Tips to keep Bali magic in July / August
Bali just came to your mind while trying to choose your next destination? Or, alternatively, you already booked your flight? In both cases, you probably already heard that the high season in Bali isn’t always the best time to peacefully discover the island. Well, let’s stop beating about the bush: it’s both false… and true!
Visiting Bali in July or August offers a few advantages if you make sure to avoid the tourist crowds as much as possible. Indeed, you do not visit Bali the same way in August or in January. Otherwise, you will probably get back being disappointed and with a bad impression.
If the huge number of incoming travellers in high season turns the south of Bali into an overcrowded destination, it’s because they all come to enjoy the below-mentioned advantages.
It’s the best season!
Firstly, the weather forecast is much more pleasant at this time of the year. Indeed, the hours of sunlight are at their highest point while the rainfall is the lowest of the year, especially in August, which is the least rainy month of the year along with September.
Secondly, this optimal weather forecast coincides with the European summer school break and the Australian winter holidays (in July), making it a prime destination for travellers who prefer to enjoy the best weather and for those who cannot travel at any other time of the year.
Is it the best destination in Asia?
For the Asian continent lovers, Bali is indeed one of the only very recommended places thanks to the good weather forecast during the summer months.
Indeed, the monsoon rages over most of the other countries in the region (Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam...) and temperatures are sometimes extreme in Japan and South Korea.
As a result, a sky-rocketing number of arrivals
The downside is that Bali is highly populated during these two months.
At this time of the year, the roads linking the south to Ubud (the biggest touristic spot of the island) are often very packed. Transportation times are longer than usual, especially in south Bali (Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua…), as this area attracts most of the travellers and so of the road traffic.
Furthermore, it can be difficult to find an accommodation or a private experimented driver in this area: the best accommodations and activities are usually booked months in advance. It is therefore necessary to start planning your trip and to make your reservations as soon as possible.
In short, you should book your travel up to 6-9 months in advance (except if you are very flexible and fine with anything).
Turn your constraint into a unique opportunity
It is sometimes impossible to postpone a trip to a less busy period. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take profit of this constraint! Indeed, Bali is a large island and other areas remain authentic and rather quiet, even during the very high season.
The further you go from the airport (located close by Denpasar, in the south), the more you will find quiet places with just a few travellers. Most of them choose to stay in south Bali, or in Ubud, and explore the island from here. To avoid them as much as possible, just get away from these touristic hubs and discover the less visited regions such as the centre, the North and the East of the island. They are full of beautiful temples and breath-taking natural sites. Believe us, you won’t regret the additional 2 hours of transportation to reach them.
Here’s a small selection of the wonders waiting for you out from the beaten track:
– Tirta Sudamala (Bangli’s region): while the well-known Tirta Empul will be flooded with hundreds of visitors, you’ll be glad to discover this other sacred place suitable for Balinese purification in a quiet atmosphere. The place is spectacular, photogenic, authentic, and mostly visited by local people. Take this opportunity to live a unique experience as we provide you with an introduction to the Balinese purification together with an experimented local guide.
– Temples and other wonderful places: Pura Kehen (in the centre of the island), Pura Beji (in the North), the Brahma Vihara Arama monastery (on the North), the Banjar’s sacred springs (on the North), Pura Lempuyang (on the east side)…
– Lemukih / Sekumpul waterfalls (on the North): truly the most beautiful waterfalls of Bali. You can reach them by using a long stair or by walking in the jungle with a local guide, passing by the Grombong‘s paddy fields! It’s an easy level hike that offers outstanding viewpoints. Take this opportunity to chat with the locals, as they are not always used to see travellers in this area).
– The wonders of east Bali: in the East, not only you’ll find water palaces (Tirta Gangga and Ujung) but also wonderful hikes and easy walks in the nature. For instance, Kastala’s paddy fields or Bukit Asah and its magnificent views on the sea. Nyoman, our local guide based in Candidasa, will be very pleased to show his wonderful and authentic region.
As you probably already understood, do not hesitate to swim against the tide and get out of the beaten tracks! While all the tourists will gather in the South in sometimes unbearable conditions, you will instead experience one of your most authentic trips. Are you ready to dive in!?