Author: Matt and Danielle
26 May 2024
Bali is one of the dreamiest islands in the world. Over the last few years, it has grown in popularity and has found its way to the top of many bucket lists. The waterfalls, rice fields, beaches and people living their best Bali life can be seen all over Instagram. If you've set your sights on Bali as your next holiday destination, how do you make sure that your trip is as epic as everyone else's looks?
Is there a bad time to visit Bali? What is Bali like in the "winter"? We are here to put all your fears at rest and explain exactly why Bali is becoming more and more of a popular holiday destination all year round.
With a tropical climate, Bali has two seasons throughout the year, unlike the 4 distinct seasons that you may be familiar with back home. The Rainy season is typically from November to April and The Dry season is usually from May to October. The Wet season, or The Monsoon season, can have storms and heavy rainfall, but it is also when the lush landscapes are at their greenest. During Bali's Rainy season, the average temperature is typically between 24°C and 29°C with high humidity. Bali's Dry season is when the island has the least rainfall. This is also the peak season for tourism, and you will likely find that the main tourist attractions are incredibly busy. The temperature is typically between 27°C and 32°C with lower humidity. during the rainy season, you can usually expect high temperatures and a couple of hours of rainfall at least every few days.
Surprisingly, Bali is still a great holiday destination during the Monsoon Season. These are the wettest months, but if you pick the right part of Bali you will be pleasantly surprised. In the South of Bali, such as in Uluwatu, typically the rain comes at night or in the early hours of the morning. If you base yourself in Ubud, which is known for getting higher rainfall, then you may find yourself looking for more indoor activities rather than watersports. Even Canggu, one of the most popular parts of Bali, can find itself in heavy rainstorms for days on end. If you are happy to visit a spa for the day or take part in a cooking class while you wait out the rain, then you can still enjoy the sunny days when they come. Bali's Wet season may have its fair share of rainy days, but it is also a great time to visit the island's most popular tourist destinations. If you have some of Bali's best waterfalls on your bucket list then you will have a good chance at having smaller crowds by visiting during the rainy season. This isn't to say you will have the best places all to yourself, but there will be significantly fewer crowds than during high season.
Top Tip: If you want to avoid as much rain as possible then stick to the south. We have lived in Bali throughout the whole of The Wet season and found Uluwatu to have the most sunny days. Any rainstorms were typically very early in the morning, and it's then blue skies again by the time you wake up.
January is usually the rainiest month in Bali with the temperature ranging between 22°C and 31°C. The high humidity can make it feel much hotter than this and the weather conditions can be quite bad at times. While the tropical showers can be often, they are usually over quickly and even during this month Bali averages 5 hours of sun per day. Again, if you want to make the most of the sunny days then we recommend visiting Uluwatu. This is also where the most beautiful beaches are.
Visiting Bali during the Rainy season also means visiting Bali during the Low season. Many people see this as being the worst time to visit, so there are fewer crowds in the most popular places. It's some of the best months to visit the most touristy destinations, and there are plenty of things to do on those rainy days. It may not be the classic best time of year to visit, but many people are now starting to see the benefits of visiting Bali during the off-season. This also means you can get better deals and lower prices on your flights, hotels, food and activities when you visit. If you like great deals then this will be a brilliant time for you to visit. What follows the rain in Bali is the lush green rice fields and nature. Bali is known for being green, and nothing can beat the shade of green that you can see all around you during the rainy season. Take the most popular destination in Bali for example, the Tegallalang Rice Terraces. If you visit during the most popular time then the rice paddies can be yellow as they may have been recently harvested. During Bali's wet season, these rice fields are long, lush and green, which actually makes it the perfect time to visit.
If you are interested in Balinese culture then The Wet season is the time of the year when there are many big ceremonies. There are New Year celebrations, and one of the biggest of them all is Nyepi. This is the "day of silence" and the main Indonesian Island that celebrates this holiday. It is a week of parades, festivals and ceremonies followed by 1-day of silence, meditation and fasting. It's a very unique time to visit the island are various sacred sites all over Bali.
Finally, we come to a huge plus. Traffic. If you are coming to Bali for the first time then be warned, as there is lots and lots of traffic almost all over the island. More tourists means more cars on the road. That makes the wet season a good time to visit because fewer tourists means less time stuck in traffic.
Don't get us wrong, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are reasons that Bali's peak season is during its hottest months. So, what are some of the problems with visiting Bali during The Wet Season?
The Bali weather can be unpredictable, to say the least. If you are the type of person who has a plan and has to stick to it, then be prepared to adapt your approach to the day and learn to go with the flow. Your plans will depend entirely on what the sky looks like when you wake up. You will have to make, or cancel plans on any given morning. Also, with the rain comes those little flying nightmares that try and ruin every Bali trip. Mosquitos are at their highest numbers during The Wet Season, so make sure to stock up on insect repellant if you want to stay scratch-free. Dengue fever is a concern in Bali too, which is an illness transferred through mosquitos, which is even more reason to wear repellant.
It is a very outdoor place so it can hinder what you are able to do on a rainy day. If you have some water sports planned then a little rain is fine, but a storm will put a stop to it. Mount Batur, an active volcano in Bali, is one of the best outdoor activities and it will be terrible in the rain. Be prepared to sit inside with a good book, or have a few indoor activities in mind for those days when the rain just won't seem to stop.
Uluwatu and the Bukit Peninsula in the south of Bali are the best places to wait for the dry weather to return. It's always a good idea to check the weather forecast before planning your outdoor activities, but in the main, you can expect a lot less rain in this part of Bali. We have been spending The Rainy season of 2023/24 in Uluwatu and at least 5-days of the week are sunny with blue skies. We have often tried to visit other parts of Bali and as soon as we get close to the Kuta area those grey clouds appear and the rain starts.
Absolutely - It's actually one of our favourite times to visit! As long as you pick the best part of Bali to visit then you get all the benefits with fewer drawbacks. South Bali is the perfect place to wait out the rain because it still has plenty of sunny days with clear skies. Different parts of the island have different weather patterns, and Uluwatu definitely has our favourite! Less rainfall, with fewer people, makes it the perfect tropical paradise.
If you want to see more of the island than just the south then there are a couple of different times that you can visit and still get less tourists. These should give you the beautiful Bali climate, with smaller crowds than peak high season.
If you really are worried about the weather in Bali during your trip then there is an alternative. If you visit during shoulder season then you are likely to get the best of both worlds. You can expect pleasant weather, fewer crowds, less humidity and do all the most popular things on your Bali bucket list. If you visit during September to October or April and May then you avoid the school holidays and get the sunny weather.
If you are happy to plan your trip to Bali during the rainy season, then it's always worth having a few activities in mind for those days when the rain just wont stop. Here are some great ways to spend those rainy days.
A Balinese Cooking Class - What better way to learn more about the incredible Balinese food? In a cooking class, you can learn how to make all your favourite dishes with fresh ingredients either from their own garden or a local market.
Spa Day - Bali is known for its relaxing spas and massages. Treat yourself to some spa treatments that will melt away any stress you have about the bad weather.
Visit a Day Club - There are so many to choose from all around the coast, and even in the centre of Bali. Omma Day Club is a great place to visit in Ubud with a beautiful view of Tegunungun Waterfall. Tis Cafe also has an amazing view of the Tegallalang rice fields. Canggu and Uluwatu both have a tonne of beach clubs you could easily spend a whole day at.
Visit the Mall - Spend some time watching a movie in the cinema, or shopping...maybe both! You'll forget all about the rain with a little retail therapy. Kuta Beachwalk is one of the most popular malls in Bali.
Make a Momento - There are so many amazing places to learn about and make beautiful arts and crafts. Whether it's made with wood, metal, stone or paint Bali has world-class artists and teachers of any art you can think of. Make your own silver jewellery, wood carving or buy something from one of the art hotspots in Ubud to take home as a souvenir.
Visit restaurants, bars and cafes - The food scene in Bali is incredible, so spend a day enjoying it all in the cute cafes and vibey bars.
Island hopping - Indonesia is bigger than Bali, so why not visit somewhere a little different? If the rain persists too much then pay a trip to somewhere like the Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is another popular tourist destination in Indonesia and typically it gets around 50% of the rainfall that Bali does. If Bali won't stop raining, then maybe somewhere throughout the rest of Indonesia will...
Embrace the rain - As long as it's a light drizzle and not a monsoon, why not do something that would get you wet anyway? Go white water rafting waterfall hopping and get some of the most beautiful waterfalls all to yourself (probably). If it is raining then we recommend hiring a car rather than riding your scooter, but embrace it and have an incredible day regardless of the weather.
We hope this helps to give you a better idea of what Bali is like during The Rainy season, or at least what you can do if it rains, and that it helps you to plan the perfect Bali trip. It is such a beautiful island filled with kind people, so much culture and some of the best things to do. For more inspiration on what to do in Bali make sure to check out our YouTube, or more of our Bali blogs.
Looking for more information on different places in Bali? Check out our other blogs and guides here.
Have we given you the travel bug? Book your flights, accommodation and travel insurance all here.
This blog may contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
Travel