Our Wild Bali Neighbor: A Water Monitor Lizard Named Sate

February 18, 2025

Meet Sate—our unexpected (and slightly terrifying) villa guest. 🦎 We’re pretty sure he lives somewhere close, but let’s be honest, he knows exactly where we live. The first time we saw him, he was casually taking a dip in our pool. From the sheer size of him, we genuinely thought a crocodile had somehow made its way into our backyard. Panic? Oh, absolutely. 😳 But after a few moments of heart-racing chaos, we realized we weren’t dealing with a rogue croc but a very confident water monitor lizard (Biawak). Since then, Sate has become somewhat of an unwelcome yet fascinating neighbor. He sunbathes on the bathroom wall (our open-air bathroom, mind you—cue the jump scares), scales the villa like he owns the place, and every morning, we spot him climbing the same wall to catch the first rays of sunlight. It’s like his version of morning yoga. 🌞 Are we friends? No. Are we enemies? Also no. There’s a mutual respect… from a distance. A very safe distance. We lock eyes across the garden like two opponents sizing each other up, neither willing to break the uneasy truce. I’d love to say we’re getting used to him, but truthfully, every time the kids scream, “SATE’S IN THE POOL!” my brain still pictures floating chicken skewers bobbing around the pool 😂 🏊‍♀️ 🍢😂 #BaliWildlife #MonitorLizard #BaliNature #VillaLife #LifeInBali #UnexpectedGuests #ChadAndMia #BaliWithKids #OnlyInBali

**Bali’s Wild Side: Living with Sate the Water Monitor** Bali is full of surprises—lush landscapes, stunning beaches, and, apparently, unexpected villa guests. Meet Sate, our resident water monitor lizard, who has turned our tropical escape into an up-close-and-personal wildlife experience. The first time we met Sate, he was casually swimming in our pool, giving us the shock of our lives. His sheer size had us questioning if we were dealing with a rogue crocodile! Once our hearts stopped racing, we realized he was a Biawak—a native and surprisingly common reptile in Bali. Since then, Sate has made himself at home. He sunbathes on our open-air bathroom wall (a lovely surprise when stepping into the shower), scales the villa like a seasoned rock climber, and greets the morning sun with us from his favorite perch. To him, it’s routine. To us? A daily heart-stopping game of ‘Where’s Sate?’ Are we friends? Not exactly. Enemies? Also no. There’s a mutual understanding—he keeps his distance, and we nervously watch from afar. Every time the kids yell, “SATE’S IN THE POOL!” I still momentarily picture skewers bobbing around, not a massive lizard making himself comfortable. If you’re traveling to Bali with kids, prepare for some unexpected wildlife encounters. From cheeky monkeys to majestic monitor lizards, nature thrives here. Our advice? Respect the wildlife, observe from a safe distance, and maybe double-check your pool before diving in! #BaliWildlife #FamilyAdventure #UnexpectedGuests #MonitorLizardChronicles #TravelWithKids #LifeInBali