Uluwatu has two seasons, dry and wet, and both are better than their reputation. The secret is that the best weeks are usually not the ones everyone books. Here is how the year really feels on the Bukit Peninsula.
The year at a glance
| Months | Season | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January – March | Wet season | Quietest and best value. Warm, green and lush, with short afternoon downpours. Nyepi falls in March. |
| April | Shoulder | The rain eases and the island is at its greenest. Busy over Easter, quiet otherwise. One of our favourite months. |
| May – June | Dry season | Sunny, settled weather before the July and August peak. Ideal for beaches and sunsets. |
| July – August | Peak season | The busiest months, with the highest prices across Bali. August is our busiest month: book well ahead. |
| September – October | Dry season | Still dry and sunny as the peak-season crowds thin out. Excellent value for the weather. |
| November – December | Wet season begins | Showers return and the island quietens, until the Christmas and New Year rush. |
The sweet spot: April to June, September to October
If you can choose your dates, choose these. The dry season brings sunshine and consistent surf, but the shoulder months either side of the July and August peak are when Uluwatu is at its best: beaches without crowds, easy restaurant bookings, and lower prices than July and August.
April is special. The rain has eased, the island is lush and green after the wet season, and outside Easter week most travellers have not arrived yet. At Nema our rates are seasonal, so the shoulder months are noticeably better value than the peak, while still under US$150 a night.
Peak season
July and August are the European summer holidays, Australia’s winter school break falls in July, and this is the busiest time of year across Bali. The weather is reliably beautiful, but beaches, day clubs and roads are at their fullest and prices are at their highest. August is our busiest month, so book early if these are your dates.
Flying in from Australia, the UK and Europe
- From Australia: Perth is under four hours away and in the same time zone; the east coast is about six hours with almost no jet lag. Fares jump in the school holidays, around April, July, late September to early October and from mid-December. May, June and October give you dry-season weather at everyday prices.
- From the UK: about 17 hours with one stop. Avoid Christmas, Easter and the late-July to early-September summer break. November, February and March are the quietest and cheapest months, and the rain here is gentler than its reputation.
- From Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands: 16 to 18 hours with one stop. Our guests from these countries tend to stay the longest, and a week or more makes the journey worthwhile. The shoulder months of April to June and September to October are ideal.
Our neighbourhood page has flight times, airport transfers and visa details.
The truth about the rainy season
From November to March, Bali's wet season gets a bad name it does not entirely deserve, especially on the Bukit Peninsula, one of the drier parts of the island. Rain here usually arrives as a short, heavy downpour in the afternoon, and mornings are often bright and sunny.
- It stays warm. The sea and the pool are perfect for swimming all year.
- It is quiet. Fewer visitors, easier tables, emptier beaches.
- It is the best value of the year, apart from the Christmas and New Year rush.
- It is green. Gardens and bougainvillea are at their most lush.
At Nema, the compound is protected and calm in a storm. Swim in the warm pool, read on your balcony as the rain passes, and when it is time to move, practise under cover in the common area.
One date to check if you are coming in March: Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, when the whole island, airport included, pauses for 24 hours. It is a remarkable experience, but plan around it.
For retreat organisers
November to March is the ideal time to host a retreat at Nema. The whole property is easiest to reserve, rates are at their lowest outside Christmas and New Year, and the paved pool deck is cleared for practice, with the covered common area ready for rainy sessions. See our retreat page for details.