An Australian man is believed to have drowned at a beach in Bali just hours after arriving for a family holiday.

News Corp reports the man and his family, from Perth, had only just arrived in Bali the same day for a six-day holiday.

It is understood 69-year-old Ashok Joshi was swimming at a beach in Seminyak when he was caught in a strong current.

Lifeguards managed to reach the man and pulled him back to shore but he could not be saved.