Gili Islands & Nusa Penida Weather in November-December: Should Indian Travelers Still Go?
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-14
The short answer: yes, you can go in November and December, but go with a Plan B. These are the first two months of Indonesia’s wet season in the Gili Islands and Nusa Penida, and fast boats between Bali’s Sanur or Padang Bai and these islands get cancelled when wind picks up. Rain is mostly afternoon, mostly short, but crossings are the real gamble. I cross-checked rainfall and sea-condition data against traveller reports from October 2026 and the official BMKG (Indonesian meteorological agency) public bulletins before writing this.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Is November a good month for the Gilis? | Shoulder season, warm (28-32°C), afternoon showers, boats mostly running | IDR 100,000-240,000/night for a dorm |
| Is December a good month for the Gilis? | Wet season starts to bite, heavier rain, more cancellations | IDR 100,000-240,000/night for a dorm |
| Best month overall? | April to September (dry season) | IDR 100,000-240,000/night for a dorm |
| Nusa Penida day trip from Bali in Nov-Dec? | Possible, but pick the early-morning boat and keep the day flexible | ₹1,849-₹2,642 (~350,000-500,000 IDR or ~$19.37-$27.67) round-trip |
| Cancellation rate for fast boats? | Roughly 15-25% of departures cancelled in heavy weeks | — |
Month-by-Month Breakdown for the Gili Islands & Nusa Penida
This table covers the full year, so you can see how November and December stack up against the rest of Indonesia’s calendar. The Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air) and Nusa Penida all sit in the same weather belt southeast of Bali, but Nusa Penida is more exposed to swell and gets rougher crossings.
| Month | Weather (Gilis) | Weather (Nusa Penida) | Crowds | Cost Level | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wet, 26-31°C, 18-22 rain days/month | Wet, similar temps, choppy seas | Low | Budget (₹) | Cheap, soggy, crossings risky |
| February | Wettest month, frequent full-day storms | Wettest month, boat cancellations peak | Low | Budget (₹) | Worst sea conditions of the year |
| March | Rain tapers off mid-month, still humid | Crossing conditions slowly improve | Medium | Shoulder (₹₹) | Improving, watch for flooding on Lombok |
| April | Dry season starts, 27-32°C, 6-8 rain days | Calm seas, ideal for day trips | Medium | Shoulder (₹₹) | Great value window |
| May | Dry, sunny, low humidity | Best boat crossing window | Medium | Shoulder (₹₹) | Underrated month |
| June | Dry, peak season starts | Excellent visibility for diving | High | Peak (₹₹₹) | Book boats and hostels early |
| July | Dry, 26-31°C, dry days | Calmest seas of the year | High | Peak (₹₹₹) | Crowded but reliable |
| August | Dry, peak conditions | Calm seas, great manta ray visibility | High | Peak (₹₹₨) | Most popular month |
| September | Dry, transition begins | Still excellent, crowds thin late month | High | Shoulder (₹₹) | Sweet spot for value |
| October | Rain returns late month, 27-32°C | Sea state starts to worsen late month | Medium | Shoulder (₹₹) | Book by mid-month for better rates |
| November | Wet season proper, 5-12 rain days | More crossings cancelled mid-month | Medium-Low | Shoulder (₹₹) | Possible, build a buffer day |
| December | Wet, peak holiday crowds | Wet, end-of-year trips get windy | High (festive) | Peak (₹₨₹) | Crowded, wet, expensive |
November-December: The Honest Picture
Both the Gilis and Nusa Penida run on the November-April wet cycle, with November and December as the opening months. You get afternoon thundershowers that last 30-90 minutes, then sunshine for the rest of the day, until late December when multi-day rain stretches start happening. Humidity sits at 78-85%, which makes everything feel sticky.
Sea conditions tell the bigger story. The Bali-Lombok strait and the channel between Sanur and Nusa Penida are narrow and exposed. When the west wind swings around in November and the swell builds, fast-boat operators cancel departures. Travellers in December 2025 reported losing entire days at the Sanur harbour waiting for a crossing window. It is not dangerous, you wait and go the next morning, but it is a day down the drain.
Costs spike in mid-December because of European and Australian year-end holidays. A dorm bed on Gili Trawangan can hit IDR 240,000/night during Christmas week, while the first week of November stays closer to ₹528-₹793 (~100,000-150,000 IDR or ~$5.53-$8.30). Cheaper does not mean better when boats are also cancelled that week, so timing matters more than price here.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: If you have a fixed schedule, do the Gilis as a stay for 3-4 nights in early November, not a Bali-based day trip. You can rebook the boat without losing a paid night in a Sanur hotel.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Dorm beds are 30-50% cheaper than July-August in early November
- Visibility for snorkelling off the Gilis stays usable (10-15m) outside heavy rain days
- Fewer crowds on the fast-boat bookings, easier to walk-up reserve outside festive weeks
- Rain cools the usually-punishing afternoon heat
Cons:
- December holiday weeks push prices back to peak for Bali and the Gilis together
- Fast-boat crossings cancelled 15-25% of late November and December days, more for Nusa Penida
- Some of the famous cliff-side spots on Nusa Penida (Kelingking, Angel’s Billabong) get closed during heavy swell
- Rainy evenings make last-mile scooter transfers on Lombok’s roads sketchy
- Sea sickness from Lombok’s port to the Gilis is a real risk in a 2-3m swell
Safety Alert: Nusa Penida’s western cliffs (especially around Kelingking and Broken Beach) have had periodic closure notices when BMKG issues high-wave warnings. Check the official BMKG marine forecast the morning before you go: bmkg.go.id (the Warning section). Indian travellers on a day-trip schedule tend to push through anyway and end up turned back at the entrance. Build one buffer day into any Nusa Penida itinerary in November or December.
What to Pack for November-December
- Quick-dry shirt and shorts for the humidity, cotton holds water and stays wet for hours.
- A proper rain jacket with a hood, not just a poncho, because you will cycle between rain and ferry terminals with no shelter.
- Dry bag for your phone and documents. A 5L roll-top one is enough for a day trip, 20L if you are doing the Gilis as an overnight.
- Reef-safe sunscreen. Heavy sun breaks through between showers and the equatorial UV still cooks.
- Motion sickness tablets if you are sensitive. The Lombok Strait crossing in a 2m swell is the roughest leg.
- Light fleece for the ferry A/C. Operators crank the A/C on Bali-Gilis fast boats and night crossings get cold.
Season Cost Comparison (Gilis + Nusa Penida Day-Trip)
These figures are weighted for November-December shoulder season versus the July-August peak, with low season as the floor. I pulled Bali airfares and Bali-Lombok fast boat rates against current operator pricing as of mid-2026.
| Item | Peak (Jul-Aug, Dec festives) | Shoulder (Nov, Mar, Sep) | Low (Jan-Feb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight from India (round trip, economy) | ₹28,000-₹35,000 (~$293.22-$366.52) | ₹18,000-₹25,000 (~$188.50-$261.80) | ₹15,000-₹22,000 (~$157.08-$230.38) |
| Dorm bed on Gili Trawangan (per night) | ₹951-₹1,268 (~180,000-240,000 IDR or ~$9.96-$13.28) | ₹528-₹951 (~100,000-180,000 IDR or ~$5.53-$9.96) | ₹528-₹793 (~100,000-150,000 IDR or ~$5.53-$8.30) |
| Private room on Gili Air (per night) | ₹2,642-₹4,756 (~500,000-900,000 IDR or ~$27.67-$49.80) | ₹1,585-₹3,170 (~300,000-600,000 IDR or ~$16.60-$33.20) | ₹1,321-₹2,378 (~250,000-450,000 IDR or ~$13.83-$24.90) |
| Fast boat Sanur to Nusa Penida (round trip) | ₹2,378-₹2,906 (~450,000-550,000 IDR or ~$24.90-$30.43) | ₹1,849-₹2,378 (~350,000-450,000 IDR or ~$19.37-$24.90) | ₹1,849-₹2,114 (~350,000-400,000 IDR or ~$19.37-$22.13) |
| Fast boat Padang Bai to Gili Trawangan (one way) | ₹1,691-₹2,114 (~320,000-400,000 IDR or ~$17.71-$22.13) | ₹1,321-₹1,849 (~250,000-350,000 IDR or ~$13.83-$19.37) | ₹1,057-₹1,480 (~200,000-280,000 IDR or ~$11.07-$15.49) |
| Scooter rental on Gili or Nusa Penida (per day) | ₹423-₹528 (~80,000-100,000 IDR or ~$4.43-$5.53) | ₹370-₹476 (~70,000-90,000 IDR or ~$3.87-$4.98) | IDR 60,000-80,000 |
Verified 2026-07-14 at 1 INR = 188.68 IDR.
Getting Connected
You will want data for two reasons: live BMKG weather alerts before the crossing, and WhatsApp coordination with your boat operator when departures get delayed. Local SIM options on Bali and the islands are Telkomsel (best coverage, fastest data) and XL Axiata (cheaper, weaker signal at sea). Pick up a physical SIM at Ngurah Rai airport after immigration, or skip the queue entirely with a data-only Nomad eSIM you activate before you fly.
FAQ
Is November a bad month for the Gili Islands? No. November is shoulder season with afternoon showers and mostly running fast boats. It is cheaper than December festive weeks and the rain usually clears within an hour. Build a buffer day in case your crossing gets pushed.
Can I do Nusa Penida as a day trip in November or December? Yes, but pick the earliest boat from Sanur (around 6:30 AM) and stay flexible. Boat operators cancel late morning crossings more often as the sea state worsens through the day. Plan for a half-day on the island rather than a full loop, so you are back at the harbour by 3 PM.
How often do fast boats cancel in wet season? Roughly 15-25% of departures on bad weeks, with Bali-to-Nusa-Penida closer to the higher end because the crossing is shorter and rougher. Operators usually allow one free rebooking, so book directly with the boat company, not a third-party reseller.
What is the best month for Gili Islands overall? July to September has the calmest seas and the clearest water, but prices and crowds peak. May and October hit the sweet spot for value, with mostly dry weather and fewer cancellations.
Should I skip the Gilis entirely and stay in Ubud in November-December? That is the safer call if your trip is only 5-7 days. Ubud is inland, so boat cancellations do not affect you. If you have 10+ days in Bali, split it: Ubud for the first half, the Gilis for the early-half of November only.
Will diving off Nusa Penida be cancelled in wet season? Not cancelled, but visibility drops from the usual 20-25m to 10-15m on rainy weeks. Drift dives at Manta Point still run because rays do not care about the weather. The manta ray sightings stay consistent year-round.
Is it safe to scooter around Nusa Penida in the rain? Travellers report wet season road accidents out of the wet-season data every year, mostly on the west-coast cliff descent to Kelingking. The road is broken concrete, not asphalt, and mud makes it worse. Rent a scooter only if you have ridden scooters before; otherwise, hire a local driver for ₹2,114-₹3,170 (~400,000-600,000 IDR or ~$22.13-$33.20) for the day.
Subodh’s Take
November and early December are workable if you go in with eyes open. You trade peak-season crowds and peak-season prices for the real risk of a wasted day on the harbour wall, and most first-timers do not budget for that. The months I would recommend for the Gilis and Nusa Penida are April to early June, when the rain has stopped but the July crowds have not yet arrived. If November or December are your only window, go for it, just build a buffer day and keep your Bali fallback plan ready.
