How we know: Sources are listed at the end. Weather figures are official climate normals; season and visa facts come from the cited travel references. Wildly does not publish fare averages in prose; live prices are on the linked route pages.
Most "best time to visit Indonesia" advice is really Bali advice. This guide is for the rest of the archipelago: Java's temples and volcanoes, Komodo and Flores, Sumatra's jungles, Lombok and the Gilis, and the far-eastern reefs of Raja Ampat. The headline rule still holds, a dry season from roughly April to October and a wet season from November to March (Wikivoyage), but Raja Ampat runs on the opposite calendar, and the eastern islands are far drier and hotter than Java. If Bali is the trip, read our separate best time to visit Bali guide instead.
Jakarta weather by month
Official 1991–2020 climate normals for Jakarta, from the World Meteorological Organization. Yogyakarta and the Javanese highlands are similar in pattern but cooler at altitude; Flores and Komodo are markedly drier.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | |---|---|---|---| | January | 88°F (31°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 14.7 in | | February | 87°F (31°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 15.0 in | | March | 90°F (32°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 8.3 in | | April | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 6.5 in | | May | 92°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 4.1 in | | June | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 3.2 in | | July | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 3.1 in | | August | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 2.0 in | | September | 92°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 2.4 in | | October | 92°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 4.4 in | | November | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 5.3 in | | December | 90°F (32°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 7.2 in |
Temperatures barely move all year; rainfall is the variable. January and February bring roughly seven times the rain of August, and Wikipedia notes that rainfall is much heavier from December to March while June to September is relatively dry.
Region by region
Java (Yogyakarta, Borobudur, Prambanan, Bromo, Ijen). Cultural sites work year-round, but the dry months from May to September give clear sunrises at Borobudur and Bromo and dust-free volcano hikes. Wet-season rain in Java is usually a heavy afternoon burst rather than an all-day event. Avoid the Eid al-Fitr holiday week (date moves each year) when domestic travel peaks.
Komodo and Flores. Reached via Labuan Bajo (LBJ), which has several daily flights from Bali (Wikivoyage). Wikivoyage puts the best window for sea travel around the park at April to November, and warns that August and September are extremely hot and dry, with temperatures above 40°C (104°F) on the islands. Seas can turn rough quickly at any time; the wet season brings the most disruption to boat trips.
Sumatra (Bukit Lawang, Lake Toba, Kerinci). Equatorial and wet in every month, but the May–September period is the drier stretch and the most comfortable for jungle trekking and orangutan viewing.
Raja Ampat (West Papua). Runs on the opposite calendar. Wikivoyage says the best time to visit is the dry October–April period, which is the rainy season elsewhere in Indonesia. Access is via Sorong (SOQ), with direct flights from Jakarta, Makassar and Manado and daily ferries to Waisai.
Lombok and the Gili Islands. Same dry-season logic as Bali: April to October for beaches, diving and the Rinjani trek (the mountain is typically closed in the wet season).
Getting there from the US
Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) is the capital's gateway and the natural entry for Java and onward domestic flights; Bali Denpasar (DPS) is where more than half of foreign visitors arrive (Wikivoyage) and is the better start for Komodo, Lombok and eastern Indonesia. Expect at least one connection from the US; typical routings go through Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore or Doha, and total journey times of 20 to 26 hours are normal.
For current prices see LAX to Jakarta, San Francisco to Jakarta and JFK to Jakarta, or compare every origin on the flights to Jakarta hub. If you are starting in the east, price LAX to Bali as well; an open-jaw ticket into one and out of the other saves a backtrack.
When fares tend to be lowest
US–Indonesia fares follow the connecting hubs' seasonality more than Indonesia's own weather: the peaks are the northern-hemisphere summer school break (late June through mid-August) and mid-December to early January. Late January through March and September through early December are usually the quieter periods, and they overlap neatly with good weather in Raja Ampat and acceptable weather in Java. The dry season's best months, June through September, coincide with the summer demand peak on most routings.
Set a price alert for your gateway and dates. Wildly checks prices daily on the routes you track and emails you when the fare drops to your target; use the route pages above to pick a realistic number.
Entry requirements for US citizens
US citizens are eligible for Indonesia's visa on arrival, which can be bought in advance through the official e-Visa site or at the airport. Wikivoyage lists it as a 30-day tourist visa costing Rp500,000, extendable once for a further 30 days, for a maximum of 60 days. Carry a passport with at least six months' validity. For longer stays a different visa class is required; check the Indonesian immigration site before you travel.
Where to go, by season
- April–October: Java's volcanoes and temples, Komodo and Flores (best April to July before the peak heat), Sumatra, Lombok and the Gilis.
- October–April: Raja Ampat and the far east; Java's cities and cultural sites with afternoon rain.
- Any time: Jakarta, Yogyakarta's palaces and museums, Bandung.
FAQ
What is the best month to visit Indonesia outside Bali? May, June and September are the most flexible: dry in Java, Komodo and Lombok, before or after the summer crowds. October is the switch month when Raja Ampat's season opens.
Is Komodo open year-round? Boats run all year, but Wikivoyage puts the best conditions at April to November and warns that August and September are extremely hot. Wet-season crossings are more often cancelled.
When is Raja Ampat's diving season? October to April (Wikivoyage), the reverse of the rest of the country.
Should I fly into Jakarta or Bali? Jakarta for a Java-first itinerary; Bali for Komodo, Lombok or the east. Fly into one and out of the other if the fare allows; compare both route pages before booking.