Indonesia is a huge archipelago made up of over 17, 000 islands and sits in the heart of the Coral Triangle with some of the healthiest and richest reef systems found anywhere on the planet, not to mention the world’s most biodiverse! One reef in Raja Ampat for example, could contain more species of reef fish than the entire Caribbean Ocean.
Picking the right time to visit Indonesia plays an important part – it is one of the largest countries in the world by accrued land mass – and with that, the weather can vary greatly depending on where you plan to visit.
In general, Indonesia can be visited at most times throughout the year. The countries position close to the equator means that the climate is always warm and humid, with daily temperatures sitting on an average of 26 – 28 degrees C (79-82F).
Indonesia has a clearly defined wet and dry season, and it varies depending on where you want to go. Here’s a break down of some of the countries top snorkeling destinations with respect to each areas seasons.
Bali and Komodo
Wet Season: December-March
Dry Season: April-November
We recommend planning a snorkel trip to either of these areas for August-September as this is the most predictable time of year for weather and marine life. Even though it’s the so called dry season in Bali, a quick afternoon shower is not out of the question. Komodo however, will go months without a drop of rain in the dry season.
With all of this in mind, Bali and Komodo are still great year round, it just becomes a bit less predictable where weather and visibility are concerned. Marine life-including mantas-are prolific in the area and can still be seen year round with relative certainty.
Raja Ampat
Wet Season: June-October
Dry Season: November-May
Raja Ampat is a very tropical location, more so than Bali even, and despite it being the dry season it is not uncommon for it to rain in the afternoons for an hour or so. The wet season here can be quite wet with rain and tropical storms coming though with quite a bit of force so it’s really best to plan a trip here for the dry season.
Bunaken
Wet Season: December-March
Dry Season: April-November
Bunaken enjoys a much more mild climate with less extremes in weather patterns and can really be snorkeled year round. However, if you do plan a trip to Bunaken in the wet season, the visibility can be anywhere from 10-15 meters in the worst case, which isn’t much a problem as the reef are only a meter deep!
