A woman’s experience of becoming seriously ill while on a trip to Bali after consuming ice has gone viral on TikTok. Shakira Coldwell, a student from Brisbane, Australia, visited the country in December 2022, planning to spend three months there before continuing her trip around the world. Despite being warned by tour guides not to drink the local water, Shakira consumed some ice and quickly became sick, faint and dehydrated before being rushed to hospital.
Her story has now gone viral, reaching over 27.9m views on TikTok, as she shares her experience to warn others visiting the country. After eating the ice cube, she began to feel dizzy and nauseous but continued with her trip, travelling to Gili Island off the coast of Bali. It was there that things started to get worse, and Shakira visited a nearby medical centre as her symptoms worsened.
The doctor immediately lay her down and gave her an IV drip while he ran tests. The results showed she had salmonella poisoning. “It is a common conception to always ask for your drinks without ice,” said Shakira. “I was in Bali for about three and a half weeks and was sick for about half of it.”
Shakira was given IV fluids and medication, and after five hours in the medical centre, she was finally discharged, feeling better after three hours. The treatment cost her £184.32 ($346AUD). Shakira shared her experience on TikTok, warning others not to drink the water in Bali – especially if they have a sensitive stomach.
The video, titled “Don’t forget pls”, has garnered 27.9 million views and 2.6 million likes, with viewers sharing their own experiences. While some viewers said they had suffered similar experiences in Bali, many others defended the travel hotspot. Shakira hasn’t let the experience sully her view of the country, saying: “This has happened to many people. I was just glad I bought health insurance beforehand! But I definitely do not want this to make people think that Bali is a bad place. I am definitely returning – I love the atmosphere, the locals and the food.”
