1

Hi,

I have been in Bali and Lombok for the past four years, and never taken malaria tablets yet. (Never had malaria either knock on wood).
Just make sure you use mosquito repellant.

THe only time you really need to take the tablets in Indo is if you are heading into the jungles in Borneo, Sumatera or Irian Jaya.

2

Hi,

I have been in Bali and Lombok for the past four years, and never taken malaria tablets yet. (Never had malaria either knock on wood).
Just make sure you use mosquito repellant.

THe only time you really need to take the tablets in Indo is if you are heading into the jungles in Borneo, Sumatera or Irian Jaya.

3

Hi sifster,

You do not need malaria tablets for Bali but there is malaria on Lombok and the Gilis.
Did you know you can take a cheap broad spectrum anti biotic called Doxycyline?
These days I cannot take Doxycycline as I am highly allergic to it.
So I never take any medication orally when I am in Bali, Java, Sumatra - even in the jungles of Bukit Lawang and Tangkahan or Ketambe Aceh, but carry up to 12 Malarone tablets with me.
In the case of feeling I had malaria I am to start taking the tabs and get to the nearest big city centre hospital.
This was something one of the doctors at the Traveller's Medical Centre Sydney Australia worked out for me for my long trip I did in 2006 through Indonesia.
I did spend 5 days in south Lomobk in 2006 and did not take anything BUT if I was going to be in Lombok for about 10 days or so I would definitely take Malarone every day.
Up to you what you choose to do.
Pamela

Edited by: pPamela

4

Hi there,

I am wondering the same thing. My partner and I land in Bali for about a week, then travel up through Java to Jakarta before flying to KL. (so about 2 months in Indo). We've researched our butts off and people have told us different things. What is the safest option do you think?

5

Locals in the Gilis swear there is no malaria there. Some locals might get malaria when they return to mainland villages. There cert is malaria in Lombok (incl around Senggigi) though it's not very high risk. I always take doxy (can buy it very very cheaply on arrival in Lombok, one month just a few bucks).

6

It's dry season, so the risk is less. I'm sitting here in North West Lombok now, with a couple of mosquitoes buzzing around, as has been the case for the last six months, and I haven't had a problem. The locals assure me there's no malaria here.

I'd trust the advice of the locals over a doctor sitting in his office in Australia. But what you need to do is weigh up the side effects of the medication against the local risk of malaria.

7

Hi,

Guess it is up to everyone to make their own decisions re taking malaria tablets, but there is malaria on Lombok and I know of at least one Australian who contracted malaria on Lombok.
Personally I would not be taking any notice of the locals as it is in their best interests not to mention the possibility of malaria to travellers.
And Laszlo a long term traveller in Indonesia who has spent years there and a frequent poster here on this forum would advise malaria tablets for Lombok.
Pamela.

8

Happy to stand corrected, pPamela.

But just for the record, the lokals that I am working with derive no direct benefit from tourism, and their interest is in protecting the wellbeing of myself and my visitors.

I'll look into it further, and update them.

Thanks.

9

Im going to india in a couple of weeks so i did a lot of calling around and research yesterday, and compiled a list of all the cheapest places to buy Malarone in the UK. I've posted it on my blog at the link below.

If it helps you please post a comment on my blog to say thank you (I could do with the traffic!)

These forums have been so useful to me in deciding which anti-malarials to buy and where from so I thought I should come back and share my own findings.

Cheapest places to get Malarone in the UK:
http://zephauniah.com/2013/02/28/cheapest-places-to-buy-malarone-in-the-united-kingdom/