Bali Weather

When visiting Bali what can you expect it terms of the Bali weather conditions? The climatic conditions of Bali are entirely tropical all over the island that is what gives it such beautiful, lush, dense vegetation. The temperature remains pretty constant throughout the year averaging around 28°C along the coasts and 23°C at the higher altitudes of the mountainous areas that make up some of the inland terrain. The average temperature of Bali weather is not like other countries where sometimes the temperature variations create an unclear picture of what to expect, average in Bali weather talk, basically means every day. No matter what day of the year you arrive you can expect between 24° and 30°C, the temperature varies very little from season to season; in fact Bali only has a dry season and a wet season. Being so close to the equator there is very little change in the number of daylight hours throughout the year as well. The time difference between the summer solstice and winter solstice is only forty eight minutes which also explains why the vegetation is do dense as plant life have a constant supply of sunlight.

The only weather conditions in Bali that vary the “feel” of weather is not temperature fluctuations or air pressure but the amount of rainfall. During the dry season there is relatively little rain at all and when it does rain it is for short periods of about an hour in the afternoon and then the sun comes out in force again. It is very different during the rainy season as this is the typhoon season all over Indonesia. The whole island changes from a sunny, blue sky paradise into a constantly wet rainy island. The major increase in the amount of rainfall has a dramatic affect on the climatic conditions, even though the temperature remains constant, the increase rain raised the humidity. At the peak of the rainy the islands relative humidity can be as high as 90%.  Even though this is the monsoon season, Bali weather conditions are still fairly safe as there is very seldom the huge monsoon winds associated with some other countries. The winds are pretty much predictable and blow from the south and east from June to September, then change direction and come from the northwest for the rest of the year. Typhoons and major storms are not normal around Bali and do not pose any real hazard. The greatest hazard that tourists face is the very strong currents in the ocean. Very few people are aware of this and unfortunately there are many fatalities every holiday season due to drowning.

Best Months to Visit Bali

A Buddha in the Rain
Creative Commons License photo credit: h.koppdelaney

It is for the sunny weather, white sandy beaches and water activities that most people came to visit Bali for a vacation. The Bali weather conditions obviously play a major role in the tourist industry and when is peak season. As far as the beach lovers go the best time for a vacation is from April to September during the dry season. Even though you can expect some rain showers they are very short lived although sometimes quite heavy. If you are very unlucky you may experience one day that is rains constantly, but then the temperature is so warm that it is still possible to enjoy many water activities.

For many tourists the beauty and diversity of the Balinese topography does not deter them from visiting the island any time of the year. If  you are determined that you are coming to Bali to get a sun tan then the Bali weather conditions during the dry seasons will be best for your vacation. The rainy weather conditions should not stop you enjoying what Bali has to offer, maybe some of the inland sightseeing tours would be off limits but the water sports can still be enjoyed. Coming to Bali for a scuba diving holiday can be just as enjoyable and exciting when it is raining as compared to a sunny day.

October to March is considered the rainy season in Bali, so for sun worshipers this is definitely off season. The best sunny months that have extremely low rainfall are May, June, July and August. For the rest of the adventurers that come to Bali it shouldn’t make much of a difference what time of year you visit.

Nuclear Explosion
Creative Commons License photo credit: WTL photos

The geographical location of Bali is what determines the Bali weather conditions from year to year. Bali is only one small island of over 20,000 that make up the Republic of Indonesia and you can expect the same type of climatic conditions as Bali throughout the area, with some being more affected by the yearly monsoons and typhoons that Bali is fortunate enough not to experience. Bali is located 8 degrees south of the equator between the Sundar (Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba and Timor) islands in the east and Java in the west.

Bali Weather Forecasts

It is not difficult to forecast the weather in Bali, April to September is sunny with intermittent rain and October to May is rainy with intermittent sunshine. This is the same year in and year out but for those of you that like to keep up on the latest forecast then just have a look at what is the weather in Bali today?

As tropical tourists destinations go, the island of Bali is relatively small with a total land area of just over 5,500 square kilometers and measures only 55 miles (90 kilometers) along the north-south axis and is only 90 miles (140 kilometers) in length along the east-west axis. This is what makes Bali such a great holiday vacation, no matter where you are situated on the island gong on a day trip or tour to visit one of the many attractions means you can leave your Bali hotel in the morning and enjoy a full day’s exploration and be back in your hotel by evening. When planning a holiday to Bali no matter what you want to do or see you can stay in the one place and plan everything from that base instead of having to go to another hotel to stay.

The landscape of Bali is famous for its beauty and diversity with a chain of six volcanoes stretching from the east coast to the west. The lowest volcano is 1,350 meters high with the tallest one reaching over 3,000 meters an absolute world of choices if you are looking to do some paragliding through one of the tours available. The rest of Bali is covered by various other incredible sites, there are the dense tropical forests situated around Ubud, untouched crater lakes for a private swim in a unique environment, many fast flowing rivers to experience the thrill of white water rafting through deep ravines and over waterfalls, and striking, sculptured rice terraces and vegetable gardens. The beaches are very different depending on where you stay, the majority of the beaches of the southern resorts are awash with dazzling white sand while the other ones are covered in volcanic rock that has been ground over the years to give a stunning fine black sand beach stretching for miles.

The fauna and fauna, not only covering the island, but in the surrounding oceans is phenomenal. For nature lovers this really is a world in one experience, carefully making your way through the rain forest and coming across one of the species of orchids growing in its natural surroundings is an unforgettable experience. Whether nature lover or not this and going for a scuba dive or marine walk is something that everyone should do on a trip to Bali. Although the conservation effort has been increased over the past few decades, indigenous elephants and tigers are now extinct in Bali, but there is a great elephant safari park that is on the island that saves elephants from other countries in Indonesia due to deforestation.

So you can clearly see that although the Bali weather conditions are so extreme between the dry season and wet season, no matter the forecast you will find something to do to be amazed and enthralled on your visit.