Indonesia weather & when to go: March

NB: the westernmost point of Indonesia is a full 3200 miles from the eastern most tip, so it should come as no surprise that summarising the weather is not straightforward. The tables above split the ‘country’ (made up of 17,508 islands) into two regions - the western & central islands and the eastern islands (that sit to the east of the Wallace Line), however we encourage you to read the more detailed summaries below as there can be significant variations in conditions between the islands within each group.

Java

March is still a fairly wet month on the island of Java, although as the month rolls on sunny days are more frequent and the rainfall decreases. Temperatures start to creep up (avg temp: 28°C) and highs of 31°C can be expected towards the end of March.  

Bali

Hot and rainy conditions are typical in Bali throughout March, with temperatures averaging 27°C. Intense rain showers tend to occur during the afternoon, however this does little to break the humidity making swimming pools the must have accessory. For a respite from the lowland heat travel inland to Ubud.

Nusa Tenggara

Lombok, Flores, Komodo National Park, Sumba

Wet season is coming to an end on Lombok & the Gili Islands, Flores & Sumba, with rainfall decreasing as April approaches.  Days may be cloudy but the average temperature is around 29°C and can rise to 31°C towards the end of the month. Humidity levels are particularly high on the island of Lombok and can reach 85%, whilst in Sumba conditions are more comfortable with chance of a light breeze.

Sumatra

North Sumatra’s equatorial position and tropical climate means that the odd downpour can be expected during March, typically falling for a couple of hours during late afternoon or early evening. As March rolls on, South Sumatra starts to move out of wet season and sunny days slowly replace heavily overcast skies. Average temperatures remain around 27°C, but can on occasion reach 33°C. If you plan on visiting Bukit Luwang in March, you have a higher chance of spotting orang-utan. 

Kalimantan

Rainfall is still to be expected in Kalimantan during March, although showers tend to be fewer than in previous months and there is more chance of sunshine breaking through overcast skies. Average temperatures hover around 27-28°C.

Sulawesi

The monsoon rains are starting to ease off in Toraja and southern Sulawesi during March, although daily rainfall should be expected.  North Sulawesi (including the city of Manado) is slightly drier. In between rain showers, sunny skies can be expected and temperatures remain warm (avg temp: 27°C), with high humidity.

The Moluccas

Favourable weather conditions continue across the islands of the central Moluccas, such as Ambon and Seram during March. Days are warm (28-30°C), sunny and dry, and it’s an excellent time of the year for diving. Across the southern islands of Kei and Aru, and the northern islands of Ternate and Tidore, the rainfall of the previous months begins to tail off.

West Papua & Raja Ampat

Excellent dive conditions continue across the islands of Raja Ampat during March: expect calm waters and good underwater visibility. Temperatures are much as they have been for previous months. Weather conditions in Wamena and across the Baliem Valley don’t drastically change during March: showers can be expected and average daily temperatures hover around 21°C.