In the travel industry, shoulder periods are what they call those times of the year between the low and high season, when you can visit your favourite tourist destination and not have to share it with a million other people. The peak period and why everything is more expensive.
The reason most tourists come to Bali in July/August is they have no choice. For anyone from the Northern Hemisphere, this is their summer holiday and the one chance they get all year to have a serious break and go somewhere that’s always been at the top of their bucket list.
The problem then if you want to get married during this season is you’re competing with every man and his dog for accommodation, restaurant tables, transport. Even booking a simple massage in your hotel room can require a week’s notice. And naturally, when things are in high demand, they become more expensive. Hotels can charge what they want because they know they’ll get booked out anyway. Price hikes of between 30 and 50% for this period are not uncommon.
The most affordable time to visit Bali… shoulder periods.
As a destination bride, travelling with say 30 or more of your nearest and dearest, the problem compounds to the point where trying to stay and play anywhere together is an exercise in frustration. Which is why, before you confirm your date, you need to think about the advantages of booking during one of the non-peak season times: April/May or later in the year: October/November/early December.
These 5 special months are much less frequented and for no other reason than no major holidays fall during these periods. Accordingly, everything becomes cheaper: hotel rooms, restaurants, tours and activities.
But what about the weather?
If you’re thinking, “….but what about the weather?”, Bali is the fabled land of the endless summer, where there’s only a difference of one or two degrees in temperature throughout the entire year. In fact, it took us a few months of living in Bali to work out that July/August was actually their winter.
The one thing you do want to avoid is the wet season which starts mid-December and goes until the end of March. It doesn’t just rain most afternoons, it buckets. So unless you’re a duck and love splashing around in rice paddies, steer clear of this period. Of course, you can still get showers during other times of the year, but the great thing about tropical climates is that rain tends to blow over quickly and not hang around for days. And the weather stays warm regardless. Even so, always make sure that wherever you book your wedding, they have a good wet weather contingency.
Final considerations before selecting a date.
So…before you fall in love with that date that hubby will have no problem remembering…think about what the rest of the world is doing at that time and choose accordingly. The savings alone that you and your guests will make travelling during the shoulder period, can quickly outweigh a high season date that has a nice ring to it.
Without all the hordes of tourists, the island becomes even more beautiful, tranquil and relaxed, which is precisely how you want your wedding experience to be.
We have amazing end of financial year deals available at both Bali Venues. Contact us using the form on this page or click here to contact us for more information.
