If you had $9,000 cash to spare and wanted a tattoo, would you try this Bali trend?
Australians are flying to Bali to be put under general anaesthetic while teams of tattoo artists work on them at the same time. Doctors say it carries a real medical risk. Brisbane man Anthony Waud, 46, spent about nine hours in a Bali hospital this week getting his front and back covered. He arrived around 8am and left around 5pm. The tattoos and hospital costs came to $9,000.
He told Yahoo News Australia the next morning that recovery had been fine. “It has been rather good. I was up walking around, not long after waking up,” he said. “I had no concerns. Everything was done professionally. The medical side was good. They were very helpful and caring.” Staff ran blood tests, heart and blood-pressure checks, and asked about smoking, alcohol and drug use before clearing him. Waud said he chose anaesthetic because he did not think he could sit through a full stomach piece awake. “I would rather be put to sleep to get a good job done. I would never be able to sit and get my full stomach done.”
Studios in Bali advertise the procedure as a 5 day recovery. Saying:
You need a minimum of 5 days to stay in Bali.
DAY 1 — DESIGN & CONSULTATION
✅ Arrive in Bali and visit our shop.
✅ Check your tattoo designs, discuss placement, and finalize the size and details.
DAY 2 — MEDICAL CHECK-UP
✅ Medical check-up with our medical team.
✅ Meet the doctor and complete the necessary preparation before the tattoo session.
DAY 3 — FULL BODY TATTOO SESSION
🔥 Tattoo session starts at 9:00 AM.
🔥 The session takes approximately 8 hours, depending on the project.
DAY 4 — REST & CLEANING
✅ Take a full day to rest and recover.
✅ We will clean and check your tattoo at the shop.
DAY 5 — READY TO FLY HOME
👌 After the final check, you can travel back home.”
Similar jobs in Bali are being advertised for as much as $15,000. Studios promote hospital sessions with up to four, five or six artists working at once so large areas can be finished in a single day.
A heavily tattooed Western Australian man, who asked not to be named, told Yahoo he had four artists on him at once (two on his back and two on a leg) He was walking the next day. A friend who had his back and both legs done, he said, could not walk for two to three days.
“I like extreme adventures, so I went down the anaesthesia path and felt safe and went ahead with it,” he said. “Every person’s recovery and body is different. Some people can have an amazing experience, someone can have a really bad experience.”
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists president Dr Tanya Selak said travelling overseas for an elective procedure under general anaesthetic is not risk-free.
“All surgical procedures and general anaesthesia carry a degree of risk,” she said. “If something goes wrong, the facility needs to have suitable medical equipment and enough staff to be able to resuscitate patients or deal with other complications.”
She also warned that surgical qualifications, hospital accreditation and the standard of equipment overseas “may not consistently meet the high standards required in Australia that cover hygiene and safety compliance.”
In Australia, a registered specialist anaesthetist is meant to give general anaesthesia in an appropriate hospital theatre or clinic. Waud said he felt safe. Recovery still varies, and a full-torso tattoo leaves a large wound that has to heal in a tropical climate before the flight home.
smartraveller reminds travellers to choose tattoo, piercing and medical services that carefully sterilise their tools and surfaces. If you’re not sure, ask for proof before they start. Saving a few bucks may cost you in the long run. A cheap tattoo is usually cheap for a reason. Tattooing and cleanliness standards overseas may not be as high as they are in Australia. If you’re thinking of getting a permanent souvenir, know the risks you might face.
