Bali’s Busiest Tourist Flight Routes Unaffected By Major Volcanic Eruption

Share The Article

Officials in East Nusa Tenggara have confirmed that Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted twice on the evening of Sunday, 20th April 2025.

The volcano has been erupting regularly for the last six months and has previously impacted flights in and out of Bali due to volcanic ash entering airspace around the Indonesian archipelago. 

Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano Observation Post Officer, Herman Yosef Mboro, confirmed in a written report published in the hours after the eruptions on Sunday night, “Two eruptions were observed with a height of 3,000 meters and [with] grey smoke.”

He added that the two eruptions were recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 14.8mm to 47.3mm with a duration of 100 seconds and 125 seconds. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pesona Flores (@flores_awesome)

Mboro added, “The eruption was accompanied by a loud band that was heard from the Lewotobi Laki-Laki PGA Post.”

Communities in the vicinity of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara have been aware of the potential for rain-induced lava floods in rivers that originate from the volcano’s slopes.

Communities in the area are also being advised to wear face masks to minimize the risk of respiratory distress due to the increased volcanic ash in the air. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wonderful Indonesia (@wonderfulindonesia)

Although Sunday night’s eruptions were sizeable, the volcanic ash that was sent up into the air did not impact flights in Labuan Bajo or Bali.

On Friday 21st March seven flights were canceled and six more severely delayed from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali after a series of eruptions from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki.

The volcanic ash impacted both international and domestic flights in and out of Bali Airport, leaving hundreds of travelers from Australia in limbo for hours as they awaited news of flight rescheduling. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Geo Volcanological Tour Consultant (@andi_volcanist)

Neither Bali Airport nor officials from Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano Observation Post have expressed concern that Sunday’s eruptions will lead to any further activity in the immediate term, though the volcano, like all active volcanos in Indonesia, remains under constant surveillance.

Speaking after the eruptions in March General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, confirmed that teams take a no-risk approach when it comes to managing responses to natural disasters.

He noted “Safety remains our top priority. We are committed to providing updates in real-time and working closely with all relevant parties.”

Tourists should be aware that Indonesia sits within what is known as the ‘Ring of Fire’ a region that regularly sees volcanic activity. Bali itself is home to active volcanos, the most famous of which is the sacred Mount Agung. 

Between now and the 3rd of May 2025 Mount Agung will remain closed to the public, including for tourist treks, not due to its seismic activity, but for religious ceremonies. Bali is a deeply spiritual province and observes Balinese Hinduism as its prevailing faith.

There is a deeply held belief that Mount Agung is the home of the gods, and as such the volcano is closed to the public at specific times throughout the year for religious ceremonies and rituals.

This time around Mount Agung will be closed for a total of 27 days as part of the Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh at Pura Agung Besakih. Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh literally translates from Balinese to mean ‘All the Gods Descend’ and during this period Mount Agung must be clear of all human presence so that the spirits can arrive on earth. 

The Head of the Besakih Traditional Village, Jro Mangku Widiartha confirmed the closure of trekking routes to the media, and confirmed that all travel and tour operators had been made aware of the situation.

He told reporters “The peak of the work will take place on the 12th of April 2025 but the series of ceremonies started several days ago and will end on 3rd May 2025.”

While Mount Agung is closed to the public, Mount Batur remains open for treks, sunrise hikes and jeep tours as per usual.