Guide CLXXIII — Asia — Calendar
Best Time to Visit Bali: A Month-by-Month Guide
Dry season, wet season and the weeks in between — what Uluwatu, Ubud and the north-east deliver each month, and when villa rates actually fall.
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Uluwatu, Bukit Peninsula
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Bali, Indonesia
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The short version
Bali's dry season runs April to October and its wet season November to March. That is the whole calendar in one line, but the useful detail sits in the shoulders: May, June and September are dry, green and far quieter than the July-August peak, and they cost a third less.
The wet season is not a write-off. Rain arrives in heavy afternoon bursts rather than all-day drizzle, the island is at its greenest, and a clifftop villa in Uluwatu in February is one of the best-value luxury weeks in Asia. Nyepi, the island's day of silence in March, closes everything including the airport for 24 hours — plan around it or lean into it.
Bali month by month
| Month | South coast (Uluwatu, Canggu) | Ubud and the highlands | North-east and the islands | Rate character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wet, warm, dramatic surf on the west | Lush, heavy afternoon rain | Choppy crossings to Nusa Penida | Low after the first week |
| February | Wettest month; quiet beaches | Greenest of the year | Diving visibility variable | Lowest of the year |
| March | Rain easing; Nyepi closes the island | Rice terraces at their fullest | Improving late | Low |
| April | Dry season opens; excellent | Warm, bright mornings | Manta season around Penida | Shoulder |
| May | The month to book — dry, calm, uncrowded | Perfect walking weather | Flat seas, clear water | Shoulder; best value of the dry season |
| June | Dry, breezy, building crowds | Cool nights, clear skies | Mola mola season begins | Shoulder rising |
| July | Peak — busy, dry, windy on the west | Busy but beautiful | Best diving of the year | Peak |
| August | Peak of the year; traffic heavy | Full, festivals throughout | Excellent, crowded dive sites | Peak |
| September | The connoisseur's month — dry and calmer | Warm, quiet, green | Still superb underwater | High easing to shoulder |
| October | Last dry weeks, first storms late | Humid, occasional downpours | Seas building | Shoulder |
| November | Wet season opens; quiet | Rain most afternoons | Crossings less reliable | Low |
| December | Wet but festive; villas fill late | Lush and empty until Christmas | Variable | Low, then a hard festive peak |
Booking windows that actually matter
- August in Uluwatu, Canggu or Seminyak: book by February. The best cliff villas go first and do not come back.
- Christmas and New Year: March for a villa with a chef and a driver; the festive fortnight prices like a different island.
- Nyepi in March: the airport closes for 24 hours and no one leaves their accommodation — book a villa you are happy to stay inside.
- May, June and September: six to eight weeks is usually enough, and rates sit roughly a third below August.
- Wet-season weeks in February: three weeks out is fine, and the same house can cost half the August rate.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best month to visit Bali?
- May, June or September. All three sit inside the dry season but outside the July-August crowd peak, so you get clear weather, open roads and rates around a third below peak.
- When is the rainy season in Bali?
- November to March, with February typically the wettest. Rain usually falls in heavy afternoon bursts rather than all day, and mornings are often bright.
- Is Bali worth visiting in the wet season?
- Yes, if you want value and space. The island is at its greenest, villas cost far less, and restaurants take bookings at short notice. Diving visibility and boat crossings are the real trade-off.
- What is Nyepi and how does it affect travel?
- Nyepi is Bali's day of silence in March. The airport closes for 24 hours, no one goes outside, and lights stay low. Plan arrivals and departures around it, or spend it in a villa.
Editorial note & limitations
Rates are indicative planning figures assembled from official tourism and meteorological data and connected partner inventory in September 2026, not quotations. Hotels and rentals shown on the listings pages are searched live through our booking partners; nothing here is a sponsored placement.
