Bali field guide
What to Pack for Bali: Documents, Medicines and Rain Gear
A practical Bali packing list covering motorcycle documents, prescription medicines, breathable coverage, waterproof phone storage and the items that are easier to buy locally.
Published 2026-10-05
The useful part, first
The most valuable items are the ones that preserve your documents, regular treatment and ability to change transport when conditions turn bad.
In this guide
01
Pack the documents before the clothes
Keep offline copies of your passport identity page, insurance policy, assistance number, flight details and accommodation address. Store one set on the phone and another where it can be reached if the phone is lost. A cloud link alone is not an offline copy.
For a scooter, bring the motorcycle entitlement required by your home licence and the corresponding International Driving Permit. A car-only licence does not become a motorcycle licence in Bali. Check the vehicle class and your insurer's wording before you rent.
02
Bring prescription medicines with their paper trail
Keep each medicine in its original labelled packaging. Carry a prescription or doctor's letter showing the generic name, dose and medical need, and declare medicines in the arrival declaration. A brand name familiar at home may mean nothing to an Indonesian officer or pharmacist.
BPOM's current personal-use guidance distinguishes ordinary medicines, psychotropics and narcotics. Limits and documents differ; narcotics are not permitted through the personal-use route. Check the exact active ingredient with BPOM or an Indonesian embassy before travel rather than relying on a packing blog.
03
Build a small health kit around your own needs
Bring enough regular medicine for the trip plus a reasonable delay, oral rehydration salts, plasters, antiseptic, sunscreen and insect repellent with a proven active ingredient such as DEET or picaridin. Add a card listing allergies, conditions and generic medicine names.
Do not pack antibiotics 'just in case' without advice from your clinician. The point of the kit is to handle minor problems and preserve your normal treatment, not to diagnose fever, severe diarrhoea or an injury without medical help.
04
Use breathable coverage, especially on a bike
Pack a light long-sleeved layer and loose long trousers for sun, insects and temple visits. For riding, ordinary fabric offers limited abrasion protection, so coverage does not replace a certified helmet, closed shoes and proper protective gear.
A compact rain shell is useful, but avoid loose ponchos that can flap near wheels or snag. Sudden rain also reduces grip and visibility. If the road floods or the rain hides traffic, stop under safe cover or switch to a car rather than forcing the route.
05
Waterproof the things that stop the trip
Use a small dry bag or zip pouch for passport, prescription papers and electronics. A waterproof phone case should still allow the phone to be removed quickly; do not read navigation with one hand while riding.
Pack a spare charging cable and a power bank within airline limits. Save maps, booking addresses and insurer contacts offline. A plastic pouch is cheap redundancy when luggage sits in a scooter footwell or a speedboat crossing turns wet.
06
Buy bulky basics locally
Shampoo, basic toiletries, inexpensive rainwear and everyday clothing are easy to find in tourist areas. Bring exact-fit protective gear, specialist skin products, contact-lens supplies and prescription items you cannot substitute safely.
Before closing the bag, run four checks: documents work offline, medicine names and prescriptions match, valuables have dry storage, and anything needed on arrival is in hand luggage. That catches more real failures than adding another outfit.
Before you go
Your checklist
Tick off what you have checked. Progress stays in this browser.
0/4 checked