Indonesia in January

Hello,

Is January a good time ( weather conditions) to go to Indonesia?

Rob

Indonesia is a big place... some areas are affected by the NE monsoon and some aren't. Where specifically?

One advantage of going in the poorer weather season is that it can be cheaper!

Alex

Hello,

I am interested in Lembehstreet, Bali or Sulawesi.

So you think summertime is better due to the wether?

Rob

In Bali, yes. A lot of the diving there is shore diving - and it therefore more easily disturbed by the weather in terms of visibility (from run off - not that N Bali gets much rain) and also waves - that make entering the water difficult. These can be a pain in Tulamben.

Lembeh (NE Sulawesi) is a strait and sheltered and diveable all year. But you will have more rain in the winter. It it can make things a bit miserable after a long cooling dive, sitting in the cold on the boat.

N Sulawesi (Manado) can occasionally get a bit rough in January and February - which can impact on your diving. I was there in March this year - and although it was a bit rainy it was flat calm. Certainly the rates were cheaper than in the summer/autumn.

I haven't been to S Sulawesi. But lots here have been to Wakatobi and I'm sure can comment.

In general - all are diveable all year. It is more a case of good and better, than good and bad.

Alex

Lembeh STRAITS will definitely be more wet during these months despite being on the lee of Lembeh Island. Another side effect of rain is that the junk that the indonesians throw down the sides of the hills all get washed down and it can really be a junk yard. That said, I've been to Lembeh in Feb, Mar, Apr, Jul, Aug, Oct-Jan and the best time of the year for critters empirically has been Oct-Jan. It's also time for worser viz and dirtier water.

If you're looking at the Togian Islands, the ride will be VERY wet but generally it's not that rainy but windy. Only been twice during nov both times. Was just in Tukang Besi and the weather was dead calm but that's only oct-nov. Normally wetter and choppier.

Bali will be wetter as well but plenty of critters to be found in the wet. Viz will be not good from the run off so dive on incoming tides. Boat rides to Penida will be uncomfortable but generally it's not bad at all. Just more uncomfortable sometimes.

But January can be a very good time in Raja Empat (West Papua). A lot of the liveaboards that work Komodo and Banda Sea during most of the year rebase to Sorong over December - March (or even November - Aprli), to take advantage of the good weather in West Papua at a time when conditions are ... less than ideal .. in Komodo and other locations further southwest.

November-March is the height of the rainy season in Bali, Komodo etc. That doesn't mean it will rain all day every day, just that the likelihood of some rain is highest during this season. Getting wet before you dive isn't the worst thing that can possibly happen, is it? I've had some great dives in Bali in December and January. But you could also get unlucky and get a few days of mostly rain, which is almost definitely not going to happen between May and October.

The upshot of all this being that there's always a good place dive here somewhere.

Frogfish

Listen to Robert. He lives there!

AND he's going to Sorong... so he's actually wishing out loud for good weather! LOL

Well, yes. But that's fair, innit? We leave for Sorong via Makassar Sunday. I should be back in Bali around 4 January.

I just spoke today with Mark Heighes, who will be leading our diving on this trip, and is just back from doing the transfer trip from Kupang to Sorong. He told me they had some great dives, including exciting new sites in East Misool area. The bad news is that the passengers on the transfer trip drank all the wine on board. In light of the limits on luggage flying out from here, it looks like we'll be limited to daiquiris and gin 'n T's for our entire trip.

Best of all, however, is that I've finally got my digital housing back from the Subal people. Going back to film these past few months has been ... difficult.

As for Bali and points around here, yes, it has been a bit warm recently, but most days have been sunny and very nice. It's summertime [in the southern hemisphere] and the living is easy. Fish are jumpin' [in front of our cameras] and the sugar cane is high.

Please do excuse me - I get a bit punchy a few days before leaving on a dive trip, and sometimes ven break into song.

Frogfish

Robert,

You can leave your clothes at home and pack more wine!