Who you'll be sitting with

It is when the studio takes hygiene seriously. Every razor and needle we use is brand new and opened in front of you, we only use American or Japanese needles and ink, and the shop runs to Australian hygiene standards. The simple test anywhere in the world: if they won't open sterile equipment in front of you, leave.

It varies with your own pain tolerance, the size of the piece and where it sits. Fleshy areas like the outer arm and thigh are easier than ribs, feet and hands. Tell your artist if you're nervous or if you need a break, and we'll pace the session around you.

Yes. Numbing creams, gels and sprays are available and plenty of people use them, especially on longer sessions or sensitive spots. For very large work there's also our sedation option: you sleep through it in a Denpasar hospital while a team of our artists works at once, from $6,000 all inclusive. Ask us and we'll talk you through what suits your piece.

A small piece can be done in under an hour. Larger work runs several hours, and a full sleeve or back piece can be a long day in the chair. It's finished while you're here, so you fly home with the whole piece done. When we confirm your price we'll also tell you how long to set aside, so it fits around the rest of your trip.

Wash the area gently with mild soap and water, keep it out of direct sun, and use a thin layer of ointment or lotion. Don't pick or scratch it while it's healing. Bali's heat and humidity make aftercare more important than it is at home, so we'll run through it with you before you leave.

The surface usually settles within about two weeks. Full healing underneath takes anywhere from two weeks to a few months depending on the design, your skin, your age and how well you look after it.

Not until it's healed over. Pools, the ocean and fresh ink don't mix, and that catches a lot of people out on a Bali trip. If swimming is a big part of your holiday, get tattooed towards the end of it and we'll help you plan the timing.

It's the biggest thing to plan around. Direct sun on a healing tattoo can fade it and slow the healing, and sweat and humidity make infection more likely if you don't keep it clean. Keep it covered with loose clothing, stay in the shade where you can, and skip sunscreen until the skin has closed over. Once it's healed, use a high SPF on it every time you're outside, at home as well.

Not on the burnt area. Sunburnt skin is already damaged, it hurts a lot more and it doesn't hold ink properly. If you've had a big day at the beach, message us and we'll work out a new time or a different spot. The easiest fix is to get tattooed near the end of your trip, once the beach days are done.

Please don't drink before. Alcohol thins your blood, so you bleed more, the ink doesn't settle as well and the session gets harder for both of you. Come in sober, fed and hydrated. Afterwards, go easy for the first day or two and drink plenty of water, which helps your skin heal in the heat.

Eat properly beforehand, stay hydrated, and skip the big night out the evening before. Bring a reference image if you have one, even a rough one. Wear something that gives easy access to the area being tattooed.

Yes, when you choose the right studio. We open brand new needles in front of you, use quality American and Japanese inks and follow Australian hygiene standards. Take your time with the design too, because a good tattoo is one you love for life.

Look at healed work, not just fresh photos. Check the artist has done the style you want before, ask about their hygiene process, and read reviews from people who actually sat with them. Our artists' styles are listed above, and we'll match you to whoever suits your piece rather than whoever happens to be free.

Between the team we cover black and grey, colour, realism, Japanese, new school, fine line, script, tribal, Balinese, animal and oriental work, plus custom and freehand designs. Send us what you have in mind and we'll tell you honestly whether it's in our wheelhouse.

Walk ins are welcome and we'll fit you in where we can. Walk ins pay the full published price. If you enquire first, through the form or by message, we take 15% off that price, and you also lock in the artist you want on the day that suits you. That matters most in peak season and for anything large that needs several hours, so booking ahead is almost always the better deal.