Manners, etiquette & cultural do's and don'ts in Bali

Give, receive, pay, eat and point with the right hand. The left is reserved for bathroom hygiene and is genuinely offensive for handing things over.

Handing over money or a card with two hands, or the right hand touching the left forearm, reads as extra respectful.

Never point with a single finger. Gesture with an open flat hand or the right thumb tucked over a closed fist.

Beckon with your palm facing down and fingers scooping toward you — the western palm-up curl is how you call an animal.

Hands on hips reads as anger or arrogance, particularly if you are complaining.

The head is the most sacred part of the body. Do not touch anyone's head, including children's — however affectionate you mean it.

Feet are the lowest. Don't point your soles at people, shrines, offerings or food, don't use a foot to move things, and don't put feet up on furniture in someone's home.

Sit with feet tucked back or crossed when you're on the floor at a ceremony or in a temple.

Remove shoes when entering a home, a family compound, some shops and any building where you see shoes at the door.

'Om swastiastu' with palms together at your chest is the Balinese greeting and will genuinely delight people. 'Selamat pagi/siang/sore/malam' is the Indonesian equivalent by time of day.

Handshakes are soft, not firm, and often finished by touching your own chest.

Some devout Muslim staff (many Bali workers are from Java and Lombok) won't shake hands across genders — a nod and hand to the heart is always safe.

'Terima kasih' (thank you) or the Balinese 'Suksma' costs nothing and changes how you're treated all day.

Public displays of affection beyond hand-holding make people uncomfortable, and are a real problem at temples and in villages.

Nudity and topless sunbathing are not acceptable anywhere in Bali, including beaches and villa pools overlooked by neighbours.

Getting visibly drunk in public, riding a scooter shirtless, or shouting in the street draws police attention and community anger — several tourists are deported each year for exactly this.

Never climb on, sit on, or pose disrespectfully with a temple structure, statue or sacred tree. Photos like this have led to deportations.

Drones need permission near temples, ceremonies and many beaches.

Swimwear belongs at the beach, the pool and beach clubs — not in supermarkets, warungs, banks or on a scooter. Throw a shirt or sarong on.

Shorts, t-shirts and sundresses are completely fine in Seminyak, Canggu, Kuta and Ubud. Villages, markets, north and east Bali are more conservative — cover shoulders and knees.

For anything official (immigration, banks, hospital admin, meeting a landlord or lawyer), closed shoes and a collared shirt or modest dress gets you taken seriously.

Restaurants and beach clubs may have smart-casual rules at night: no singlets, no wet swimwear, closed shoes for men at the higher-end venues.

Sarong plus a sash (selendang) tied at the waist is required for everyone, men and women, at every temple. Shoulders covered, knees covered.

Most temples lend or rent a sarong and sash for around IDR 10k–50k or a donation. Buying your own for IDR 50k–150k is cheaper and more respectful over a trip.

Menstruating women are traditionally asked not to enter temple grounds. It's on the signage; it is a religious rule, not a judgement.

Don't enter the inner courtyard (jeroan) unless invited or praying, don't stand higher than a praying person or the priest, and never walk in front of someone who is praying.

No flash photography at prayer, no climbing shrines for a photo, and ask before photographing individuals — especially priests and children.

Anyone with an open wound, and families in the mourning period after a death, are also traditionally asked not to enter.

If you're invited to a family ceremony, wear a sarong, sash and a covered top — a kebaya or a collared shirt. Your host will happily help you dress correctly.

Bring a small envelope of money (IDR 50k–200k) if it's a wedding, tooth-filing or cremation; hand it over with your right hand.

Never cut through a procession on foot or by scooter. Pull over, switch off the engine, wait. It may take 20 minutes; that's the price of being here.

Stay lower than the priest, stand at the back, and don't put a camera in anyone's face. A cremation is a family funeral, not a show.

• Learn five words of Indonesian and use them badly — effort is what counts.
• Step around offerings on the footpath and driveway.
• Dress modestly away from the tourist strip, and always at temples.
• Ask before photographing people, ceremonies and inside compounds.
• Slow down. Being early, efficient and impatient is not a virtue here — 'jam karet' (rubber time) is real.
• Pull over and wait for processions, and let the ceremony traffic go first.
• Use your right hand for everything social.
• Carry a sarong in your bag — it solves temple entry, cold restaurants and sun in one item.

• Don't touch anyone's head or point your feet or finger at people.
• Don't lose your temper in public — you will lose the argument by having it.
• Don't wear swimwear away from the beach or pool.
• Don't climb on temples, statues or sacred trees for a photo.
• Don't haggle in fixed-price shops or over tiny amounts.
• Don't drink and drive, ride without a helmet, or go shirtless on a scooter.
• Don't discuss or joke about drugs — penalties in Indonesia are extreme.
• Don't feed monkeys, and don't take drone shots over temples or ceremonies without permission.