This is perhaps the most asked question, and honestly quite a long one to answer! The short answer is that all 12 months are perfect, but I do have my favourites!
Let's look at each month, keeping in mind that the biggest changes are the weather and the crowds.
January
Peak wet season. Quiet, green and very easy to get around. The rain makes short, dramatic appearances, then stops, leaving you wondering what just happened! Bring a jacket and don't bring white shoes! No queues, and sometimes breakfast runs into lunch while you sit in a cafe, looking at the rain, watching everyone going about their daily business and thinking while you drink another coffee; life's just ok. Personally - I like January!!
Suits: writers (yes- we have had someone write a book while staying!), Relaxers and anyone escaping crowds, people watchers, and anyone who just needs time to think and reflect. It's also one of the best times to do the adventure activities and visit the Waterfalls!!
February
Still wet and still peaceful. Ramadan normally falls around this month (it moves each year), so many construction workers from other parts of Indonesia go home for a month. This means that Ubud slows, traffic thins, construction noise eases, and everyone exhales. Think January but quieter! Ubud feels like it's in second gear, and that's just perfect - I like February too😊
Suits: sightseers who prefer temples and rice fields without a tour group in every photo. A good month to actually see Ubud, not just queue for it.
March
The rainy season is coming to an end as Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence, arrives (in 2027 it's on 8 March). The island stops for 24 hours: no traffic, no flights, no “just popping out for coffee.” The night before, Ogoh-Ogoh parades are a "must-see". The parades are spectacular, loud, wild and unforgettable. When Nyepi is over, Ubud goes up a gear. People start getting organised, and visitors start to really arrive. Ubud shifts into third, not too fast - but fast enough. I like March!
Suits: curious travellers and culture-watchers. If you haven't experienced a Nyepi, it's unique in the world and unforgettable!
April
Greener than August and drier than January, and personally, one of my favourite months of the year. The crowds have yet to appear, the weather is not too hot, the traffic is good - I guess it's the closest Ubud comes to a Spring Season!! Ubud's still in third gear, but things are starting to get busier.
Suits: first-time visitors who want a bit of everything without peak-season prices or peak-season patience tests.
May
Our Global visitors start arriving; the weather is generally dry, there is the perfect amount of visitors, the rice terraces look lush, and you can walk to breakfast and claim your favourite people-watching spot. Ubud goes up a gear into fourth - not crazy but busy, and that's OK. Another favourite month!
Suits: couples, walkers, café people, and anyone who likes Ubud at a human pace.
June
Properly pleasant. Galungan dresses the streets in penjor, so every walk or scooter outing looks like a ceremony. In my opinion, this is when Ubud looks its best. Every year the penjor get more spectacular. When you see the Penjors going up, Ubud goes into top gear. The weather is great - the days are nice and the nights cool. Riding around Ubud, and in fact Bali, is a picture postcard at every corner. June is great! Did I mention that June is another one of my favourite months!
Suits: families and longer-stay guests. Busy enough to feel alive, not so busy you need a strategy to cross the road.
July
Excellent weather. Ubud comes alive with people filling every café, villa and rice-field viewpoint. Ubud, which got into top gear in June, put their foot down, and for the next 10 weeks, Ubud and Bali as a whole are all go. Book early. I love July - the crowds during the day out sightseeing and come the evening - enjoying the best of what Ubud has to offer in the way of food and entertainment. July is great, and you guessed it, another one of my favourite months!
Suits: social travellers, first-timers who want the “classic Bali” buzz, and people who don’t mind sharing a sunset. (PS. If you can get up before the sun, watching the sun rise over the rice field is something very special)
August
The driest, busiest, most “is the whole of Europe and Australia arrive in Ubud?” month. Sunshine is reliable. Daytime temps can get into the 31-33 range - bring a hat, sunglasses, and white shoes are ok! If July was 8/10 on the crazy scale, August is 9.5/10! It's busy, but everyone gets to see everything, have a great time and leave with lots of amazing memories, and we hope they have started strategising when they are going to return!
Suits: school-holiday families and anyone who came for energy, not emptiness.
September
Dry season without the August crush. This is another of my favourite months. The crowds are starting to thin out, the weather remains spectacular, and the coffee baristas have now mastered the art of coffee-making. Ubud comes out of fifth gear and starts to slow down - but in a really nice way. Everyone is busy, but it's Ubud busy, and that's just nice.
Suits: almost everyone. Especially return visitors who already know they prefer the weather and space.
October
The days are getting warmer, and there is a good chance you will get a late, brief shower of rain, just to remind you this is the tropics. The Ubud Writers Festival is on, and there are several art shows.
Suits: culture lovers, workshop-goers, and people who like a civilised pace before the wet season returns.
November
Wet season arrives. Crowds drop, prices soften, the hills and rice fields go extra green, traffic slows, and that favourite seat at your breakfast location becomes available. In short, Ubud moves from fourth gear to third gear as the calm returns. A good, great month to reflect on how lucky we are.
Suits: budget-conscious travellers, spa people, and guests looking for long lunches and great massages, and people who want to forget what day it is, because it really doesn't matter!
December
The wet season is in full flight, but for one week, the fairy lights come out, and Ubud goes into full festive mode. Christmas and New Year are busy but manageable. The weather is generally very warm, and it's almost guaranteed to rain each day - which is just ok. Always take an umbrella with you!
Suits: festive families over the holiday week. The rest of the month suits writers, relaxers and crowd-avoiders — and it’s another prime window for ATV off-road adventures, when the island is quieter, and the countryside looks its wildest.
The short version:
As you may have guessed, I have twelve favourite months of the year! So when you ask me which one is your favourite, it all depends on where you are in life. I can guarantee Ubud has a month that suits you.
So no matter when you come to Ubud, you'll likely eat well, get more massages than you planned, and leave with a suitcase full of great memories and a few stories to tell your friends.
Pick a month and come and enjoy Ubud!