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The Best Time to Visit Bali

Bali is warm all year, so the real choice is dry season versus wet - and whether you'll pay the July-August premium for perfect weather. Here's every month rated for weather, crowds and cost, so you land in the sweet spot between sunshine, value and space.

See hotels in BaliLive prices for your dates
By Alice4 min readPublished
Table of contents
Lush green Tegallalang rice terraces with palm trees near Ubud, Bali
Photo: Philip Nalangan · CC BY 4.0

In Brief

When is the best time to visit Bali?

The best time to visit Bali is the dry season, April to October - warm, sunny days, lower humidity and calm seas, ideal for beaches, surfing and the rice terraces. July and August are the peak, busiest and priciest, so May-June and September are the sweet spots for great weather with fewer crowds. The wet season (November to March) is hot and humid with daily downpours and the year's lowest prices; December to February is the wettest.

Key takeaways

  • Best weather: April to October - the dry season, sunny and less humid.
  • Sweet spots: May-June and September - dry-season sun without the July-August crowds.
  • Cheapest: November to March (wet season), when prices drop sharply.
  • Wettest: December to February - hot, humid and prone to heavy afternoon rain.

Best time to go

April–October (dry season)

Cheapest time

November–March (wet season)

When to avoid

December–February (peak wet season)

Bali climate at a glance

Avg daytime high (°C / °F) · rainfall · season
Peak seasonGreatShoulder / valueOff-peakmore drops = wetter
  • 30°86°F
    Jan
  • 30°86°F
    Feb
  • 31°88°F
    Mar
  • 31°88°F
    Apr
  • 30°86°F
    May
  • 29°84°F
    Jun
  • 28°82°F
    Jul
  • 28°82°F
    Aug
  • 29°84°F
    Sep
  • 30°86°F
    Oct
  • 30°86°F
    Nov
  • 30°86°F
    Dec

Find your month

Every month in Bali is rated for weather, crowds and price. Drag the slider to find your sweet spot - the greener the month, the better value the trip.

Sweet spot - best value

Cheapest window: November–March (wet season)

March: $ · Low crowds · 31°C, hot, easing

See March hotels
Flights to BaliCompare fares for your month on Trip.comHotels in BaliBook earlier for peak-season datesThings to doTours & tickets in Bali

Bali month by month

Every month rated for weather, crowds and price, so you can match the trip to the month.

Peak seasonGreatShoulder / valueOff-peak
MonthWeatherCrowdsPriceWhat it's like
Jan30°C, hot, wetLow$The wettest month - hot, humid and prone to heavy afternoon downpours; cheapest prices, but the least reliable weather.
Feb30°C, hot, wetLow$Still deep in the wet season with frequent storms; lush, green and quiet, and a bargain if you can dodge the rain.
Mar31°C, hot, easingLow$The rains begin to ease and prices stay low; watch for Nyepi, the island-wide Day of Silence, when everything closes for 24 hours.
Apr31°C, warm, dryingModerate$$The dry season begins - sunnier, drier days and still-low crowds make this one of the best-value months to go.
May30°C, warm, dryModerate$$Excellent dry-season weather with low humidity and good surf, before the peak-season crowds and prices arrive.
Jun29°C, warm, dryHigh$$Reliably sunny and pleasant, with the Bali Arts Festival under way; high season builds but hasn't peaked yet.
Jul28°C, warm, dryPeak$$$Peak season - dry, sunny and slightly cooler, but the busiest and priciest, with Australian and European holidays overlapping.
Aug28°C, warm, dryPeak$$$The driest, breeziest month and the top of high season - superb weather and surf, but crowded and premium-priced.
Sep29°C, warm, dryHigh then easing$$A sweet spot - still dry and sunny with the crowds thinning after the August peak, and prices easing back.
Oct30°C, warmModerate$$The tail of the dry season with rising humidity and the first showers; good value before the wet season sets in.
Nov30°C, hot, humidLow$The wet season returns with humid days and afternoon storms; prices fall and the landscapes turn vivid green.
Dec30°C, hot, wetLow then High$$Hot and wet, but the Christmas-New-Year holidays briefly spike crowds and prices despite the frequent rain.

When to book Bali

On the table above, Jan, Feb, Mar and Nov sit in the bottom price band and Jul and Aug in the top one. Find the row that sounds like your trip.

Booking windows for Bali, by what the traveller wants
If you wantMonthsWhy
The best trip for the moneyApr, May, Jun and SepRated good above without hitting the top price band, so you are not paying peak rates for the conditions.
The lowest price, whatever the weatherJan, Feb, Mar and NovThe bottom price band. Check the weather column first, because some of these are cheap for a reason.
Peak season anywayJul and AugBusiest and dearest. This is the window where booking early changes the price, not just what is left.
To know what to skipJan, Feb, Nov and DecRated off-peak here. The low price is the compensation, not a bargain.
Check Bali hotel pricesSee what Apr, May, Jun and Sep actually costs for your dates
  • Free cancellation on most rooms
  • No booking fee
  • Prices on Trip.com

Time it right: Bali's seasonal highlights

  • Dry season

    April–October

    The prime window for beaches, surfing, waterfalls and the rice terraces - sunny days, low humidity and calm seas across the island.

  • Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence) in Bali

    Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence)

    March (date varies)

    Balinese New Year: the entire island shuts down for 24 hours - no flights, no going out, lights off. Fascinating, but plan around it.

  • Bali Arts Festival

    June–July

    A month-long celebration of Balinese dance, music and crafts in Denpasar - a cultural highlight of the early dry season.

  • Surf season

    April–October

    The dry-season swells light up the west-coast breaks (Uluwatu, Canggu, Padang Padang); the wet season favours the east coast.

Best time to visit Bali: FAQ

The timing questions travelers ask most before booking.

The cheapest months are the wet season, November to March (excluding the Christmas-New-Year weeks), when flights, villas and tours all drop sharply - January and February are the lowest. You trade some reliability for the savings: expect hot, humid days with heavy afternoon downpours rather than constant rain, and lush green scenery in return. For low prices with better weather, target the shoulder months of April or October.

Bali's wet season runs roughly November to March, peaking in December, January and February. Rain typically comes as intense afternoon and evening storms rather than all-day drizzle, so mornings are often still usable. Humidity is high throughout. The dry season (April to October) is far more reliable, with August the driest month - which is exactly why it's also the busiest.

December to February see the heaviest rain and highest humidity, so they're the months to approach with flexibility (and they're cheapest for a reason). The other consideration is July and August - the weather is perfect, but they're the most crowded and expensive, and popular spots like Ubud and the Bukit beaches get busy. For the best balance, come in May-June or September.

The shoulder months of May, June and September are arguably the best time to visit Bali. You get dry-season weather - sunny, warm and relatively low-humidity - without the July-August peak in crowds and prices. Villas and tours are easier to book and better value, the surf is good, and the island feels less hectic. April and October are also good, with a slightly higher chance of a passing shower.

For July and August - and the Christmas-New-Year peak - book flights and villas three to five months ahead, as the best-value places in Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud sell out. For the shoulder and wet seasons, four to six weeks is usually enough. Flights land at Denpasar (DPS); many travellers connect via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or major Asian hubs, so compare routings.

Bali is warm and tropical all year, with highs of 28-31°C and warm nights. The main variable is rain and humidity: the dry season (April-October) is sunny with lower humidity and calm seas, while the wet season (November-March) is hotter, more humid and prone to heavy afternoon storms. The central highlands around Ubud and the volcanoes are cooler and greener than the coastal resorts.

Staying in Bali? Book the area before the hotel

Picking the month is half of the decision. The other half is the area, because that is what sets how far you walk and what a room costs in Bali. These go into the detail:

Compare all hotels in BaliLive rates for the dates you picked
  • Free cancellation on most rooms
  • No booking fee
  • Prices on Trip.com

Continue Planning Your Trip

Photo credits (1)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.