When is the rainy season in Bali?
When is the rainy season?
The rainy season runs roughly from November to March, and it’s at its most unpredictable in between.
My first winter was the least rainy of the three. When I went through my photo albums for this article, I found photos in sunshine from every single week, and when it did rain it only lasted a few hours. In 2024 I came back in September to bright sunshine with only a few rainy days, and I explored waterfalls in November without any problems. The weather doesn’t follow the calendar strictly, and I also had a few properly rainy weeks in the summer months, even in August. From March onwards things usually improve again (my birthday is in March, and I’ve had amazing weather on it every time).
Is Bali worth it in the rainy season?
I loved Bali in the rainy season. So I’d say it’s definitely worth it if you’re a digital nomad or long-term traveller with no time pressure.
The reason many people in my network and I prefer spending the rainy season in Bali is that it brings more long-term visitors and fewer short-term tourists. Many Europeans I know spend the whole winter in Bali and go back for the European summer. It’s quieter and cosier, and there’s less summertime FOMO, which makes it the perfect time to lock in on work, fitness, finding yourself or whatever your goal is. You still get enough sunny days every month and have tropical temperatures.
Sunny rice field walk during Bali rainy season, end of NovemberShould tourists visit in the rainy season?
If you only have 10 days or two weeks, I’d choose the beginning or the end of the season, so a few bad days don’t ruin half of your trip. As a tourist travelling from Europe, I’d go during the European summer months.
If Bali is a stop-over for you on your way from or to Australia, I’d say it’s still worth going during the rainy season, as there’s plenty to do and it’s a nice way of breaking up the long flight times.
What is it like to live and work in Bali in the rainy season?
Life runs pretty normally, because Bali is used to the rain. Things rarely got cancelled in the three winters I lived there, and I still went to padel, the gym, CrossFit and yoga, and to the coworking spaces. The food places stay open and people still go out at night.
When it rains, it really pours, so it feels like standing in a shower and never like the drizzle we know in Europe. Usually it’s followed by some sunshine, so you often get both kinds of weather in one day. The worst that happens is that you’re stuck in your hotel or villa for a day because some roads are blocked. You also need to get used to you or your friends constantly being a little late because you’re waiting for the rain to stop.
Rainy garden view while waiting for it to stop to leave the housePractical points from my winters
- Power cuts: There were some in Canggu and the surrounding area, but they were usually over within a few hours. I never spent more than half a day without electricity, and you can normally drive 15 minutes and find a place that has power. I always kept an eSIM as a backup for when the wifi went down with the power.
- Food delivery: Grab drivers sometimes don’t deliver, or delivery takes several hours because everyone orders at once, so keep some food at home.
- Prices: I paid the same monthly price for my accommodation all year. Christmas and New Year were more expensive because it’s so busy, but flights were a little cheaper.
- Mould: It’s a problem in Bali all year, so always check your accommodation before you commit long-term. I stayed mostly in modern places and had only one occasion with water dripping in. There are stories of water coming through the roof from friends though.
- Temperature: It felt a few degrees warmer to me than in the dry season.
What gets harder in the rainy season?
In short
Anything on or in the water, and anything high up, can be a little more challenging to plan in rainy season.
- Surfing and snorkelling: Rivers overflow and flow into the ocean, which can lead to increased trash in the water after heavy rains. You can still surf, but there are days when you’ll rather stay out of the water.
- Boat trips: Ferries are less reliable. Especially smaller speedboats feel a little dodgy in storms and high waves, so I’d always avoid them.
- Other islands: I’d skip the Gili Islands if the forecast is bad, because all you can do there is snorkel and enjoy the beach. The Komodo tours from Flores only run partially in the rainy season.
- Volcano hikes: Heavy rain makes the climb more dangerous. I hiked Bromo and Ijen in April without any weather problems, and on a sunny day in the rainy season it’s less crowded.
- Driving across the island: Roads that go downhill into a little valley are often flooded. Most roads are fine, with the usual puddles, but heavy rain tends to start as soon as you reach higher areas. Coming back from a waterfall in the north, I got caught in a thunderstorm and had to wait it out for several hours.
- Ubud: The rain affected me more there than in Canggu or Uluwatu, because the roads are narrow, busy and full of ups and downs where water collects.
My rain poncho and helmet, always ready in the scooterWhat is there to do when it rains?
There’s still plenty to do in Bali on rainy days, as long as you stay in one of the bigger areas. There are workshops, classes on almost everything, gyms, wonderful shops and cafés, and spa days, my personal favourite rainy-day activity. Bali has tons of cosy places, and even things like escape rooms if you get really bored.
What should you pack for the rainy season in Bali?
Rainy season packing list
- A foldable rain cape, which I always kept in the back of my scooter or in my bag when I took scooter taxis.
- A few long items, like a hoodie. It doesn’t get cold, but a hoodie makes rainy evenings feel cosier.
- Digital nomad insurance, so you’re covered should you slip with your scooter.
- Everything else you’d pack for the dry season. I’ve created a packing list for men and women for Southeast Asia with all my essentials.
Conclusion: Is the Bali rainy season worth it?
After three winters of living there, I’d say yes for digital nomads with time to spare. You get a quieter Bali, a community of long-term people and enough sunny days to keep your routines going. The activities that suffer most, like boat trips, snorkelling, surfing and volcano hikes, are easy to do spontaneously during good periods. If you’re booking a short holiday, I’d advise you to aim for the beginning or the end of the season and to keep a few indoor plans ready for the wettest days.
| What works well | What gets harder |
|---|
| Quieter, cosier Bali that is good for focused work | Boat trips and ferries are less reliable |
| A community of long-term people | Surfing and snorkelling are affected by trash after rain |
| Enough sunny days every month | Volcano hikes are riskier in heavy rain |
| Gym, coworking, food and nightlife carry on | Driving across the island is harder |
| Same monthly accommodation price | Power cuts, delivery delays and mould |
Every rainy season is different, and my rainy seasons were on the lighter side, so this can change from year to year.
