Best Time to Visit Indonesia
Weather and climate
Wild rainforests, countless tropical beaches, misty volcanoes and a melting pot of fascinating cultures; Indonesia is the ultimate destination for adventure. So if you’re planning a holiday here, it’s important to know the best time to visit the various islands.
With a tropical climate, Indonesia has two seasons; the dry season (April to October), and the monsoon season, (November to March) and enjoys hot and humid temperatures all year. However, the pesky monsoon can make travelling to some islands tricky. Below you’ll find a breakdown of the climate split across the island regions that we offer.
Java
With its endless green rice paddies, rumbling volcanoes, fascinating culture and spiritual temples, Java is one of the most captivating islands in Indonesia. Its rainy season lasts from November to March, with most of the rain falling in the late afternoon. Java remains mostly dry in the dry season and temperatures usually remain hot pretty much all year round. The best time to travel here is between April and October.
Sumatra
If you fancy embarking on a real adventure holiday, Sumatra is the ultimate destination in Indonesia. Similarly to Java, Sumatra’s rainy season begins in November and ends in March. The monsoons here can be very heavy, making roads inaccessible and in the west and south west you can also expect the occasional spot of rain in the dry season too. The best time to travel to Sumatra is between April and October.
Bali
Whether you’re tempted by its wild beaches, its lush plains of luminous rice paddies or its wondrous temples, you’ll find that Bali is home to an array of sights which are sure to delight! The dry season here lasts from April to September and the monsoon starts in October and ends in March. However, in between the monsoon showers, you can expect bright blue skies and plenty of sunshine, so its fine to travel here during this time.
Nusa Tenggara
Nusa Tenggara is a tropical wonderland of dazzling white beaches, luminous turquoise seas, hidden villages and thrilling wildlife. If you want to explore this area during your travels, its worth knowing that the difference between the dry and wet season is slightly bigger in this region, which lies to the east of Bali. The driest months are August and September and the wettest are November to February, however the duration of the dry and wet seasons vary per island. As a rule of thumb, the closer to Australia you are, the longer the dry season lasts.
