Head to head

Bali or Koh Samui?

Bali, narrowly — 62 vs 57 across the year.

On timing Bali just shades it — 62 vs 57, ahead 7 of 12 months to 4 — but the bigger fork is what you're after: Bali for beaches, plus history and temples; Koh Samui for beaches, plus easy family travel. Pick the trip, then time it — Bali peaks September, Koh Samui February.

Month by month

When to go

Pick a month. The line shows each place's score across the year; the figures below are that month's averages.

Bali Koh Samui

In October, Bali is the better bet — 68 vs 45.

Score

High / low

31° / 25°

31° / 24°

Rain

68 mm

295 mm

Sunshine

10.5 h

8.9 h

Bali: Last dry-season month — heat and humidity climbing

Koh Samui: Wet season starts — rainfall more than doubles, beach days unreliable

At a glance

Side by side

Bali Koh Samui

Timing & weather

Year-round score62/10057/100

Best monthSeptember (76)February (73)

Months it leadsMay–NovJan–Mar and Dec

Cheapest monthsJan–Mar and NovOct–Nov

Driest monthAugust (16mm)February (64mm)

Wettest monthJanuary (388mm)November (445mm)

Hottest monthNovember (32°C)May (33°C)

Best for

BeachesBoth are beach destinations — compare the months above for when each is warmest and driestEvenEven

Culture & festivalsBali is the stronger pick for history, temples and festivalsStronger—

Mountains & hikingBali is the stronger pick for mountains and hikingStronger—

Off-peak monthsKoh Samui has more shoulder and low-season months (9 vs 7), when rates and crowds ease—Stronger

Practical

Main airportNgurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar)Samui International Airport (USM)

CurrencyIDR (Indonesian Rupiah)THB (Thai Baht)

LanguageIndonesian + BalineseThai

Time zoneWITA (UTC+8)ICT (UTC+7)

ClimateTropical wet/dry (Köppen Aw)Tropical monsoon (Köppen Am)

VisaVisa on arrival or e-VOA — 30 days, extendable, $35 USD60-day visa exemption for most Western nationalities (extended Jul 2024)

SafetyLow risk — standard tropical precautions, traffic + scooters carry the most real riskLow risk — standard tropical precautions, scooter accidents are the main injury source

Named storms nearby nowNASA EONET, checked hourly. Not a forecast.None tracked within 1,000kmNone tracked within 1,000km

Your trip

Which should you pick?

PickBali

Pick Bali if you want beaches, plus history and temples — it leads in May–Nov and peaks in September (76).

Bali full guide

PickKoh Samui

Pick Koh Samui if you want beaches, plus easy family travel — it leads in Jan–Mar and Dec and peaks in February (73).

Koh Samui full guide

Plan your trip

Hotels, flights and more

Switch between the two. Hotel prices are for a week in each destination's best month.

Book Bali

$$ · Culture, yoga, rice terraces, calmer base

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Questions

Good to know

Is Bali or Koh Samui better to visit?

Bali edges it overall — 62 vs 57 on the Atlas Ranger Score, our 0–100 measure of weather, crowds, value, and timing across the year. The gap is modest and the lead flips by month — use the tool above to compare any specific month.

Which has better weather, Bali or Koh Samui?

Bali averages a higher weather score (57 vs 53). Weather is the biggest input to the score, but both have strong months and weak months; the month-by-month chart shows exactly when.

When is it cheapest to visit Bali or Koh Samui?

Bali is cheapest in Jan–Mar and Nov; Koh Samui is cheapest in Oct–Nov. Those are the low and shoulder months, when hotel rates and crowds ease — usually because the weather is less reliable, so check the month-by-month scores above before you book.

Can I visit both Bali and Koh Samui in one trip?

Often yes — many travellers pair them. The smart move is to time each leg to its own best months. Check each destination's full guide (linked below) for the month-by-month detail, then sequence your trip so each stop lands in its strong window.