Indonesia is the number one overseas destination for Australians, and most of that traffic is Bali. But more of us are heading further: surfing in Lombok, diving Komodo and Raja Ampat, climbing volcanoes in Java, trekking in Sulawesi or Sumatra. Once you leave Bali the health picture changes, and the further east you go the more it changes.
This guide covers the vaccinations and precautions Australians should consider for Indonesia as a whole. If your trip is Bali only, our Bali travel vaccinations guide is the better read. This is general information only. Your personal plan depends on where you are going, how long for, and your health history.
Do you need vaccinations to travel to Indonesia?
No vaccinations are required to enter Indonesia for Australians arriving from Australia. The only entry rule is a yellow fever certificate for travellers arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission, which does not apply to a direct trip from home. Yellow fever itself is not present in Indonesia, so the vaccine is not recommended for your own protection. Everything below is about protecting your health, not paperwork.
Recommended vaccinations for Indonesia
For almost every traveller
- Hepatitis A. Spread through contaminated food and water. Recommended for essentially all travellers, whatever the accommodation.
- Typhoid. Also food and water borne, and common across Indonesia. Recommended for most trips, including short ones.
- Routine vaccines. Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, MMR (measles) and seasonal influenza should all be up to date.
Depending on your trip
- Rabies. Present across Indonesia in dogs, monkeys and bats. Worth serious discussion if you are travelling for more than a couple of weeks, going anywhere rural, riding motorbikes, or travelling with children.
- Japanese encephalitis. Present in rural, rice-growing areas across the archipelago. Considered for longer stays, repeated trips, or time in farming areas, especially during and after the wet season.
- Hepatitis B. For longer stays, or if tattoos, piercings, medical or dental treatment, or new sexual partners are a possibility.
- Chikungunya. Another mosquito-borne infection present in Indonesia. A vaccine exists and may be considered for some travellers.
- Dengue. Indonesia has year-round dengue and it is the infection Australian travellers most often bring home from the region. A dengue vaccine (Qdenga) is now available at our Bulimba clinic (see our guide to the dengue vaccine). Whether it suits you depends on your age, your trip and whether you have had dengue before, so raise it at your consult rather than assuming either way.
Malaria: it depends where you go
This is the big difference between Bali and the rest of Indonesia. Malaria tablets are not needed for Bali's resorts, the Gili Islands, Jakarta, Yogyakarta or most of Java. They are generally recommended for most areas east of Bali, which takes in Flores and the Komodo region, Sumba, Timor, Maluku, and Papua including Raja Ampat, as well as rural parts of eastern Kalimantan and Bintan Island. Lombok sits right on that line, so tell us your exact itinerary. There are several tablet options with different dosing and side-effect profiles, and the right one depends on you and your trip.
Diving, volcanoes and remote islands
Indonesia's best trips are often a long way from a good hospital. If you are diving Komodo or Raja Ampat, check where the nearest recompression chamber is before you go, and make sure your travel insurance covers diving and medical evacuation. Volcano climbs such as Rinjani and Bromo bring altitude and injury risk, and the Rinjani trek in particular has a poor record for sprains, falls and dehydration. Carry a proper first-aid kit and know your evacuation options.
Travel note (September 2026): a strong earthquake struck off the north coast of Flores in mid-August 2026, with damage to buildings and roads and disruption to power, water, transport and communications in affected areas. Aftershocks can continue for weeks. If Flores or the Komodo region is on your itinerary, check current conditions with your operator and Smartraveller before you go, pack medication that does not need refrigeration where you can, and take extra care with drinking water in affected areas.
Food, water and mosquitoes
Travellers' diarrhoea is a high risk throughout Indonesia, including in good accommodation. Drink only sealed bottled or boiled water, be careful with ice, raw salads and unpeeled fruit, and carry a treatment kit your travel doctor can prescribe. Mosquito bite prevention matters everywhere, malaria area or not, because dengue and chikungunya are spread by day-biting mosquitoes: repellent with DEET or picaridin, long sleeves at dawn and dusk, and screened or air-conditioned rooms.
When to see a travel doctor
Book your pre-travel consultation 6 to 8 weeks before you fly so any multi-dose vaccines have time to work. Even last-minute travellers benefit. There are still useful options close to departure.
At Travel Doctors Brisbane in Bulimba, we tailor recommendations to your exact Indonesian itinerary, prescribe malaria prevention where it is needed, and issue Yellow Fever certificates where required. See our Indonesia destination health advice, browse our travel health services, and book your consultation.
This article is general information only and was reviewed against our subscription travel health database in October 2026. It does not replace personalised medical advice. Vaccination needs and disease risks change and depend on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history. Always confirm with a travel health professional and Smartraveller before you travel.