Travel vaccinations for Indonesia and Bali: requirements, advice and malaria

No vaccination is required for travel from Germany directly to Indonesia, including Bali. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends vaccination against hepatitis A and polio for all travellers, along with up-to-date routine vaccinations under the STIKO schedule, Germany’s national immunisation guidance, particularly measles. Depending on how you travel, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya may be added. The malaria risk on Bali is low, but high on some of the eastern islands.

Entry rules: yellow fever proof only after certain routes

According to the WHO, Indonesia is not an area with yellow fever transmission. The Federal Foreign Office states that anyone aged nine months or over arriving from a yellow fever area must show proof of yellow fever vaccination. For a holiday with return flights from Germany this does not apply, but it does matter for round-the-world trips with stops in Africa or South America. See our guide to yellow fever vaccination.

Recommended vaccinations by type of trip

Most travellers from Germany visit Bali, often combined with Lombok, the Gili Islands or a tour of Java. Others come for diving or travel to remote regions such as Borneo, Sulawesi or Papua. The overview table on this page shows which vaccinations the Federal Foreign Office recommends for everyone and which only after individual assessment.

For all travellers: hepatitis A and polio

Hepatitis A is spread through contaminated food and water. Polio has been detected in Indonesia, so the Federal Foreign Office advises making sure your vaccination protection is complete. Your doctor will check your vaccination record to see whether you need a booster. For people with German statutory health insurance, travel-related polio vaccination is covered on the basis of Section 20i SGB V and the vaccination guideline of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA). For most other travel vaccinations this is not automatically the case on private trips, see travel vaccination costs.

Depending on your trip and personal risk

The Federal Foreign Office lists hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya on an individual basis. Cholera vaccination only makes sense for people working long term in epidemic areas, for example in healthcare or disaster relief. STIKO currently recommends dengue vaccination only for people aged four and over who have had a laboratory-confirmed dengue infection. For a first assessment of your trip, use the travel vaccine check.

Malaria: Bali is not the same as Papua

According to the Federal Foreign Office and the DTG (the German Society for Tropical Medicine), the malaria risk in Indonesia exists all year round:

• High risk: West Papua and the whole island of Sumba.
• Moderate risk: areas including Kalimantan (Borneo), the islands of Nias and Tanahbala, eastern Flores, most islands of Maluku province, some areas of Sulawesi and the Tanimbar and Raja Ampat islands.
• Low risk: Bali, Java, Sumatra, Lombok and the Gili Islands, most areas of Sulawesi and western Flores.
• Malaria-free: Jakarta and other large cities.

In high-risk areas, the Federal Foreign Office considers preventive medication sensible in addition to mosquito protection, and for remote moderate-risk areas emergency standby treatment may be recommended. Discuss the choice with a doctor. Diving trips to Raja Ampat or tours of Flores in particular are worth raising specifically. More in our guide to malaria prevention.

Zika, dengue and chikungunya

According to the Federal Foreign Office, Zika infections were reported in 2025 and 2026 among travellers returning from Bali and neighbouring islands. There is no vaccine against Zika. Because infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects, pregnant women and couples planning a pregnancy should pay particular attention to the advice. Dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis and lymphatic filariasis occur nationwide all year round. Protect yourself against mosquitoes by day and by night, see mosquito protection.

Hygiene, drinks and water

Travellers’ diarrhoea is common, and hepatitis A and E, shigellosis and typhoid also occur among travellers. Make sure your drinking water is safe and your food well cooked. The Federal Foreign Office also points out:

• Methanol: there have been illnesses and deaths on Bali and Lombok after drinking contaminated alcoholic drinks. Avoid alcohol of unclear origin.
• Inland waters: in Central Sulawesi, particularly around Lake Lindu and in the Napu Valley, schistosomiasis can be transmitted even through brief contact with fresh water. Do not swim in lakes and rivers there.
• Haze: in the dry season, forest fires on Kalimantan and Sumatra regularly cause irritating smoke.
• Diving: get a diving medical consultation and check before a diving holiday.

Rabies and contact with animals

In Indonesia, rabies is mainly transmitted by dogs. Avoid contact with dogs and other animals. After a bite or scratch, wash the wound immediately with soap for at least 15 minutes and seek medical help straight away. According to the Federal Foreign Office, rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins may be available only to a limited extent locally.

Medical care in Indonesia

In Jakarta, care is often available in private clinics and large public hospitals, but elsewhere it can be considerably limited. The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance with evacuation cover and a travel health kit containing your regular medication.

Timeline

According to STIKO and the DTG, travel vaccinations should be completed at least two weeks before departure. As some vaccinations require several appointments, book your consultation early. Practices offering travel medicine are listed in our travel clinics directory.