During the SE Asian SARS outbreak, Indonesia allegedly escaped being infected, yet did so little to avoid it. But then it is amazing some of the health claims that come from Bali and Indonesia anyway. No SARS on Bali. No typhoid on Bali. No malaria on Bali. Good heavens no, it would scare the tourists away! It is bad enough having a soaring crime epidemic and terrorism risk without having a major health scare as well.

What health risk?! Picture right: Open sewer / raw sewerage besides the Bali Hai Hotel, Kuta Beach.

Typhoid & Cholera
We have credible reports of tourists staying in even 5 star Bali hotels and contracting serious diseases such as typhoid & Cholera. One young Australian tourist girl who stayed in Bali in 2004 is now in a wheelchair because of it. We believe it is appropriate to point out the illegal wholesaler dumping of effluence that occurs in the tourist south (picture left is Nusa Dua), and also the number of open sewers that dump untreated sewerage onto the beach / into the sea, which is likely responsible.

Pictured right is an illegal rubbish dumping area on a main street in Kuta (a perfect breeding ground for disease carrying mosquitoes).

What makes matters worse, is we suspect the Indonesian Authorities of covering outbreaks of things like SARS / chicken flu up. We will tell you why........

SARS
The Balinese have a name for a "disease disaster from hell" which is sent to afflict them via their animals (including pigs, but mostly chickens). They call it "Gerubug", and try to get rid of it with ceremonies (as it came from hell). Gerubug is a disease disaster as many people contract it, not just one or two. During the SARS epidemic in SE ASIA, we have reports of Gerubug where the afflicted people were taken away and allegedly never returned. What makes matters worse is that most, if not all Balinese sell poultry that have died by disease for human consumption.

Malaria & Japanese Encephalitis
These particularly nasty diseases are as a result of being "bitten" by an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes love dirty, stagnant, still water. Exactly what you find in garbage which has simply been thrown down. Rain water splashes inside this, and then stagnates. The Balinese have a terrible attitude and therefore problem with garbage dumping, yet at the same time try to convince people there is no mosquito born disease in Bali. There is, Bali is malarial, it is a fact. The Balinese need to clean up their island, literally and figuratively, stop blaming others for littering, and stop dumping garbage everywhere.

Take a look at any river or stream near a town or village in Bali, especially those in the tourist areas, and you will see masses of litter. The Balinese blame other people for this. But it is them, just take a look at any Hindu shrine in Bali where there are food / drink stalls. The Balinese buy, eat / drink and then drop whatever it was their food or drink was in right where they stand. And remember, mosquitoes do not need to travel far to find you. Don't take malaria home as a holiday souvenir.

Food Poisoning
Where do we start? First, "Bali Belly" did not become one the world's most known phrases for no reason. The Balinese are given little or no discipline or training regarding food hygiene. Items are kept long past when they should. Cooked and raw meats are frequently allowed to cross-contaminate each other. Food previously frozen and then thawed is refrozen, perhaps several times. Staff hygiene can be nonexistent. Contaminated (diseased) meat is sold for human consumption.

Fish is generally (despite popular belief it is caught off the coast of Bali) reared / fished in Java and then brought to Bali by road; both under questionable diligence. Seafood caught off Bali are meant to be caught far enough out to sea to avoid the pollution, but fisherman save money by fishing closer in then they should. Some still resort to poisoning fish to catch them. Seafood restaurants often stuff lead into fish on display (where you select your fish) in order to make them heavier on the scales (by which you are charged). Finally, farmers use pesticides and herbicides wholesale. Often those that have been banned in other countries through health risk concerns. For example, DDT is still widely used in Indonesia. Do you remember the horror stories of what DDT does to you? And of course all of these chemicals end up in both the food chain and the rivers / water supply.

Please do not become a victim or part of the problem. Read:
Bali Tourism (Should I go, where, and how do I avoid adding to the problem / putting myself / my family at risk in Bali?).