Head to head

Bali or Philippines?

Bali, narrowly — 62 vs 56 across the year.

On timing Bali just shades it — 62 vs 56, ahead 6 of 12 months to 5 — but the bigger fork is what you're after: Bali for beaches, plus history and temples; Philippines for beaches, plus easy family travel. Pick the trip, then time it — Bali peaks September, Philippines 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 Philippines

In October, Bali is the better bet — 68 vs 53.

Score

High / low

31° / 25°

30° / 25°

Rain

68 mm

265 mm

Sunshine

10.5 h

8.6 h

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

Philippines: Monsoon easing — typhoons still likely

At a glance

Side by side

Bali Philippines

Timing & weather

Year-round score62/10056/100

Best monthSeptember (76)February (72)

Months it leadsMay–OctJan–Mar and Nov–Dec

Cheapest monthsJan–Mar and NovJun–Oct

Driest monthAugust (16mm)March (39mm)

Wettest monthJanuary (388mm)July (447mm)

Hottest monthNovember (32°C)April (34°C)

Best for

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

Culture & festivalsPhilippines has the deeper festival calendar (6 vs 4 major events)—Stronger

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

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

Practical

Main airportNgurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar)Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Manila)

CurrencyIDR (Indonesian Rupiah)PHP (Philippine Peso)

LanguageIndonesian + BalineseFilipino (Tagalog) & English — English very widely spoken

Time zoneWITA (UTC+8)PHT (UTC+8)

ClimateTropical wet/dry (Köppen Aw)Tropical (Köppen Aw / Am) — figures shown: Manila / western Luzon

VisaVisa on arrival or e-VOA — 30 days, extendable, $35 USDVisa-free entry for 30 days for most nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, etc.) with a valid passport and onward ticket

SafetyLow risk — standard tropical precautions, traffic + scooters carry the most real riskLow risk for tourists in the main destinations (Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Siargao, Manila). Government advisories recommend avoiding the far western Mindanao / Sulu Archipelago. Main practical risks are typhoons, strong sea currents and petty crime in cities.

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–Oct and peaks in September (76).

Bali full guide

PickPhilippines

Pick Philippines if you want beaches, plus easy family travel — it leads in Jan–Mar and Nov–Dec and peaks in February (72).

Philippines 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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Our verdict
Pick Bali for one compact island that packs in surf, culture, rice terraces and food with short transfers and great value. Pick the Philippines for raw, spread-out island beauty — El Nido lagoons, Siargao surf, Bohol diving — at the cost of more flights and boats. Bali peaks May–September; the Philippines is best December–May, so they suit opposite halves of the year.

Questions

Good to know

Is Bali or Philippines better to visit?

Bali edges it overall — 62 vs 56 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 Philippines?

Bali averages a higher weather score (57 vs 50). 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 Philippines?

Bali is cheapest in Jan–Mar and Nov; Philippines is cheapest in Jun–Oct. 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 Philippines 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.