What is Bali Belly: causes, symptoms, and treatment. 

Heading to the beautiful destination of Bali for your next trip? Then you must be excited about visiting iconic Bali beaches, scuba diving, enjoying the island atmosphere, being on a tropical island paradise, and having mouth-watering Balinese cuisine. With millions of tourists visiting Bali every year, Bali becomes Indonesia’s most visited place and is widely famous among tourists worldwide. The famous island of Indonesia Bali is the favourite of many tourists for a reason.

Bali has a lot to offer tourists, and Bali Belly is one of them. We are sure You don’t want to remember your Bali trip with a Bali belly experience. Can’t imagine going to Bali and all the time thinking about an upset stomach. Feeling unwell on your most anticipated Bali trip is not something you want to make happen. But you don’t have to worry about it anymore as we will ensure you have a wonderful Bali vacation and enjoy mesmerizing Bali locations.

What does Bali Belly mean?

Holidays are good for your soul they say! As you need to distress, unwind and spend quality time with your loved ones. You want to take that one trip out. But what if that comes up with a downside for you? You probably will need a break from your break.

Bali is widely famous among tourists as there are lots of places to explore in Bali. But with the downside many tourists experience an upset stomach when in Bali. Bali Belly is basically a traveller’s diarrhoea. Bali belly means a bacterial infection that usually happens because of unclean food and water. One can get rid of Bali belly usually between 2 to 5 days. It takes time for your body to adjust to the new environment and deal with motion sickness.

Cause of Bali Belly

We all love to explore different food dishes while travelling. But be careful about what you are feeding your stomach. As Bali belly is generally caused by consuming contaminated food and water. Contaminated food preserves microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses which can make you ill. Undercooked meat and seafood, street food in unhygienic plates that causes you nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

1. Change in environment

It is very much possible that when you visit a new place your body takes time to adjust to the new environment. Your diet, weather, and eating habits are different from your regular schedule at home. The temperature change can trigger symptoms such as diarrhoea and bloat. Bali has a humid climate and bacteria develop must fast in food.

2. Contaminated food

Raw Salads, undercooked meat, food handed over by an infected person, not stored  correctly, cold or lukewarm food.

3.     Contaminated Water

Contaminated water such as tap water ( tap water in Bali is not recommended), ice in your drink, etc.

Bali Belly Symptoms

Bali Belly is relatively common travel sickness. It is not dangerous it’s just that the symptoms aren’t pleasant. Spending sleepless nights because of stomach cramps and rushing to the bathroom now and then is just a glimpse of Bali belly.

• Diarrhoea
• Frequently going to the toilet
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach cramps
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Mild fever
• Vomiting

         How to avoid Bali Belly?

Stomach illness can happen to anyone and anywhere. While Bali’s humid environment makes it more likely to happen. It’s better to take care in advance than sit in your hotel room missing out on predestined locations in Bali where you planned to take amazing photographs.    

Here are some tips to avoid Bali Belly

• Wash your hands often ( always keep your sanitiser handy )
• Avoid drinking tap water
• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Stay hydrated
• Make sure your plates are not wet
• Avoid contaminated food

Treatment of Bali Belly

If you are reading this we hope you don’t get stuck with Bali belly so that you can enjoy your Bali vacation to the fullest. 

What to do when you have Bali belly 

What comes out, must go back in. we are talking about water here, just FYI. When you suffer from Bali Belly or traveller’s diarrhoea, it’s your body loses a lot of water content and that means might want to drink a lot of water to make sure you stay well hydrated. Here are some suggestions to stay hydrated:

• Water – the easiest and most hydrating option. Stick with safe, clean drinking water. This typically means from filtered water in a bottle. 
• Minerals: To replenish the minerals and electrolytes you've lost, supercharge your water by adding salt and lemon or lime juice.
• Coconut water – is another great way to stay hydrated. Additionally, it has minerals to replenish the ones you've lost. Just be sure it comes from a clean, safe source, whether it's packed or from a live coconut. 
• Avoid using stimulants and irritants like alcohol and caffeine, which can only make you feel worse.
• Hydration sachets – like Hydralyte are handy and easy to travel with as an alternative to salt and citrus juice for minerals.
• Red cordial – A lot of people swear by raspberry cordial for both basic prevention and treatment. And there might be some science behind it. Try to avoid the high-sugar varieties and look for a brand with at least 30% real raspberry juice.

1. Anti-diarrhoea drugs ARE BEST AVOIDED, especially if you have a fever. Unless it is an emergency, you don’t want to block it up. You want to get it out. Diarrhoea is the body’s natural defence and detox method to excrete pathogens from your body. If you stop that, the infection has a better chance of causing long-term harm. 

2. Activated charcoal is employed to cleanse the digestive system. It binds to infections and chemicals you don't want, enabling you to pass them through your faeces. It is inexpensive and offered by the majority of Bali's pharmacies. 

3. Ginger root is a fantastic all-natural remedy for nausea, which is sometimes associated with Bali Belly. Ginger can help with digestion as well, thus it fulfils a variety of needs. 

WHEN YOU HAVE BALI BELLY, WHAT TO EAT (AND WHAT TO AVOID) 

Do you wonder what to eat when you have an upset belly or when you have bali belly? The emphasis on eating in the days immediately following a bout of Bali Belly symptoms should be more on "ease of digestion" than on "health."

A smart place to start is by avoiding foods high in sugar and spice. Dairy and raw foods, such as uncooked vegetables, nuts, seeds, and the like, should also be avoided because they put further stress on a digestive system that is already irritated. 

The following foods are hydrating and/or simple to digest:

• Bone broth – Bone broth is easy to find in Bali in soups and is great for gut healing.
• Applesauce – contains pectin (a type of fibre) that helps firm up stools.
• Bananas – Lots of potassium, an electrolyte you lose when you have diarrhoea, is found in bananas. Ensure it has not been pre-peeled. 
• Soups and stews- Great because you get completely cooked meat and veggies in soups and stews. They also have a lot of salt (sodium) and water to replenish lost minerals and rehydrate the body. 
• Rice- Although not the most nutritious food, rice is quite simple to digest. Rice will offer your digestive system a break while still providing you with essential calories and quickly absorbed carbohydrates. 
• Potatoes are incredibly easy to digest and low in fibre. Another calorie and carbohydrate-rich food that is mild on symptoms and will give your stool more solidity.

Ask Local for Help

Ask your driver for assistance because they are natives and know the answer if you need a quick fix, or ask your resort for assistance.

Note: If the symptoms worsen, immediately seek immediate medical attention and see a doctor or pharmacist. Here are a few doctor details we have accumulated by recommendations from our past clients, friends and family who have visited Bali. These are the list of some of the emergency numbers Bali. 

• Dr. Ari - +62 361 268399. Jl. Tukad Yeh Aya No. 68, Renon, Kec. Denpasar Bali 80239
• BIMC Kuta - +62 361 761263. Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No. 100X, Kuta Bali 80361
• BIMC Nusa Dua - +62 361 3000911. Kawasan ITDC Blok D, Jl. Nusa Dua Benoa Bali 80363
• Renew Me Bali - Mobile or WhatsApp +62 813 391 34699 or available 24/7 on Facebook chat. Jl. Merdeka Raya no.3C Kuta (behind Siloam Hospital)
• Hangover Lounge Bali - Mobile or Whatsapp +62 (0) 812 3657 3717. They will come to your hotel or Villa.

BENEFITS OF TRAVEL INSURANCE IN BALI

It is not necessary to purchase travel insurance for Bali, but it is recommended. If you end up with Bali Belly and you do have travel insurance you can protect yourself from unexpected expenses. The best time to get travel insurance is before you board your flight so in case of any emergency you at least can afford to extend your stay, pay medical bills and postpone or prepone the flights if required. 

Things to pack for a safe Bali trip

We always make sure that we don’t forget to carry our camera, or our favorite attire that we had planned to wear, makeup, and many more things like that. But they won’t be of any use if we don’t care about safety. Make sure that you have a safe and healthy trip to Bali. These are some of the things to carry to have a safe Bali trip.

• Hand sanitizer
• Medicines recommended by your doctor
• Steel water bottle ( as you may not want to drink from a plastic bottle every day)
• Travel Insurance
• Mosquito or insect repellents (to prevent yourself from mosquitos)

Bali has some of the most amazing places to visit. It’s not wrong to call it the gem of Indonesia. But while you enjoy your Bali vacation don’t forget to take precautions to avoid Bali Belly. Be carefree about stomach issues and get yourself clicked at mesmerizing locations in Bali.