good to know before you plan
December is two months in one. The first three weeks are cheap and quiet, the Christmas fortnight is the most expensive stretch of the entire year, and the gap between them is enormous.
Over the holidays the atmosphere is lively and everything operates, but you are paying the highest prices of the year for wet-season weather, which is the worst value combination on the calendar. Outside it the five days run around $120 to $210 per person. We would book early December without hesitating and avoid the fortnight unless your dates are fixed for you.
Bali in December: A 5-Day Kuta and Legian Itinerary
Five days is the sweet spot for one region of Bali, and this plan spends all of it on Kuta and Legian. December is wet, and splits into a cheap first three weeks and an expensive holiday fortnight.
You stay on the Kuta and Legian strip and let it come to you: the beach and the surf in the mornings, the water park on a quieter day, Jalan Legian after dark, and one run south to Uluwatu for the cliffs and the Kecak dance. Everything else is a walk away.
Five days on the Kuta strip, cheap early and packed over the holidays
December
Week 3
day by day
One hotel in Kuta or Legian, everything on foot, with a single afternoon out to Uluwatu. Five days keeps you on the strip without it wearing thin.
Day 1: Arrive, check in, out for the evening.
Day 2: Surf lesson at first light, sleep, Jalan Legian after dark.
Day 3: Waterbom Bali at opening.
Day 4: Uluwatu for the temple and the Kecak dance, leaving very early.
Day 5: Checkout, airport, generous time for traffic.
If your dates fall after roughly 20 December, book the restaurants, the activities and the airport transfer before you fly. The holiday fortnight sells out and prices roughly triple.
Where to Eat
Seminyak for the widest range of restaurants
Canggu for cafés, brunch and international food
Jimbaran for fresh seafood by the beach
Sanur for relaxed local and international dining
Uluwatu for cliffside restaurants and sunset venues
Local warungs throughout the region for Balinese favourites
Where to Stay
Kuta Beach: best for beachfront access.
Jalan Legian: best for nightlife and shops.
Poppies Lanes: best for budget guesthouses.
Tuban: best for airport proximity.
Jalan Pantai Kuta: best for beach and malls.
Legian border: best for a calmer base.
best Things to Do
Watch sunset from the beaches of Seminyak or Canggu
Explore Uluwatu’s cliffs and beaches
Visit Uluwatu Temple and watch a Kecak performance
Relax on the beaches of Nusa Dua or Sanur
Enjoy a seafood dinner in Jimbaran. Surf or take a beginner surf lesson
Explore cafés, boutiques and local markets
Spend a day discovering the Bukit Peninsula.
Cheap until the twentieth. Very expensive after
Compare hotel prices with your exact dates, because December is really two seasons: the first three weeks sit near the yearly low and the Christmas fortnight is the most expensive period of the year. Over the holidays, book activities and restaurants before you fly rather than on arrival. A car matters least here of anywhere, which is precisely why Kuta is one of the better places to be over a crowded, wet holiday period. Three links below.
frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Kuta in December?
Wet and warm. December sits in the rainy season, with heavy afternoon showers on most days, high humidity and temperatures around 27 to 31 degrees. Mornings are usually the clearest part of the day. The weather is the same across the whole month, including the expensive holiday fortnight.
Is Bali worth visiting at Christmas?
It depends what you value. The atmosphere is lively and everything operates, but you are paying the highest prices of the year for wet-season weather and the heaviest traffic on the island. If your dates are fixed by school holidays, it works with planning. If you have any flexibility, early December or January gives you identical weather at a fraction of the cost.
How busy is Kuta over New Year?
Extremely. The strip runs at capacity, Jalan Legian is packed, and the beach is crowded for the fireworks. Restaurants run set menus that book out well ahead and transfers cost more. It is one of the biggest nights of the year in Bali, which is either the appeal or the reason to be somewhere else.