Every Bali guide says the same thing: visit April to October, avoid the rain. And sure, if your only plan is lying on a beach in Seminyak, that makes sense. But for Ubud — Bali's cultural, spiritual, and artistic heart — rainy season is arguably better.
I've been to Ubud in both seasons. Here's why I prefer the wet.
Let's get this out of the way: rainy season doesn't mean constant rain. It means afternoon storms. The pattern is remarkably predictable — clear mornings from 6AM to noon, clouds building around 1PM, a downpour from 2-4PM, then clearing skies and golden sunset light.
You have your entire morning for activities. The rain forces an afternoon break (which you'd want anyway — it's 30 degrees C). And the evenings are perfect.
Some days it doesn't rain at all. Some days it rains for 20 minutes. True all-day rain happens maybe once a week.
Tegallalang Rice Terrace and Jatiluwih Rice Terrace are Ubud's most photographed spots. In dry season, the paddies cycle between flooded, green, and golden-brown depending on the harvest cycle. In rainy season, they're GREEN. An almost radioactive emerald that doesn't look real.
Tegallalang in dry season: you share the viewing spots with 500 selfie-takers. In rainy season: maybe 50 people total. You can actually walk the paths between the paddies without queuing.
Entry: IDR 15,000 (about $1). Go between 7-9AM for the best light and fewest people regardless of season.
Ubud is surrounded by waterfalls and they're dramatically different between seasons.
Tegenungan Waterfall — Dry season: a modest flow that makes for nice photos. Rainy season: a thundering wall of water that sends spray 30 meters into the air. Entry IDR 20,000 ($1.30). Go early — by 10AM it's crowded even in wet season.
Tibumana Waterfall — My favorite. Less famous, less crowded, and in rainy season the double cascade is enormous. The pool below is swimable. IDR 15,000 entry. 30-minute drive east of Ubud.
Kanto Lampo Waterfall — The Instagram-famous one where water cascades over stepped rock. Rainy season makes it more powerful but also more dangerous — check with locals before swimming. IDR 20,000.
This is the real argument. Ubud's accommodation prices in rainy season are 30-50% lower than peak season (July-August and December holidays).
| Category | Dry Season | Rainy Season |
|---|---|---|
| Budget guesthouse | IDR 300,000-500,000 ($19-32) | IDR 200,000-300,000 ($13-19) |
| Mid-range hotel | IDR 800,000-1,500,000 ($52-97) | IDR 500,000-900,000 ($32-58) |
| Luxury villa | IDR 3,000,000-6,000,000 ($194-388) | IDR 1,800,000-3,500,000 ($116-226) |
That luxury villa with a private infinity pool overlooking the jungle that costs $300/night in August? $130 in February. Same villa. Same view. Same pool. Just with afternoon rain that you watch from said pool.
Restaurant prices don't change, but you'll find more availability, better service, and sometimes complimentary upgrades at hotels eager to fill rooms.
Ubud's temples are the spiritual backbone of the town and rainy season transforms the experience.
Tirta Empul — The holy water temple where Balinese do purification rituals under spring-fed spouts. Dry season: tourist queue of 45+ minutes for the purification pools. Rainy season: 5-minute wait. The experience is infinitely more meaningful without a line of people with GoPros waiting behind you.
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) — 9th-century cave temple with carved demon faces at the entrance. In dry season, it's a quick stop on a tour group circuit. In rain, the moss is thick, the stone is dark, and the atmosphere is genuinely atmospheric. IDR 50,000.
Gunung Kawi — 11th-century royal tombs carved into a riverside cliff face. The 300-step descent is slippery in rain (wear proper shoes) but the temples surrounded by rice paddies in the mist? Worth every careful step. IDR 50,000.
Ubud's yoga scene doesn't have a season. The Yoga Barn, Radiantly Alive, and Intuitive Flow run full schedules November through March. Class prices stay the same (IDR 130,000-180,000 per class, $8-12).
Retreat centers actually offer better deals in rainy season — week-long yoga retreats that cost $800 in July go for $500-600 in February. Same teachers, same food, same jungle backdrop.
Rainy season isn't all upside. Some honest downsides:
Mosquitoes increase. Standing water breeds them. Use DEET, especially at dusk. Consider long sleeves for evening dining.
Some roads flood. The road to Tegallalang and some rural areas can flood briefly after heavy storms. A scooter (IDR 70,000-100,000/day) handles it, but go slow.
Humidity is higher. 80-90% humidity means you'll be sweaty. Cotton sticks to everything. Linen and quick-dry fabrics are your friends.
Monkey Forest monkeys get feistier. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (IDR 80,000 entry) has 1,260 Balinese long-tailed macaques. In wet season, they're more active and slightly more aggressive about stealing food. Don't carry anything visible and remove dangling jewelry.
Here's how to structure a day:
6:00AM — Sunrise yoga at The Yoga Barn (IDR 130,000) 8:00AM — Breakfast at Clear Cafe (smoothie bowls, IDR 65,000) 9:00AM — Visit Tegallalang Rice Terrace in morning light 11:00AM — Drive to Tibumana Waterfall, swim in the pool 1:00PM — Lunch at Warung Biah Biah (local food, IDR 35,000-60,000 per dish) 2:00-4:00PM — Rain break: read, get a massage (IDR 100,000/hour at local spas), nap 5:00PM — Walk through Ubud town, browse art galleries on Jalan Raya 6:30PM — Catch a Kecak fire dance at Ubud Palace (IDR 100,000) 8:00PM — Dinner at Locavore (Ubud's best restaurant, mains IDR 150,000-300,000)
Dry season Ubud is a well-oiled tourist machine. Rainy season Ubud is Bali the way it felt 15 years ago — quieter, greener, more spiritual, and dramatically cheaper.
Bring a rain jacket. Bring mosquito repellent. And bring the flexibility to let an afternoon storm be the excuse for a two-hour Balinese massage instead of another temple visit.
That's not a compromise. That's an upgrade.
Seasonal
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