29 Dec

Top tips for a rainy day in Bali

Bali has tropical  weather all year round, and during the rainy season there are still an abundance of dry, sunny days to enjoy. Even on rainy days, it usually doesn’t last long, with downpours often occurring in evening for a couple of hours, only to return to bright blue skies the next morning. But for days when the sky is overcast, we’ve put together a few fun things to do.

Forget about the rain by exploring Bali underwater

Naturally, our favourite pastimes to bid the drizzle farewell is explore some of the best diving sites you can find. Tulamben is a small town on the east coast of Bali that is home to one of the most well-known wrecks in the world; the WWII cargo ship USAT Liberty which now lies just off the beach here. The wreck is now covered in corals and is teeming with life, from bumphead parrotfish and blue spotted stingray, to turtles and schools of great barracuda.

There is also Nusa Penida where you can go to Manta Point, and see if you spot any of the graceful Giant and Reef Manta that stop by the area to pay a visit to the cleaning station. Amed is a small town also on the east coast, another beautiful dive location, and has stretches of untouched coral reefs just waiting to be explored.

View all of our dive locations here.

Treat yourself with a spa visit

If you feel the urge to take life at a more relaxed pace, then a traditional Balinese massage might be the ideal way to get through the drizzle. Using a combination of light stretches, acupressure, deep tissue massage and reflexology to stimulate your lymphatic system and bring a sense of relaxation and well-being over you. For something with a little more bite, you could always go for the famous Bloody Mary treatment at the Rémede spa. This unusual treatment includes a vodka tomato clay wrap, a wasabi body reviver and a vermouth mineral salt bath. This is definitely something a little different.

Take a traditional cooking class

Cooking is at the heart of Balinese culture, with rich and diverse flavours being used throughout. Why not try your hand at cooking a traditional Balinese dish and see if you can master the art of combining the spices and flavours. Some cooking schools will give you a fully authentic experience by taking you to the local morning food market first to purchase your ingredients, which is you have the time is definitely worth the time. Be sure to check with the school if this is something they can offer.

Visit the turtle education & conservation centre

Based just south of Bali’s capital, Denpasar, is the Turtle Education and Conservation Centre in Sarangan. The centre was established with the support of WWF, with the aim of eradicating the illegal turtle trade in Bali.

At the centre, you can learn about the different species of turtle and how to recognise them, and meet some of the inhabitants in person. The turtles here have all been rescued, either from fishing nets or from poachers. Turtle eggs are consumed in Indonesia, and the centre works with the neighbouring island of Java to rescue as many eggs as possible from poachers, allowing the eggs to safely hatch with the baby turtles being released after 4-6 weeks of growth.

Some of the turtles have been found badly injured, and the centre has provided emergency veterinary care, surgery and medication to help ensure the survival of each turtle they find. They rehabilitate the injured turtles, and, once they are ready, they release them back into the wild.

There is a no entry fee policy, instead the centre relies on donations from visitors which pays for the treatment and care of hatchlings and older turtles they rescue.

Learn about Bali’s rich history

The Museum Negeri Propinsi, located in Denpasar, is the Bali museum to visit if you have a passion for learning about the art and history of other cultures. Here you’ll find vast displays of paintings, statues, weapons and artefacts that date back to the Bronze Age. The museum is quite vast, covering over 2000 sqm, and is comprised of three separate buildings. We’d recommend you spend at least half a day here to be able to fully appreciate the pre-historic collections.