Travel Safety Advocate Recommends Destroying Bottle Labels in Bali

An advocate focused on methanol poisoning risks has recommended that travelers to Bali destroy the labels and lids of their empty alcohol bottles. Colin Ahearn states this action makes the bottles less attractive for refilling and resale. He recently shared photos online showing bottles with scratched-off labels as an example.

"To do their bit, travelers should trash labels and wreck lids on empty bottles to make them less attractive for refilling."

Background on the Risk

Colin Ahearn has campaigned for nearly a decade about the dangers of methanol poisoning from spirits in Bali and other parts of Southeast Asia. He advises that ordering spirits at bars in Bali carries a high risk.

Reports indicate that empty bottles of duty-free or imported spirits are sometimes collected and refilled, potentially with cheaper local spirits or methanol—a clear, tasteless, and odorless liquid that can cause severe poisoning or death.

Specific Recommendations

Ahearn told Yahoo News Australia that the practice of refilling bottles "is very accurate." His specific advice includes:

• Do not smash bottles due to the safety risk from broken glass.
• Instead, destroy the label and wreck the lid before disposal.
• To eliminate risk entirely, consume only beer, wine, or premixed drinks sold in sealed containers from mini-marts and supermarkets.

He noted that the only potential exception for consuming spirits from an open bottle is if the traveler purchases them duty-free at the airport, but even then, precautions should be taken.

Related Incidents Highlight Dangers

Recent events underscore the severity of the threat:

• In 2024, two young Australian women died after consuming tainted spirits at a hostel bar in Vang Vieng, Laos.
• Last year, an Australian mother reported a terrifying experience in Bali from suspected methanol poisoning.
• Ahearn mentioned being sent a video showing a person using a funnel to pour clear liquid into empty alcohol bottles, illustrating the refilling process.