Islands · When to go
The best time to visit Bali, month by month
Dry-season cliffs or green-season terraces, a day when the whole island falls silent, and sunfish rising from cold water off Nusa Penida.
Photo: Unsplash
The short answer
When to go, in one paragraph
The best time to visit Bali is the dry season, April to October, when August averages around one rainy day and the west-coast surf runs clean. For the best balance of sunshine, space and price, aim for May, June or September, either side of the July and August peak. The wet season, November to March, brings short heavy downpours, the greenest rice terraces and lower prices, except over Christmas and New Year.
- For sunshineJun to SepThe driest months, with nine to ten hours of sun a day and one to five rainy days a month.
- For value and spaceMay & SepDry weather either side of the summer rush, before and after the peak prices.
- For green terracesFeb to AprYoung rice turns the terraces their brightest green, with showers rather than all-day rain.
Checked on 16 October 2026 against Weather2Travel: Bali weather by month, Travelzoo: When is the best time to visit Bali and Bali.com: Nyepi and Bali New Year, the complete guide.
Pick your month
Turn the year
- October
- Hot, mostly dry and calmer, with around three rainy days. The last month of the sunfish season and the dry season itself.
- What's on
- Last of the mola mola; Amed diving
- Prices
- Shoulder
Dry seasonShoulderWet season
Bali month by month
- JanuaryWet season · Low, after the first weekThe wettest month, around 20 rainy days, though storms tend to pass in a few hours. Quiet and cheap once the New Year crowds leave. Galungan 13 Jan, Kuningan 23 Jan 2027; east-coast surf.
- FebruaryWet season · Low, the best villa rates of the yearWarm, humid and green, with fewer visitors than almost any other month. Good for spa retreats in Ubud and surfing Keramas. Rice terraces turning green; Keramas surf.
- MarchWet season · LowRain eases towards the month's end. Plan round Nyepi: the island stops for 24 hours and the night before is the most theatrical of the year. Nyepi 8 Mar 2027; ogoh-ogoh parades 7 Mar.
- AprilShoulder · Shoulder, quiet before summerThe dry season begins, rainy days fall to around 11 and the terraces are still lush. One of the most rewarding months for a first visit. Green terraces, west-coast swells return.
- MayShoulder · Shoulder, strong valueSunny, settled and uncrowded, with about seven rainy days and ten hours of sun. Underwater visibility around Nusa Penida is often very good. Clear water for diving; Uluwatu surf.
- JuneDry season · High from late JuneDry and slightly cooler, with nine hours of sun a day. Calm early in the month, busier once Australian school holidays begin. Rice harvest at Jatiluwih; Uluwatu in form.
- JulyDry season · Peak: book villas 6 to 9 months aheadClassic dry-season weather and the busiest month, with Australian and European holidays overlapping. Book well ahead and base yourself away from Kuta. Mola mola season opens; west-coast surf.
- AugustDry season · PeakThe driest month, averaging one rainy day, with a cooler sea at around 26°C. Busy everywhere, but the weather is as reliable as Bali gets. Galungan 11 Aug, Kuningan 21 Aug 2027; mola mola.
- SeptemberDry season · Shoulder, better villa availabilityArguably the sweet spot: still dry, sea visibility is good and visitor numbers fall after the August peak. Our pick for a luxury stay. Mola mola at Crystal Bay; quieter beaches.
- OctoberShoulder · ShoulderHot, mostly dry and calmer, with around three rainy days. The last month of the sunfish season and the dry season itself. Last of the mola mola; Amed diving.
- NovemberWet season · LowThe rains return in short afternoon bursts, about eight rainy days. Quiet and good value, and the east coast surf starts to work. East-coast surf at Keramas and Nusa Dua.
- DecemberWet season · Peak from 20 Dec, minimum stays applyWet and warm, with the sea at 29°C. Quiet for most of the month, then full from around 20 December for Christmas and New Year. Festive season in Seminyak and Ubud.
February to April · Ubud
The terraces at their greenest
Wet rice goes in when the rains arrive around November, and by February to April the stalks are up and the terraces around Ubud, Tegallalang and Jatiluwih glow a bright green and yellow. This is the season the postcards were shot in. The trade is rain: showers are frequent in the hills and afternoons often turn misty, but mornings are usually clear, the paths are quiet and hotel rates sit at their lowest. The subak irrigation system that feeds these fields has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 2012, and walking it in the green season shows you why.
Arrive at Jatiluwih between 8am and 10am. It gets busy by lunchtime and the afternoons are often misty, so pack a light rain jacket.
April to October · Uluwatu
Cliffs, swell and sunset on the Bukit
When the south-east trade winds set in for the dry season, they blow offshore along the Bukit peninsula and the famous west-coast reefs come alive: Uluwatu, Padang Padang, Bingin and Impossibles. Even if you never paddle out, this is the time to be on the cliffs, with long dry evenings, the sea a deep teal below the temple and clifftop bars filling for sunset. Stay on the Bukit rather than in Kuta, and you trade traffic for space, open views and the sound of the swell. June to September are the most reliable months.
Wet-season winds swing north-west and can blow out the Bukit breaks. Surfers visiting November to March should head to Keramas or Nusa Dua on the east coast.
8 March 2027 · Island-wide
Nyepi, the day Bali falls silent
Nyepi, the Balinese new year, falls on Monday 8 March in 2027. On the evening before, villages parade ogoh-ogoh, giant papier-mâché demons, through the streets from around sunset until late, in Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak and almost everywhere else. Then, from 6am, the island stops for 24 hours. Shops and restaurants close, roads are patrolled by the pecalang village guards, and guests must stay within their hotel grounds. With no lights and no traffic, the stars over Bali are extraordinary. Treat it as a day of rest at a good resort, not a day lost.
Ngurah Rai airport has closed for the full 24 hours of Nyepi in recent years, including 2026. Do not plan to fly in or out on 8 March 2027.
July to October · Nusa Penida
Mantas all year, sunfish in the cold
Reef manta rays are seen all year at Manta Point off Nusa Penida, so you can snorkel with them whatever month you choose. The rarer prize is the mola mola, the ocean sunfish, which rises from deep water to be cleaned on the reefs from July to October, when upwelling brings colder water to the surface. Crystal Bay is the classic site, with dives typically between 20 and 40 metres. It is serious diving, with strong currents, so book with an experienced operator and come with a few logged dives behind you.
Water can drop to 16 to 22°C in mola mola season, and colder below the thermocline. Ask for a 5mm wetsuit rather than the usual shorty.
April to October · Amed and Sidemen
The quieter east, under Mount Agung
East Bali runs at a different pace. Amed's black-sand bays and fishing boats sit beneath the cone of Mount Agung, and the dry season, April to October, brings calm water and clear visibility for snorkelling and diving along the coast and at nearby Tulamben. Inland, Sidemen's valley of terraces is a gentle base for walks and weaving villages. Agung itself is sacred, and climbing routes close for weeks around major ceremonies at Besakih temple: late March to late April in 2026, for example. Check before planning a summit.
Amed gets more sun than much of the surrounding coast. Pair two nights here with Ubud for a contrast of sea and rice-terrace hills.
- 18h
- Average Heathrow to Denpasar journey, one stop; there are no direct flights
- 1
- Average rainy days in August, the driest month
- 24h
- Nyepi shutdown, from 6am on 8 March 2027
- 26 to 29°C
- Sea temperature through the year
Planning the trip
Where to go, how long, and how to get there
Bali is small on the map but slow on the road, so split your stay between two or three bases rather than moving every night. Ten days to two weeks suits most luxury trips: time for the hills, the coast and an island hop, with a day to recover from a long flight from London.
- Base oneUbud and the hillsThree or four nights among the terraces and river valleys for walks, temples, yoga and spa time. Works in every season, and arguably best in the green months, when the fields are at their brightest and hotel rates at their gentlest.
- Base twoThe Bukit and UluwatuCliff-top villas and resorts for sunsets, surf and beach clubs. Best in the dry season, when the south-east trades blow offshore. Choose this over Seminyak if you value space and sea views over nightlife and shopping.
- Day trip or two nightsNusa PenidaA fast boat crossing puts you among dramatic sea cliffs and manta cleaning stations. Mantas are seen all year; come July to October if you dive and want a chance of mola mola. Two nights beats a rushed day trip.
- Slow finishAmed or SidemenEnd in the east for calm water, black-sand coves and views of Mount Agung. Best April to October, when seas are clearest. Allow a long transfer from the south, and break it with lunch in Sidemen.
Getting there from the UK
There are no direct flights from London to Denpasar. Most travellers connect through the Gulf or South East Asia, with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Turkish, KLM and others serving the route. The average Heathrow to Denpasar journey is about 18 hours with one stop. In business class, a night in Singapore or Abu Dhabi breaks the trip well.
When to book
For July and August, book villas and the best hotels six to nine months ahead; the top properties often go by February or March. The same applies to Christmas and New Year, from around 20 December to 5 January, when prices jump fast and many villas set three to five night minimum stays. Expect accommodation in peak weeks to cost 30 to 60% more than in low season.
Dates to plan round
Nyepi falls on 8 March 2027, with the airport expected to close for 24 hours. Galungan, the island's great temple festival, falls on 13 January and 11 August 2027, with Kuningan ten days later each time. Mount Agung climbs pause for weeks at a time during major Besakih ceremonies, so check before booking a summit trek.
Questions people ask
The best time to visit Bali, answered
What is the best time to visit Bali?
April to October, the dry season, gives the most reliable weather, with August the driest month. May, June and September are the best balance: dry and sunny but without the July and August crowds and prices. The wet season, November to March, is quieter and greener, with heavy but usually short downpours.
Which months should I avoid in Bali?
No month is a write-off. January and February are the wettest, with frequent heavy showers, though storms often pass within a few hours. July, August and the fortnight around Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive, so avoid them if you prefer quiet beaches and better villa rates.
When is Nyepi in 2027, and what closes?
Nyepi falls on Monday 8 March 2027. From 6am that day until 6am the next, Bali shuts down: shops and restaurants close, roads are patrolled and visitors must stay in their hotels, which remain open. Ngurah Rai airport has closed for the full 24 hours in recent years, so avoid flying that day.
When can you see manta rays and mola mola at Nusa Penida?
Manta rays are seen all year at Manta Point, so any month works for snorkelling or diving with them. Mola mola, the ocean sunfish, appear from July to October, when cold upwelling water reaches the reefs. Crystal Bay is the best known site; expect strong currents and water as cold as 16°C.
When is the surf season in Bali?
It depends on the coast. In the dry season, April to October, south-east trade winds blow offshore on the west coast, so Uluwatu, Padang Padang and Bingin are at their best. In the wet season, November to March, north-west winds favour the east coast, with Keramas and Nusa Dua the usual choices.
How long is the flight from London to Bali?
There are no direct flights. The average journey from Heathrow to Denpasar is about 18 hours with one connection, usually via the Gulf or South East Asia. Many travellers break the trip with a stopover night, which makes the most sense on longer stays of ten days or more.
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