Travelling Nov-Dec Java/Bali good idea??

I have spent a month in Bali during the Nov./Dec. period on 3 different trips and it was usually Okay. The normal pattern was 1-2 hour spots of rain in the later afternoon. They start out heavy, but quickly taper to a light shower. Usually starting in the 3-5 pm period. However, it is the weather we are talking about and at best it is unpredictable. There were occasions, though rare, where the rain started as early as 11 am. So it was occasionally frustrating to plan outings. An example is that we had agreed to hire a car/driver for the day to takes to the Batur area leaving at 9 am the next day. Of course, that day the rains decided to start at 11 am just as we were out hiking and we had to run and shelter under trees for an hour until the heavy rain lightened up and then hike on a very muddy trail for several miles... not fun. Also, there was one trip where it rained quite heavily for a full week and for hours every day, often starting around 11 am which wreaked havoc on making any plans. That only happened on only 1 trip out of 3. The bottom line is that it is usually not a problem, but the weather is unpredictable. You need to be especially flexible about plans, expect hiking to be troublesome (eg muddy, slippery) and for hot temps and really high humidity.

Oct-Nov is statistically better for weather and also less busy with tourists.
December is one of the busier times in Bali due to the Christmas - New Year holidays.

December is one of the busier times in Bali due to the Christmas - New Year holidays.
I'm leaving Bali on the 17/12 - so it shouldn't be too bad, right? :)

Thank you. It makes me feel better now and that's what I was hoping it will be till somebody said it's horrendous rain every single day. I don't mind rain and mud at all but still thinking if I shouldn't just move my flights to end of October/November. I do have 3 month of travel anyway in front of me, so I just start with Indonesia and move on to the Philippines after. As you said weather is unpredictable so it can be rainy everywhere and always :)

I'm leaving Bali on the 17/12 - so it shouldn't be too bad, right? :)

For the crowds, that should be Okay. I spent Xmas in Bali once and if I recall correctly, the bigger crowds didn't start arriving until the 19th or 20th. However, most of December seemed a bit more crowded than November was.

If you can move to end of October it will most likely less rainy. But it's so unpredictable now.

As for busy season, the very crowded part of Bali is the southern beach areas..most of the rest of the island is not so bad.. As for going to Lombok, the ocean can be very iffy so I would fly if possible rather than taking a boat.

Yes, I thought so. I most likely move it to end of October. I still haven't decided yet. I don't mind the rain and I don't mind the ocean to be iffy. I spend a few rain seasons in Thailand and on boats to get from one island to another and luckily I never got seasick or had problems that the water was rough.. It's just such a hard decision especially because I booked flights already and if I change everything I would loose one flight too... and I probably will stay longer than 1 month also, since there is so much to do and see, means I have to change flights once again. I was a bit quick with the bookings I guess - lol

Anyway thank you so much for your input - really appreciate it.

If you will be losing already booked flights then just leave it.

One thing about ferries between Bali and Lombok, it's over open ocean and one of the steepest underwater trenches in the world..(google it) and it's not like the ferry between say Sanur and Nusa Lembongan. Ferries are routinely cancelled during the winter months.

As for busy season, the very crowded part of Bali is the southern beach areas..most of the rest of the island is not so bad.

I remember 20 years ago a VERY crowded Ubud at Xmas as that was where I was staying at the time. I cannot imagine what it must be like now.

As for going to Lombok, the ocean can be very iffy so I would fly if possible rather than taking a boat.

On that same trip, the ferries across to Lombok were quite often canceled due to the rough ocean. We had to stay in and near Padangbai for 5 days before a ferry finally left and still it was a rough crossing.