Bali in November: Weather, Surf, Crowds & What to Pack

Wet season returns — cheaper, quieter, splashier. That’s Bali in November. The numbers: highs of 30°C, nights at 24°C, sea temperature around 28°C, and 12 rain days in the month: near-daily afternoon rain. Humidity sits at about 81%. Crowds: quiet.

Rain returns to ~12 days per month, mostly afternoons. Mornings stay reliably sunny. Surf swings back to the west coast. Hotel rates drop 30% from October. Ideal month for Ubud (less affected by rain than the coast). Here’s what you actually need to know: weather, surf, festivals, packing, and an honest take. For the year-round overview see the full Bali travel guide.

What the Weather’s Really Like

Bali sits 8 degrees south of the equator, so temperature variation across the year is small (24-31°C range). What changes is the rain. In November

• Average daytime high: 30°C
• Average overnight low: 24°C
• Sea temperature: 28°C (warm year-round)
• Rain days: 12 per month
• Daily sunshine: 7 hours
• Humidity: 81%
• Sunrise / sunset: 5:55am / 6:30pm

The rain pattern matters more than the rain count. Even in the wettest months, mornings tend to be sunny, storms typically build mid-afternoon and pass within an hour or two. Plan beach time before 1pm; plan spa/yoga/cooking class for late afternoon.

Surf & Beach in November

The surf swell direction flips with the seasons. west coast restarting works in November. Conditions are mixed. Check the daily forecast on Magicseaweed before committing to a coast for the day. Sea temperature of 28°C means a board shorts or rash-guard session, wetsuits are never required.

Festivals & Events in November

None major. The Balinese religious calendar runs on a 210-day cycle, so Hindu ceremonies shift through the months year-on-year. Local village (banjar) ceremonies happen weekly somewhere on the island regardless of the month — ask your hotel staff what’s happening that week.

Crowds & Pricing

I rented a scooter for two weeks in October and only had one wet ride. Worth it.

Crowd level in November is moderate. What that actually looks like

• Hotels comfortable, last-minute booking usually fine
• Popular restaurants need reservations Friday-Sunday only
• Scooter rentals at standard rates (80-90k IDR/day)
• Beach clubs busy on weekends, empty weekdays

What to Bring

• Light rain shell or compact umbrella: afternoon showers possible
• High-SPF sunscreen
• Sarong or modest cover-up for temple visits
• Quick-dry clothing for active days
• Insect repellent
• Day pack for water, sunscreen, layers
• Reef-safe sunscreen for snorkelling at Nusa Penida or Amed

Best What to Do in Bali in November

• Surf the right coast: west coast restarting in November. Lessons at Batu Bolong (Canggu) for beginners.
• Sunrise hike up Mount Batur: 2-hour climb, breakfast at the rim, 400-500k IDR with guide.
• Ubud rice terraces. Tegallalang most photographed, Jatiluwih largest and quietest.
• Nusa Penida day trip. Kelingking Beach viewpoint, Angel Billabong, Broken Beach. Fast boat from Sanur.
• Uluwatu Temple kecak fire dance at sunset, the most dramatic cultural performance on the island.
• Balinese cooking class. Paon Bali (Ubud) or Bumbu Bali (Tanjung Benoa) are the established benchmarks.

Pros & Cons of Bali in November

Who Should Visit (and Who Should Skip)

Photography Conditions in November

Sunrise sits around 5:55am. Plan for the morning balloon-or-terrace shot first, then move into the valleys for the second hour of post-sunrise light.

• Mornings reliably clear, storms typically 3-6pm. Perfect window for sunrise Batur hike + early-afternoon temple visits.

November vs Adjacent Months

If your dates are flexible by a week or two, here’s how November stacks up against October and December on the metrics that matter

Read the dedicated guides: Bali in October · Bali in December.

Verdict: The Verdict

Good for budget travellers and Ubud-focused trips. Skip if your itinerary is beach-heavy.

If you want alternatives: the three best months to visit Bali, balancing weather, prices and crowd levels, are March, September, and February. For the year-round comparison see the main Bali travel guide.

The November Trade-Off: West Coast Blows Out, East Coast Comes Alive

The detail most November guides bury is that the wind flips. As the northwest monsoon settles in, the famous west-coast breaks at Canggu and Uluwatu turn onshore and choppy by mid-morning, while the same wind blows clean and offshore across the east coast. That makes November one of the better windows for Keramas, the fast reef break near Gianyar, along with Sanur, Serangan and Nusa Dua. It is genuinely a changeover-month sweet spot: by deep dry season, westerly swells get shadowed by the Bukit Peninsula and Nusa Penida, so Keramas often fires best in October and November rather than mid-year.

Plan around the rhythm rather than fighting it. Mornings stay mostly clear, then roughly 150 to 200mm of rain arrives as concentrated afternoon downpours, with highs around 31C, lows near 24C, sea temperature about 28C, and humidity sitting around 80 to 85 percent. A few honest catches:

• The heat plus humidity makes midday hikes and scooter rides draining, so do Mount Batur or the rice terraces at dawn.
• If you want reliable sun and the calmest water, Nusa Dua sits on the sheltered leeward side of the Bukit and stays the island’s driest corner.
• Afternoon storms can briefly cut Nusa Penida boat crossings, so book that day trip early in your stay as a buffer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Written by

John Morrison

Founder of Packzup. Independent travel writer covering offbeat destinations across six continents since 2018. Every guide is first-hand and self-funded — no press trips, never sponsored.