When to go — Bali

Bali runs on two distinct seasons that shape the trip very differently. The dry season — April to October — is the reference window for most travellers. Skies are clear, rainfall is rare and every outdoor activity is on the table: rice-field walks, temple visits, surf sessions, diving and snorkelling. From May through September, sunshine averages more than eight hours a day, with temperatures holding steady between 28 and 32 °C, and humidity at its most bearable levels of the year. Underwater visibility for divers heading to Tulamben, Amed or Menjangan peaks during these months, regularly topping 25 metres.

July and August coincide with European and Australian school holidays and mark the year's busiest stretch. Bali is at its fullest, prices climb 30-50%, traffic on the Kuta-Seminyak-Canggu corridor turns sluggish, and the headline sites (Tegalalang, the Monkey Forest, Uluwatu) feel crowded by mid-morning. To get the same weather without the squeeze, target April-June or September-October — the sweet spots for a first visit. The shoulder months also mean noticeably lower villa rates and easier last-minute reservations at the better restaurants in Ubud and Canggu.

The wet season (November to March) does not rule out a great trip. Rain in Bali tends to arrive in concentrated afternoon and evening bursts, leaving mornings clear for temples and markets. Landscapes peak in January and February: the rice fields look almost luminescent, waterfalls run full, and the villages have a quiet, lived-in feel. Prices drop, too, and the island feels less performative — guesthouses that are impossible to book in August have rooms going at half price by mid-January. The trade-off is rougher seas on the west coast — surf becomes powerful and unfriendly to beginners — and the occasional fully washed-out day. Best months overall: May, June and September. Sunshine, calm sea, manageable crowd levels and the kind of long, golden evenings that make every rooftop dinner feel earned. Avoid Nyepi week (the Balinese New Year, dates shift each year) if you cannot stomach 24 hours of total island shutdown — though for many returning travellers, that single day is the most unforgettable of the whole trip.