Bali's Sanur Medical Special Zone Opens International Hospital, But Locals Say It Feels Out of Reach

Bali, one of Indonesia's premier tourist destinations, has two special economic zones—one of which is a medical special zone located in northern Sanur, in the island's southeast. Designated by the government in 2022, the 41-hectare site has seen ongoing development. In June 2025, President Prabowo announced the opening of the zone's flagship facility, Bali International Hospital (BIH).

BIH has 255 beds and specialists in cardiology, oncology, and neurology, among other fields. While Indonesia generally prohibits foreign doctors from practicing medicine, the special zone permits exemptions, and 11 foreign doctors had obtained medical licenses by the time of opening.

Within the zone, Bali's oldest international-class hotel, Bali Beach Hotel, has reopened after renovation. A German-affiliated anti-inflammaging clinic has also opened, alongside a facility housing cosmetic surgery, hair transplant, and aesthetic dentistry clinics from South Korea, Brazil, Singapore, and elsewhere—20 clinics in total are under construction. A Malaysian conglomerate is building a stem cell therapy facility, and a major serviced apartment operator is constructing residential towers.

The government's push stems from the fact that roughly 2 million wealthy Indonesians travel abroad annually for medical treatment, spending an estimated 150 trillion rupiah (about 1.33 trillion yen) per year on care overseas.

However, rates remain steep: a private room costs 2.2 million rupiah per day, while a presidential suite runs 5.5 million rupiah—comparable to luxury hotel pricing. As of the end of March 2026, BIH had treated approximately 14,950 patients cumulatively, 60% of them foreign nationals. Meanwhile, some Japanese residents in Sanur say the hospital feels too exclusive to even enter. Widespread access to "international standard" healthcare for ordinary residents appears to remain some way off.