Rainy Season Has Officially Arrived In Bali: Everything Travelers ...

The rainy season in Bali has officially begun, and for the seasoned Bali-lovers amongst us, this is all too familiar territory.

However, for those heading to Bali for the first time or for the first time during rainy season, there are a few things you need to know to be prepared as the heavens open. 

Bali is best known for its year-round sunshine and tropical heat waves. While this is certainly true, the rainy season is just as real and unavoidable at this time of year.

Bali’s rainy season starts at the end of November, and heavy rains move across the island through to February and into mid-late March. 

At the moment, heavy but relatively short and regular downfalls are being recorded every day, often for an hour or so in the early morning and late afternoon.

These heavy rains are causing many problems across Bali, from localized flooding to fallen trees and landslides. 

Tourists in Bali and those planning to visit Bali in the rainy season need to be savvy with logistical planning and ensure they are prepared with all the extras they need.

Forecasters from the Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) have suggested that this year’s rainy seasons could bring even heavier rains due to changes in La Niña. 

Last week, Bali Climatology Station Forecaster Staff Heppy Febriana Abdi Bintari explained, “When a weak La Nina occurs, rain in Bali often lasts longer and is more intense. For example, rain that usually falls from morning to evening can continue until night. The intensity also tends to be heavy.”

Localized flooding has been recorded in tourist hotspots of Canggu, Legian, Kuta, and at Melasti Beach in Ungasan. In Singaraja, in the north of Bali, major flooding was recorded on Friday, 29th November.

Community leaders and Bali’s Natural Disaster Management Teams are working together to keep everything moving as it should, but with more rainy forecasts, tourists should be mindful of what is happening around them. 

On Sunday, 1st December, the Head of Highways of the Badung PUPR Agency, I Gusti Ngurah Made Suardika, confirmed that his teams had responded to a major flooding incident in the tourist resort of Legain Village and that the Badung Regency government deployed four mobile pumps and 20 officers from the Highways Division to tackle the rising waters.

Suardika explained, “We immediately deployed four mobile pumps at 08.00 WITA to suck up the water. Our officers were deployed to help suck up the puddles, and this was very helpful.”

The first is to stay informed about weather warnings and the weather forecast.

The Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) publishes a tourist weather forecast in English on their Instagram page, and The Bali Sun will always report weather warnings issued by the local authorities. 

The second is simply to assume that you’re going to get caught in the rain.

While forecasting is mostly accurate, due to Bali’s island nature, the weather can change at a moment’s notice.

The big plastic ponchos available at most local markets and corner stores are great to have folded up in a day bag and are super useful to pop on as soon as the rain starts to fall.

Be mindful of what gadgets and tech you’re bringing with you on day trips, remember your dry bag!

For long day trips and day trips in the outdoors, it’s also advisable to pack a change of clothes, especially for the end of the day. 

In terms of traveling around Bali during the rainy season, this is where the advice becomes a bit more serious. Just as we must assume there will be rain, we must also assume that there will be flooded roads.

For those traveling with a private driver or taxi, be sure to leave plenty of time to get from A to B, and where possible, try to plan road journeys before the rain arrives.

By plenty of time, we mean to ignore what GoogleMaps says is the estimated time of arrival; if anything, double it, especially between 16th December and 3rd January when the peak of tourist traffic is on the roads. 

As for self-driving mopeds during rainy seasons, do not drive through flooded roads or during heavy rainfall; park up and wait for the rain to subside or navigate around an alternative route.

No one will mind you seeking shelter in their shop front, and there are no other cafes around! Though many local drivers continue about their journey despite flooded roads, drivers who have little experience driving a scooter should not be taking risks. 

Choosing your activities based on the weather forecast is a wise idea. Some activities like ATV riding and waterfall tours are even more fun in the rain, but visiting the Gates of Heaven Temple or the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in a downpour can kind of kill the mood.

Rainy days are ideal for cafe hopping, visiting museums like the ARMA Museum in Ubud, for example, or taking a silver-making class in Canggu. 

Drivers should also be aware of falling trees, landslides, and potholes that appear suddenly during the rainy season.

In the event of flooding impacting your accommodation or resort area, tourists must follow the guidance of the support team on the ground.

Tourists should always visit Bali with full comprehensive travel insurance that covers every eventuality, including a major flooding event and natural disasters.