What's the best time to visit Indonesia?
The best time to visit Indonesia is from April to October, the dry season, ideal for outdoor adventures and easier travel across the country. This period offers sunny, warm weather, perfect for activities like swimming, sailing, and trekking. It’s also the peak tourist season, especially in Bali, with numerous cultural events and lively beach parties, offering a mix of adventure and local festivities.
The country of Indonesia has so much to offer, it’s no wonder that it’s on many people’s travel bucket lists. The beaches and hippie yoga studios of Bali are one of Indonesia’s main tourist draws, but the country has so much more to explore.
There are thousands of other islands with their own unique landscapes, such as the volcanoes and coffee fields of Java, the dragons of Komodo National Park, and the jungles of Borneo.
Indonesia’s is also something that you could spend weeks immersing yourself into. Hike into the jungle to look at magnificent ancient monuments such as the Borobudur Temple.
Make sure you spend plenty of time eating Indonesia’s famous street food and getting to know the friendly locals. To make the most of your trip to Indonesia, you’ll want to visit at the right time. This guide can help you figure out when is the best time to visit.
The Overall Best Time to Visit Indonesia
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The best time to visit Indonesia is between April and October, when the dry season is at play in most of the country and you can expect the best weather for your excursions.
Indonesia has a tropical climate according to official government sources. That means that the weather is warm and hot all year round.
Instead of four seasons, Indonesia only has two — wet and dry. They differ most in terms of precipitation, not in terms of temperature. Even though Indonesia is massive, the dry season is the same in most of the country.
Between April and October, you won’t get a lot of rain, with the exception of West Papua and a few other remote provinces. The weather is warm and sunny.
Although conditions have become more unpredictable in recent years due to the effects of El Nino, the division between a rainy wet season and sunny dry season is fairly consistent. Since so many of the best activities to do in Indonesia are outdoors, you want to ensure you have good weather.
During the dry season, you can go:
- Swimming
- Sailing
- Trekking
- Hiking up volcanoes
- Exploring for wildlife viewing opportunities
For practical reasons, it’s also better to travel during the dry season because it’s easier to get around. During the rainy season, roads and paths get bogged down with mud and it may not be possible to get to more remote destinations such as Borobudur Temple.
Getting between the islands is also difficult as storms tend to disrupt ferry and flight schedules. The summer is Indonesia’s high season, with plenty of visitors flocking to tourism hot spots such as Bali.
June, July, and August is the best time to visit if you want to meet like-minded people and enjoy seasonal events such as parties and festivals. Bali in particular is famous for its seasonal summer parties, when beach clubs go all out to make sure their guests have a good time.
During the dry season, you can also check out popular cultural events in Indonesia, such as:
- Waisak, an important Buddhist holiday (May/June)
- Bali Kite Festival (July)
- Lake Toba Festival, celebrating indigenous culture in Sumatra (September)
Cheapest Time to Visit Indonesia
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The cheapest time to visit Indonesia is January-March, which falls during the wet season when fewer tourists arrive. The wet season in Indonesia lasts from October to April, and the rainy weather makes it difficult to get around during this time, and is not ideal for lounging on the beach.
For that reason, popular beach destinations such as Bali often have discounts on accommodation during this time. The trick is to come at the beginning of the year, starting in mid-January, for maximum savings.
Christmastime and New Year’s are very popular times for visiting Indonesia as people from Europe take advantage of their vacations to come visit, so prices go up during this time. By visiting in January after the holidays end, you can get discounts, including steep discounts on flights.
Least Busy Time to Visit Indonesia
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The least busy time to visit Indonesia is the wet season, but you can also beat the crowds by visiting at the beginning of the dry season (April-May) or the very end (September-October).
The shoulder seasons don’t have weather that is as nice as the dry season and you can still encounter plenty of storms, but they tend to be more affordable and less crowded than the peak of the dry season.
Even though chances of rain are higher then, you still have a good chance of managing to string together some sunny days for lounging on the beach or hiking.
The weather during shoulder season is actually better for certain activities. It’s cooler, so it’s better for long hikes and treks, such as hiking up the volcanoes without sweating or dehydrating.
The cooler weather and fewer clouds mean that more animals come out, so you have a higher chance of spotting wildlife such as orangutans. The shoulder season of September-November is also the best time for many water activities in the country.
Divers flock to the coral reefs and other popular dive spots for a chance to see animals such as whale sharks, which migrate in the waters around Indonesia during this time. According to surfing magazines, September and October also have some of the best surfing waves in the country.
Worst Time to Visit Indonesia
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The worst time to visit Indonesia is during the worst of the rainy season, between November and March, when the weather makes it impossible to see the best of the country. Rainy season in Indonesia can get intense, with daily downpours in many parts of the country.
During the rainy season, certain parts of the country are also affected by powerful storms such as cyclones, which are only increasing in frequency and strength as climate change affects normal tropical patterns. Getting caught in a cyclone can be deadly.
Even if you are willing to brave the rain, you still may not be able to see what you wanted to see. Many activities, such as organized volcano treks, shut down during the wet season.
More remote attractions, such as Borobudur Temple or Mount Rinjani National Park, close down altogether during the worst of the rainy season because the roads to get there are impassable.
If you do come during the rainy season, there are ways to make your trip more bearable. Even during the rainy season, it usually just rains for a short part of the day, and you can lounge on the beach in the morning.
The visibility for diving is the best during the rainy season, which is why many divers actually come during this time. Not all parts of Indonesia have equally intense rainy seasons, and Bali and Kalimantan are doable even during this time.
Some remote parts of Indonesia, such as West Papua, have a different rainy season and January-March is actually their dry season. Visiting during this time might be a good opportunity to check out a less popular region of the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Here are some of the most common questions people also ask about picking the best time to visit Indonesia:
What is the best month to visit Indonesia?
The best month to visit Indonesia is May, because the weather is beautiful but the peak crowds of the dry season haven’t arrived yet.
What are the best dates to visit Indonesia?
The best dates to visit Indonesia are any dates between late April and early October, when the dry season conditions hold.
When is the best time to visit Bali?
For the full Bali experience, visit during July and August, when there are the most backpackers and parties. If you want a quieter experience, come during May or September.
What months are good in Bali?
May to October are the best times to visit Bali due to the dry season, but the island is actually a good year-round destination because it isn’t as affected by the rainy season as other regions are.
So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Indonesia?
The best time to visit Indonesia is during the dry season, between the end of April and October, when the conditions are the best for outdoor activities. Avoid the peak months of June, July, and August if you don’t like crowds.