Bali in April: First Dry-Season Days, Green Terraces and Holiday Crowds

Is April a good time to visit Bali?

Yes. April is when Bali turns the corner into the dry season, and it is one of the best months to visit if you want sunshine with the landscape still green from the rains. Rain falls on roughly a third of the days and usually in short bursts, the humidity begins to drop, and the waterfalls and rice terraces still look the way they do in the photographs. The thing to plan around is crowds: Australian autumn school holidays fill the south for most of the month in 2027.

For the best balance, aim for the first week of April or the last few days of the month, and spend the busy middle weeks away from Kuta and Nusa Dua.

The weather: the dry season arrives

Long-term averages put April at around 31°C by day and 24°C at night on the coast, with roughly 110 to 120 mm of rain on about 11 days. That is half the March total, and it falls mostly in the first half of the month. Sunshine jumps to around ten hours a day.

You feel the change in the air. The southeast trade winds start to settle in, mornings are clearer, and the sticky, overcast feel of the wet season gives way to brighter, breezier days, although April is still humid by dry-season standards. The sea is warm, around 28°C, and generally calmer than in the previous months, so the crossing to Nusa Penida becomes more dependable.

The seasonal debris that washes onto the southwest beaches from December to March also tapers off, and Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu start to look their best again.

Crowds and prices

April 2027 has no Indonesian national holidays, so domestic travel is light. The crowds come from Australia. Autumn school holidays begin around March 26 in Victoria and Queensland and run until about April 11, while New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT break from around April 10 until April 26 to 28. The Northern Territory breaks from around April 3 to 12. Departments can change dates, so check the state calendars before you book.

In practice, that means families in Kuta, Legian, Nusa Dua and Sanur for most of the month, busier flights from Perth, Darwin and the east coast, and rates that climb in family-friendly resorts. Ubud, Sidemen, Amed and the north feel the rush far less. Prices elsewhere are still well below the July and August peak.

Ceremonies in April 2027

• Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh at Besakih: the great annual ceremony at Besakih begins around the full moon after Nyepi, in the last week of March 2027, and has recently run for about three weeks, so expect it to continue into mid-April. In 2026 tourists were limited to the outer area of the temple during the ceremony, and Mount Agung was closed to climbers. Check the current arrangement before you go.
• Tumpek Kandang, Saturday, April 3, 2027: the day when Balinese bless their animals. Cows, pigs, chickens and family dogs receive offerings and are sometimes dressed in small sarongs. It is a gentle, rural celebration best seen in villages rather than towns.

Temple anniversaries continue all month, and dry evenings make it a good time to watch the Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu Temple at sunset.

What to do in Bali in April

• Climb Mount Batur. With drier skies, the sunrise trek on Mount Batur has a much better chance of clear views over Mount Agung and Lake Batur than in the wet months. Shared tours start around IDR 500,000 (about USD 30) per person.
• See waterfalls at full flow. April is the sweet spot: the falls are still full from the rains, but paths are drier and safer than in February. Sekumpul, Banyumala and the falls around Munduk are at their most dramatic.
• Take the boat to Nusa Penida. Calmer seas make day trips and snorkeling at the manta sites more reliable. Our Nusa Penida day trip guide explains whether to stay over.
• Dive or snorkel in the east and north. Visibility improves at Amed and Tulamben, and the reefs off Pemuteran and Menjangan Island are calm and warm.
• Watch the surf season begin. As the trade winds set in, the Bukit Peninsula breaks around Uluwatu start to come alive. Winds can still be changeable early in the month, and these reef breaks are for experienced surfers only.

Where to base yourself

April suits a split trip. Spend a few nights in Ubud for the rice fields and Batur, then head to the coast. If you travel during the Australian holidays, choose Uluwatu, Pererenan or Amed over Kuta and Nusa Dua, or go north to Pemuteran for quiet beaches and diving. Book family resorts in Sanur and Nusa Dua early if your dates overlap with school holidays.

What to pack for April

• A light rain jacket for the occasional shower, especially early in the month.
• A fleece or warm layer for the Batur summit before dawn.
• Trail shoes with grip for volcano and waterfall paths.
• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses: the sun is strong and days are long.
• Insect repellent; mosquitoes are still active after the rains.
• A sarong and sash for temples.

See our packing list for the rest, the best time to visit Bali for how April compares with other months, and our free itinerary builder to put a route together.