Bali Weather in April: Your Guide to the Start of the Dry Season

April in Ubud starts quietly. You wake to a sky that stays clear past breakfast, then past lunch. The rice terraces below the garden are a fresh, almost electric green, the river is still full from the wet months, and the air has lost the heavy, waiting feeling of February. An afternoon shower might still roll over the hills, but it passes in half an hour and leaves the stone paths steaming in the sun. That is Bali weather in April: the wet season handing over to the dry, the island at its greenest, and the easy, open days that make many repeat visitors call it their favorite month.

Most guides to Bali weather in April stop at a temperature table. This one comes from the team at a staffed villa in the rice fields outside Ubud, where April means drying paths, new planting in the paddies, long clear mornings and very few crowds. Below you will find honest weather ranges, who April suits best, what the 2027 calendar looks like, how Ubud feels this month, the outdoor adventures that open up, beach and diving conditions, and exactly what to pack.

Bali Weather in April at a Glance

Bali has two broad seasons. The wet season runs roughly from November to March, driven by the northwest monsoon. The dry season runs roughly from April to October, when the drier southeast trade winds take over. April is the first month on the dry side of that line, though the handover is gradual and rarely happens on a fixed date. One honest caveat: weather services measure at different stations over different years, so published figures for April vary. Read the numbers below on Bali weather in April as ranges, not promises.

• Daytime temperatures: roughly 29–31°C (84–88°F) on the coast. Ubud usually runs a degree or two cooler in the day.
• Nights: around 23–25°C (73–77°F) by the sea. Ubud nights often dip into the low 20s°C (around 70–73°F), which is lovely with the doors open.
• Rainfall: a big step down from March. Travel weather sites quote anywhere from about 100 mm to around 160 mm for the month in the south, spread over roughly 6–11 wet days. Most of that falls in short bursts, not all-day rain.
• Humidity: still tropical, typically in the 70–80% range, but noticeably more comfortable than January or February.
• Sunshine: around 12 hours of daylight, with many days giving you eight to ten hours of real sun.
• Sea temperature: about 28–29°C (82–84°F). Warm enough to swim for as long as you like.
• Sunset: around 6:10–6:15 pm, with sunrise a little after 6:00 am.

Ubud has its own small climate. Sitting in the foothills about 200–300 meters above sea level, with the volcanoes behind it, it catches more cloud and rain than the southern beaches. In April that usually means a few more showers than Seminyak or Sanur, often in the mid to late afternoon. It also means cooler evenings and a landscape that stays lush deep into the dry season. If you want to see how April compares with the months either side, our guides to March weather in Bali and February weather in Bali show the wet season easing off month by month.

The short version: April gives you most of the sunshine of the dry season, the green of the wet season, and prices and crowds that have not yet caught up with either.

Is April a Good Time to Visit Bali? An Honest Answer

For most travelers, yes. The Bali weather in April suits almost every kind of trip, and April is one of the two shoulder months (October is the other) that seasoned Bali visitors quietly rate as the best of the year. The weather is reliably good without the peak-season crowds of July and August, and the island is greener than it will be again until next year. That said, no month is perfect for everyone, so here is who April suits and who might want to choose differently.

April is ideal for

• Couples and honeymooners who want clear evenings, quiet restaurants and sunsets without a crowd. April is a beautiful month for a honeymoon villa in Ubud.
• Families outside the school-holiday rush. Days are warm and dry enough for pool afternoons and gentle walks, and you avoid the July and August scramble. Our guide to a family villa in Ubud covers what works well with children.
• Wellness travelers. Ubud’s wellness calendar is busy in spring, and the cooler, drier mornings are perfect for yoga, breathwork and long, slow walks.
• Walkers, hikers and photographers who want firm paths, clear volcano views and that saturated post-monsoon green.
• Value seekers. Many villas and hotels still price April below peak season, though the best-value dates book early.

Think twice if

• You need guaranteed rain-free days. April is mostly dry, not completely dry. Early April in particular can still feel like the tail of the wet season, especially in the highlands.
• You are a dedicated surfer chasing the west coast. April is a good transition month, but the classic dry-season swells on the Bukit Peninsula really build from May onward.
• You want the liveliest beach-club scene. The south is pleasantly busy in April, but the real party energy arrives with the northern summer.

If you are still choosing between months, our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Ubud and our wider look at the best time to travel to Bali put April in context with the rest of the year.

April 2027 in Bali: Holidays, Festivals and Ceremonies

Bali weather in April is only half the planning story. In March, the calendar matters more than the forecast: Nyepi, the Day of Silence, closes the whole island for 24 hours. April 2027 is the opposite. It is one of the calmest months of the year on the calendar, which is a big part of its appeal.

No national public holidays in April 2027

Indonesia’s official 2027 holiday decree lists no public holidays or collective leave days in April. Nyepi (Monday 8 March), the Eid al-Fitr long break and Good Friday (26 March) all fall in March in 2027, and Easter Sunday is 28 March. The next cluster of holidays arrives in May: Ascension Day (6 May), Eid al-Adha (17 May) and Vesak (20 May). The practical result is that April 2027 has no long domestic weekends, so roads, temples and popular sights are calmer than they will be in May. Some international visitors travel over Easter week and during school breaks in early to mid April, especially from Australia, so book flights early if your dates overlap with those breaks.

Galungan does not fall in April in 2027

Galungan and Kuningan follow the Balinese 210-day pawukon calendar, so they move around the Gregorian year. In 2027 Galungan falls in January (13 January) and again in August, so you will not see the tall bamboo penjor lining every street in April. If Galungan is a must for you, our guide to religion in Bali explains how the ceremonial calendar works.

Temple anniversaries and the full moon

What you will see in April are odalan, temple anniversary ceremonies. Each of Bali’s thousands of temples celebrates its own odalan every 210 days, so on almost any day of the year a village somewhere near Ubud is decorating its temple gate with woven palm leaves and yellow and white cloth. Women carry tall towers of fruit and flowers on their heads, gamelan drifts across the rice fields, and the whole village dresses in ceremonial clothes. Ask the villa team and they will often know of a ceremony nearby, and how to watch respectfully. The full moon (purnama) around 20 April 2027 is another busy day for temple offerings across the island.

BaliSpirit Festival

Ubud’s best-known wellness gathering, the BaliSpirit Festival, has traditionally been held in spring, often in April. It is several days of yoga, dance, music and workshops, and some event listings point to late April for 2027. Dates have shifted from year to year, so check the official festival site before you plan around it. If the festival falls during your stay, Ubud gets noticeably busier, and villas near the center book up early. Our guide to yoga retreats in Bali covers year-round options too.

Ubud in April: Green Terraces and Drying Paths

The rice fields are where you feel the turn of the season most clearly. Depending on each subak (the centuries-old cooperative that shares irrigation water between farmers), April can bring the end of one harvest and the start of the next planting. You may see some terraces flooded and freshly planted, with rows of tiny seedlings mirrored in the sky, while the next field over is waist-high and swaying. The water channels still run full from the wet season, and the sound of moving water follows you along every path.

Day to day, the Bali weather in April gives Ubud a rhythm like this:

• 6:00–9:00 am: cool, still and usually clear. The best time to walk the rice fields, practice yoga on the terrace, or watch the light come up over the valley.
• 9:00 am–1:00 pm: warm and bright. Ideal for temples, waterfalls and markets before the heat of midday.
• 2:00–5:00 pm: the window for any shower that does come. Some days nothing happens at all. Others bring a short, heavy burst and then sunshine again.
• Evenings: soft and pleasant, often with clear skies. Dinner outdoors is easy, and the frogs and crickets start up as soon as it is dark.

The paths through the fields dry out quickly in April, which opens up walks that can be muddy and slippery in January and February. Our guide to Ubud rice field walks has routes for every fitness level, and Tegallalang Rice Terrace looks especially vivid this month. Arrive early to beat both the heat and the tour buses.

Fruit season shifts too. The rambutan and mangosteen glut of the wet season is mostly over, but snake fruit, papaya, bananas, passion fruit and young coconuts are everywhere, and our chef will build breakfast around whatever is best at the morning market that day.

Outdoor Adventures That Open Up in April

April is when Bali’s outdoor season really begins, and the Bali weather in April is the reason why. Drier ground, clearer skies and rivers still running high make it one of the most rewarding months for getting out of the villa and into the landscape.

Volcano sunrise treks

By April, the odds of a clear summit at dawn improve noticeably compared with the wet months. The pre-dawn trek up Mount Batur for sunrise is about two hours of steady climbing from the trailhead, and the view across the caldera lake to Mount Agung and Mount Abang is worth every step. It is cold at the top before sunrise, so bring a warm layer even in April.

Waterfalls at their best

April is a sweet spot for waterfalls. The rivers are still full from the wet season, but access paths are drier and safer than in January or February. Tegenungan, Tibumana, Kanto Lampo and the falls around Gianyar all look powerful this month. Our Ubud waterfall guide covers the best ones within an easy drive. Flash flooding is far less common in April, but after heavy rain upstream, always check with your driver or a local guide before swimming.

Ridge walks, cycling and rafting

The Campuhan Ridge Walk is gorgeous in April, especially before 8:00 am when the grass is silver with dew. Downhill cycling tours through villages and rice fields are comfortable now that the roads have dried, and white-water rafting on the Ayung River is at its most exciting, with plenty of water still in the river.

Temples and cultural days

Clear mornings make April a fine month for temple days. Go early to the water temple of Tirta Empul, then explore the quieter shrines in our guide to temples to visit around Ubud. In the evening, a Kecak dance performance under a clear sky is hard to beat.

Beaches, Surf, Snorkeling and Diving in April

Ubud is inland, but almost every April visitor wants some time by the sea, and conditions are generally good this month.

• Sanur and the east coast: calm, sheltered water inside the reef, perfect for families and gentle swims. A Sanur beach day trip from Ubud takes about 45 minutes to an hour by car, traffic permitting.
• Snorkeling and diving: visibility usually improves as the rains ease and run-off clears. Amed, Tulamben and Padang Bai on the east coast are popular this month, and scuba diving in Sanur is an easy option close to Ubud. Manta rays are seen year-round around Nusa Penida.
• Nusa Penida: calmer seas than in the wet season make the fast-boat crossing more comfortable. Our Nusa Penida day trip guide explains how to make it work from Ubud.
• Surf: April is a changeover month. The east coast tends to work best early in the month, while the west-coast and Bukit breaks start to come alive as the dry-season trade winds settle in. A sunset visit to Pura Luhur Uluwatu pairs well with a surf day on the Bukit.

The sun is fierce at sea level in April, with UV levels often extreme by late morning. Plan beach time for early morning or late afternoon, and bring reef-safe sunscreen.

What to Pack for Bali in April

Packing for the Bali weather in April is simple: think warm-weather travel with a small nod to the last of the showers. Our full Bali packing guide goes deeper, but here are the April essentials.

• Light, breathable clothing: linen and cotton shirts, dresses and shorts that dry fast.
• A light rain layer: a packable rain jacket or compact umbrella for the occasional afternoon shower, especially in Ubud.
• A sarong or temple wear: knees and shoulders must be covered at temples. A sarong and sash are often lent at the gate, but having your own is easier.
• Good footwear: sandals for everyday, plus sturdy walking or trail shoes for rice field paths, waterfalls and volcano treks.
• A warm layer: essential for the Mount Batur sunrise and pleasant for cool Ubud evenings.
• Sun protection: reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
• Insect repellent: mosquitoes are still active after the wet season, especially around dawn and dusk.
• A reusable water bottle: staying hydrated helps on hot days, and our guide to avoiding Bali belly covers safe water and food.

Before you fly, check entry rules. Most visitors need a visa on arrival or e-VoA, plus the Bali tourist levy. Our guide to the Bali visa for US citizens covers the process step by step, and our guide to getting to Ubud from the airport covers the drive in.

Bali Weather in April: Frequently Asked Questions

Does it rain a lot in Bali in April?

Not usually. April is the first month of the dry season, and rainfall drops sharply compared with January to March. Expect occasional short showers, most often in the afternoon, rather than days of steady rain. Ubud and the highlands see more of them than the southern beaches.

Is April rainy or dry season in Bali?

April is generally counted as the start of the dry season, which runs to about October. Because it is a transition month, the first week or two can still feel like the wet season, while late April is often reliably dry.

How hot is Bali in April?

Daytime highs are typically around 29–31°C (84–88°F) on the coast, with nights around 23–25°C (73–77°F). Ubud is usually a degree or two cooler, with comfortable evenings in the low 20s°C.

Is the sea good for swimming in April?

Yes. The water is around 28–29°C, and the sheltered east-coast beaches such as Sanur are calm. As always in Bali, respect red flags and strong currents on the west coast and the Bukit Peninsula.

Is Bali busy in April?

Moderately. April is busier than February but much quieter than July and August. In 2027 there are no Indonesian public holidays in April, so domestic crowds are light. Easter week, international school breaks and the BaliSpirit Festival in Ubud (if it falls in April) bring short busier spells.

Is April expensive in Bali?

April usually sits between low and high season on price. Villas and flights tend to cost less than in peak months, though well-located villas still book up for popular dates. Our guide to Bali travel prices breaks down everyday costs.

Is April a good month for Ubud specifically?

It is one of the best. The rice fields are at their greenest, paths are drying out, waterfalls are full, and mornings are cool and clear. You will still get the odd afternoon shower, which most guests come to love as an excuse for a long massage or a book on the terrace. Our guide to traditional spa in Ubud has some favorites.

How does April compare with other months?

April is drier than March and much drier than January, but greener and quieter than July. For the wet-season picture, see our Bali rainy season guide.

Final Thoughts: April Is When Ubud Opens Its Doors

If you could pick one month to see Ubud at its most generous, April would be a strong contender. The Bali weather in April is warm, mostly dry and kind to early risers. The rice terraces glow, the rivers run full, and the calendar is calm enough to leave space for slow mornings and spontaneous days. Bring a light jacket for the odd shower and a warm layer for the volcano, and you are ready.

We love this month at the villa. Breakfast moves out onto the terrace, the garden looks freshly washed every day, and the team has time to share the ceremonies, waterfalls and quiet rice field paths they know best. Come and let April in Ubud be held for you.