The head-turning item I take to Bali to ensure I get home in one piece

1 day ago 7

For the five years that I lived on and off in Bali, I travelled to the island with a piece of hand luggage more suited to an F1 driver than a writer. Always a good conversation starter, it was a white, full-face Daft Punk-esque motorbike helmet that was bought in Australia and thus met our strict safety standards.

The theory was that it would help my luck. I’ve never once (knock on wood), had an accident on my scooter, but if I did, I knew I would be giving myself the best chance at avoiding serious head injury. To this day, if I’m travelling to Bali and plan to ride a scooter for any decent amount of time, I travel with my own helmet.

Bali is sunshine for the soul, but diligence is the key to coming back in one piece.

The peak season for Aussies travelling to Bali is in July and August, as winter begins to frost our surfboards and chill our beaches. Bali is one of our most-loved destinations, but it’s also a magnet for misadventure, whether it’s motorbike accidents, theft, alcohol poisoning or dengue fever. There are some simple ways you can help protect yourself from something going awry.

Travel insurance is non-negotiable. If you ride on a scooter, including on the back of motorbike ride-shares Gojek or Grab, you need motorbike insurance. Cover-More offers two add-on motorbike insurance covers to its policies from $24. Unlike many other providers, its introductory coverage requires you to hold a standard Australian driver’s licence rather than a motorbike licence, but there are certain clauses including that the bike’s engine needs to be under 250cc.

Commonsense is also deeply underrated. I roll my eyes at the masses cruising around Bali on scooters sans shirt and helmet. Cover up with a thick denim shirt. It makes you less of a target for on-bike thieves (not to mention sexual assault) and gives a small layer of protection between you and the bitumen. On the topic of petty theft, always keep your bag in the compartment under the seat and never ride with a phone flailing about. Throughout the years, there have been many cases of bag, jewellery and phone snatching on motorbikes, leaving victims badly injured on the road.

If you ride on the back of motorbike ride-shares Gojek or Grab, you need motorbike insurance.

Second on the danger list in Bali is alcohol poisoning. This is a serious issue across parts of the developing world including South-East Asia, and has been thrust into the spotlight after an incident at a hostel in Laos last year that left six tourists, including two young Australians, dead.

The best way to avoid methanol poisoning? I have a sweeping rule, and I stick to it. Don’t drink anything other than beer. You’ll also be safe with pre-mixed drinks such as local hard-seltzer brand Santai Seltzer. If you fancy cocktails or wine, don’t consume them at the type of place where Trevor is thrashing his lungs out to Sweet Child O’ Mine in thongs and a singlet. Go to an establishment that specialises in craft cocktails or wine, such as chef Will Meyrick’s new Buzo Bali in Seminyak (buzobali.com) or wine bistro Mosto in Canggu (mostobali.com)

One of the biggest risks in Bali right now is also its most insidious. There has been a surge in mosquito-borne dengue fever cases on the island, and it’s not taken as seriously as it should be; second or third infections are more likely to be fatal.

Don’t rely on local mosquito repellents or natural iterations you can buy in Bali. In addition to my helmet, I always travel to Bali with well-known Aussie mosquito repellent brand Rid, which contains DEET, an active ingredient that’s not easy to find in Indonesia.

Bali is sunshine for the soul, but diligence is the key to coming back in one piece.

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