Best Time to Visit Bandar Lampung

August and September: the best window

Temperatures hardly change here, so rain is what really divides the year. August and September are the driest months, with about ten wet days each. They're also the sunniest, and the air feels less sticky than at other times.

This is the time for day trips from Bandar Lampung. Boats leave from the Lempasing area for islands in Lampung Bay, like Pahawang, where you can snorkel in clear water. Roads to Way Kambas National Park, home to Sumatran elephants, are also easier when the ground is dry. Surfers head to Krui, further up the coast, around this time too.

December to March: the wet heart of the year

Be honest with yourself about this season. January is the wettest month, with 307 mm of rain, and it rains on most days. Skies are grey, with barely an hour of sun a day, and the air stays heavy and damp.

Rain often comes in heavy bursts, and low streets in town can flood. Boat trips to the islands are less pleasant when seas get rough. If you do come, treat it as a city-and-food trip. Try seruit, the local dish of grilled fish with chilli-lime sambal, and buy kopi Lampung, the region's strong robusta coffee, at a shop in town. Then wait out the downpours in a café.

April to July: drying out

Rain eases slowly from April, though May is still damp, with rain on 19 days. June and July are the sweet spot for a lot of people. They're drier, a little less humid, and quieter than August. Sun is still modest in June, so don't expect beach weather every day.

If you're flexible, July is a good compromise. Rain falls on 12 days, and you'll still get decent boat weather.

October and November: the turn

October looks warm and bright at first, but the rain returns fast, with 16 wet days. By November it's 21 days. Afternoon storms are common, so plan outdoor things for the morning.

Crowds and events

Bandar Lampung is not a big international tourist stop, so crowds are mostly local. Expect busier roads and ferry queues at Bakauheni port around Eid al-Fitr, when many people travel home. The date shifts each year, so check it. School holidays in Indonesia, usually around June and July and again in December, bring more domestic visitors to island and beach spots. The Krakatau Festival, held in Lampung in past years, centres on the volcano in the Sunda Strait, but its timing has changed, so confirm before you plan around it.