Bali Strait ferry weather
Check waves, wind and changing marine conditions across Bali Strait today and tomorrow, with guidance for the Ketapang-Gilimanuk ferry crossing.
Bali Strait is narrow, busy and strongly affected by local current as well as wind and waves. ASDP provides the final source for operational changes.
Bali Strait outlook
Waves to 0.4 m · 13 kt winds · gusts 17 kt
Calm outlook for most ferry passengers.Waves to 0.4 m · 14 kt winds · gusts 18 kt
Calm outlook for most ferry passengers.Currently looking broadly similar to today and tomorrow.
5-day trend · Lower confidenceGenerally comfortable conditions on a conventional ferry.
Bali Strait weather is about current as well as waves
The Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing links Java and Bali across a narrow strait. Because the route is short, passengers can easily assume the weather at either port tells the whole story. It does not: current speed and direction, gusts and changing wave conditions can all affect manoeuvring and crossing comfort.
BMKG publishes dedicated route forecasts for Bali Strait that include weather, visibility, wave height, wind, gusts and sea-current speed and direction. That is a useful clue for travellers: on this crossing, current deserves a place beside the usual wave forecast.
Bali Strait wave forecast
Use the wave map for the background sea state, then compare it with the BMKG route forecast. A relatively small wave height does not necessarily mean the crossing is operationally simple if current and gusts are strong around the ports.
Why sea current matters on Ketapang-Gilimanuk
BMKG’s route product does something many generic weather apps do not: it shows current in centimetres per second and gives the direction of flow. That can be useful even when the wave forecast looks calm.
For example, BMKG route output can show a strong current at the same time as relatively small waves and light sustained wind. That is why a ferry operator may still need extra care during manoeuvring or may adjust operations even when the sea does not look dramatic from shore.
Passenger movement
Wave height gives the clearest first indication of how much movement you may feel during the short crossing.
Ship handling
Strong flow through the narrow strait can affect the ferry differently from wind-generated surface waves.
Port operations
Sudden wind changes are especially relevant close to the ramps, berths and harbour approaches.
Ketapang-Gilimanuk ferry weather
The Java-Bali ferry connection operates at very high frequency. During busy periods ASDP can run dozens of vessels and hundreds of trips in a day, so weather disruption can quickly create queues on land as well as delays on the water.
ASDP reported in July 2026 that changing wind speed and wave height were causing the route to operate with situational opening and closing. That makes the operator status particularly important on days with unstable marine weather.
Java and Bali are one hour apart
Ketapang uses Western Indonesia Time (WIB, UTC+7), while Gilimanuk uses Central Indonesia Time (WITA, UTC+8). The short ferry therefore crosses a time-zone boundary.
When comparing an operator departure with a weather forecast, make sure the forecast hour matches the local side of the strait you are reading. This is especially useful around weather warnings, reopening times and peak travel periods.
Complete the Bali Strait weather check
Use FerryWeather for the passenger-facing sea picture, BMKG for route-level marine details and ASDP for the actual operating status.