Lombok, Indonesia Weather and Climate

General & Geography

Lombok is an island that is east of Bali and west of Summbawa. The island is part of the Western Nusa Tenggara region of Indonesia. The total land area of ​​the roughly circular island is 4514 square kilometers and is home to 3,311,044 people according to a 2014 census.

The island’s capital is called Mataram and has a population of 420,941 people. Apart from Mataram, there is no other town on the island, but mainly villages in the center and villages and small settlements on the coasts developed for tourism.

In terms of size and population density, as well as cultural heritage, Lombok is similar to the neighboring island of Bali, only 40 kilometers away. With regard to this, however, Lombok differs in two decisive points. While Hinduism dominates in Bali, the population of Lombok is primarily of Muslim faith. The second difference is in the popularity and notoriety of Lombok. Many visitors see Lombok as an unspoiled Bali.

Like the famous neighboring island, Lombok also has beautiful beaches and dense forests in the center of the island. The island is surrounded by smaller chains of islands, locally called Gilis. The panorama is also dominated by Gunung Rinjani, the second highest volcano in Indonesia with a height of 3726 meters. This is in the center of the island and can always be seen, no matter where you are on the island.

Climate on Lombok

The climate on Lombok is mainly characterized by a stable average temperature of 27 to 30 ° C and an equally stable humidity of between 78 and 81 percent. The only difference is the number of hours of rain and sunshine per day. Similar to most Southeast Asian regions, the island has a rainy and dry season.

As in Bali, the rainy season on Lombok usually lasts from November to April. During these months it rains almost every day, but mostly only briefly and heavily in the afternoon or at night. The dry season begins slowly from mid-April. The driest travel time on Lombok is between May and September. These are also the months with the most hours of sunshine.

The water temperatures are warm all year round and fluctuate between 27 and 30 ° C. It is therefore possible to swim in the sea on most days during the rainy season, provided the sea is not too churned.

When is the best time to visit Lombok?

Due to the consistently high temperatures and the comparatively low amount of precipitation even in the rainy season (usually limited to 30 to 90 minutes of heavy rain per day), there is no absolute bad travel time. Due to the stable summer weather with lots of sunshine and hardly any precipitation, the main season lasts from June to September.

During this time, most of the tourists come to the Indonesian dream island and the hotels call up their highest overnight prices. We recommend the entire period from mid-April to October as the best travel time for Lombok. April and May in particular are great months to travel, as the landscapes on the island are still lush green after the rainy season.

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Mataram (Lombok)

Temperatures

The annual average temperature in Mataram is 26.1 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is January (26.9 ° C), coldest month of July with averages of 24.8 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Mataram is 30 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 1419 mm on 98 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of January, February and December are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 657 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Mataram.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, August is the sunniest month with an average of 6.8 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year, the sun shines 5.9 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Sights and attractions

Lombok is especially famous for its nature. There are beautiful beaches with many activities on offer in all directions. The three Gili Islands in the northeast of the island are great for snorkeling and relaxing. Kuta, in the south of the island, is particularly suitable for surfing. The stronghold of Senggigi also offers great surfing spots as well as numerous good restaurants and hotels. For the more adventurous, we recommend a hike to Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia’s second highest volcano.

For those interested in culture, there is also the village of Puyung in the center of the island. The local web culture can be observed there. Finally there is a forest of monkeys. The Pusuk Monkey Forest is famous for the variety of monkey species that live there. In the mountain landscape on the way to Bangsal, it is worth stopping at the Pusuk Monkey Forest, where wild monkeys live on the roadside. The most beautiful beaches on Lombok are Mawun Beach, Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak. Lombok’s waterfalls are always worth a visit, our favorites are Tiu Teja as well as the better known Tiu Kelep and Sendang Gile.

Lombok weather in March, April and May

Daily temperatures averaging 31 to 32 ° C are to be expected over the next three months. The temperatures hardly fluctuate during this time.

Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May at about 29 ° C. This is great weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.

The expected rainfall is around 11 days in March, around 8 days in April and around 7 days in May.

In the period from March to May, the sun shines an average of 5 to 6 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in April in Mataram, with a little less sun you will have to get by in March.