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Bali belly (travellers' diarrhoea): online GP help, bulk billed

Most Bali belly settles within a few days with fluids and rest. Bulk billed with no out-of-pocket costs if you're Medicare eligible: a NewDoc GP can assess your symptoms by video or phone once you're back in Australia, advise on treatment, and arrange stool tests or a medical certificate where appropriate.

Can a telehealth GP help with Bali belly?

Yes, once you're in Australia. Bali belly is the common name for travellers' diarrhoea, and most cases settle within 3 to 5 days with oral rehydration solution, small frequent sips of fluid, and rest. An AHPRA-registered GP at NewDoc can assess your symptoms by video or phone, advise on treatment per Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (Antibiotic), send any eScript to your phone, issue a medical certificate for missed work, and arrange stool tests if symptoms drag on beyond two weeks.

Medicare telehealth consults generally require you to be located in Australia, so if you're still overseas, use local care or your travel insurer's assistance line and book a review for when you land. Seek in-person or emergency care for blood in the stool, high fever, signs of dehydration, severe abdominal pain, or an unwell baby, young child, or frail older person.

Quick answer: what to do about Bali belly

Bali belly is travellers' diarrhoea: a gut infection picked up from contaminated food, water, or ice, usually bacterial, that in most people settles within 3 to 5 days with oral rehydration and rest. Anti-diarrhoeal medicines such as loperamide are an option for adults without fever or bloody stools, and are not suitable for young children. Per the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (Antibiotic), antibiotics are reserved for moderate to severe cases, and the GP decides based on the clinical picture. Diarrhoea lasting beyond 14 days needs stool testing for parasites such as giardia. For patients in Australia, the consult and any eScript are $0 out-of-pocket, bulk billed, for eligible Medicare cardholders, median 5.0 hours booking-to-consult per NewDoc April 2026 utilisation data.

What is Bali belly?

Bali belly is the name Australians give to travellers' diarrhoea picked up in Bali and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. It is a form of infectious gastroenteritis: a gut infection caught from food, water, or ice that has been contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The most common culprit is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterium found in contaminated food and water. Viruses such as norovirus, other bacteria including Salmonella and Campylobacter, and parasites such as Giardia make up most of the rest.

Travellers' diarrhoea is the most common illness affecting Australians overseas. It typically starts in the first week of a trip, and the usual course is 3 to 5 days of loose stools and cramps before things settle. It is rarely dangerous in healthy adults, but the fluid loss can be significant, which is why rehydration, not stopping the diarrhoea, is the first priority. The Better Health Channel notes that dehydration is the main complication of gastroenteritis at any age.

Symptoms of Bali belly

Typical symptoms include:

  • Frequent loose or watery stools
  • Stomach cramps and bloating
  • An urgent need to get to a toilet
  • Nausea, sometimes with vomiting
  • A low-grade fever or feeling generally unwell
  • Loss of appetite and tiredness

Symptoms usually appear within a few days of exposure. Watch for signs of dehydration: thirst, a dry mouth, dizziness on standing, headache, and passing small amounts of dark urine. Dehydration develops faster in babies, young children, older people, and anyone who cannot keep fluids down, and it is the main reason travellers' diarrhoea ends up needing urgent care.

How long does Bali belly last?

Most cases last 3 to 5 days, and the large majority settle within a week without specific treatment. Bacterial infections, the most common cause, tend to burn out on their own as the gut clears the organism. Viral cases are often shorter, with more vomiting in the first day or two.

Diarrhoea that persists beyond 14 days is a different story: at that point a parasite such as Giardia becomes much more likely, and guessing is no longer useful. NSW Health notes that giardiasis can last for months if untreated, and it is diagnosed with a stool test ordered by a doctor. If you have been home for a week or two and your gut still has not returned to normal, see a GP for assessment and stool testing rather than waiting it out.

When to see a doctor, and when to go straight to an ED

Most Bali belly can be managed with self-care, and a bulk billed telehealth GP consult is a fast way to get advice, a certificate for missed work, and treatment where appropriate. Some features, however, need in-person assessment rather than telehealth alone.

Call 000 or attend an emergency department (check live ED wait times) if you or the person you are caring for has any of the following red flags:

  • Blood in the stool, or black, tar-like stools
  • A high fever with shaking chills
  • Signs of significant dehydration: dizziness, confusion, passing little or no urine
  • Severe or worsening abdominal pain
  • Inability to keep any fluids down
  • In a baby or young child: drowsiness or floppiness, few or no wet nappies, refusing all fluids, or any blood in the stool

Babies, young children, and frail older people dehydrate much faster than healthy adults, so they warrant a lower threshold for review: arrange a same-day GP assessment even for mild symptoms, and escalate to the emergency department if any of the signs above appear.

If none of these apply and your symptoms are typical, a telehealth consult is usually the fastest way to be assessed. Your GP will tell you if at any point you need to be seen in person.

Self-care: rehydration comes first

The core treatment for Bali belly is replacing the fluid and salts you are losing:

  • Oral rehydration solution (ORS). Sachets from any pharmacy, made up with safe (bottled or boiled) water, replace both fluid and electrolytes and are the first-line treatment for adults and children.
  • Small, frequent sips. Sipping every 5 to 10 minutes stays down better than large drinks, especially if you are nauseated.
  • Keep eating as tolerated. Bland food such as rice, bread, and bananas is fine once you can face it; there is no need to fast.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and very sugary drinks, which can worsen fluid loss.

Anti-diarrhoeal medicines such as loperamide can reduce stool frequency for adults who need to get through a flight or an essential day. They are not appropriate if you have a high fever or blood in the stool, because slowing the gut can worsen invasive infections, and they should not be given to young children. Australian advice is to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using anti-diarrhoeal medicines, and never to rely on them instead of rehydration.

When are antibiotics considered?

Mild travellers' diarrhoea does not need antibiotics: it settles on its own, and unnecessary antibiotics add side effects and drive resistance. Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (Antibiotic) reserve antibiotic treatment for moderate to severe cases: illness that confines you to bed, fever, or symptoms that are not settling. Where treatment is indicated, a short course of an agent such as azithromycin is the usual guideline choice for infections acquired in Southeast Asia, adjusted for your history and allergies. This is a decision your GP makes on the clinical picture, sometimes with stool testing first; it is not a routine part of every case, and persistent diarrhoea caused by a parasite needs different, targeted treatment.

How a telehealth GP can help with Bali belly

NewDoc's AHPRA-registered GPs see Bali belly year-round, most often in the week after travellers land back in Australia. One consult can cover assessment, treatment, paperwork, and follow-up testing. Because consults run under Medicare, they are for patients located in Australia at the time of the call: if you are still overseas, use local medical care or your travel insurer's assistance line, and book your telehealth review for when you land.

Just landed and still unwell

If you have flown home with your gut still churning, a video or phone consult from anywhere in Australia lets a GP assess how unwell you are, check for red flags, and advise on rehydration and treatment. Where a medicine is appropriate, the eScript arrives on your phone within minutes and can be filled at any Australian pharmacy. If you are too unwell to work, the GP can issue a medical certificate for the days you need to recover.

Before you go: a travel health consult

A pre-travel telehealth consult is a practical way to prepare. The GP can talk through the health risks of your destination, what to pack (oral rehydration sachets earn their place in every toiletry bag), how to manage regular medicines while away, and general advice on travel vaccinations. Vaccines themselves are given in person, so if any are recommended the GP will point you to where they can be administered with enough lead time before departure. If you carry prescription medicines, the same consult can cover a travel medication letter for customs and airline requirements.

After you return: tests and review

If your symptoms have dragged on past two weeks, or keep relapsing, the GP can issue a pathology referral for stool testing: microscopy and culture, PCR for bacterial and parasitic pathogens, and giardia antigen testing where indicated. You attend any collection centre of the pathology provider, results return to the GP, and a follow-up consult covers targeted treatment if a parasite or persistent bacterial infection is found.

For eligible Medicare cardholders, the consultation and all of the above are bulk billed with no out-of-pocket cost. Medicines themselves may be subsidised under the PBS at your pharmacy.

Preventing Bali belly

No precaution is foolproof, but food and water discipline dramatically cuts your risk. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service, recommends preparing your health before you go and taking care with food- and water-borne illness while away:

  • Drink bottled or boiled water only, and use it for brushing your teeth; check bottle seals are intact.
  • Skip ice in drinks unless you know it was made from safe water.
  • Eat food that is freshly cooked and served hot.
  • Peel fruit yourself, and be wary of salads and raw vegetables washed in local water.
  • Be cautious with street-stall food, raw or undercooked seafood, and buffets where food sits at room temperature.
  • Wash or sanitise your hands before eating and after using the toilet.

If you are planning a trip and want destination-specific advice, or you are back and your gut has not forgiven you, a bulk billed telehealth appointment with an AHPRA-registered GP covers both ends of the journey, at no out-of-pocket cost for eligible Medicare cardholders.

References

This content is informational and does not replace individual medical advice. For personal assessment, book a consultation with your GP. In emergencies, call 000.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Yu FRACGP

Last reviewed 1 August 2026. Editorial policy

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Frequently asked questions

What causes Bali belly?

Bali belly is the common Australian name for travellers' diarrhoea. Most cases are caused by bacteria in contaminated food, water, or ice, most often enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). Viruses such as norovirus, and parasites such as giardia, cause a smaller share of cases. The bugs are picked up when food is handled or washed in contaminated water, or when drinks contain local tap water or ice.

How long does Bali belly last?

Most cases of Bali belly settle within 3 to 5 days, and the large majority resolve within a week. If diarrhoea continues beyond 14 days, a parasite such as giardia becomes more likely and you should see a GP for assessment and stool testing. See a doctor earlier if you have blood in your stool, a high fever, signs of dehydration, or you feel very unwell.

How do I settle Bali belly quickly?

There is no instant cure, and most cases settle on their own. The priorities are oral rehydration solution from a pharmacy, small frequent sips of fluid, rest, and bland food as tolerated. Adults without a fever or blood in the stool can consider a short-term anti-diarrhoeal medicine such as loperamide for essential travel days, but it should not be used with a high fever or bloody stools and is not suitable for young children. If symptoms are moderate to severe, a GP can assess whether treatment beyond rehydration is appropriate.

Do I need antibiotics for Bali belly?

Usually not. Most Bali belly is mild and settles with fluids and rest, and antibiotics offer little benefit in mild cases while adding side effects and resistance risk. Australian guidelines reserve antibiotics for moderate to severe cases, for example when symptoms confine you to bed, there is fever, or the illness is not settling. A GP decides based on your symptoms, your travel history, and current Australian Therapeutic Guidelines.

What helps children with Bali belly?

Fluids are the priority. Offer oral rehydration solution in small, frequent amounts, and keep breastfeeding or usual feeds going in babies. Do not give anti-diarrhoeal medicines to children. Babies and young children dehydrate much faster than adults, so have a low threshold for medical review, and seek urgent in-person care if a child is drowsy, has few wet nappies, cannot keep fluids down, or has blood in the stool.

Can a telehealth GP treat Bali belly?

Yes, once you are in Australia. An AHPRA-registered GP can assess your symptoms by video or phone, advise on rehydration and treatment, send any eScript to your phone, issue a medical certificate, and arrange stool tests if symptoms persist. Medicare telehealth consultations generally require you to be located in Australia at the time of the consult, so if you are still overseas, use local medical care or your travel insurer's assistance line, and book a telehealth review for when you land.

When do I need a stool test for Bali belly?

Testing is not needed for typical short-lived cases. A GP will usually arrange a stool test if diarrhoea lasts beyond 14 days, if there is blood or mucus in the stool, if you are very unwell, or if initial treatment has not helped. Tests can include stool microscopy and culture, PCR panels for bacteria, viruses and parasites, and specific testing for giardia. Results guide targeted treatment.

Can I get a medical certificate for Bali belly?

Yes. If you are unwell and need time off work or study while you recover, the GP can issue a medical certificate during the same telehealth consultation, backed by the clinical assessment. Certificates are emailed to you after the consult, and the consultation is bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders.

How do I avoid Bali belly on my next trip?

Stick to bottled or boiled water, including for brushing your teeth, and avoid ice in drinks. Eat food that is freshly cooked and served hot, peel fruit yourself, and be cautious with salads, raw seafood, and food that has been sitting at room temperature. Wash or sanitise your hands before eating. No precaution is foolproof, but these steps substantially reduce your risk, and a pre-travel GP consult can cover destination-specific advice.

Is Bali belly contagious once I am home?

It can be. The bacteria, viruses, and parasites behind travellers' diarrhoea can spread from person to person, mainly on hands and surfaces. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet and before preparing food, avoid cooking for others while unwell, and stay home from work or school until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, in line with Australian public health advice.

Is the Bali belly consultation bulk billed?

Yes. NewDoc bulk bills telehealth consultations for eligible Medicare cardholders, so there is no out-of-pocket cost for the GP appointment. Any eScript, stool test referral, or medical certificate issued during the consultation is included at no extra charge. Medicines themselves may be subsidised under the PBS at your pharmacy.

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