Guide · educational

Drink spiking in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands

By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026

The Foreign Office reports drink spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. Its advice is practical: watch drinks being prepared, never leave them unattended, and do not accept drinks from strangers. If you suspect a drink has been spiked, treat it as a medical emergency the same night — Indonesia's ambulance number is 118.

What the advice says

UK Foreign Office travel advice for Indonesia states there have been reports of drink spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands.

Its guidance is short and specific: watch your drinks being prepared, do not leave them unattended, and do not accept drinks from strangers at clubs or parties. It also notes that tourists have been assaulted or robbed after taking visitors back to their accommodation, and in some cases found their drinks had been spiked.

Those three islands are named because that is where the reports come from. They are also, not coincidentally, where most visitors go out.

Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Indonesia travel advice (full advisory), read 24 September 2026.

Why it is a medical matter, not just a safety one

Spiking substances are drugs with doses nobody measured. The effects are unpredictable, they compound sharply with alcohol, and the person affected is by definition not able to judge their own state.

If you or someone with you may have been spiked, the right response is the same night: get to a friend you trust, and get medical attention. Indonesia's emergency medical number is 118 — ask for an ambulance.

We are not going to print a symptom checklist for someone to self-assess at 2am. That is exactly the judgement a spiked person cannot make. Err toward the hospital.

Reducing the risk

Watch it poured. The advice says this first, and it is the one that actually works.
Never leave a drink unattended — including to dance, to smoke, or to take a call.
Do not accept drinks from strangers, however the offer is framed.
Stay with people who will notice. Most of the reported cases involve someone becoming separated from their group.

None of this places responsibility on the person who was spiked. It is simply what reduces exposure to someone else's crime.

Afterwards

Two practical things, said plainly.

Medical care first. Indonesia's public scheme is not the route for most foreign residents — Presidential Regulation 82 of 2018 defines participants as including foreigners who have worked here at least six months — so treatment is private, and outpatient cover is what meets it.

Then reporting, if you choose to. The British Embassy can help British nationals who have been a victim of crime abroad; the FCDO publishes guidance on support available. What happens next should be your decision, made with people who can help rather than alone.

Source: Peraturan Presiden No. 82 Tahun 2018 tentang Jaminan Kesehatan, Pasal 1 angka 2 — JDIH BPK, read 24 September 2026.

Common questions

Is drink spiking a problem in Bali?

The UK Foreign Office reports drink spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands, and advises watching drinks being prepared, not leaving them unattended, and not accepting drinks from strangers.

What should I do if I think I have been spiked?

Treat it as a medical emergency the same night. Get to someone you trust and seek medical attention — Indonesia's ambulance number is 118. Do not wait to see how you feel; impaired judgement is part of the effect.

Which places does the advice name?

Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands are named specifically in the Foreign Office advice for Indonesia.

Would insurance cover treatment?

Treatment is medical care and outpatient cover meets it. Indonesia's public scheme excludes most foreign residents, since it defines participants as including foreigners who have worked there at least six months.