Bali is a wonderful place to visit year-round, complete with a collection of things to see and do that would suit any travel plan. The best time is not necessarily determined by the weather but by your own personal preferences, and the following factors will help you to decide what time of year will best fulfil your particular needs and expectations.
• Rainy season
Bali’s weather is typified by sunny, tropical days and balmy nights. It is mostly warm and humid with temperatures that range from 26 to 31 degrees Celsius throughout the year, with the major seasonal difference falling between the dry and wet seasons. The dry season, from mid-April to mid-October, sees blue skies and sunny days, and is certainly thought of as being one of the best times to visit Bali because the sun is nearly always shining and the sea enticing, but it also means that Bali is a lot busier at this time. The hot wet season falls from mid-October to mid-April and is definitely more humid with frequent storms. Torrential downpours come in intervals, hammering down in short bursts. However, this rainfall does little to impact on tours and activities, the rain is often at night, often localised, and there are even periods of no rain at all for quite a few days in a row. August is the coolest month with brisk breezes. January and February are generally the wettest months with late afternoon thunderstorms. April and October are transitional months, and humidity is around 75 percent year-round.
• Holidays and Festivals
Bali hosts an exciting array of festivals and holidays throughout the year, ranging from colourful cultural festivals to modern events – including yoga & dance, writer & reader, culinary, and music festivals for special interest groups. Balinese Hindu holidays include the intertwined festivals of Melasti and Nyepi, which take place in March, and the Pager Wesi commemoration of the creation of the universe, which occurs every 210 days. June is the month of the Bali Arts Festival – a fiesta of Balinese and Indonesian artistic traditions, while the thrilling ‘Mekare-kare’ theatrical fight, utilising prickly pandanus leaf whips, takes place in June or July between the young men of the village of Tenganan, near Candidasa. From July to November, you can witness the Negara Buffalo Races, where highly decorated bulls and chariots compete against each other. The Bali Kite Festival begins in July, when the winds are strong, at Padanggalak, near Sanur. The Bali Spirit Festival is an international celebration of yoga, dance and music, held near Ubud in April each year, while in May, the Ubud Food Festival is a three-day culinary extravaganza. The Ubud Village Jazz Festival is held annually in August; the Balinale International Film Festival takes place every September, and the Vegan Festival is held in early October, followed in late October by the international Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.
• Peak & Off Peak Seasons
Peak and off peak seasons may also affect your decision on when to visit Bali as the most popular times are not only the busiest but also more expensive. Throngs of visitors descend on the island during school holiday times in July and August, driving up rates for everything from airfares and hotels to taxis and tour packages. Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, and Easter also feature major increases in tourist traffic. Off peak seasons are cheaper in an attempt to attract more visitors, and some of the best deals can be had at this time.
• Surfing
Bali is a hot spot for surfing, which is possible year-round. However, April to October, the dry season, is the best time for waves, when the trade winds favour surfing the western side of the coast. During the wet season, November thru’ March, the tides and winds favour the eastern coast. The island therefore gets some kind of surf most of the year round, while its unique geography means that it is only a short drive from the western coast of the Bukit Peninsula to the east. Unsurprisingly, the dry season is more popular for surfing but is can also get very busy, with many of the best-known spots getting dangerously crowded.
Explore the island with InterContinental Bali Resort “Breakfast On Us”. Discover the authentic experiences to make your stay truly memorable.
