Visiting Indonesia in November

The rainy season has returned to central and western Indonesia, although you can still find some sunny days between the showers, especially in Bali. However humidity is high in most areas and the heavy rainfall can make some roads inaccessible or harder to travel on.

The best place for sun is Raja Ampat and the Moluccas, with the best weather in the central Molucca Islands and some great diving in the Banda Islands. If you’re happy to risk the rain, it’s still warm on Bali and sunny days aren’t impossible if you head to the coast at around Sanur, Lovina, Jimbaran and Paradise Beach, although the dive season is over for the year. Trekking and walking in the hills isn’t advised though, with paths becoming slippery, muddy and sometimes dangerous.

November is usually the wettest month of the year across the Nusa Tenggara islands, with roads sometimes flooding, especially in parts of Sumba, and inter-island ferries not running. It’s also the rainiest month in North Sumatra, and you’re far less likely to spot orangutans if you do visit, along with high humidity and heavy rain in the south of the island. In Sulawesi, monsoon season has begun with heavier rain across the whole island, while November is one of the wettest months on Kalimantan.

The dry season has ended on Java too, with intense downpours lasting a couple of hours most days, although you can sometimes find drier weather in the east. Trekking and climbing is also off the cards here too.

Best for: Raja Ampat, Central Molucca islands, Low season beaches in Bali