Best Time to Visit Bali: Month by Month Guide [2026]

The best time to visit Bali is during the dry season from April to October, when consistent sunshine, low rainfall, and comfortable humidity create ideal conditions for beaches, temples, rice terrace hikes, and surfing along the island's famous coastline.

Bali's tropical climate divides neatly into two seasons. The dry season (April to October) brings 20-60mm of monthly rainfall, humidity around 60-70%, and daily highs of 27-30C. The wet season (November to March) dumps 150-350mm per month, pushes humidity to 80-90%, and brings daily afternoon thunderstorms that clear by evening.

Dry Season: April to October

The dry season is Bali at its most accessible. Skies stay blue from morning through sunset, roads are easy to navigate, and every corner of the island is open for exploration. April marks the transition from wet to dry, with showers becoming sporadic by mid-month and largely disappearing by May.

May and June are the sweet spot for value. Dry weather has fully arrived, but the European and Australian school holidays (which drive July-August crowds) have not started. Hotels in Seminyak, Canggu, and Ubud charge 20-30% less than peak-season rates. Restaurants have open tables, and you can walk into popular spots like Locavore in Ubud without a reservation.

July and August bring Bali's biggest tourist influx. Australians on winter break, Europeans on summer holiday, and domestic Indonesian travelers from Jakarta and Surabaya all converge. Seminyak's beach clubs hit capacity by noon. Ubud's Monkey Forest pathway gets congested by mid-morning. Hotel rates climb 40-60% above low-season prices, and popular villas sell out months in advance.

September and October offer an excellent late-dry-season window. Tourist numbers drop as European and Australian school terms resume, but the weather remains superb. Sunset sessions at Single Fin in Uluwatu feel spacious again, and rice terraces in Jatiluwih are bathed in warm afternoon light without the midday crowds.

Wet Season: November to March

Bali's wet season gets a worse reputation than it deserves. Rain rarely falls all day. The typical pattern is a sunny, hot morning followed by clouds building after lunch and a heavy tropical downpour between 2 and 5 PM. By dinner time, skies often clear. Travelers who schedule outdoor activities before noon lose very little to weather.

January is the wettest month, with 300-350mm of rain. Humidity sits at 85-90%, and the air feels thick and heavy. Dirt roads in rural areas (especially around Sidemen and the northeast coast) can become muddy and challenging on a motorbike. River rafting near Ubud occasionally closes when the Ayung River runs too high.

The financial incentive of wet-season travel is substantial. A private villa with a pool in Ubud that costs $150 per night in August might go for $70-90 in January. Beach resorts in Sanur and Nusa Dua offer 40-50% discounts. Flights from Australia and Singapore also drop significantly, making wet season the budget traveler's playground.

The Christmas and New Year window (December 20 to January 5) is the exception. Despite being wet season, holiday demand pushes prices back up 30-50% above the wet-season baseline. Restaurants add surcharges, and popular New Year's Eve events in Seminyak sell out weeks ahead. Book early if traveling during this period.

February and March see rainfall gradually tapering. By late March, dry days start outnumbering wet days. Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, typically falls in March. For 24 hours the entire island goes dark and silent: the airport closes, streets empty, and even hotel guests must stay on property. The night before Nyepi features spectacular Ogoh-Ogoh monster parades through villages.

Ubud: The Cultural Highlands

Ubud sits at 200-300 meters elevation in Bali's central highlands, surrounded by rice terraces, river valleys, and dense tropical forest. The higher altitude makes it 2-3C cooler than the coast, a welcome relief during hot afternoons. Morning mist often clings to the Campuhan Ridge, burning off by 9 AM to reveal sweeping valley views.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Bali's most photographed landscape, change appearance with the seasons. During wet season (December to February), freshly planted paddies create uniform sheets of brilliant emerald green. In dry season, you see a patchwork of golden harvested fields and new bright-green plantings at various stages.

The Sacred Monkey Forest in central Ubud is open year-round (daily 9 AM to 5 PM, IDR 80,000 entry). About 1,260 Balinese long-tailed macaques live among ancient temple ruins and banyan trees. Morning visits (before 10 AM) offer cooler temperatures and fewer tour groups.

Seminyak, Canggu, and the Southwest Coast

Seminyak is Bali's most polished beach town: boutique hotels, upscale restaurants (Sarong, Mamasan, Merah Putih), and the famous Potato Head Beach Club line Jalan Petitenget. The beach itself stretches for several kilometers, wide and sandy, with consistent surf for beginners. Sunsets here are legendary, especially during dry season when cloud cover is minimal.

Canggu has evolved from a quiet rice-paddy village to Bali's digital nomad capital. Co-working spaces (Dojo Bali, Outpost), specialty coffee shops, and acai bowl cafes line the main roads. Echo Beach and Batu Bolong deliver consistent surf for intermediate to advanced riders during dry season. The area has an energetic, younger demographic compared to Seminyak's slightly more mature crowd.

Uluwatu and the Bukit Peninsula

The Bukit Peninsula in southern Bali is a limestone plateau with dramatic cliff edges plunging into the Indian Ocean. Uluwatu Temple perches on a 70-meter cliff and hosts nightly Kecak fire dance performances at sunset (6 PM, IDR 150,000). The amphitheater seats fill up quickly in dry season, so arrive by 5:15 PM.

Uluwatu's surf breaks are world-class. Padang Padang, the barrel that featured in the film Eat Pray Love, fires from May to October with south swells. Bingin is a shorter, punchier left-hander accessible by a steep staircase. The main Uluwatu break is a long, peeling left suited to experienced surfers, with consistent 4-8 foot waves during peak season.

Nusa Penida and the Nusa Islands

Nusa Penida lies 45 minutes by fast boat from Sanur and has become one of Bali's most popular day trips. Kelingking Beach (the T-Rex shaped cliff) and Diamond Beach are the main draws. The island's roads are rough and hilly, requiring a motorbike or a hired driver with a 4WD vehicle. Dry season (April to October) offers calmer seas for the boat crossing and safer road conditions.

Snorkeling and diving around the Nusa Islands is extraordinary. Manta Point on Nusa Penida's south coast sees ocean manta rays year-round, but encounters peak from April to June. Crystal Bay offers a chance to see the rare mola mola (ocean sunfish) from July to October, when cold upwellings bring these deep-sea creatures closer to the surface.

Surf Seasons: West Coast vs East Coast

Bali's surf scene divides by coastline and season. The west and south coasts (Canggu, Uluwatu, Padang Padang, Bingin) fire from April to October. South-southwest swells generated by storms in the Southern Indian Ocean push consistent 3-8 foot waves into these breaks. Offshore east-southeast winds groom the faces. The biggest swells hit in July and August, attracting professional and sponsored surfers.

The east coast picks up during wet season (November to March). Keramas, a powerful right-hander, is the standout wave, hosting WSL Championship Tour events. North-northeast swells wrap around the island and combine with offshore west winds. Sanur Reef also works well during these months. Intermediate surfers often find east-coast conditions less intimidating than the heavy reef breaks of Uluwatu.

Diving and Snorkeling Seasons

Diving in Bali is a year-round activity, but visibility varies by season and site. The USS Liberty wreck in Tulamben (northeast coast), sunk during World War II, sits in just 5-30 meters of water and is Bali's most accessible wreck dive. Visibility averages 20-25 meters in dry season and 10-15 meters in wet season. The wreck is covered in coral and home to jackfish, barracuda, and occasional reef sharks.

Menjangan Island in northwest Bali has the clearest water year-round (20-40 meters visibility), protected by its position in Bali Barat National Park. The wall dives here drop 40-60 meters and are encrusted with soft coral, sea fans, and sponges. A day trip from Pemuteran takes about 30 minutes by boat.

Balinese Festivals Worth Timing Your Trip Around

Nyepi (Day of Silence) is Bali's most unique cultural experience. The night before, every village parades enormous Ogoh-Ogoh monster statues through the streets, accompanied by gamelan orchestras and torchlight. The monsters represent evil spirits being driven away before the new year. At 6 AM the next morning, silence descends: no transport, no work, no lights, no noise for 24 hours. It is an extraordinary experience of an entire island choosing stillness.

Galungan celebrations transform Bali with penjor (decorated bamboo poles) lining every road. Families visit ancestral temples, and the atmosphere is joyful and communal. Kuningan, 10 days after Galungan, marks the end of the celebration with final prayers. Because the Pawukon calendar is 210 days (not 365), these festivals fall on different Gregorian dates each year.

The Bali Arts Festival (mid-June to mid-July) at Taman Werdhi Budaya in Denpasar offers a month of traditional dance, gamelan music, woodcarving competitions, and food stalls. Performances happen daily, most with free admission. This coincides with the start of peak season, making it easy to combine culture with beach time.

Practical Tips for Every Season

Traffic in Bali is notoriously congested, especially in the Kuta-Seminyak-Canggu corridor. A 10 km drive can take 45-60 minutes during rush hour (7-9 AM, 5-7 PM). Grab (ride-hailing app) and GoJek (motorbike taxis) are the most affordable transport options. A one-hour scooter ride costs IDR 15,000-25,000 ($1-1.60). Hiring a private driver for a full day costs IDR 600,000-800,000 ($38-50).

Local warungs (small family restaurants) serve meals for IDR 25,000-50,000 ($1.60-3.20). Nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles), and babi guling (suckling pig, a Balinese specialty) are staples. Western restaurants in Seminyak and Canggu charge IDR 80,000-200,000 ($5-13) for main courses. Fine dining at restaurants like Locavore in Ubud runs IDR 1,500,000-2,500,000 ($95-160) per person for a tasting menu.

Indonesian visa rules allow 30 countries (including the US, UK, Australia, and most EU nations) to enter on a Visa on Arrival (VOA) for 30 days at a cost of IDR 500,000 ($32). This can be extended once for an additional 30 days at a local immigration office. For longer stays, apply for a B211A social visa (60 days, extendable).

ATMs are widely available in tourist areas (BCA and Mandiri have the lowest fees). Credit cards are accepted at hotels and upscale restaurants but not at warungs, small shops, or for temple entrance fees. Carry IDR 200,000-500,000 in cash for daily expenses.

Mosquitoes are present year-round but more active during wet season. Use DEET-based repellent, especially at dawn and dusk. Dengue fever cases spike in wet season. Wear long sleeves during evening outdoor dining if mosquitoes are noticeable.

Bali's appeal cuts across every season. Dry-season travelers get the most reliable weather and the widest range of activities. Wet-season travelers get dramatic landscapes, cultural intimacy, and prices that make luxury accessible. The shoulder months of April, May, September, and October split the difference perfectly. Match your priorities to the calendar, book accordingly, and Bali will deliver.

Mount Batur sunrise treks depart from Kintamani at 3:30 AM for the 2-hour climb to the 1,717-meter summit. Guides are mandatory (IDR 400,000-600,000 per person) and include breakfast cooked on volcanic steam vents at the crater rim. Dry season offers the clearest sunrise views, though clouds often roll in during wet season.

The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tabanan regency, cover 600 hectares of sculpted hillside paddies maintained through the traditional Subak irrigation system dating back to the 9th century. Entry costs IDR 40,000. The terraces are less crowded than Tegallalang and offer panoramic views of Mount Batukaru (2,276m) to the north.

Sekumpul Waterfall in northern Bali is considered the island's most spectacular cascade: a twin 80-meter fall surrounded by dense jungle. The hike down takes 30-45 minutes on a steep path with over 300 steps. Wet season (December to March) brings the most powerful water flow. Local guides charge IDR 100,000-200,000 and are recommended for the trail.