Indonesia

Is Indonesia safe to visit?

For most trips, yes. Indonesia has little violent crime, and the classic routes through Bali, Java, Lombok and Komodo carry few security problems. The bigger risks come from the ground and the roads: frequent earthquakes and eruptions, floods that killed more than 1,200 people in Sumatra at the end of 2025, and motorbike crashes, especially in Bali. The US rates Indonesia Level 2 because of natural disasters, unrest and terrorism. We score Indonesia 66, close to Thailand and well below Singapore.

Bali: scooters, spiked drinks and scams

Bali is where most visitors go and where most of their problems happen. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says there has been a large rise in moped and motorbike crashes on the island, some fatal. Rental shops rarely check licences, but you need an International Driving Permit valid for motorcycles, and insurers often refuse claims without one. Canggu's narrow lanes, the Uluwatu cliff roads and the Kintamani highlands catch out new riders. A car with a driver costs little and removes the biggest risk of the trip.

Nights out are the second risk. The FCDO reports high numbers of reported rapes and sexual assaults in Bali and Lombok, often after drinks were spiked, and deaths from methanol in counterfeit spirits sold in licensed bars and shops. Watch your drink being made and choose beer or sealed bottles.

Petty crime is mostly bag snatching by riders, card skimming and short-changing. Use money changers with the Bank Indonesia logo and QR code, keep your card in sight when paying, and agree prices before a massage or tattoo. Book taxis through Bluebird or an app, and check that the driver matches the app.

Earthquakes, volcanoes and floods

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has dozens of active volcanoes. Eruptions can come without warning, force evacuations and close regional airports when ash drifts across flight paths. In September 2026 the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary stopped advising against all travel to volcanoes and now points visitors to local exclusion zones instead. Check MAGMA Indonesia before hiking Bromo, Ijen or Rinjani.

Floods are the most deadly hazard in recent years. From late November 2025, heavy rains caused floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra that left 1,204 people dead and 140 missing by late January 2026, according to the national disaster agency BNPB. Jakarta and parts of Bali flood in the rainy season, from about October to March in the west.

If you feel a strong earthquake near the coast, move to high ground at once. A tsunami can arrive within minutes, before any siren. BMKG, the weather and geophysics agency, runs a multi-hazard warning app.

Terrorism and the regions to avoid

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Indonesia. Recent attacks have targeted police and churches rather than tourists: a suicide bombing at a police post in Bandung in 2022 and outside Makassar's cathedral in 2021. Risk rises around religious holidays and elections, and police arrest suspected plotters regularly.

The serious no-go area is Papua. Separatist fighters clash with security forces in Highland Papua and Central Papua, have attacked aircraft serving remote airstrips and kidnapped a New Zealand national in 2023. The US says do not travel to either province. The FCDO also asks for care in Central Sulawesi around Poso and in the Maluku Islands. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary notes rising political instability, and Indonesia fell to 69th place. Avoid demonstrations, which can turn violent quickly.

Health and medical care

Do not drink tap water. Dengue is common across the country; malaria is mostly a risk in eastern Indonesia, including Papua and parts of Nusa Tenggara. Rabies is present in Bali's street dogs and temple monkeys, so get any bite or scratch treated the same day. Good private hospitals exist in Jakarta and Bali, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says care elsewhere can be poor and evacuation can cost tens of thousands of pounds. From about May to November, smoke from peat fires can make the air unhealthy in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Laws to know

Drug laws are among the toughest anywhere, with long sentences and the death penalty for trafficking. Cannabis, including CBD, is banned in every form. Aceh enforces Sharia law on non-Muslims too, with caning for drinking alcohol, gambling and sex outside marriage. The national criminal code can punish unmarried couples living together if a close family member complains. You must carry your passport or stay permit.

How we scored it

Natural hazards (40) are the weakest factor, followed by health (55). Conflict (62) reflects the terror threat and the fighting in Papua, which most tourists never go near. Violent crime (90) is strong, though the official homicide figure probably undercounts, so confidence is medium.