Giant Pythons Swim Through Bali's Flooded Streets

When the Waters Rose, So Did the Serpents

DENPASAR, Indonesia — The rains came and refused to leave. For nearly three days, Bali absorbed a relentless deluge that turned its celebrated beaches and temple towns into shallow inland seas. Water pooled chest-high in Denpasar's low-lying neighborhoods, swallowed the tourist corridors of Kuta and Legian, and crept through villa courtyards in Seminyak and Canggu. And then, amid the brown currents threading through the streets, residents noticed something moving with muscular purpose: massive pythons, seeking higher ground. Social media erupted with videos of reticulated pythons, some estimated at six feet or longer, gliding through the floodwaters with the ease of creatures born to it. The images shocked travelers and armchair tourists alike, conjuring a vision of Bali far removed from the serene rice terraces and beachfront yoga studios that populate glossy brochures. Here was the island in its raw, elemental state, where rising water brings not just inconvenience but ecological displacement, forcing wildlife into uneasy proximity with human settlement. "After three straight days of relentless torrential rain in Bali, streets in popular spots like Kuta and Legian have turned into knee-deep rivers. And now massive pythons 6 feet long are casually swimming through them," wrote Paul, a social media user posting under the handle @l4pablo on X, according to his February 25 post. The videos spread rapidly, amplified by accounts documenting the scale of the flooding. One compilation shared by @nexta_tv showed not only the serpents navigating submerged streets but the broader inundation: motorbikes half-swallowed by muddy water, families wading through chest-deep currents, and entire neighborhoods transformed into temporary wetlands.

A Rainy Season Unlike Recent Memory

The rainfall that began around February 22 persisted with unusual intensity, overwhelming drainage systems and causing rivers to breach their banks across southern and central Bali. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, known as BMKG, issued red alerts for multiple regencies, including Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan, Klungkung, and Karangasem. The warnings extended through February 27 and 28, cautioning residents and visitors alike about continuing risks of flooding, landslides, and hazardous sea conditions, with waves reaching up to four meters in southern waters. "These floods are no joke. Bali is facing one of the worst rainy seasons in recent history," The Bali Sun reported. The numbers tell a sobering story. Since February 22, authorities have recorded 76 weather-related incidents across the island. More than 350 people have been displaced, with roughly half of those evacuations concentrated in Denpasar, the provincial capital. Water levels reached one meter in some areas, forcing evacuations by rubber boat and prompting swift response from local police and emergency services. Ngurah Rai International Airport remained operational throughout the crisis, though travelers experienced delays as the weather system persisted. For those already on the island, the flooding disrupted access to popular beach clubs, temples, and the lush interior around Ubud, where landslides posed additional hazards on rain-slicked mountain roads.

Pythons and the Logic of Displacement

For those unfamiliar with tropical ecosystems, the sight of large pythons swimming through urban streets might suggest aggression or invasion. In truth, it represents something more prosaic: survival. Reticulated pythons are accomplished swimmers, capable of moving efficiently through water in search of prey or refuge. When their typical habitats, often riverbanks, mangroves, or forested wetlands, become inundated or otherwise inhospitable, they disperse in search of drier ground or concentrated food sources. Flooding forces rodents, birds, and other small animals into tighter corridors, often along elevated roadways or into human structures. Pythons, opportunistic predators, follow. The behavior is neither unusual nor aggressive; it is the predictable consequence of a landscape in flux. Still, the convergence of python and pavement creates undeniable unease, particularly for travelers unaccustomed to sharing space with large constrictors. The videos circulating online captured that tension: the strangeness of a wild predator navigating an environment built for scooters and delivery trucks, moving with calm deliberation through water that had erased the usual boundaries between wilderness and settlement.

The Human Response: Rescues, Alerts, and Adaptation

Bali's police force and emergency responders moved swiftly to evacuate residents and visitors from the hardest-hit areas. According to an official update from Bali Police, "Personnel not only helped evacuate residents to safer locations but also rescued pets, demonstrating their concern for the safety of all living things affected by the disaster." No fatalities have been reported, a testament to both the island's disaster preparedness and the cooperation of its communities. Authorities urged continued vigilance, particularly as red alerts remained in effect and forecasts predicted further rainfall. The BMKG's warnings emphasized the dual threats of flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in the island's steep, terraced interior. For travelers planning visits to Bali in the coming weeks, the flooding serves as a reminder of the island's climatic realities. The wet season, typically spanning November through March, can bring sudden, intense rainfall that transforms the landscape overnight. While infrastructure has improved markedly in recent years, the island's topography and rapid development mean that heavy rain still poses significant disruption. The pythons, meanwhile, will retreat when the waters recede, slipping back into the quieter margins where flood and forest meet. But their brief, surreal passage through Bali's streets will linger in the collective memory, a vivid reminder that even in paradise, nature retains the capacity to surprise.