The Rainy Season in Bali
It was 3am and I woke to a deafening clap of thunder as the bedroom lit up with a lightening flash. A storm I thought, as I rolled over and went back to sleep. Boom. Another one jolted me awake again. Little did I know I was listening to the deadly storm that was the 2025 Bali Floods.
By now Mark was outside making sure nothing was flying away. A storm during rainy season last year had taken part of the roof & deposited it on the neighbours’ lawn. I saw him put buckets outside to catch the rain in case we lost power & running water. He came back into the bedroom. “It’s a fierce one”, he said as he curled up to go back to sleep. The thunder & lightening had other ideas, sleep not one of them. So Instead we lay there, listening to the wildness from within our dry domain.
A Power Outage
4am. It felt unusually warm in the bedroom. I got up and switched on the lights. Nothing. Power was out which meant no running water & no aircon. I went to the stairwell to check on the street dog. Had she known a storm was coming when she came to our door for shelter the previous evening? She looked up at me gratefully and wagged her ragged tail. I was so glad she was dry and safe. I went back to bed in the warm and sticky darkness.
The Aftermath
7am. I woke again, Mark had a friend on speaker phone. “Mate, the garage was under water. The cars and scooters are ruined, I slipped in the muddy water and cut my leg. I had to get it cleaned out at the doctor early this morning”.
‘Sheesh’, I thought, ‘we got lucky last night’.
I padded down to check on the dog again and poked my head out into the damp & dirty driveway. I looked to the left where the neighbours lived by the stream. There lay a pond where the driveway had once been. There were floating rubbish bins, a helmet, some shoes and the neighbours lawn statues floating face down like dead bodies. The front door had been left open, the inhabitants had evacuated in the middle of the night.
I went back upstairs. The buckets were full of rain water, at least we could flush the toilets. As I looked over the balcony to the neighbours again, I saw their path was a now brown muddy river. There was a stench of a septic tank which had flooded & overflowed. It seemed the neighbours had not been as lucky as we had been.
9am : I checked on the staff. “Are your houses okay?” Yes. Thankfully. All okay. Iluh showed me a clip on her phone of the underpass on Sunset Road in Denpasar. Cars were completely submerged in muddy water. There was a huge traffic jam backed up for miles. People were walking, crying & I saw a pig floating in the water.
I turned to social media and realised it had exploded with posts about a deadly storm that had hit Bali. It had been wild, but from the confines of our house I hadn’t realised just how bad it had been.
Usually I love the Bali storms, but not ones like this. This one was wild & nasty and we had another a few days later. We were lucky, but our neighbours and some of our friends were not. Read on to see how to stay safe in Bali during the rainy season.
Safety Tips for Rainy Season in Bali
The rainy season is loosely from November through until April. The most devastating storm that I encountered however was last week in September, which is meant to be dry season.
Storms in Bali can (and do) hit at any time. Just like anywhere, keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prepared.
Power Outages
Indonesia is a developing country, so with storms often come power outages. Larger hotels and restaurants as well as vital services will have generators to keep business running smoothly. Villa rentals, and smaller establishments may not. No power? No aircon and probably no running water. The power cuts usually don’t last long, but they can last for several hours. If the rain is heavy, ask the villa staff for buckets of water so that you can at least flush the toilet. Always make sure you have drinking water in your villa.
Food & Transport
Restaurants will be open but they may be limited as to what they can serve if their power is out. Many restaurants will have generators and it will be business as usual.
Gojek & Grab will be diminished as drivers tend to opt out of taking bookings when the rain is heavy. This means food delivery will be difficult, and if you don’t have a restaurant close, you may not be able to order a driver to take you there either.
If you don’t drive, it’s always good to have snacks at home during rainy season – just in case.
Swimming During Rainy Season in Bali
Do not swim in the ocean during the rain, or after the rain. The rain stirs up bacteria in the water and can leave you susceptible to infection. If you have a wound or get a cut which becomes exposed to dirty water, things can go bad quickly. Even with medical treatment, bacterial infections can take limbs & lives. It’s just not worth it. Even though it may feel hot and sticky, save the swimming for the sunshine or your pool. Do not swim in the ocean until 24 hours after heavy rain.
Stay Indoors
This may seem obvious, but poorly made homes combined with high winds pose a greater risk of flying debris injuring you.
Wading in muddy water exposes you to risk of infection and the lightening in Bali is pretty wild. Chances of being struck by lightening are slim, but not impossible. A surfer on Batu Bolong beach was struck in 2017 and he didn’t survive. May as well stay indoors.
Choose Accommodation Wisely
Low lying hotels and villas, and accommodation near a river is going to have a greater risk of flooding. Drainage here isn’t as good as in the western world. Rivers are more polluted, meaning rubbish can cause greater problems during heavy downfalls.
If you are coming during wet season, opt for accommodation that is on higher ground and away from rivers. It rains more during the evening so you want to be able to sleep soundly & without fear.
After the Bali Floods
Today, I sun myself at home under a clear and bright blue sky. The weather is warm, dry and delightful. I feel blessed because a dark cloud still hangs over Bali.
Devastation hit, homes were ruined and lives destroyed.
Is it safe to come here? Yes it is but it helps to be well informed.
I hear Sunghai Watch do a group cheer by the river next door. They are here to clean it, the river that smashed through the neighbours’ brick wall sending the strong current into their house.
If you’d like to help, you can donate to them here . All donations small or large are appreciated.
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