Rabies in Bali: what to do after a bite

Is there rabies in Bali?

Yes. Bali recorded 7 rabies deaths from January to August 2026, and most of those who died had not reported their bite to a clinic, so no health worker knew to treat them.^[2]

Street dogs are common, and so are monkeys around temples and tourist spots. Pets can carry rabies too. In June 2026 a roaming pet dog in Jembrana, in west Bali, bit three people and then tested positive.^{[3, 4]}

Rabies cannot be cured once symptoms start. Those can take one week to a year to show, and usually two to three months, so a bite you forget about still matters.^[6]

What should you do if a dog or monkey bites you?

Wash the wound for 15 minutes, then get to a doctor the same day, even for a small scratch. The sooner the first dose, the better.^{[6, 9]}

Does a scratch or a lick need treatment?

A small scratch with no blood needs the vaccine. A bite or scratch through the skin, a lick on broken skin, or saliva in your eyes, nose or mouth needs the vaccine and immunoglobulin (an antibody injection into and around the wound). Only a lick on unbroken skin needs nothing more than a wash.^{[6, 11]}

Do monkeys in Bali have rabies?

They can: in Indonesia rabies spreads mainly through dogs, cats, monkeys and bats. A monkey cannot be watched afterwards to see whether it falls ill, so treatment is recommended after any bite.^{[5, 10]}

Monkeys cause a quarter of the possible rabies exposures among travellers who need treatment, and more among those visiting Southeast Asia.^[8]

The monkeys at Ubud’s Monkey Forest are macaques, and a macaque bite or scratch can also pass on herpes B. It is extremely rare but serious, so tell the doctor it was a monkey; you may need antiviral medicine as well as rabies doses.^{[14, 15]}

What treatment do you need after a bite?

Never vaccinated? You need four doses over 14 days, plus immunoglobulin for a bite or scratch that breaks the skin. If you had a full course of the vaccine before the trip, two doses three days apart are enough. The clinic's schedule may differ from these, so finish the one you are given.^[10]

Immunoglobulin is the part that can be hard to find. The vaccine starts at once either way, without waiting for it.^{[7, 11]}

Can you get rabies treatment in Bali?

The vaccine, usually yes: Bali’s stock was plentiful and expected to last to the end of 2026, and the vaccine is typically available in most of Indonesia.^{[2, 12]}

Immunoglobulin is less certain. It is scarce worldwide and missing in many low- and middle-income countries, so you may need to fly home or to another country to get it. Sources differ; see Conflicts.^{[5, 7, 10]}

Phone the clinic ahead, and go on to another if it has none. Vaccine can run out at the clinic nearest a busy site such as a monkey forest.^[13]

Treatment is not cheap. A monkey-bite course at Ubud can mean three vaccine doses, immunoglobulin and herpes medicine.^[13]

Do you need a rabies vaccine before Bali?

Get it if you are staying over a month, will run, cycle or work with animals, or will be far from a clinic. For a short beach trip, ask a travel clinic; sources differ, see Conflicts.^{[5, 7]}

The vaccine before you go does not replace treatment after a bite. It cuts the doses you need afterwards, and it usually removes the need for immunoglobulin, the part that is hardest to find.^{[6, 7]}

The course takes one to four weeks, depending on the schedule your clinic uses: two doses a week apart, three doses over three to four weeks, or an accelerated course over one week.^{[8, 10, 11]}

How do you avoid being bitten?

Keep your distance from street dogs, monkeys and bats, and don’t handle cats or dogs you don’t know. Dogs cause most rabies in people.^{[5, 6]}

If a dog turns on you, avoid its eyes, stand still and back away slowly. Shouting or hitting back can provoke a bite.^[10]