You want to know: What is the best time to travel to Indonesia? We have the answer for you! Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands, making it the largest island nation in the world. The landscape is incredibly diverse, ranging from white beaches and huge waterfalls to dense forests and mighty volcanoes. The wildlife on land and underwater is very rich in species and many unique animals such as Komodo dragons, dugongs, tigers, elephants and orangutans are at home here.
The country covers a very large area, which is why the climate is not the same in all regions. Basically, two seasons are distinguished, the dry season and the rainy season. Although Indonesia can be visited all year round, the dry season between April/May to October/November is the most popular with tourists. At this time, the temperatures are milder and the humidity is lower than in the rainy season.
The months of July and August are considered high season, as this is when most European countries have their summer vacations. From mid-December to the end of January, mainly Australian guests can be found, as their summer vacations take place at this time. The rainy season is from October to April with short but heavy rain showers, which usually occur in the late afternoon or evening.
Weather and climate
Indonesia is located in the tropics and has a tropical ever-humid climate with year-round rainfall in the northwestern part and an alternating tropical monsoon climate in the southern part. Due to the size of the country, the climate varies from region to region. The seasons are divided into the rainy season from November to April and the dry season from May to October. Additionally, there is a distinction between the dry post-monsoon season in May and June and the hot dry season from July to September. Temperatures vary between 25 and 35 degrees year-round, with water temperatures between 25 and 28 degrees. Humidity can reach up to 90-95%, accordingly it is very humid in Indonesia.
Indonesia is also affected by climate change and the weather is constantly changing. So it can be that it rains for a week even during the dry season or accordingly it is dry during the rainy season.
Overview for individual regions
Since the climate in Indonesia can vary greatly depending on the standard, we have listed below a table with the best respective travel times for the different regions.
Region | Travel time |
Bali, Lombok, Gili Islands | May - October |
Komodo, Flores | April - November |
Sumatra | April - October |
Java | May - October |
Borneo | June - September |
North Sulawesi | July - October |
South Sulawesi | July - September |
Central Sulawesi | December - March |
Indonesia in the dry season
The dry season from April/May to October/November is the recommended travel time for Indonesia. Very pleasant for travel are the months of May and June, when the rainy season is over but there are not too many tourists on the islands. The high season is in the months of July and August and at this time most tourists can be found. Prices for accommodation and activities are usually higher at this time than in the low season and places can be booked up early.
The dry season is especially good for island hopping, as the sea is calm and not as stormy as in the rainy season. During these months most of the popular activities can be done without any problems. These include diving, swimming, hiking, surfing, scooter riding and sunset watching.
Indonesia in the rainy season
During the rainy season from October/November to April there are much less travelers in Indonesia, so everything seems a bit quieter. Basically, you can also travel well to Indonesia during the rainy season, there are even some advantages! Accommodation and tours are usually a bit cheaper and less crowded at this time than in high season. Nature starts to sprout, the greenery becomes more saturated and the waterfalls are even more impressive than usual. Some of the popular surfing locations (especially on Bali's east coast) are even better in the rainy season than in the dry season.
However, the sea generally gets stormier and some ferries suspend service, making hopping from one island to another difficult. Riding scooters and climbing mountains can quickly become dangerous when the ground is wet, and in addition, the humidity is much higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. After heavy rains, a huge amount of garbage can accumulate on the beaches, which makes the sight a bit disturbing. So in addition to a good rain jacket, you should also pack a few trash bags during this time to give back to nature with a beach cleanup.
Finding the right time to travel to Indonesia can be complicated. However, finding the right Indonesia adventure is a breeze! On our 15 days Indonesia trip we travel together to the most beautiful places, dive deep into the culture and create unforgettable memories.
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