Going to Bali this Summer

If you’re anything like most travelers who begin planning a trip to Bali without knowing much about it, you’re probably drawn by the promise of beautiful beaches and sunny weather, but you’re not entirely sure what the weather will be like when you want to go or if there’s an ideal time to visit. For instance, you might assume that visiting Bali in July or August would be uncomfortable because it would be too hot. But because Indonesia is on or near the equator (depending on where you are), the climate is relatively steady year-round.

July and August temperatures typically max out in the 88-90F range (31-32C), but that’s only a few degrees warmer than it can get in January. And the wet season doesn’t tend to start until September, so you don’t have to worry about gazing at the beach through the windows but being stuck inside because of rain.

So you know what that means – it’s time to plan a trip to Bali!

First, you’ll need to get your airfare to Bali sorted. The main airport to access this Indonesian island is Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS), and it happens to be really close to places in Bali that most tourists want to visit. That’s partly just lucky, and partly because Bali is small enough that nothing is terribly far away.

Next, you’ll need a place to stay. Like any other tourist destination, Bali has its fair share – some would say more than its fair share – of hotels you can choose from, but you might want to consider staying in one of the many Bali villas instead. The word “villa” may make you think it’s an expensive option, or that you need to be staying for weeks or months to make it worth getting a house of your own, but villas in Bali are cheap enough that it’s definitely an affordable luxury. Plus, it’s much easier to totally relax when you’ve got a whole villa to yourself – especially if said villa is right on the beach.

Among the many options for a place to base yourself, you might consider Sanur, Bali. It’s a popular beach resort town on the south coast, but despite that there’s only one oversized resort-style hotel in the town. There are all kinds of water sports you can try from a Sanur base, and the nightlife scene isn’t particularly lively so it doesn’t have much of a party atmosphere after dark.

If you do end up in Bali this summer, send me a postcard, won’t you?

photo by shurav