Nusa Penida · Month comparison
February vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs February at #11. Dry season opens: Crystal Bay turns brilliant, manta rays are reliable, and prices stay reasonable.
February
#11 of 12 months
Avoid
Still deep wet season — Nyepi (Balinese New Year) may fall in February but travel is restricted.
- ↑Nyepi (if in February) creates a fascinating lockdown day across Bali — the boat from Sanur is cancelled island-wide
- ↑Very low prices and minimal crowds for those tolerating heavy rain
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Dry season opens: Crystal Bay turns brilliant, manta rays are reliable, and prices stay reasonable.
- ↑Manta Point at its most reliable: oceanic manta rays with 3–5m wingspans feeding in calm currents
- ↑Crystal Bay visibility reaches 20–30m — among the clearest snorkelling water in Southeast Asia
| Factor | February | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 2 | 9 |
| Value score | 8 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 6 |
| Events score | 3 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 5 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 30.3°C | 30.8°C |
| Monthly rain | 278mm | 68mm |
| Daily sunshine | 5.2hrs | 8.4hrs |
February trade-offs
- ↓278mm of rain — only marginally better than January; outdoor plans remain severely constrained
- ↓Manta Point diving and snorkelling still inadvisable in rough seas
- ↓Many guesthouses and warungs operate at skeleton staffing in the wet season
May trade-offs
- ↓Visitor numbers building as dry season reputation draws Bali day-trippers and divers
- ↓The Kelingking viewpoint selfie queue can be long by 9am on busy days
- ↓Occasional cooler wind on the exposed south coast cliffs can feel surprisingly sharp
Scores compare months within Nusa Penida. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →