Bali is hot and humid all year. Add a long beach day, a surf session, a night out or a stomach upset, and it is easy to lose more fluid than you drink. Most dehydration is mild and fixed at home. Some is not. This guide covers how to spot it, what to do first, and when a doctor should see you.
What dehydration is
Dehydration means your body has lost more water and salts than it has taken in. You lose fluid through sweat, urine, vomiting and diarrhoea. In Bali's heat you can sweat a lot without noticing, because sweat dries quickly in the sea breeze.
Common causes for visitors in Bali
- Heat and humidity, especially during the first days after arrival
- Beach, surf, scooter rides and long walks in the sun
- Alcohol, which makes you pass more urine and often replaces water with drinks
- Bali Belly: vomiting and diarrhoea can cause fast fluid loss (see our guide to Bali Belly symptoms)
- Not drinking enough on travel days and after a long flight
Early signs of mild dehydration
- Thirst and a dry mouth
- Dark yellow urine, or passing urine less often than usual
- Tiredness and a mild headache
- Light dizziness when you stand up
- Muscle cramps
Signs that need medical attention
- You cannot keep fluids down, or vomiting lasts more than a few hours
- Diarrhoea with signs of dehydration, blood in the stool, or a high fever
- Very little or no urine for 8 hours or more
- Fast heartbeat, feeling faint, or being too weak to stand
- Unusual sleepiness or confusion
- A baby, a young child, an older adult, or someone with kidney, heart or diabetes problems who shows any dehydration sign
- Call if someone is confused, collapses, or has a very hot body with hot, red, dry or damp skin after time in the heat. This can be heat stroke, which is an emergency.
- While you wait, move the person into shade or air conditioning and cool them. Do not wait for a doctor to come to you.
What helps at home
- Rest in a cool place. Get out of the sun and use a fan or air conditioning.
- Sip, do not gulp. Small, frequent sips are easier to keep down than a large drink.
- Use oral rehydration salts (ORS). ORS is a mix of clean water, sugar and salt, and is the standard first treatment for dehydration from diarrhoea1. A pharmacist can recommend it2. It is sold in pharmacies in Bali.
- Eat light, salty foods if you can: rice, bananas, broth, plain crackers.
- Avoid alcohol and very sugary drinks until you feel better.
- Check your urine. Pale yellow is a good sign2. Dark urine means keep drinking.
Water alone is fine for mild cases. If you have been vomiting or had diarrhoea, salts matter too, so ORS is a better choice.
When oral fluids are not enough
If you cannot keep fluids down, or you are getting worse despite drinking, a doctor may recommend fluids through a drip (intravenous, or IV). This is a medical decision. The doctor will ask about your symptoms, check you, and decide whether a drip is suitable or whether you need other treatment or a hospital visit.
How a doctor visit works at Bali Gastro Care
Bali Gastro Care is a mobile medical service. We come to your villa or hotel in Canggu, Berawa, Pererenan, Seminyak, Kuta, Seseh, Kedungu and other South Bali areas, every day from 07.00 to 22.00 WITA. We are not an emergency service.
- Message us on WhatsApp with your location and symptoms.
- A doctor-led assessment. Our licensed Indonesian doctors guide your care. The doctor attends visits wherever possible, and if that is not possible you are told beforehand.
- Treatment is chosen for you after the assessment. Where a drip is suitable, it is given at your villa. Where it is not, we tell you and advise the next step.
- Pay after treatment, in cash in IDR.
See our page on dehydration treatment in Bali for packages and prices, or read about a doctor home visit in Bali. We also cover IV drip in Canggu and hangover care in Bali.
Need a doctor at your villa?
Message us on WhatsApp. Open every day 07.00 to 22.00 WITA.
Message on WhatsAppStaying hydrated in Bali: simple tips
- Drink water regularly through the day, not only when thirsty
- Add ORS on days with heavy sweating, surf, or a stomach upset
- Alternate alcohol with water, and drink a glass before bed
- Use shade and sunscreen, and rest in the hottest hours (around midday to 3 pm)
- Drink only sealed or filtered water, and avoid ice if you are unsure of the source
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- WHO. Diarrhoeal disease fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease
- NHS. Dehydration. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/
- CDC. Heat-related illnesses (heat stroke and heat exhaustion). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/heat-stress/about/illnesses.html
- Ministry of Health Indonesia (PSC 119). How to make an emergency call to 119. https://psc.kemkes.go.id/web/cara-melakukan-panggilan-emergency-call-119
This article is general information and does not replace medical advice. If you feel very unwell, seek care straight away. Bali Gastro Care is a mobile medical service, not an emergency service.