Bali Rainy Season 2026 Arrives: Heavy-Rain Warnings, Rough Seas and a Boat Fire Off Nusa Penida

The long dry spell is finally breaking. Bali’s weather agency has issued its first heavy-rain warnings of the season, rough seas are forecast south of the island, and on October 29 a snorkelling boat caught fire off Nusa Penida with four tourists aboard. Here is what to know about the Bali rainy season 2026 as it arrives.

The short version: BMKG’s regional office in Denpasar warned of moderate to heavy rain across parts of Bali from October 28 to 31, and of waves of up to 3 metres in southern Bali waters. BMKG’s Bali climatology station expects the rainy season to start across the island in November, peak in February 2027 and run until April. Separately, four foreign tourists and their guide jumped into the sea when their snorkelling boat caught fire at Gamat Bay. All were rescued, and the captain was treated for burns.

The Warnings

According to ANTARA (October 28), forecaster A A Putu Eka Putra Wirawan of BMKG’s Region III office in Denpasar said the alert covered Badung, Bangli, Gianyar, Karangasem and Tabanan for October 28 to 29, and Badung, Buleleng, Jembrana, Karangasem and Tabanan for October 30 to 31. Waves could reach 3 metres in southern Bali waters and 1.5 metres in the north, and the office asked for vigilance over waves of 2 metres or more in the southern Bali Strait, the Badung Strait, the Lombok Strait and southern Bali waters.

That matters for day trips. The Badung Strait is the water between mainland Bali and Nusa Penida, and the Lombok Strait lies between the Nusa islands and Lombok, so both are on the routes many visitors take by boat.

When the Rainy Season Starts and Peaks

The same report quotes BMKG’s Bali climatology station as expecting the rainy season to begin across Bali in November 2026, peak in February 2027 and last until April 2027. A separate ANTARA feature on October 27 put the peak at January to February, so treat the exact peak month as approximate. That feature also notes that this year’s dry season was longer and harsher than usual. Our earlier reports on the delayed rainy season and on El Niño explain why.

How Bali Is Preparing

The ANTARA feature recalls the major flood of September 2025, which inundated central Denpasar and damaged parts of Badung and Gianyar. Gede Agung Teja, head of Bali’s disaster management agency (BPBD), said mitigation was planned early to avoid a repeat. The province has sent an advisory letter to every regency and city, trees along main roads are being pruned, and 12 flood sirens are in place: six in central Denpasar, three along the Tukad Mati river in Badung and three in Jembrana. They sound when river levels reach danger thresholds so that residents can evacuate.

The feature lists Seminyak and Kuta among Badung’s flood-prone spots, alongside Sanur, Padangsambian and Renon in Denpasar. Governor Wayan Koster said on October 29 that the province still has Rp 20 billion in unexpected-expenditure funds to handle disasters through the end of the year (detikBali). The rains have already caused damage: on the night of October 27, a landslide in Kediri, Tabanan, brought down a wall onto houses and injured a 21-year-old woman and her father, detikBali reported. Police described her injuries as minor.

The Boat Fire at Gamat Bay

On Thursday, October 29, at about 1:40 p.m., a snorkelling boat named Naomi caught fire at Gamat Bay in Sakti village, Nusa Penida, according to police accounts reported by The Bali Times and detikBali. The boat had left its base at about 12:30 p.m. with four foreign tourists on a route via Manta Bay and Crystal Bay. As it prepared to leave Gamat Bay there was an explosion, which police initially suspect came from a battery component, and the boat caught fire.

The guide and all four tourists jumped into the sea and were picked up by a passing boat at about 2:50 p.m. No one died. The captain suffered burns to his legs and was treated at Gema Santhi hospital on Nusa Penida. Police said the boat had been repaired and serviced before the trip, and the guide told them safety equipment had been checked before departure. The cause is still under investigation, and the tourists’ nationalities have not been released.

What It Means for Your Trip

These suggestions are ours, not official advice. If you’ve booked a fast boat or a snorkelling trip to Nusa Penida in the coming weeks, check sea conditions with the operator on the day and be ready to move the trip if the crossing looks rough. Ask where the life jackets are before you set off. On land, heavy downpours can flood low-lying roads quickly, so allow extra time for airport transfers. If your plans include Nusa Penida’s cliff viewpoints, our report on the Kelingking Beach stairway plan explains why that path needs care even in dry weather.

Quick Answers About the Bali Rainy Season 2026

When does the rainy season start? BMKG’s Bali station expects it to start across the island in November 2026, peak in February 2027 (another report says January to February) and last until April 2027.

Are the seas rough right now? BMKG warned of waves of up to 3 metres in southern Bali waters and 2 metres or more in the Badung and Lombok straits for late October.

Was anyone hurt in the boat fire? The captain suffered burns to his legs. The four tourists and the guide were rescued safely.

The Chimera Villas Take

The first rains are welcome after such a long dry season, and Bali’s wet months have their own charm: greener rice fields, quieter afternoons and dramatic skies. They just reward a little more planning around boats and transfers. If you’re thinking about a stay over the coming months, you can check our villa availability any time.