Bali Probes Tourist Tattoo Sessions Under Anaesthesia
Visitors are paying up to $16,000 for lengthy full-body tattoos performed while they are under general anaesthesia in hospital operating rooms.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Australia and New Zealand
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Bali authorities will investigate a trend in which tourists get large or full-body tattoos under general anaesthesia. Tourists pay between $9,000 and $16,000 for sessions lasting 10 to 20 hours in licensed hospital operating rooms.
Why it matters
The trend has attracted thousands of holidaymakers to Bali this year and has spread through videos on social media. Its scale and the medical setting of the procedures are prompting official scrutiny.
Sessions cost $9,000 to $16,000 and last 10 to 20 hours, with up to nine tattoo artists working on one client at once. Foreigners make up at least 80% of clients at Bali tattoo studios, and the investigation's outcome has not been reported.
The players
Kian Forreal
Forreal is a tattoo artist with 33 years of experience who specialises in traditional Japanese Irezumi and owns Authentink Studio in Sydney's Surry Hills.
The details
Sessions are performed under general anaesthesia in licensed hospital operating rooms, with the price including hospital and tattooing fees. A Bali official said he had only recently become aware of the practice.
Timeline
2026: Thousands of tourists have been drawn to the trend this year.
November 9, 2026: Bali authorities announced they will investigate the trend.
Travel Outlook
Medical-tourism-style procedures abroad are drawing international visitors to destinations like Bali, where the appeal of extended, lower-cost sessions meets local regulatory oversight. The investigation will test how such services are licensed and supervised in the region.
Travellers considering a Bali tattoo should check whether the studio and hospital are licensed before booking. Sessions costing $9,000 to $16,000 and lasting up to 20 hours require careful budgeting and planning around recovery time.
The takeaway
Anyone weighing an extended tattoo abroad should verify the provider's licensing and understand the anaesthesia and recovery risks before committing. The Bali investigation may clarify the rules that apply to these sessions.
Further reading
For more on travel trends in the region, see Australia and New Zealand.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NDTV Profit.
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Should travellers be allowed to get full-body tattoos under general anaesthesia abroad?
