I love Bali. I go every year and often share all the fabulous things to do in Bali, but this tiny island has a dirty secret  you won’t find publicised in the glossy travel brochures. I’m talking about counterfeit alcohol. The import duty on genuine alcohol is prohibitive (up to 400%) and locals have been known to substitute unregulated locally made alcohol in an attempt to deliver those all important ‘cheap drinks’ that holiday makers crave. The consequences for those unknowingly consuming backyard bootleg can be deadly. Methanol poisoning in Bali has recently claimed a number of young lives and I want to make sure that you are not the next hashtag. Read on for all the details …

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Recently I found myself with a dental emergency while in Bali. The day before I was due to fly out my ten year old crown cracked and I knew there was no chance of getting it fixed before I took off. I had already had root canal on the tooth so I wasn’t in any pain and it was a non-visible molar so I did what any self-respecting holiday junkie would do and I got on that plane anyway. I’m no stranger to destination dentistry having previously had veneers in Thailand, so I had no qualms about getting the troublesome tooth sorted while I was away rather than cancelling my trip. I was however, somewhat surprised at the reaction from friends who were horrified that I would even contemplate visiting the dentist in a developing country. Destination dentistry is a growing trend, so much so that I have included it on my epic list of 110+ things to do in Bali. But why are more and more people choosing to combine a holiday with a spell in the dentist chair? If you are curious read on as I share my personal experience visiting a dentist in Bali at the BIMC clinic …

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