- What is the weather like in Bali at the moment?
- I have been watching the weather forecast in Bali. Is it really raining all the time?
- How's the weather in Bali next week please?
- Can anyone tell me what the weather is currently like in Bali?
A question asked many times by first time travelers soon to arrive or planing to go to Bali, trying to figure out which month is the best to visit the island.
The short answer is: “Bali is an all year round destination!”
There are two main seasons in Bali. The dry season and the wet season. Usually dry season starts from April till late October and the wet season from November till March.
“Is it fine to visit Bali in the wet season or will it be raining all day?”
Most people are probably worried as they do check their weather apps which often do show heavy rain and thunder all day long during the peak months of the wet season. However it is probably safe to say that those tools don’t always show the correct wether data when it comes to Bali (and probably other tropical destinations too). Most likely those apps make their assumptions based on the high humidity levels and the relation those have with the likelyhood of rain.
Humidity obviously is high during the wet season and so are temperatures. Or at least the “felt temperature” as it is closely related to the humidity in the air. 25º Celcius (77º F) are feeling less hot with an air humidity of say 80% compared to one with 90% or more.
Yet it usually does not rain all day, no! When it rains it pours in Bali’s wet season but those downpours seldom last for more than one hour before the sun comes out again. They are actually quite a sight and fun to experience. Even when you get caught outside by surprise, the rain is warm and fun, at least in the coastal areas. Take shelter, in a bar or cafe, wait it out and you will be good to go in a short while.
In Bali’s interior and mountains the clouds and rain can linger longer and one might experience an entire day or more under cloud cover. Yet these also help to keep temperatures in those areas cooler.
Dry season seems to be the preferred by some travelers as temperatures are lower and humidity also is . But it is also the beginning of Bali’s busy season. Probably also because many countries having their school holidays during this time of the year, meaning crowds and traffic getting more, hotels and accommodations raise their prices, all while the high demand on tours and transport can make it more difficult to explore Bali and certainly more expensive.
Last, but not least, in Bali also the weather and seasons are shifting. Statistic averages don’t seem to apply all the time anymore. Usually the first heavy rains of the wet season started in the beginning of January yet this year (2020) we almost had to wait till mid February to get our long expected rain. Will it stop raining before the dry season is supposed to begin in Bali? If we only could predict the weather.
In the end it all comes down to preferences and as mentioned in the beginning:
Bali certainly is a destination that can be visited all year round.
Don’t mind the crowds and prefer it a bit cooler? Visit in July or August. Would you like it a bit more quiet and you don’t need to hang out the entire day at the pool or the beach? November or February and March might be just your cup of tea.
