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If you have recently booked or have been looking at booking a Bali villa, then the recent Bali volcano scare might have crossed your mind. When we travel, we like to know that the places we will be visiting will be safe. Unfortunately, the threat of a volcanic eruption in late 2017 interrupted the travel plans of thousands of people worldwide. Some flights were grounded or interrupted, while the threat of a volcanic disaster prevented many tourists from enjoying their stay in Bali.

Now, months after the event, there is one huge question that remains on people’s minds – what is the chances of the volcano erupting again? Well, keep reading for an answer.

What started the scare?

In the second half of 2017, scientists began to notice increased seismic activity in and around Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano. This prompted them to issue volcano warnings for the surrounding area and caution international tourists planning on visiting the island.

Following increasing activity, the alert was increased to the highest level in September 2017, as the volcano appeared likely to erupt any day. However, it didn’t seem to become any more active, even calming down enough for the authorities to reduce the warning level briefly at the start of November.

This warning was quickly increased towards the end of November, and the first eruption finally happened on the 21st of November 2017. Although this eruption caused vast clouds of volcanic ash to surge into the sky, interrupting several flights in the area, it was nowhere near as severe as expected. Multiple small eruptions have happened since, but there has been no significant threat to lives or to people’s safety.

Is Mount Agung likely to erupt again?

The short answer is yes; we will probably continue to see small eruptions over the next few months as the volcano releases pent-up pressure. However, the chances of a significant eruption are minimal, meaning there is no reason to delay your travels due to its threat. Although volcanic events are notoriously difficult to predict, there is no reason to think that a major eruption is coming in the near future.

So, should you be worried?

Again, not. There is very little chance of Mount Agung impacting your travel plans in the foreseeable future. There might be a few minor eruptions in the upcoming months, but they probably won’t mean anything more than a great photo opportunity.

Now is probably a better time than any to visit Bali. Fears about the volcano may result in lower tourist numbers. This means that things won’t be as busy if you visit now, and you will probably have a better time. So, forget about the volcano, take out some decent travel insurance that will cover you if something happens (there is always a tiny chance of an unpredictable event), and enjoy your holidays!