Tips on What to Wear in Bali

If you are heading to Bali, there is one really important thing to remember: it’s gonna be hot.

But it’s not just hot – it’s the humidity.

We spent a week at the beautiful Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa in January, and although the temperatures in Brisbane were higher (mid 30s), Bali was a lot more humid and uncomfortable.

While we were there, it was consistently around the 30 degree mark – and when I say consistently, I mean morning, noon and night, for days on end. Unlike Brisbane, the temperature barely drops even after the sun goes down.

There are plenty of great reasons to choose a holiday in Bali – and believe it or not, the constant heat is one of them. It’s the perfect place for a relaxed summer holiday, at any time of the year!

My Daytime Bali Style

Whatever you wear, be prepared for it to stick to your skin, and to show the sweat patches. For that reason, I’d avoid plain colours. The coral dress pictured above ended up speckled in sweat – not my best look!

Hints and Tips on What to Wear in Bali

• As little as possible (ha!).

• Seriously though, if you are visiting government offices or temples, the Balinese do prefer that you cover up a little – so don’t go strapless, in your swimmers, or your shortest shorts.
• Otherwise, if you’re like me, you will spend most of your holiday in Bali in a swimsuit, at the beach or the pool. I rotated through three during my week in Bali, so I always had one ready to wear (I rinsed them out in the shower each night before hanging them out to dry).

• A sarong to cover up your swimsuit, for walking around the hotel etc.

• The tropical sun is fierce even on overcast days, so sunscreen is a must.
• A hat, and sunglasses when outdoors.
• Loose fitting dresses in cool fabrics.
• Your hair tied up because it’s just too hot to leave it down.
• A beach bag, and a bag with a shoulder strap to wear across your body. This is not only for security reasons, but also it’s more comfortable and keeps your hands free if out shopping or exploring.
• Thongs and comfortable sandals.

Tips on What NOT to Wear on Holiday in Bali

• Fancy hair styles – even if you don’t go swimming regularly, the humidity will wreak havoc. So forget your straighteners!
• Don’t bother with makeup, it melts off in minutes.
• I don’t know about you, but I find jewellery irritating in the heat.
• Anything that needs ironing – it’s supposed to be a holiday!
• Jeans, scarves, jumpers …

And, choose maxi dresses with caution. Yes, they’re loose fitting – but they can also trap the heat underneath. We went to a couple of cultural evenings in a paved amphitheatre at our hotel. Even though the sun had set it was still unbelievably hot, the pavers/stones had absorbed all the heat from the sun and radiated it up under my long dress!

What About Air Conditioning?

In my opinion, air conditioned accommodation is a must for your holiday in Bali.

However, while our hotel room was indeed air conditioned, the corridors were open to the elements.

It was while we were out shopping that I developed a theory about Balinese air conditioning. While many stores do welcome you with a blast of cold air, as soon as you move away from the entrance it doesn’t feel cool anymore. So I’m convinced that stores have an air conditioning unit near the doorway to entice you in – but none actually inside the shop!

We saw a lot of couples having wedding photos taken throughout our resort.

But what really amused us was the way most of the brides hitched up their skirts between shots, to try and cool off – and wore thongs underneath their beautiful dresses!

I wish I could go back to Bali for a holiday right now, we had such a great time! So let me know if you have any other questions about Bali, and I just might have to organise another trip write another post!