There is no bad time to go to Bali. There are only two seasons: the wet an the dry. Don't take "dry" literally -- it just means "less wet". Start your time in Bali in Ubud: the most comfortable place to start. Ubud is definitely touristy but in a good way. Go to the (rather excellent) nightly Balinese dance shows, eat at the restaurants, take the cooking class from Janet Deneefe (www.casalunabali.com/cooking...es.html) and walk around -- a lot. Walking Ubud to Sayan Terrace and back is a full day's worth of glorious exercise. Getting into the ultra-gregarious Balinese groove (and ever-constant haggling, especially from taxi drivers) takes some doing, but once you're in it, it's hard to leave. Talk to everyone and ask them about their lives, their families. In Ubud, English is common.

Once you feel Ubud, it's time to venture out.

You don't need to learn Balinese (which is a little difficult), but some Indonesian phrases will get you a long way. Understand the most basic of customs (sarongs for temples and holy sites, the basics behind Balinese Hinduism, and public manners) will also get you points. The return of a Balinese son is also a good conversation topic.

Fortunately, by this time you'll have met so many people (both western and Balinese) that you'll have no shortage of things to do. All of them are great: beaches, diving, volcanoes, walks, rafting, bike rides, temples and holy sites. Go to a Balinese cremation if you can.

The islands off of Sanur, namely Nusa Lembongan, are an particular treat, especially if you enjoy scuba diving. The diving here is advanced due to the rocking currents, but amazing if you are up for it.

Do watch out for travel scams: they are everywhere. However, don't be paranoid -- the Balinese LOVE their commerce and friendly haggling for nearly everything is a way of life. Patience and friendly chattiness will make barriers melt and scam artists move on to other targets.

The Indonesian government will give you a 30-day visa on arrival but then you have to leave. If you plan on staying longer, think about either doing a visa-run to Singapore or getting a 60-day visa in advance. The latter can be a bit of a pain and you need to give yourself plenty (like months) time to get them.

Lonely Planet Bali is a very good guidebook; I highly recommend reading through it.

If you have more questions, I'd be happy to make lots of chirpy recommendations for one of my favorite places on the planet.

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Eric is very right about there being no bad time to see Bali. The only times I would avoid though, is late September, early October. And that is purely to do with the fact that the 'footy' season has finished in Australia and Bali tends to be a favourite after-season team holiday venue.

The 'footy' teams tend to stay in Kuta so places like Ubud, Sanur and Nosa Due should be a bit quieter

I'm going back to Bali in July! Can't wait! I can just imagine eating the delicious food in Ubud while listing to the sounds of the gamelan wafting over the beautiful rice fields.

You should definitely go to Celuk for silver and jewelry. The best time depends on what you what- less heat, less rain, low prices, fewer tourists. These all happen at different times of year. What kind of vacation do you usually go for?

I'll be co-leading a musical, culinary, and ethnobotanical tour of the island in late July if anyone's interested. Should be fun! I'm an ethnobotanist studying chocolate, food, and medicinal plants and my co-leader is an ethnomusicologist. Let me know if you're interested. www.nadabrahma.org/Tour2008.html