Bali Overview

Bali may be small in size (you can drive around the entire coast in one long day) but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.

And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. There are pleasures of the body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘extra bag’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavours of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurants that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.

Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed, Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right round the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of Nusa Lembongan.

As you stumble upon the exquisite little offerings left all over the island that materialise as if by magic, you’ll see that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.

Climate & Seasons
Just considering the weather, the cooler dry season from April to October is the best time to visit Bali. The rest of the year is more humid, cloudier and has more rainstorms, but you can still enjoy a great holiday with the benefit of discounted rates for flights & accommodation.

 

Month	Average Max. (C)	Average Min. (C)	Average Hours Of Sun	Average Rainfall (mm.)	Average Rainy Days	Average Humidity (%)
January February March April May June July August September October November December	32 32 32 34 34 33 32 33 34 35 35 33	26 26 25 25 24 22 22 23 23 24 25 26	5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6	325 300 200 80 80 50 40 30 40 100 125 180	16 15 14 7 6 5 4 3 3 5 8 15	70 70 65 60 55 50 50 45 45 50 55 65

Tourist Seasons

There are also distinct tourist seasons which affect the picture. The European summer holidays bring the biggest crowds. July, August and early September are busy. Accommodation can be tight in these months and prices are higher.

 

 

 

From Christmas until the end of January high demand from Australian tourists enjoying their Christmas/summer holidays so flights & accommodation can be booked solid. Many Indonesians also visit Bali around Christmas. Outside these times Bali has surprisingly few tourists, and there are plenty of empty hotel rooms and free tables in restaurants.
 

Visa Regulations
The Indonesian Government have in recent times introduced special tourism visas to cater for the majority of visitors to the country & are known as Visa On Arrival. The maximum stay in Bali is just 30 days and not extendable.
 

A Visa On Arrival costs USD25 per person (up to 30 day stay) & USD$10 per person (up to 7 days stay) for visitors from Australia, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, Denmark, South Africa, United States, Argentina, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Hungary, South Korea, Norway, France, Poland, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Visas will be issued on arrival in Bali.
No visa fee for visitors from: Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines, Macau, Chile, Morocco, Peru and Vietnam.
 

All other nationalities have to get a visa before arrival at their local Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Ensure that their passport has at least 6 months validity at before departure as you can be refused entry by Indonesian authorities.
 

Bali Public Holidays
Most of the national public holidays for Bali fall on different dates of the Western calendar each year, as they are calculated according to Muslim or local calendars. As Bali is a multicultural "melting pot" it celebrates days of national importance & significant days from multiple religions.
Most tourism related activities are uneffected by these holidays which mainly effects the commercial & government establishments although there is one day of significance that you may wish to consider. Nyepi Day is Bali's 'Day of Silence'. By law tourists are required to within the hotel grounds for 24 hours. This day generally falls in the month of March or April. Many festivals are held before and after this very special day.
 

December/January Idul Fitri, the celebration of the end of Ramadan.
January 1 New Year's Day ( Tahun Baru).
March/April Nyepi, Balinese saka New Year.
March/April Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
May Idul Adha (Hajh), Muslim Day of Sacrifice.
May Waisak Day, anniversary of the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha.
May/June Ascension Day.
June/July Muharam, Muslim New Year.
July/August Maulud Nabi Muhammad, the anniversary of the birth of Mohammed.
August 17 Independence Day ( Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan) celebrates the proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945 by Dr Sukarno.
December Ascension Day of Mohammed.
December 25 Christmas Day.