It is that time of year again. Sadly, the rainy season in Bali not only brings the risk of major flooding but also tides of plastic trash.
The issue seems to be getting worse each year, and though the island has already seen several waves of tidal trash this year, on Thursday morning, the first major wave arrived.
On Thursday, 18th December, the first major tide of ocean debris arrived on Kedonganan Beach in the popular tourism resort of Jimbaran. Best known to tourists for its oceanfront seafood restaurants and long stretches of white sand, Jimbaran is a popular resort destination for families and couples alike.
Both Jimbaran and Kedonganan are busy local fishing villages, and both beaches are often characterised by the colourful traditional jukung fishing boats that are moored along the shoreline.
This morning, the usual beachfront view looked very different. Local fishermen could be seen preparing their boats and clearing out their nets while standing ankle deep in a tide of plastic debris that had been deposited all along the length of the beach.
The wave of waste also contained organic materials like driftwood.
This will sadly be the first of many such tides of plastic waste that will land on Bali’s shores this rainy season. The first waves of waste were recorded in late November, and the worst typically hit in late December and early January.
Jimbaran Beach and Kedonganan Beach are typically the worst affected by tidal trajectories, though this issue also has devastating impacts on beaches throughout Badung Regency, from Uluwatu through Jimbaran to Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak.
Leaders in Bali are all too aware of this now-annual phenomenon and have cleanup teams on standby throughout the Badung coast to ensure waste is removed as quickly as possible, protecting public safety and enabling tourists to enjoy these world-famous beaches.
Speaking to reporters in late November, the Head of the Cleanliness and Hazardous Waste Management Division of the Badung DLHK, Anak Agung Gede Dalem, confirmed that teams will remain on standby throughout the rainy season. Dalem confirmed that there are 6 loaders, 2 beach cleaner units, 2 diggers, and 5 trucks on standby every day. This is in addition to 41 trash trucks that can be deployed if the volume of garbage increases.
He told reporters, “DLHK Badung stated that it is ready to deploy 300 cleaning personnel, while the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) is ready to deploy 1,500 personnel to assist in handling if there is a surge in garbage shipments.”
Bali Trash Tide Tracker
The annual “trash season” has arrived. Here is where the debris is washing up and where to find clean beaches right now. Click to reveal.
The Situation: The first major wave of plastic waste and driftwood hit Kedonganan and Jimbaran beaches on Thursday morning.
Outlook: This is typical for the rainy season. Expect potential waves of waste through late December and January.
High Risk: Jimbaran and Kedonganan are usually the worst hit due to tidal currents.
Moderate Risk: The entire Badung coastline, including Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Uluwatu, can experience trash tides.
Yes. Heavy machinery and over 1,800 personnel (including military) are on standby.
Timing: Cleanup crews work in the early morning to clear the sand before tourists arrive. NGOs like Sungai Watch are also actively cleaning.
Escape the Trash: If the West Coast is messy, head to these areas which are rarely affected by trash tides:
- Sanur (East/South)
- Amed (East Bali)
- Lovina (North Bali)
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This is in addition to community-organised groups who bring teams of volunteers to the worst-affected areas to coordinate and clean up Bali’s most popular beaches.
Sungai Watch is the most high-profile NGO conducting this work in Bali and regularly organizes beach-cleaning operations with its workforce and volunteers to remove waste from the beachfronts and recycle and reuse as much of the debris as possible.
Here at The Bali Sun, we know how devastating and disheartening it is to hear about tides of waste washing up on family-favorite vacation beaches.
For tourists traveling to Bali this rainy season who are concerned about the tides of plastic trash affecting their vacation, there is hope.
The cleanup teams work incredibly hard to ensure that the beaches are clear of trash as quickly as possible. Generally, these waves of waste arrive overnight, and so teams get to work in the early hours of the morning to have the beaches ready for when the public starts to arrive.
On the days when plastic waste does affect the beaches of Badung Regency from Uluwatu through to Cananggu, there are plenty of other coastal regions of Bali that remain unaffected, for example, Amed in East Bali, Lovina in North Bali, and much closer by, Sanur is seldom affected by these waves of waste.
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Martin
Sunday 21st of December 2025
I would never visit Bali again, but my partner runs a small business there. We travelled to Java last July and it was beautiful. Not dirty expensive congested and full of agressive people. You all can keep it
CJane
Monday 22nd of December 2025
@Martin, Crazy how times have changed, I remember when Java used to be the dirtier busier island…
Paul Morris
Saturday 20th of December 2025
Where is the tourist tax going certainly not going into waste management, buy the FKN incinerator that you need to get rid of all trash so as to preserve Balis natural beauty as well as creating electricity ,there are huge benefits in going in this direction. My guess is that the governor is waiting for someone else to pay for it like China or Japan this bloke couldn’t run a chook raffle he was incompetent during the pandemic and yet the Balinese people voted this clown back into power.
Steve bmi
Sunday 21st of December 2025
@Paul Morris, free tshirts
Exp
Sunday 21st of December 2025
@Paul Morris, Right on. Despite huge influx of tourists Bali is always broke so nothing serious is built without central gov. intervention (like Sanur port, Sanur Int. hospital, Benoa toll road)
Derrick
Saturday 20th of December 2025
It doesnt take much to understand the problem, it is internally created from missmanagement and denial. Who is paid to collect rubbish, who doesnt coĺect the rubbish in a timely manner? The rubbish is not from another island, nor is it from tourists. Do the maths, were does uncollected waste end up when its not collected ? Answer, in the streets, in the waterways. It is the domestic rubbish thrown out into the streets and rivers only to be washed out at sea and bought back by the tides.
Exp
Friday 19th of December 2025
Badung General Election Commission staff was photographed throwing trash bags into a drain outside office. Do not tell me this method of "trash management" is common and the source for much of the trash ending up on the beaches?
LINK
M
Saturday 20th of December 2025
@Exp, sure thing it's a common practice, I wonder you're even surprised 😅
Donkey
Friday 19th of December 2025
Can't believe people pay money to come to garbage island
Viktor Z
Saturday 20th of December 2025
@Donkey,
Too many donkeys do..