A holiday in Bali turned deadly when a young Chinese tourist, identified only as Miss Y, died following a suspected mass poisoning at a budget hostel in Canggu.
Ten other guests were rushed to hospital in critical condition after falling violently ill, with symptoms including severe vomiting, high fevers, and fainting.
The $9-a-night Clandestino Hostel had recently been fumigated after complaints of bedbug infestations in its six-person dormitories, raising questions about the safety measures taken.
Survivor Speaks Out
Miss Y’s friend, Leila Li, who shared a room with her, survived the ordeal but spent five days in intensive care.
It was only after her own discharge that she learned of Miss Y’s death.
Speaking to the media, Ms Li described the horror of witnessing her friend lie incapacitated for hours without assistance.
“They are trying to cover it up and I just want to warn people so this does not happen to anyone else,” Ms Li said.
She revealed that more than 20 people were affected, at least ten critically, and one person died — yet the hostel continued to accept bookings even after the incident.
The Night Everything Went Wrong
Ms Li checked in on August 31 and met Miss Y at a communal dinner that evening.
Hours later, guests began collapsing, vomiting blood, and pleading for help as fever and chills took hold.
By the next day, many were being rushed to local medical centers, including the BIMC hospital.
Ms Li recounted her attempts to get help for Miss Y, who was too weak to call for assistance herself.
Despite repeated visits to medical facilities, she never heard back from her friend, who was found unresponsive in her bunk around 11am on September 2.
Miss Y’s official cause of death was recorded as acute gastroenteritis and hypovolemic shock, though the precise source of poisoning remains unknown.
Suspicions of Pesticide Poisoning
While initially suspected to be a typical case of “Bali Belly,” hospital tests suggested a more sinister cause.
Ms Li said her doctor confirmed pesticide and food poisoning as contributors to the illness.
She also noted that Miss Y had seen an adjacent dorm closed off for fumigation the night before the tragedy, raising concerns about the safety of chemicals used in the hostel.
Other Guests Affected
Tourist Leslie Zhao, 29, checked into the hostel on September 1, just hours after others had been hospitalized.
She reported falling violently ill overnight, vomiting and fainting for hours, and receiving no assistance from staff.
Zhao described being lucky to survive after being hospitalized on an intravenous drip.
Both Ms Zhao and Ms Li have since been contacted by other tourists from Australia, Europe, and Asia who experienced similar severe symptoms after staying at the hostel in the months following the incident.
A Pattern of Neglect
Online reviews and previous complaints indicate that the hostel had struggled with bedbug infestations for months.
Guests described being misled by staff and discovering the scale of the problem only by chance.
“My only complaint would be the fact that the front desk was not honest about the bed bug infestation,” one guest wrote in July, months before the fatal incident.
International Concerns Over Hostel Safety
The Bali incident echoes a similar tragedy in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
In February, two women — British influencer Ebony McIntosh and German tourist Nadine Raguse — died from suspected pesticide poisoning after staying at a Colombo hostel recently treated for infestations.
The cases highlight growing concerns about chemical safety and oversight in budget accommodations frequented by tourists.
Calls for Accountability
Ms Li and other survivors are demanding a full investigation and for Clandestino Hostel to be shut down until safety can be verified.
They have reached out to booking platforms like Booking.com and Agoda to remove the property from listings, citing ongoing health risks for guests.
“We provided hospital letters and evidence, but nothing has been done,” Ms Li said.
The Daily Mail has contacted Clandestino Hostel for comment as authorities and affected tourists continue seeking answers.
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