Landslide at Pelaga Glamping Resort: Two Guests Still Missing as Badung Reviews Accommodation Safety

This is a hard one to write. On the night of Sunday, November 1, after a day of very heavy rain, a landslide came down on a glamping resort in Pelaga, up in the hills of north Badung. Most of the guests got out. Two didn’t, and almost a week later the search for them is still going on. Below is what has been confirmed about the Pelaga glamping landslide, what the authorities are doing about it, and what it means if you’re staying in Bali during the rains.

In short: the slide hit Eco Park Pelaga Glamping Retreat in Petang district at around 11 p.m. Of the 23 guests staying that night, 21 were evacuated safely. Two are missing, a 56-year-old German man and an Indonesian guest. Badung’s regent has ordered a review of the resort’s permits, and says the regency will look at safety at other tourist accommodation in areas at risk of landslides.

What Happened That Night

Rainfall that day reached 121 millimetres, according to Bali’s disaster agency, BPBD, as reported by ANTARA. Late at night the ground gave way and swept through part of the resort. ANTARA reported that four of the resort’s 25 glamping tents were damaged and one was carried away completely. The Bali Times, citing police, said the unit that was hit was Room 6.

The national search and rescue agency got the call early the next morning, and Bali’s police chief visited the site on November 2. That same day BPBD said it was dealing with disasters at 64 locations across the island, so this was one of many problems caused by the same weather.

The Search So Far

It has been slow, difficult work. On November 3, The Bali Times reported 76 personnel on site, with dog units and heavy machinery. By Friday, November 6, the fifth day, both guests were still missing. detikBali reported that thick mud and steep ground were keeping heavy machinery away from parts of the site, and that Saturday’s search would move, by hand, to a river two to three kilometres to the south.

We’re not naming the two missing guests. Different reports have given different names and ages, and their families deserve better than guesswork from us.

Questions About the Resort’s Permits

On November 5, Badung’s regent, I Wayan Adi Arnawa, said the resort held a business identification number that covered glamping. The regency’s licensing office told a slightly different story, according to The Bali Times. Its records showed two business registrations from 2018, made under an older system, and they listed agritourism and a restaurant rather than glamping. At the first inspection, management couldn’t show building approvals, building-fitness certificates, spatial planning approvals or environmental permits.

An early check found no breach of land-use rules at the site itself, and the licensing office says it is still verifying. Until that review is finished, we’d treat the permit question as open.

A Wider Review in North Badung

The regent has been clear that this goes beyond one resort. North Badung is being promoted for nature and agritourism, and he called the landslide a serious concern. “As a tourism area, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of anyone who stays at or uses tourist accommodation in Badung,” he said, in ANTARA’s report (our translation). He also warned about landslide risk across northern Badung and said the regency would review safety at other accommodation in hazard-prone areas.

If You’re Staying in Bali During the Rains

This part is our own advice, not official guidance. Bali’s rainy season is only just getting going, and BMKG expects it to be normal to above normal this year. If you’ve booked somewhere on a hillside, beside a river or in the forest, ask your host how they handle heavy-rain warnings and whether they’ve had problems before. Keep an eye on BMKG alerts, and don’t feel awkward about changing plans if a warning comes in for the area you’re in. Most places to stay in Bali are nowhere near this kind of risk, but the ones that are deserve a few extra questions.

Quick Answers About the Pelaga Glamping Landslide

When and where did it happen? Around 11 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, at Eco Park Pelaga Glamping Retreat in Petang district, north Badung.

How many people were affected? There were 23 guests. Twenty-one were evacuated safely, and two are still missing.

Is the resort’s licence in question? Its permits are under review. The regent says it holds a business number that covers glamping, but the licensing office says its older records list agritourism and a restaurant.

Are other places being checked? Badung says it will review safety at tourist accommodation in hazard-prone areas.

The Chimera Villas Take

Our thoughts are with the families of the two missing guests, and with the search teams working in really tough conditions. We’ll update this story if the search or the permit review brings new, confirmed information. If you’re in Bali now and unsure about where you’re staying, talk to your host, and keep an eye on the weather warnings in our rainy season update.