As you might know, Bali has two main distinctive seasons:
- The dry season (in terms of tourism known as the “high season”) The dry season takes place during the months of April to October.
- The rainy season ( in terms of tourism known as the “low season”) The rainy or wet season runs from November to March.
Due to climate change and global warming the rainy season can fluctuate, or it can even be skipped, so it is getting harder to predict when exactly to expect more rain.
Despite of the two different seasons, it is warm and humid in Bali throughout the whole year.
In spite of the warm climate a lot of tourists tend to avoid travelling to Bali in the rainy season. The question is: should the wet season in Bali really be avoided, or is it possible to travel to Bali during this time of year?
How is the weather like in the rainy season?
The truth is, it can’t really be predicted. What we can say though, is that in general you can expect this during the rainy season at Pelan Pelan Bali:
- The days are still very hot and sunny, with sporadic rain.
- If it rains it can rain really hard, however those episodes are more occasional and don’t last too long.
- The rainfall mostly happens in the late afternoon, the evening or during the night.
- The rain showers are also very local, because of the microclimate.
- There is less rain by the coastlines, and the chances of getting caught by a rain shower are bigger when you travel more inland, closer to the mountains.
- The Southern part of the island, where our surf and yoga retreat Pelan Pelan Bali is located, is way dryer than the Northern part of Bali.
What are the advantages of travelling to Bali in the rainy season?
– It is less crowded
Since Bali is known as a piece of heaven on earth, tourism has been booming the last decade. This means that it can get really busy during the high season.
Considering that a lot of travellers are still put off by the term “rainy season”, the roads, bars, restaurants and so on are less crowded during the low season. This means smoother traffic (we don’t say smooth, since it’s still Bali) and faster service.
This also counts for the tourist attractions, like the temples, famous rice fields and waterfalls.
– Everything is cheaper during the low season
Since everything is cheaper during the low season you can make the most out of your budget. To start with, the airplane tickets are less expensive, sometimes half the price compared to the high season (if you don’t book those much in advance).
You will also pay less for transport, tours and so on.
At our surf and yoga retreat we also have lower prices during the low season.
– Nature fully comes to life
As a result of the rain, nature fully comes to life.-:
– The rice fields, trees, plants and rainforests are at their greenest.
– The waterfalls, water palaces and lake temples are even more beautiful if they are filled with plenty of water.
– The sunsets are more colourful due to the clouds, and the sky turns pink almost every night.
And even if it would occasionally rain during the day, after an episode of rainfall, the sky turns blue again and you can get a clear view of the mountains and volcanos in the distance.
Life back home tends to be a rat race. Bali is the ultimate destination to escape your busy daily life. Our retreat offers a lot of activities that you can do to relax, even in case it rains:
– Enjoy a yoga or meditation class. At our retreat Pelan Pelan Bali our yoga shala is covered, and we can close it completely in case of heavy rainfall.
– Read a good book at one of our benches, overviewing the pool, or our beautiful garden on the riverside, without getting wet.
– Go for one of our many inhouse spa treatments. We offer different types of massages, manicure and pedicure, facials, hair treatments etcetera.
– Take a cooking class with our own chefs, and learn how to prepare one of our delicious Indonesian dishes back home.
– Ask our driver to bring you to one of the nearby towns, and stroll around in the many charming shops of Canggu, Seminyak or Ubud.
One of the reasons Bali is known as a surfer’s nirvana is because you can surf all year round. The water is even warmer during the rainy season and it’s less crowded in the water, so you can pick your perfect spot in the line-up.
During the rainy season the winds can change direction from Westerly to Easterly. This might have an influence on the surf conditions on the West coast. Luckily this doesn’t happen often and if it does, we go surfing on the East-side of the island, for example to Nusa Dua or Sri Lanka.
However considering that we go surfing early in the morning and there is less wind at that time, the waves are perfectly surfable on the Westside of the island as well, even in the wet season.
As we explained, the temperatures in Bali are more or less the same throughout the whole year. It can be really hot, and after the rain it tends to cool down a little bit, which can feel like a welcome refreshment.
So should you travel to Bali during the wet season, or avoid it?
We don’t see any reason why not to travel to Bali during the rainy season.
After all, you are still in Bali, the island of stunning nature, an enriched culture, delicious food and kind-hearted people. Come and admire the nature at its fullest pride and let yourself be amazed by the breathtaking sunsets. Just be open-minded and don’t let a little episode of rainfall spoil your fun.
So don’t hesitate and book your winter getaway at our surf and yoga retreat Pelan Pelan Bali. And don’t forget to bring your sunscreen, because we can assure you, you will definitely need it!