Source : Perth Now news
A travel expert has issued an urgent warning to young Australians travelling to Bali after many expressed shock over one of the nation’s lesser-known laws.
Young tourists have been left stunned after discovering that the Indonesian hot spot has a legal drinking age of 21 — meaning some Aussies who can drink at home are legally unable to consume alcohol during their trip.
The stunning revelation emerged amid a rise of social media posts from Aussies who only learnt of the rule while booking their trips.
As discussions around the Balinese law gain attention, a travel expert from Australian advice site Finder urged tourists to ensure they were aware of this scarcely-mentioned rule.
“Bali’s reputation as a cheap and cheerful party destination means many folks never look into the finer details around local laws,” expert Angus Kidman told Yahoo Lifestyle.
The expert warned travellers that engaging in underage drinking on the Indonesian island could result in issues with travel insurance policies.
“If you’re involved in a drinking-related incident and then try to claim on your travel insurance, chances are they’ll turn you down,” Mr Kidman said.
“Illegal activity effectively voids your cover — so if you’re under 21 and want to drink on holiday, Bali isn’t a sensible choice.”
The law has left many Aussies stunned, with countless travellers sharing that they had no idea the legal drinking age was higher than Australia’s.
“It genuinely never occurred to me that the age could be higher overseas,” one Aussie teen wrote.
“I didn’t know it was 21 — the number of 18-year-old Aussies that go over on their Schoolies and just get drunk is so astronomical that I never thought it was an issue,” another added.
“I’m shocked, I had no idea,” a third poster wrote.
Every November, thousands of Australian graduates descend on the island for the week-long Schoolies event — with the 2025 event seeing more than 8000 teens flock to Bali.
Despite the written law barring underage drinking, many of these Schoolies attendees said they had the opposite experience while partying in Bali.
“I have literally never seen a tourists be checked for ID, unless they literally look like a child,” one Aussie said.
“Laws in Bali are just a suggestion, you will definitely never be fined,” another added.
“I’ve only been carded and turned away in Seminyak — no one cared anywhere else,” a third traveller chimed in.
Australian legal organisation Criminal Defence Lawyers has warned that although the enforcement may seem inconsistent to tourists, it does not mean Australians can just choose to ignore the law.
“This lack of enforcement, combined with Bali’s reputation as a relaxed, party-friendly island, leads some tourists to assume they can bend the rules or avoid being caught,” the organisation warned travellers.
“It is a common myth that tourists are exempt from Indonesia’s drinking laws. While it’s true that some establishments may be more lenient towards tourists, the law still applies, and being caught drinking underage can have serious consequences.
“Underage drinking in Bali is still illegal, and there are a range of penalties that may apply if you are caught, including a fine as the most likely penalty that will apply.”
Mr Kidman echoed the attorneys’ sentiments, encouraging travellers to do their own research on the island’s laws before booking a holiday.
“In practice, enforcement of the law can also be lax — tourists report that age checks are rare in small neighbourhood bars and stores,” he said.
“It’s worth brushing up on the local laws — but be cautious when just doing a generic Google search, as you might receive AI hallucinations in the results.”
Mr Kidman said the Australian government’s Smart Traveller site was the ideal spot for tourists to verify local laws.
