Lombok · Planning
When to visit Lombok.
Two seasons, twelve months, one short answer for every kind of trip.
Lombok has two seasons. The dry season runs from April to October — breezy, mostly cloudless, with the south coast lit up by Indian Ocean swell. The wet season runs from November to March — warmer, calmer at sea, and quieter on land, with afternoon showers that usually clear in an hour.
Both seasons are beautiful. They are good for different things. Below is the year, month by month, with the weather we actually see, the surf we actually ride, and the events that move our calendar.
At the end is a short cheat sheet: the best window for a surf trip, a family beach holiday, a quiet wellness stay, a honeymoon, and a snorkelling week.
The year
Twelve months in South Lombok.
January
Wet season
A peaceful month. Discounted nightly rates. Plan around the rain — most days have long sunny windows.
- Weather:
- Warm and humid, 27–32°C. Short heavy showers, often clearing by mid-afternoon.
- Sea:
- Smaller swell. Selong Belanak is glassy. Snorkelling is excellent on calm days.
- Crowd:
- Quiet. Post-New-Year lull until late February.
February
Wet season
Watch for Chinese New Year — flights from Singapore and KL fill up that week.
- Weather:
- Wettest month statistically, but plenty of clear afternoons. 27–31°C.
- Sea:
- Calm, warm, and clear. Best month for swimming and snorkelling.
- Crowd:
- Very quiet — the lowest of the year.
March
Shoulder
Often the best value month: dry-season weather is starting, prices haven't.
- Weather:
- Showers easing. Long sunny periods. 27–32°C.
- Sea:
- Calm. Visibility excellent.
- Crowd:
- Quiet, beginning to lift towards Easter.
April
Dry season begins
Our favourite month. Empty, dry, and the surf is back without yet being crowded.
- Weather:
- The shift. Mostly dry, low humidity, 27–32°C.
- Sea:
- Surf returns to the south coast as the trade winds set up. Swimming still calm at sheltered bays.
- Crowd:
- Easter spike, then quiet again.
May
Dry season
Ideal for surfers and quieter family trips. Sunsets are striking through the dry-season haze.
- Weather:
- Reliably dry, low humidity, 26–31°C. Cool nights.
- Sea:
- Consistent SW swell — surf is on. Swimming beaches remain calm.
- Crowd:
- Building, but not full. Strong value before peak.
June
Dry season
High season starting. Book 6–8 weeks ahead.
- Weather:
- Dry, breezy, cooler. 25–30°C. Bring a light layer for evenings.
- Sea:
- Strong, clean swell. Reefs come alive.
- Crowd:
- Northern-hemisphere school holidays start to pull travellers in.
July
Peak
Book 2–3 months ahead, especially for two villas together.
- Weather:
- Driest month. Breezy, 24–30°C. Crisp evenings.
- Sea:
- Big, consistent surf. Reefs and points are at their best.
- Crowd:
- Peak. Australian and European families.
August
Peak
August can be windy on exposed beaches. Mawun and Serangan stay sheltered.
- Weather:
- Dry, windy, cool by Lombok standards. 24–30°C.
- Sea:
- Strong swell. Selong Belanak gets a bit punchier — still fine for confident learners.
- Crowd:
- Peak. The busiest month at LOP.
September
Peak
Often considered the best all-round month. Surf is good, weather is gentler, crowds start to thin.
- Weather:
- Dry, less wind than August, warming up again. 26–31°C.
- Sea:
- Surf still firing, but easing. Excellent swimming on protected bays.
- Crowd:
- Busy, easing late month.
October
Shoulder
A wonderful month overall, with one event-driven weekend to plan around.
- Weather:
- Dry, warm, low humidity. 27–32°C.
- Sea:
- Surf softening. Swimming and snorkelling improving every week.
- Crowd:
- Spike around the MotoGP weekend (mid-month) — flights and hotels in Mandalika fill up.
November
Shoulder
Rooms are calm, beaches are calm, and the wet season hasn't really started.
- Weather:
- First short showers return. Still mostly sunny. 27–32°C.
- Sea:
- Calm and warm. Visibility excellent.
- Crowd:
- Quiet. One of the best value months.
December
Wet season / Holiday peak
We hold the last two weeks of December for early bookers — it sells out 4–6 months ahead.
- Weather:
- Showers daily, but mostly afternoon. 27–32°C.
- Sea:
- Smaller swell. Calm protected bays. Excellent snorkelling between showers.
- Crowd:
- Very quiet until Dec 20, then full through New Year. Christmas–NYE is the second peak of the year.
By trip type
The best window, depending on what you want.
Surf trip
May to September
Dry, breezy, and the SW swell is firing. June–August for the biggest waves; May and September for cleaner, less crowded line-ups.
Family beach holiday
April to June, or late September to early November
Dry weather, calm protected bays, and crowds nowhere near peak. Avoids the windy edge of August and the Christmas surge.
Wellness or quiet retreat
November to March
Lowest crowds, lowest rates, calm seas, lush green landscape. Plan around showers — most days have long dry windows.
Honeymoon / couples
May, September, or October
Dry, golden, photogenic, with sunsets at their dramatic best. Avoids the chill of August evenings and the Christmas crowd.
Snorkelling and diving
November to March
Visibility is highest in the wet season, when the swell drops. The Gilis and the south Lombok islets are at their clearest.
Plan around these
Events that move the calendar.
Chinese New Year
Late January / early February
Singapore and KL flights fill up. Book early.
Ramadan
Moves ~11 days earlier each year
Local restaurants serve normally for guests; some warungs adjust hours. A respectful, beautiful month to be here.
Eid al-Fitr (Lebaran)
End of Ramadan
Indonesia's biggest holiday. Domestic travel surges; LOP can be busy. Locally a quiet, celebratory week.
Nyepi (Bali Day of Silence)
March
Bali shuts down for 24 hours — including DPS airport. If you transit Bali around this date, plan around it. Lombok is unaffected.
MotoGP Mandalika
Mid-October
A 3-day spike in flights and hotel demand 30 minutes from us. Stay before or after, or come for the race.
Christmas / New Year
Dec 20 – Jan 5
Our second peak of the year. Books out 4–6 months in advance for both villas together.
A few notes
Things we tell guests on the phone.
The "wet season" is misnamed for travellers. We get rain — usually intense, usually short. Mornings are typically dry. Afternoons can bring a heavy shower that lasts an hour. Whole rained-out days happen, but they are rare. The villa is built to be enjoyed in any weather: the pool is heated, the indoor-outdoor living rooms work in the rain, and a wet afternoon on the daybed with a cocktail is not a bad afternoon.
The "dry season" is the postcard. Long stretches of cloudless sky, low humidity, and water you can see your feet in. The trade-off is wind — exposed beaches in July and August can be breezy. Mawun and our beach stay sheltered.
Pricing follows the seasons. Peak (July–August, late December) is roughly twice the wet-season rate. Shoulder (May, June, September, October) is in between. Wet season is the best value of the year, and arguably the most photogenic — the hills behind the villa turn a vivid green you do not see for the rest of the year.
Whatever month you pick, message us before you book the flights. We can tell you what the conditions look like in your specific window, what flights are running cheaply, and whether there is a local event worth aiming at — or avoiding.
Frequently asked
Picking the month.
What is the single best month?
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September is the answer most guests give us. The surf is still good, the wind has dropped from August, the dry-season landscape is golden but not yet brittle, and crowds start thinning by late month. May and June are the close runners-up.
Is the wet season really wet?
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Less than the name suggests. The wet season runs roughly November to March, with February the wettest. Most "wet" days have long sunny periods and a heavy afternoon shower that clears in an hour. Whole rained-out days are rare. The trade-off — empty beaches, glass-clear water, lower rates — is real.
When should I book?
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Christmas–New Year and July–August: 4–6 months ahead, especially if you want both villas at once. May–June and September–October: 6–8 weeks. Wet season (November to March): 2–4 weeks is usually fine. We hold a small inventory for guests who message us directly.
Does Ramadan affect a stay here?
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Not in any practical way for guests. The villa restaurant serves normal meals all day. A few warungs in Sasak villages adjust hours; the major beach restaurants in Kuta and Selong Belanak operate as usual. Many guests find it one of the most beautiful months to visit — the call to prayer, lit lanterns at dusk, families gathering for Iftar.
Will MotoGP weekend ruin a trip?
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Only if you don't want to go to MotoGP. The race is at Mandalika circuit, 30 minutes from us. Hotels and flights spike for 3 days, then return to normal. We tell guests booking that week so they can decide — the energy is good, the traffic on race days is not.
Is the water warm year-round?
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Yes. Sea temperature varies between 26°C and 29°C across the year. There is no month where the water is cold. June to August evenings on land can feel cool by tropical standards (around 24°C), so bring a light layer if you are sensitive to it.
Have a window in mind?