Bali
Temples, terraces, surf and the daily offerings on every doorstep.
Bali is a Hindu island in the middle of Muslim-majority Indonesia, with volcanoes down its spine, rice terraces on their slopes, temples on cliffs and in lakes, and a coast that runs from surf beaches in the south to black-sand quiet in the north. Ubud in the hills and the beach towns of the south are the two poles most trips move between.
Why go
For a culture that is visible everywhere — offerings of flowers and rice on the pavement each morning, processions to the temple, gamelan in the evening — set in a landscape of green terraces and grey volcanic stone.
And for the range: surf and beach clubs at Canggu and Uluwatu, yoga and rice-field walks at Ubud, diving at Amed and Nusa Penida, sunrise from Mount Batur, and the quieter islands offshore.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01Ubud and the rice terraces
The cultural centre in the hills, with its palace, market and monkey forest, and the terraces at Tegallalang and the Campuhan ridge walk on its edges.
02The sea temples
Tanah Lot on its rock off the west coast and Uluwatu on the cliff at the southern tip, both worth timing for sunset, with the kecak dance performed at Uluwatu as the sun goes down.
03The lake and mountain temples
Ulun Danu Beratan on its lake in the highlands, the mother temple of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung, and the springs at Tirta Empul where Balinese bathe for purification.
04Mount Batur at sunrise
A pre-dawn climb up the volcano above its crater lake for sunrise over Agung and Lombok's Rinjani, then breakfast on the rim.
05The south coast
Surf at Canggu and Uluwatu, beach clubs and restaurants at Seminyak, the calm water at Nusa Dua and Sanur, and the reef-fringed cliffs of the Bukit peninsula.
06Nusa Penida and the east
Manta rays and sheer coastlines on the island a boat ride from Sanur; the quiet diving villages of Amed and the wreck at Tulamben on the east coast.
07The north and Munduk
Waterfalls and coffee plantations around Munduk, the dolphins off Lovina and the black-sand shore, far from the southern crowds.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Ubud
Villas and lodges among rice fields and river gorges, with yoga, galleries and the cultural sights on hand.
Seminyak and Canggu
Beach clubs, cafés, surf and nightlife on the south-west coast. Lively and fashionable.
Uluwatu and the Bukit
Cliff-top resorts and surf breaks at the southern tip, with dramatic coast and the temple.
Nusa Dua and Sanur
Calm water, family resorts and a gentler pace on the south-east coast; Sanur has the boats to Nusa Penida.
When to go: Bali
- Dry seasonMay – September
- Sunny, less humid days and the calmest seas: the main season, fullest in July and August with the school holidays.
- Shoulder monthsApril and October
- Warm and mostly dry with fewer visitors, the terraces green and the surf still good.
- Wet seasonNovember – March
- The monsoon brings humid heat and afternoon downpours, lush landscapes and quieter roads. The Nyepi day of silence falls in March.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves Bali. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- DPSNgurah Rai · Denpasar
Distance from
- SINSingapore1,650 km
- SYDSydney4,650 km
- BOMMumbai5,560 km
- DXBDubai7,470 km
- JNBJohannesburg9,290 km
- CDGParis12,360 km
- LHRLondon12,500 km
- JFKNew York16,320 km
Getting around: Bali
The airport is in the south near Kuta; hotels arrange transfers. A car with a driver for the day is the usual way to reach temples and the highlands, and ride-hailing works in the south and Ubud.
Scooters are the island's transport, for confident riders with a licence. Roads are slow; a trip from the south coast to Ubud takes an hour or more, and the north is a day's excursion.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Currency
- IDR · Indonesian Rupiah
- Languages
- Indonesian
- Time zone
- Central Indonesia Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +62
The atlas
Bali in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Bali, month by month
- Jan28°
- Feb28°
- Mar28°
- Apr28°
- May27°
- Jun27°
- Jul26°
- Aug26°
- Sept28°
- Oct29°
- Nov29°
- Dec28°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: April to November.
Mean highs run from 26°C in July to 29°C in November, with about 1,593 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for BaliModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
The figures are modelled at Denpasar, the atlas city this page's place is measured from.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBBali
7,470 km
9 hrs 30 mins · Estimate
From AUHBali
7,510 km
9 hrs 35 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Bali
From the journal
Related reading
In pictures: Bali
Plan this trip: Bali
Open the trip builder with Bali already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
