Indonesia
Best time to visit Indonesia: weather and seasons by month
Go in May, June or September for dry weather, lower prices and thinner crowds across Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara. July and August are driest but peak season, so book beds and flights early. Skip January and February unless you are heading to Raja Ampat, which is at its best then.
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GuideIndonesia
Key facts
- Best overall months
- May, June, September (dry, medium crowds, medium prices)
- Driest but busiest
- July and August; Bali and Gili beds sell out
- Wettest months
- January and February; Jakarta floods, rough seas to the Gilis
- Cheapest months
- February and November (low season, low prices)
- Opposite season
- Raja Ampat and parts of Maluku are best October to April
- Bali shutdown
- Nyepi: airport closed and no one outdoors for 24 h (March, date moves)
- Peak travel crunch
- Idul Fitri mudik fills trains, flights and roads for about two weeks
- Volcano nights
- Bromo and Ijen drop near 5 °C before sunrise
Summary by month, crowd and price
Indonesia is wide, so one month is not one answer. The table below covers Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara, where most first trips go. Sumatra, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua run on their own rhythms — see the regional notes further down.
Prices are 2026 estimates for a mid-range double room in Bali or Yogyakarta; they move with demand, not just with the calendar.
- Book 2–3 months ahead for July, August and the Christmas–New Year week.
- April, May, September and October give near-dry weather at shoulder prices.
- February and November are the cheapest months, but expect afternoon downpours.
| Month | Verdict | Crowds | Prices | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Caution | Medium | Medium | Wettest month in Bali and Java; Jakarta floods; Raja Ampat good |
| February | Caution | Low | Low | Rain continues; Chinese New Year; Ramadan may start |
| March | Caution | Medium | Medium | Nyepi shuts Bali for 24 h; Idul Fitri travel peaks in 2026 |
| April | Go | Medium | Medium | Rains ease; green rice terraces; shoulder prices |
| May | Go | Medium | Medium | Dry season starts; good for Komodo, Bromo and Bali |
| June | Go | High | High | Dry and busy; Australian school holidays fill Bali |
| July | Go | High | High | Peak season: Bali and Gili beds sell out; book early |
| August | Go | High | High | Peak; Independence Day 17 Aug; clear volcano mornings |
| September | Go | Medium | Medium | Dry, fewer crowds; the sweet spot |
| October | Go | Medium | Medium | Still mostly dry; first storms late in the month |
| November | Caution | Low | Low | Rainy season begins; seas rough to the Gilis |
| December | Caution | High | High | Wet but Christmas–New Year crowds fill Bali |
Verdicts follow the site's country data; exact dates for Nyepi, Ramadan and Idul Fitri move each year.
How to pick your dates
Start with the region, not the month. Bali, Java, Lombok, Flores and Komodo share one dry season, roughly April to October. Raja Ampat, the Banda Islands and parts of Maluku run the other way, best October to April. Sumatra is wet most of the year, with the driest stretch in the north around June to August.
- Decide the region first: Bali–Java–Nusa Tenggara (Apr–Oct) or Raja Ampat–Maluku (Oct–Apr).
- If your dates are fixed, check the month table and adjust the island, not the trip.
- Avoid the last week of December and the first week of January in Bali unless you book early and pay peak rates.
- Check Nyepi (Bali, March) and Idul Fitri (national, March 2026) before locking flights.
- For volcano sunrises at Bromo or Ijen, aim for August or September: clearer mornings and cold, dry air.
- For Komodo and the Gilis, pick May to September; November to March brings rough seas and cancelled boat trips.
Regional seasons at a glance
Indonesia sits on the equator, so temperatures barely change: coastal lows sit around 23–26 °C and highs around 30–33 °C all year. What changes is rain, wind and sea state. Yogyakarta and Bali are hottest and most humid in the weeks before the rains break, usually October and November.
- Bali and Java: dry season April to October, rainy season November to March.
- Raja Ampat: best October to April, when the Bali side is wet.
- Sumatra: driest June to August in the north; haze possible August to October.
| Region | Best months | Wet months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bali, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara | May–Sep | Nov–Mar | Afternoon downpours, rough seas to the Gilis and Komodo, floods in south Bali |
| Java (Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bromo, Ijen) | May–Sep | Nov–Mar | Jakarta floods Jan–Feb; Bromo and Ijen nights near 5 °C |
| Sumatra (Medan, Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang, Padang) | Jun–Aug | Oct–Apr | Wet most of the year; haze from fires possible Aug–Oct |
| Sulawesi and Maluku (Toraja, Bunaken, Raja Ampat) | Apr–May, Oct–Dec | Jul–Aug | Varies by island; Raja Ampat is best Oct–Apr |
Patterns vary within each island; check local forecasts a week out.
What to watch for
Two dates change what you can do, not just how busy it is. Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, closes Bali's airport and keeps everyone indoors for 24 hours; hotels keep guests on site. It falls in March and the date moves each year. Idul Fitri, at the end of Ramadan, triggers mudik — tens of millions of people travelling home — so trains, flights and roads are full for about two weeks around it. In 2026 that lands in March.
- Nyepi: no flights, no check-ins, no one on the streets in Bali for 24 h (March, date moves).
- Idul Fitri: book transport weeks ahead; Jakarta empties while other cities fill (March 2026).
- Christmas to New Year: Bali and Java resorts fill and prices peak, even in the wet season.
- August: Independence Day on 17 August brings ceremonies and village events.
- Galungan and Kuningan, every 210 days, add temple ceremonies and some closures in Bali.
Sources and when we checked
This page follows the country-level season, crowd and price data on the Indonesia guide, plus official Indonesian government and tourism sources for holidays and entry rules. Dates for Nyepi, Ramadan and Idul Fitri move each year, so confirm them before booking. Prices are 2026 estimates and vary by island and season.
Questions people ask
What is the best time of year to visit Indonesia?
May, June and September are the best all-round months: dry weather across Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara, medium crowds and shoulder prices. July and August are drier but peak season. If you are going to Raja Ampat, aim for October to April instead.
When is the cheapest time to visit Indonesia?
February and November are the cheapest months, with low demand and low prices in Bali and Java. Both are wet months, so expect afternoon downpours. Late January and early December can also be cheap, but Christmas and New Year are peak.
What is the weather like in Indonesia each month?
Temperatures stay around 23–33 °C all year. April to October is the dry season for Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara; November to March is wet, with rough seas to the Gilis and Komodo. Sumatra is wet most of the year, and Raja Ampat is best October to April.
Is July or August a good time to visit Bali?
Yes for weather — both are dry with clear mornings — but they are peak season. Beds in Bali and the Gili islands sell out and prices are at their highest. Book flights and rooms two to three months ahead, or shift to September for similar weather and fewer crowds.
Does the rainy season ruin a trip to Indonesia?
Usually not. Rain in the wet season tends to arrive as heavy afternoon or evening downpours rather than all-day drizzle. The bigger risks are rough seas to the Gilis and Komodo, cancelled boat trips, and flooding in Jakarta and south Bali in January and February.
When is Nyepi and how does it affect travel?
Nyepi, Bali's Day of Silence, falls in March and the date moves each year. For 24 hours the airport is closed, no one goes outdoors, and hotels keep guests inside. Plan around it if Bali is your main stop, and book the days before or after.
Deep dive
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