The Best Time to Visit Bali (Month-by-Month)

Bali is a year-round destination, but when you go changes three things: the weather, the crowds and the price. This is the complete guide to the best time to visit Bali — including the sweet spots most people miss.

The short answer

• Best overall: May, June and September. Dry, warm, calmer — and just outside the busiest, priciest window.
• Best weather: July and August. Peak dry season, but also peak crowds and peak prices.
• Best value: February and November. Shoulder months with lower prices and fewer people.
• Cheapest: January–February. Wettest, but the lowest hotel rates of the year.

Dry season vs wet season

Bali has two seasons, not four. Temperatures stay at 30–32°C (86–90°F) all year; what changes is the rain. For a full breakdown, see Bali weather month by month.

• Dry season (roughly April–October): sunny days, lower humidity, calmer seas. Prime time. July–August and Christmas/New Year are busiest.
• Wet season (roughly November–March): hotter and more humid, with short heavy downpours — often in the afternoon rather than all day. Prices drop and the island is greener and quieter.

Best time by priority

For the best weather

July–August. Reliable sun, low humidity, calm seas and the best surf. The trade-off is crowds and the year's highest prices — book hotels well ahead.

For value and fewer crowds

May, June, September. You get near-perfect weather without the peak-season prices or busloads. September in particular is a quiet gem.

For the lowest prices

January–February (deep wet season). It rains — often in short afternoon bursts — but hotel rates are at their lowest and the landscape is at its greenest. A great time for a budget trip.

For couples and honeymoons

Shoulder season (May, June, September) gives you calm, romantic conditions without the crowds — ideal for a honeymoon.

Month by month, at a glance

• Jan–Feb: wettest, cheapest, greenest.
• Mar: wet season easing; increasingly sunny.
• Apr: dry season begins; lovely, still-green, good value.
• May–Jun: the sweet spot — dry, warm, uncrowded.
• Jul–Aug: best weather, biggest crowds, highest prices.
• Sep: excellent and quieter than August.
• Oct: mostly dry early, transitioning late.
• Nov: wet season returns; prices fall, still plenty of sun.
• Dec: wet, but Christmas/New Year is a busy, pricey peak.

Crowds and events to know

• July–August and Christmas/New Year are the two big crowd peaks — book early and expect higher rates.
• Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence, usually March) shuts the island down for 24 hours — no flights, no going out, everything closed. Beautiful and unique, but plan around it.
• Australian school holidays spike demand (Aussies are Bali's biggest visitor group), especially late June–July and late September.

When to book your hotel

For July–August or the Christmas/New Year period, book your hotel months ahead — the best-value places sell out first. For shoulder and wet-season travel you have far more flexibility and better rates.

Once you've settled on your dates, choose where to stay in Bali and compare hotels, resorts and villas to lock in your stay.