Celebrate Christmas 2024 and New Year Eve 2025 in Bali!

Christmas 2024. Once again, here we go. But what if, this year, you blew it all off. What if, this year, you just took off, got on a plane, and landed somewhere the sun is shining, the people are smiling and where you don’t have to cook (or eat!) a single sprout if you don’t want to? Somewhere where you don’t have to make up the guest beds, nor do you have to sleep on someone else’s lumpy pull out bed? Whether you escape as a small group or collect your whole extended family up for an adventure, Bali Comfy Villas offers you a chance to spend Christmas 2024 in the sun, being pampered, and able to enjoy the company of your loved ones in peace, with no-one fretting over the turkey.

It’s not just about the weather, the fun, the great choice of bars and restaurants, the cultural delights. With Bali Comfy Villas you’ve got it all taken care of. With our 24/7 concierge service we’re always here to help, whether it’s transport, a baby sitter or some advice about where to go. And if you want to have your Christmas holiday all to yourselves, just let us know and we can rustle up a private chef who can do all the cooking for you in the peace of your luxury villa. Christmas in Bali. It’s what dreams are made of.

What can you expect from your Christmas holiday in Bali?

So you’re wondering what Bali is like at Christmas. It’s fun, is the answer in a nutshell. The weather here is warm all year round, that’s for sure – you can expect daytime temperatures to hit the mid 30s. But do be aware that Christmas and New Year are right in the middle of the rainy season. That doesn’t mean you need to pack your umbrella though – it means you can expect some short tropical rain showers or even storms to break up the heat. And often these occur overnight or early in the morning. When you do encounter them in the daytime, they’ll usually be a sudden downpour that’s quickly over, to be replaced once again by sunshine. One piece of advice though: don’t count on visiting the other islands at this time of year. The sea can be quite rough, and the boats often get cancelled, which could leave you stuck. Save that for your next visit!

Christmas in Bali, is, understandably, really popular. There’s tonnes to do, with celebrations and special events across the island for the holiday season. And that means that lots of people come to enjoy this tropical Christmas and New Year paradise. And what that means is that prices tend to be high – it’s peak season – and it’s busy. Traffic can be very heavy, so we suggest you plan your days around this, and try to stay somewhere that’s close to lots of the stuff you want to do. We’ve got villas based in the coolest parts of Canggu and Seminyak, within easy reach of the biggest beach clubs that host spectacular events for Christmas and New Year, as well as loads of great bars and restaurants. For those of you that want a location that’s more chill, you could try our Jimbaran villas – peaceful, but within reach of the bigger hotels on the Bukit peninsula that host slap up Christmas and New Year events as well as some really cool beach clubs. With either of these locations, a spot of heavy traffic needn’t bother you one bit.

Wait, I hear you say. Isn’t Bali majority Hindu? Is it even going to be Christmassy? Oh, it is. Sure, most of the locals do not traditionally celebrate Christmas. But! Due to the influx of holiday tourists plus a thriving expat community, loads of restaurants, beach clubs, hotels, resorts and shops get fully into the Christmas holiday spirit. Expect to see Christmas trees, Santa and gorgeous hand crafted wooden Christmas decorations all over. And, because it’s not a local holiday, you can also expect everything to be open as usual. For those of you that don’t celebrate Christmas or want to pretend it doesn’t exist, it’s not hard to just steer clear of the festivities and hang out on the beach in peace all day.

Christmas 2024, the build up! 

So what is there to do to get you in the Christmas spirit before the big day itself? Plenty! You’ll find that a lot of the big hotels and resorts go all out with Christmas holiday activities, like cookie decorating, making gingerbread houses and gift wrapping workshops – perfect if you have excited kids in tow. Do check closer to the date for details – you may need to book in advance.

You’ve got lots of options for your Christmas shopping too. The malls, shops and markets get into the spirit and you’ll find lots of cute gift ideas and a fun festive atmosphere too.

For something a little more Balinese, you could check out the annual Denpasar Festival which happens every year around Christmas time – the actual date has not yet been announced for 2024 but it’s likely to be around 22-25 December. This is a community event that celebrates the best of Denpasar, starting with a Masked Parade and featuring art installations, musical performances, stalls showcasing and selling local crafts and arts such as traditional masks and home decorations, and a Culinary Festival featuring all sorts of local delicacies and fresh local produce such as seafood. Pick up some gifts and enjoy a really authentic Balinese experience.

Christmas Eve dinners are a big deal in the major hotels and resorts, especially around Nusa Dua (handy if you’re staying in The Long House or Tiara Mas villas). The Sofitel has a Christmas Eve buffet option, or you can go really up market and try the fine dining Christmas Eve experience at their Cucina restaurant. At the Westin, there’s carols in the lobby as well as Santa Claus, plus a poolside Christmas Eve dinner option, or an Italian option. The Courtyard Bali is hosting a Christmas Eve buffet dinner with carols from local orphans and an appearance from Santa and his elves.

Over in Seminyak, Christmas Eve is a big deal too. Our favourite beachfront resto, Starfish Bloo at W Bali, is serving up a buffet dinner featuring all your festive favourites plus seafood, grilled meats, cheeses and all the desserts you can imagine. Kaum at Potato Head is getting in on the action too, for an authentic Balinese feast. This set menu will include a host of traditional recipes from across the archipelago, all to be shared at the table.

If you’re after a party and you’re in Canggu, try Atlas beach club. There’ll be a special Christmas Eve menu, and then you can party all night under festive lights to top international DJs. Motel Mexicola is also a great choice for a fun Christmas Eve – Mexican food, tropical cocktails and dancing.

It’s Christmas Day in Bali!

Merry Christmas! It’s Christmas morning and you can take your pick of events. Stay at home and let your private chef cook your favourite sort of Christmas dinner for you if you like, or head out (book in advance!) to any number of Christmas lunch spreads. Most of the big hotels, beach clubs, bars and restaurants put on an amazing buffet or set dinner – and most of them will feature a visit from Santa, some carol singing, and some fun activities too.

For those of you who want to spend the day in Canggu – especially those of you in our Tara, Lotus, Cassia and Amore villas – you have a whole heap of options.

If you have kids, your absolute best option is Finns Recreation Club. This is always great fun but for Christmas 2024 it’s going to be pretty spectacular, as they’re transforming the place into a full-on Winter Wonderland. There’s going to be carnival games, a Christmas market and of course a traditional buffet with turkey, seafood and all the desserts. Plus you get all day access to Splash Water Park. It doesn’t stop there either – there’s live music too, from 5-9.

And for those of you who are after a day of more grown-up partying, you need Finns Beach Club itself, where the party starts at 10am and continues to midnight. Top tip: book in advance! Atlas Beach Club is also sure to put on a great Christmas Day party, although details for 2024 are yet to be released.

If you want a family feel and you’re up for meeting people, try the Christmas Dinner Experience at Sa’mesa. This authentic Italian restaurant (branches in Canggu and Seminyak) is a social, convivial supper club style destination that makes you feel like your Italian grandmother has invited you and everyone else she bumped into that day, round for dinner. There’s a single table which seats all the diners together. Food is brought out and placed in the centre of the table for everyone to share, along with wine, cocktails and free flowing limoncello. You’re guaranteed to have fun and leave feeling full and fully Christmassy! Book well in advance!

If you’re in Seminyak, the hot ticket for Christmas 2024 is the W Bali. You’ve got two options for a buffet brunch here – there’s one on the beach at Starfish Bloo, and a second at Fire. Both will serve up all the Christmas food you could ask for, including roast turkey and Christmas cake, plus fresh seafood, charcuterie and cheeses. If you prefer to eat later, both are serving festive dinners too.

For those of you who want to stick with a traditional roast for Christmas Day, give Jemme a try – they specialise in roast dinners all year round. While they’re yet to announce their 2024 plans, Christmas Day here usually involves a massive roast, carol singers and Santa Claus.

Over in Uluwatu, perfect if you’re staying at The Long House or Tiara Mas in Jimbaran, Sundays is always a good bet for a deliciously relaxing Christmas Day. One of our favourite beachfront venues all year round – Sundays – is celebrating Christmas 2024 by hosting a five course lunch on the beach, courtesy of Aussie chef James Viles. Be sure to book as this is going to be one of the top picks. It’s not just a slap-up meal: expect the full family fun works with a visit from Santa, face painting and sand art and all manner of fun family activities. Live music too!

Also in the Bukit region, there’s a whole heap of great Christmas Day buffet options over in Nusa Dua. One option is the Pala Restaurant’s Brunchcation event at the Apurva Kempiniski. No holds barred luxury is the theme here: take your pick from roasts including a spit roast suckling pig, seafood, sushi, sashimi and a giant lobster ice sculpture. Follow it up with festive desserts, cheeses, and a visit from Santa Claus, as well as live entertainment and festive activities for all the family. At the Sofitel, your Christmas day package includes live entertainment, a magician and a visit from Santa Claus, while the Courtyard Bali is serving up a host of fresh seafood.

Or maybe you don’t want all the fuss, or to spend $$$ on a special lunch. All your favourite bars and restaurants will be open as usual so if you want your Christmas low key, it’s no problem at all. My hot tip for a special but understated (and cheap!) Christmas day is to grab yourself some babi guling  (suckling pig) – I recommend Babi Guling Men Agus in Canggu – it’s close to Tanah Lot which might be a bit less crowded with tourists on Christmas Day. Babi Guling is a Balinese speciality and a must-try for meat eaters, and roast anything has kind of a festive feel, right? Once you’re done, grab a couple of Bintangs and head to the beach. Most of the biggest beaches come alive with huge firework displays on Christmas Day – and they’re especially spectacular against the backdrop of a Balinese sunset. Special day for cheap, sorted.

Happy New Year! How to celebrate NYE in Bali

New Year’s Eve is when Bali gets REALLY crazy. Party people, gather round. There’ll be amazing food, there’ll be top international DJs, there’ll be the most spectacular fireworks, there’ll be some incredibly sore heads on New Year’s Day. Not all the clubs have announced their NYE line ups yet but you can be pretty sure they’re going to be good.

If you’re staying in one of our villas in Berawa, Canggu, you’re perfectly placed for one the big parties at either Atlas or Finns Beach Club. You can even stagger home on foot.

Atlas is outdoing itself this year – they’ve booked Akron for their NYE spot. Yes, Akron, the global star of modern RnB is making an appearance at Atlas. The party starts in the daytime and will see a flow of RnB and hip hop beats all the way to the countdown to 2024. Over at Finns, we’ve got international Grammy Award winning headliner DJ Flume, as well as a fireworks show and a drone show. There’s three stages (your ticket gives you access to all of them) each with a different vibe. Tickets are selling fast for both these events, so get in there quickly! Then there’s Café del Mar, where they’ve lined up Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, fresh from the stages of Tomorrowland. There’s also a full line up of top tier DJs and performers to keep you dancing till dawn.

In Seminyak, the party’s getting started at Potato Head, where they’ve booked UK techno heavyweights Overmono, plus Dutch party starter Carista and genre defying Baba Stiltz from Sweden. Or you could try W Bali where you can start your evening with a slap up meal at either Starfish Bloo or Fire. Tickets for these dining experiences include access to the New Year’s Eve party at Woobar. Enjoy top DJs including Ferreck Dawn on the main stage or try out the hip hop stage with Stan, Jeremy Jay, B455 and Schizo.

If you’re over in Bukit (especially if you’re staying at The Long House or Tiara Mas in Jimbaran), you definitely won’t feel left out. Savaya is one hell of a classy beach club up on the cliffs and for NYE it’s got South African DJ Black Coffee and friends. In Uluwatu, beach club Roosterfish is throwing a Tiki Beach Party with international DJs, performances from LED dancers, face painting, a foam party, and a massive fireworks display. We’re betting on something big at Ulu Cliffhouse too.

New Year’s Day – restful recovery or hair of the dog?

Congratulations, you made it through to 2025.  For most of you, I’m going to recommend a quiet day sweating it out at a spa – try the thermal circuit at AMO spa in Canggu- you’ve got steam rooms, rock sauna, hammam, jacuzzi, ice plunge pools, ice barrels, Epsom salt baths and swimming pool, all in a beautiful al fresco space so you can hop around from one to the other, pausing at the relaxation area as you please. Better?

For those of you who somehow feel fine and are ready to go again, you’ll be glad to know that the party does not stop here in Bali. Yes, New Year’s Day parties are a thing. Lots of the big hotels are hosting special brunch events: at the W Bali in Seminyak, Starfish Bloo is holding a brunch event from 1pm to 4.30pm – expect pan Asian food with your champagne. In Nusa Dua, Reef at the Kempinski also has a special brunch for you with a tropical seafood buffet and the promise of other events throughout the hotel.

Or if all that’s too much effort, ask the staff at your villa to prepare something tasty for you, book yourself an in-house massage, and just relax in peace. Cheers, here’s to a wonderful new year.

Want to spend Christmas and New Year in Canggu?

You have excellent taste, if I may say so. Canggu is a great choice for a base in this busy, exciting season: you have the biggest beach clubs right there so there’s no need to worry about the traffic, plus a host of fabulous cafes, bars, restaurants and spas, most of them within walking distance. And, of course, the beach. Head here to watch the fireworks on NYE!

Stay in our 5-bed Canggu 318 villa. With huge grounds of 1.400 sqm, you’ll have all the space you need. This villa is packed with perfect places to chill: you’ve got a 9mx4m pool with plenty of lounging space around it, and you’ve got a pool club lounge to enjoy, with an open dining area and an open living room. There’s also two terraces to hang out on. And then indoors there’s another airconditioned dining and media lounge, perfect to escape to if the rains come! You’re also got five bedroom suites, all really spacious with lounge areas, desk areas and ensuites.

Plus you’re in a terrific location. Nelayan Beach is just a short walk down the street and Finns Beach Club is in easy walking distance. What more could you ask for?

Our Tara, Lotus and Cassia villas are perfectly situated for anything you might wish to do over the holiday period. Located in the heart of Berawa, close to Finns and Atlas, Tara and Cassia are 7bed villas, and Lotus is a more petite 5bed. If you’re a really large group, you can rent 2 or all 3 of these villas together. The 3 together create an enormous 19 bedroom space housing a maximum of 44 guests. Tara and Cassia are interconnected, and Lotus is separated from them just by a wall.

Each villa has its own pool for you to laze around recovering from your NYE night out. And each pool has a sunken pool bar, perfect for relaxing before your big night out. There’s outdoor living spaces overlooking each pool too, each with a dining and living area, and a modern kitchen. There’s also a separate kitchen for the chef to use, handy if you choose to have one of your celebration meals cooked for you in the villa.

The real jewel in these villas though is the entertainment rooms. Both Tara and Cassia feature their own sound proofed entertainment rooms with private bar, smart flat screen TVs with Netflix and satellite channels, a sound system and home cinema. At Cassia, this has a special extra – the entertainment room has DJ equipment and sound system, and disco lights (use of this room comes at an additional cost). Yes, you can host your own NYE party at home if you so wish! We can help you with hiring a DJ as well as food, drink and decorations.

Another great option in the Berawa area of Canggu is Amore villas. This is the ultimate in flexibility – a group of four 4bed villas that you can rent separately, or in combination. If you rent all four, the villa complex can house a group of 32 people – perfect for an extended family to spend Christmas together, or for all of your friends to hang out over New Year.  And you’re just 100m away from Finn’s Recreation Club and its Winter Wonderland Christmas event, as well as all the cool restos and bars of Berawa Street. It’s also roughly a 5-10 minute bike ride away from the beach, and from Finns Beach Club. Perfect!

Each villa has an 8pax dining room, a comfy living room with smart flat screen TV with Netflix and a Western style kitchen. Each villa also has a pool with loungers, a lawn and an outdoor Bale (Balinese outdoor pavilion) for you to hang in. And if you feel the need for a spot of pampering after your celebrations, our mini spa upstairs with its massage bed is waiting for you – just let us know and we’ll book you a massage. Indeed, our team are on hand around the clock, with a butler available to meet every request. This is one Christmas where you’re not going to be doing any of the work!

Have a chilled out Christmas in Jimbaran

Do you really want to be spoiled this festive season? Book our wonderful villa, The Long House, nestled up in the cliffs in Jimbaran. This absolute joy of a villa has everything you need to hole away in luxury and peace for Christmas and New Year and let yourself be pampered. There’s a 16m infinity pool which offers stunning views all the way over to Jimbaran Bay. There’s a spa with a whole menu of treatments from four hand massages to mani-pedis. There’s a gym. There’s a yoga shala on top of Jimbaran Hill offering the same views over to the bay. There’s a home cinema. There’s even a chess table and a library.  The master suite – and it is a suite, comprising a bedroom and a separate private living room – has its own plunge pool. The décor is thoughtful and authentic, with the rooms themed around different areas of Indonesia, and guestbooks explaining the stories behind them. You could easily host your celebrations here. We can arrange for a private chef to come and cook up a storm, and a bar tender to mix up some amazing cocktails.

If you’d rather go out, it’s also handy for some of the best Christmas brunches on the island, just a short hop away from the luxury hotels of Nusa Dua – and not too far from the beach clubs of Uluwatu for their Christmas and NYE parties. And if you want something a little more low key, you could do a lot worse than spend NYE eating fresh seafood in Jimbaran Bay, and staying there, with a glass of something fizzy, for the spectacular fireworks.

So what’s it to be for you Christmas in Bali? A wild NYE party in Canggu? A massive Christmas family gathering in your villa? Or a relaxed, pampered festive season overlooking the fireworks of Jimbaran Bay, cocktail in hand? Whatever sort of holiday you’re dreaming of, we’re here to help you to turn it into reality.

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