarong and a sash at the waist, with shoulders covered; many temples rent or lend them at the entrance. In villages and traditional markets, clothes that cover shoulders and knees make interactions more comfortable.

7. Save emergency numbers before you land

• 112: national emergency number.
• 110: police. Bali Police stated (April 2026) that the 110 line runs 24 hours with foreign-language support.
• Bali Police Tourist Police: the unit that handles reports from foreign visitors, with a post in the Kuta area.
• Your embassy or consulate number. Australia, for example, has a Consulate-General in Denpasar.

If you experience harassment or assault, you have the right to report it to police and to ask your consulate for support. For insurance claims on stolen items, a police report is usually required.

8. Small habits that help

• Send your accommodation location and daily plan to one person at home.
• Carry a digital copy of your passport and keep the original in the room safe.
• Set up an eSIM or local SIM at the airport so maps and transport apps work immediately.
• If someone is too pushy about taking you somewhere, say no firmly and step into the nearest shop or café.

For itineraries, budgets and choosing where to stay when travelling alone, continue with Bali for solo travellers.