When to go · 1,031 m
Two seasons, and a dozen reasons to move your dates
Bali is dry from about April to October and wet from about November to March, and it is busiest in July and August and again at Christmas. The ceremonies are what shift: most follow a 210-day cycle that does not care about the Gregorian year. Here is all of it, for the fifteen months ahead.
- Our pickMay, June or SeptemberDry and settled, and quieter than July and August.
- Avoid, if you can6 to 15 March 2027Nyepi, then Idul Fitri, then ten days off for most of Indonesia.
- Worth planning round13 to 23 January and 11 to 21 August 2027Galungan and Kuningan, when every road is lined with penjor.
The year at a glance
| Month | Season | Rain (mm) | Crowds (1 quiet, 3 busy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wet | 388 | 2 |
| February | Wet | 299 | 1 |
| March | Wet | 214 | 1 |
| April | Turning | 115 | 2 |
| May | Dry | 73 | 2 |
| June | Dry | 51 | 2 |
| July | Dry | 30 | 3 |
| August | Dry | 16 | 3 |
| September | Dry | 41 | 2 |
| October | Dry | 68 | 2 |
| November | Turning | 149 | 1 |
| December | Wet | 299 | 3 |
Month by month
October 2026 to December 2027. Choose a month for its weather, its crowds and its dated events, each with the day we checked it and where it came from.
Dry season
October 2026
Rain is still light and the crowds have thinned. The wet season arrives through November.
- Rain, on average
- 68 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Moderate and thinning.
What is on
Sat 10 Oct · Ceremony
Tumpek Wayang
A Saturday for the shadow puppets (wayang) and the performing arts. Puppets and masks are blessed.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Detik Bali, Hindu holy days 2026 (Balinese calendar)
Sat 31 Oct · Ceremony
Saraswati
The day of learning, for the goddess of knowledge. Books and palm-leaf manuscripts are blessed, and many people go to temple in their best clothes.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Detik Bali, Hindu holy days 2026 (Balinese calendar)
Turning season
November 2026
The first proper rains: afternoon showers, quieter beaches and softer prices. The Lombok Strait starts to get lively.
- Rain, on average
- 149 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 32° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Quiet. Quiet before the December rush.
What is on
Wed 4 Nov · Ceremony
Pagerwesi
Four days after Saraswati: the iron fence that protects what has been learned. Temples are busy and offerings are large.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Detik Bali, Hindu holy days 2026 (Balinese calendar)
Sat 14 Nov · Ceremony
Tumpek Landep
Landep means sharp: metal tools, blades and, today, vehicles are blessed. Do not be surprised by a scooter with an offering on the seat.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Detik Bali, Hindu holy days 2026 (Balinese calendar)
Wet season
December 2026
Wet, warm and busy. The holiday rush begins about mid-December and rain comes in heavy bursts. Book the highlands and the quiet coast early.
- Rain, on average
- 299 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Busy. The Christmas and New Year rush starts about mid-month.
What is on
Tue 15 Dec to Sun 10 Jan · Plan around it
Christmas and New Year rush
The busiest stretch of the winter, from about mid-December to the second week of January. Book rooms and boats early.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Villa Hub; ANTARA reporting BPS arrivals
Sat 19 Dec · Ceremony
Tumpek Uduh
A thanksgiving for trees and plants, the source of the flowers and fruit for the offerings.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Detik Bali, Hindu holy days 2026 (Balinese calendar)
Wet season
January 2027
Green, wet and, after the second week, quiet. Mornings are often dry, so plan the day around the showers. Fast boats to the Gilis are the first thing to be cancelled.
- Rain, on average
- 388 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Busy until about the second week, then quiet.
What is on
Tue 15 Dec to Sun 10 Jan · Plan around it
Christmas and New Year rush
The busiest stretch of the winter, from about mid-December to the second week of January. Book rooms and boats early.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Villa Hub; ANTARA reporting BPS arrivals
Fri 1 Jan · Holiday
New Year's Day
A national holiday, on a Friday: a long weekend for domestic visitors.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Wed 6 Jan · Ceremony
Siwaratri
The night of Shiva: a night of fasting, vigil and reflection kept at temples.
In a published calendar, one source. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Travel Hub (one source: confirm)
Wed 13 Jan · Ceremony
Galungan
The return of the ancestors, and the victory of dharma over adharma. Penjor, tall curved bamboo poles hung with offerings, line every road.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Sat 23 Jan · Ceremony
Kuningan
Ten days after Galungan, the ancestors return. Yellow rice is offered, and the festival ends.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Wet season
February 2027
The roughest month for boats and one of the quietest for rooms. A good month for cooking classes, temples and long lunches, with a coat for the highlands.
- Rain, on average
- 299 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Quiet. Quiet, with a long weekend at Chinese New Year.
What is on
Fri 5 Feb to Sat 6 Feb · Holiday
Chinese New Year long weekend
Collective leave on Friday 5 February and the holiday on Saturday 6 February.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Sat 27 Feb · Ceremony
Tumpek Krulut
A Saturday for gamelan, the bronze orchestras, which are blessed with offerings.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Wet season
March 2027
Rain is easing and crowds are thin, which is why Nyepi's silence is so complete. In 2027 Nyepi and Eid fall in the same week: read the warning before you book.
- Rain, on average
- 214 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Quiet. Among the quietest months (one source ranks March 2026 lowest for arrivals).
What is on
Thu 4 Mar to Fri 5 Mar · Ceremony
Melasti, the purification
In the days before Nyepi, villages carry their temple's sacred objects in procession to the sea or a spring to be purified. Each community chooses its own day, about three or four days ahead.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Wikipedia, Nyepi; Bali Institute
Sun 7 Mar · Ceremony
Ogoh-ogoh parades
The evening before Nyepi, giant demon figures are paraded through the villages and then burned to drive out what is unwelcome. Crowded with local families, and a spectacle.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Wikipedia, Nyepi; Bali Institute
Mon 8 Mar · Plan around it
Nyepi, the Day of Silence
06:00 on Monday 8 March to 06:00 on Tuesday 9 March. No flights, no boats, no work, no lights, and everyone, visitors included, stays in their accommodation. We run nothing on this day.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Tue 9 Mar · Plan around it
Airport reopens; Ngembak Geni
The airport reopens at 06:00 and the island floods back to life. Ngembak Geni, the day families visit and forgive, is the day after Nyepi.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Wikipedia, Nyepi
Wed 10 Mar to Thu 11 Mar · Plan around it
Idul Fitri (Eid al-Fitr)
National holiday on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March, with collective leave on 9, 12 and 15 March. The date is set by moon sighting: the government expects the 10th, and Muhammadiyah has announced the 9th.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Fri 12 Mar to Mon 15 Mar · Plan around it
Eid collective leave
Collective leave on Friday 12 and Monday 15 March makes the whole stretch from 6 to 15 March a ten-day block off for most of Indonesia. Flights and ferries are at their fullest.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Thu 25 Mar to Fri 26 Mar · Holiday
Good Friday long weekend
Collective leave on Thursday 25 March and the holiday on Friday 26 March.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Turning season
April 2027
The turn. Rain thins to showers, the terraces are at their greenest and the crowds have not yet arrived.
- Rain, on average
- 115 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Building towards the dry-season crowds.
What is on
Sat 3 Apr · Ceremony
Tumpek Kandang
A blessing for animals: cattle, pigs, chickens, ducks and dogs are given offerings and, sometimes, flowers.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
May 2027
One of our two favourites: dry, warm and settled, and before the school holidays begin.
- Rain, on average
- 73 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Moderate, before the school holidays.
What is on
Sat 8 May · Ceremony
Tumpek Wayang
Shadow puppets and the performing arts are blessed.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Mon 17 May to Thu 20 May · Holiday
Eid al-Adha to Waisak, four days
Eid al-Adha on Monday 17 May, collective leave on 18 and 19 May and Waisak on Thursday 20 May: a four-day run off for most of Indonesia.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Sat 29 May · Ceremony
Saraswati
The day of learning again, 210 days after the last.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
June 2027
Dry and bright. It gets busy from the last third of the month, when the Australian school holidays begin.
- Rain, on average
- 51 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 30° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Moderate, rising from the last third of the month.
What is on
Wed 2 Jun · Ceremony
Pagerwesi
The iron fence, four days after Saraswati.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Sat 12 Jun · Ceremony
Tumpek Landep
Metal tools, blades and vehicles are blessed.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
July 2027
Dry, bright and busy. July 2025 was the busiest month of that year for foreign arrivals. Book early and start days early.
- Rain, on average
- 30 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 29° and 24° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Busy. Among the busiest months of the year.
What is on
Sat 17 Jul · Ceremony
Tumpek Uduh
A thanksgiving for trees and plants.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
August 2027
The driest month on average, and one of the busiest. Mornings on the coast are the part of the day to protect.
- Rain, on average
- 16 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 29° and 24° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Busy. Among the busiest months, with Independence Day on the 17th.
What is on
Wed 11 Aug · Ceremony
Galungan
The second Galungan of 2027, 210 days after the first. 2026 has only one.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Tue 17 Aug · Holiday
Independence Day
A national holiday on a Tuesday, in the busiest month of the year.
In the government's decree. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Indonesian government decree on 2027 holidays (SKB 3 Menteri), 15 Sep 2026
Sat 21 Aug · Ceremony
Kuningan
The end of the second Galungan, ten days on.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
September 2027
Still dry, and the crowds ease after August. Our other favourite, apart from the last week.
- Rain, on average
- 41 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 30° and 24° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Easing after August, with a late-September school-holiday bump.
What is on
Sat 25 Sept · Ceremony
Tumpek Krulut
Gamelan are blessed.
In a published calendar. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Bali Institute, Bali Cultural Calendar 2027 (checked against the 210-day cycle)
Dry season
October 2027
Rain is still light and the crowds have thinned. The wet season arrives through November.
- Rain, on average
- 68 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Moderate. Moderate and thinning.
What is on
Sat 30 Oct · Ceremony
Tumpek Kandang
A blessing for animals.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Pawukon cycle, calculated (not yet in a published calendar)
Turning season
November 2027
The first proper rains: afternoon showers, quieter beaches and softer prices. The Lombok Strait starts to get lively.
- Rain, on average
- 149 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 32° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Quiet. Quiet before the December rush.
What is on
Nothing major is listed this month. Full and new moons still bring crowds to the temples every fortnight, and the 35-day Tumpek Saturdays come round in their turn.
Wet season
December 2027
Wet, warm and busy. The holiday rush begins about mid-December and rain comes in heavy bursts. Book the highlands and the quiet coast early.
- Rain, on average
- 299 mm
- Daytime high and night low
- 31° and 25° on the south coast
- Crowds
- Busy. The Christmas and New Year rush starts about mid-month.
What is on
Sat 4 Dec · Ceremony
Tumpek Wayang
Shadow puppets and the performing arts are blessed.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Pawukon cycle, calculated (not yet in a published calendar)
Wed 15 Dec to Fri 31 Dec · Plan around it
Christmas and New Year rush
The same pattern as this year: the busiest stretch begins about mid-December.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Pattern from the 2025 and 2026 seasons (see above)
Sat 25 Dec · Ceremony
Saraswati (and Christmas Day)
The day of learning falls on Christmas Day in 2027.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Pawukon cycle, calculated (not yet in a published calendar)
Wed 29 Dec · Ceremony
Pagerwesi
The iron fence, four days after Saraswati.
Calculated. Checked 7 Oct 2026. Pawukon cycle, calculated (not yet in a published calendar)
The warning
Nyepi and Eid, the same week
In 2027 the Day of Silence falls on Monday 8 March, and Idul Fitri follows two days later. For most of Indonesia that is a ten-day block off, and every flight and ferry out of Bali is full on either side of it.
- 6 SatWeekend. Melasti processions to the sea on about the 4th and 5th.
- 7 SunOgoh-ogoh parades in the evening.
- 8 MonNyepi. Airport and boats closed 06:00 to 06:00. Everyone indoors.
- 9 TueAirport reopens at 06:00. Ngembak Geni. Collective leave.
- 10 WedIdul Fitri, the government's date. National holiday.
- 11 ThuIdul Fitri, second day. National holiday.
- 12 FriCollective leave.
- 13 SatWeekend.
- 14 SunWeekend.
- 15 MonCollective leave. The block ends.
March 2027. The government expects Idul Fitri on Wednesday 10 March; Muhammadiyah has announced Tuesday 9 March, and the final date follows the moon sighting.
If Nyepi is the point
Be on the island for it. It is the strangest, calmest day of the year: no engines, no lights, a sky full of stars. Choose accommodation with a garden, stock up beforehand, and stay put from 06:00 on the 8th to 06:00 on the 9th. We run no tours on the day.
If it is not
Plan to be off the island, or settled in one place, from about 5 to 15 March. Do not arrive or fly out on the 7th, 8th or 9th, and do not trust a tight connection through Denpasar in the days either side. Boats to the Gilis, Nusa Penida and Lombok stop too.
Your dates
Our planning form warns you if your dates touch Nyepi. If you are close, tell us anyway and we will move things around: a day either side of the silence can be the difference between calm and chaos.
Why the dates move
Bali keeps several calendars at once. Galungan, Kuningan, Saraswati and the Tumpek Saturdays run on the 210-day Pawukon. Nyepi runs on the lunisolar Saka calendar. Neither matches the Gregorian year, so none of them is on the same date twice.
Pagerwesi
Wed 4 Nov 2026 · Wed 2 Jun 2027 · Wed 29 Dec 2027
Tumpek Landep
Sat 14 Nov 2026 · Sat 12 Jun 2027
Tumpek Uduh
Sat 19 Dec 2026 · Sat 17 Jul 2027
Galungan
Wed 13 Jan 2027 · Wed 11 Aug 2027
Kuningan
Sat 23 Jan 2027 · Sat 21 Aug 2027
Tumpek Krulut
Sat 27 Feb 2027 · Sat 25 Sept 2027
Tumpek Kandang
Sat 3 Apr 2027 · Sat 30 Oct 2027
Tumpek Wayang
Sat 10 Oct 2026 · Sat 8 May 2027 · Sat 4 Dec 2027
Saraswati
Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Sat 29 May 2027 · Sat 25 Dec 2027
The Pawukon
A cycle of 210 days made of 30 seven-day weeks, called wuku, with ten shorter and longer weeks running inside it at once. Because 210 does not divide into 365, each ceremony comes round about every seven months, so Galungan falls twice in most years, and the dates slide earlier through the calendar.
The Saka calendar
Nyepi is the first day of the Saka new year, set by the moon, so it wanders between March and April: 19 March in 2026, 8 March in 2027. The date is printed in the Balinese calendar and in the government's holiday decree, and we check it against both.
Where this comes from
Everything here was checked on the web on 7 Oct 2026. Where only one source stands behind a date, the calendar says so. Twenty-one ceremony dates came from published calendars (four of them earlier in 2026, before this window) and all fit one 210-day cycle, which is how the four later ones are calculated.
Climate and crowds
- Rainfall and temperature
- Denpasar's long-run monthly averages: wettest in January (388 mm), driest in August (16 mm); daytime highs between about 29 and 32 °C all yearChecked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, Denpasar (climate table)
- The seasons
- The west monsoon runs from about October to April, with the heaviest rain from December to March. Outside it, humidity is lower and rain in the lowlands is unlikely. Temperatures fall significantly with height.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, Bali (climate)
- Foreign arrivals
- 6,948,754 in 2025, up 9.72% on 2024; 697,107 in July, 616,641 in August and 572,668 in December. The busiest windows are mid-June to September and mid-December to the second week of January.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: BPS Bali, reported by ANTARA (published 2 Feb 2026)
- School holidays
- Australian school holidays set the rhythm of the busy weeks: late June to July, late September and the Christmas breakChecked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Rise Real Bali, Bali tourism statistics (citing BPS)
Ceremonies and holidays
- The Pawukon
- A 210-day calendar running ten weeks of 1 to 10 days at once. It has nothing to do with the moon or the sun, which is why its dates drift against the Gregorian calendar.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, Pawukon calendar
- Galungan
- Falls on Wednesday (Buda Kliwon) of the 11th wuku, Dungulan, so twice in most years. Kuningan follows ten days later.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, Galungan
- Nyepi
- Marks the new year of the lunisolar Saka calendar. It runs from 06:00 to 06:00, with four prohibitions: no fire or light, no work, no travel, no entertainment. The airport closes.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, Nyepi
- The date of Nyepi 2027
- Monday 8 March 2027, in the government's holiday decree and the Balinese calendar. Some references, including Wikipedia, still show 9 March.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Government decree (SKB 3 Menteri); Kalender Bali
- The Tumpek days
- Saturdays that recur every 35 days, six in each 210-day cycle: Landep (metal and tools), Uduh (plants), Kuningan (ancestors), Krulut (gamelan), Kandang (animals) and Wayang (puppets and the arts)Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: NOW! Bali, Pawukon explained; Bali Go Live
- Eid al-Fitr 2027
- The government's decree lists Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March 2027 as national holidays; Muhammadiyah has announced 9 March. The final date follows moon sighting.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: SKB 3 Menteri; Detik
- Nyepi and the crossings
- Ngurah Rai airport closes for 24 hours, and ferry and fast-boat services between Bali and the neighbouring islands are suspendedChecked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Jakarta Globe and Indonesia Expat (2026 closures; the pattern repeats)
- Galungan for visitors
- Bali is not closed: hotels, beach clubs and larger restaurants stay open, and the airport runs. Government offices and some markets and shops close, and traffic is heavier near large temples.Checked 7 Oct 2026. Source: Bali Holiday Secrets
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Bali?
For dry, settled weather and fewer people, May, June and September. The dry season runs roughly April to October, with July and August the busiest months and the mid-December to early January rush the other crowded stretch.
When is Nyepi in 2027, and what closes?
Monday 8 March 2027, from 06:00 to 06:00 the next morning. The airport closes, ferries and fast boats stop, and everyone, visitors included, stays in their accommodation. Idul Fitri follows on 10 and 11 March by the government's date, so the whole week from 6 to 15 March is very busy.
Can I visit during Galungan?
Yes. Bali does not close: hotels, beach clubs and larger restaurants stay open and the airport runs. Government offices and some markets and shops close, and traffic is heavier near big temples. Galungan falls on 13 January and 11 August 2027, with Kuningan ten days later.
Why do the ceremony dates move?
Most follow the 210-day Pawukon cycle, which does not divide into a 365-day year, so Galungan arrives twice in most years, in different months each time, and only once in a few, as in 2026. Nyepi follows a different clock, the lunisolar Saka calendar, and moves between March and April.