A rainy-day plan B for sightseeing days

A good rainy-day plan B pairs each outdoor stop with an indoor swap that is close by, covered and open on that day. One Bali guide says the rain there tends to clear quickly, and suggests a car with a driver to stay dry ^[1]. Keep the driver for the whole day so you can reorder stops without a new transfer.

This page sits in our season, activity and traveller-fit hub. Build the plan B before you leave, not on the wet morning.

What is the rule for a wet sightseeing day?

Keep the day short, covered and flexible. Plan one main outing, one backup and one rest.

If the rain clears, you do the outdoor stop later. If it does not, you swap in the indoor option and lose nothing.

Ask your driver for the drive time between each pair of stops, and put the closest indoor option next to each outdoor one. Our Bali traffic by time of day and area guide shows how long short-looking drives can take.

Which indoor swaps work for which stop?

Outdoor stop	Indoor swap	Effort	Best suited to
Rice terrace walk	Cooking class at a farm or school	Low	Families, grandparents
Waterfall or hike	Museum or art gallery	Low	All ages
Beach afternoon	Spa or family massage	Low	Parents, grandparents
Market and street wander	Silver or craft workshop	Low to medium	Older children, couples
Temple at sunset	Cafe and yoga studio stop in Ubud	Low	Couples, grandparents

These come from guides that list a half-day silver jewellery workshop and a spa in Ubud, a cooking class at an organic farm, the Bali Museum and Waterbom Bali ^[2]. Intrepid Travel adds temples, cooking classes and Ubud cafes, and advises skipping big hikes, though short walks are fine ^[4].

What should you check before the rain arrives?

Opening days and hours are the common trap. One guide warns that Waterbom and an escape-room venue close on Thursdays, that the Bali Museum closes at 3:30pm, and that venues open from around 9am ^[3]. A plan B that is closed is not a plan B.

1. Save the opening hours for each backup in your phone.
2. Ask the venue about reservations on a busy wet day.
3. Check that the toilets and seating suit grandparents and toddlers.
4. Ask whether the backup has a halal option, or whether you should bring snacks.
5. Keep a change of clothes in the car.

How do you keep children and grandparents comfortable?

Children cope better when the wet day has one hands-on activity, such as a cooking class or a craft workshop. Grandparents cope better with a short walk from car to door and a seat when they arrive. Our heat, humidity and elderly travellers guide covers pacing for the older generation.

Wet steps at temples and waterfalls need care. Walk slowly, use handrails and ask your driver to park near the entrance.

What about Batam and Bintan?

Short breaks from Johor or Singapore also need a plan B. Our Batam malls and indoor options guide lists covered options for a rainy hour, and the Bali rainy-day activities guide does the same for Bali. If you are travelling in the wet months, read our wet season guide first.