davita wroteHi FLC and welcome.
I hate to burst your bubble but Bali is very overcrowded around Xmas and New Year due to the Australian school holidays. The hotel prices are higher, the touristy restaurants need reservations and most airline tickets are expensive in the build-up to the holidays.
Also...it's the rainy season and humid and muggy. The storms can be frightening....although usually short-lived. July and August has much nicer weather...generally, although this year seemed to be an exception.
Before I moved to Bali I used to visit from Jakarta and would always look for flights after 7 January when everything becomes quieter and cheaper.
there's a way to avoid the expensive hotel; why don't you try to rent a villa with local people; its not so expensive, reasonable price.
