Lombok in September and October: End of the Dry Season, Sea, 2027 MotoGP and School Breaks

6 November 2026

September and October are the end of Lombok’s dry season. Long-term averages for Mataram, the island’s capital, show about 1 rainy day in September and 3 in October, and in October rainfall more than doubles compared with September. Even so, there is far less rain than in the rainy season from November to March, and island days are still easy to plan.

In 2027, school holidays in Singapore and Western Australia fall in September and October, and the MotoGP world championship is provisionally scheduled to hold its Indonesian race at Mandalika on 31 October. For this article we opened and read, on 6 November 2026, the weather averages on weather2travel, a news report on BMKG’s outlook, a report on the 2027 MotoGP calendar, and the holiday lists and school calendars, and set out what matters when planning a trip for September and October.

It is written for anyone who wants to avoid the busy mid-year months and is thinking about Lombok and Sekotong in September or October 2027.

Information as of November 2026

What this article covers

✓Rain, temperature and sunshine in September and October (Mataram averages)
✓Sea temperature and sun
✓The late start of the 2026 rains and El Nino
✓School breaks and MotoGP in September and October 2027
✓Mount Rinjani trails after the September 2026 fire
✓Spending September and October in Sekotong

In short

September is still dry-season weather, and October gets a little more rain, but only about 3 rainy days in the month. In 2027, Singapore schools are on holiday in early September and Western Australian schools from 25 September to 10 October, and MotoGP is due at Mandalika on 29 to 31 October. There are no Indonesian public holidays.

Contents

What is the weather like in September and October?

weather2travel’s long-term averages for Mataram give September a high of 31°C and a low of 21°C, with 36 mm of rain on about 1 day. October has a high of 31°C and a low of 22°C, with 95 mm of rain on about 3 days. In November rainfall rises to 150 mm on 10 days, and the rainy season begins.

Both months average about 10 hours of sunshine a day, with many clear days. Mataram is on the west side of the island, and these are not Sekotong figures. The rains start earlier in some years and later in others.

Figure: September, October and the months either side: rainfall (Mataram averages)

Month-by-month weather for Sekotong is in Sekotong Weather by Month. For November onwards, see Lombok in November and December.

How warm is the sea, and how strong is the sun?

In the same averages, the sea off Mataram is 27°C in September and 28°C in October. It starts to warm a little in October after 27°C from July to September. The UV index is 11+ (extreme) in both months.

With long sunshine and strong UV, bring a hat, sunscreen and a long-sleeved layer for the boat. Plan to be on the water in the morning and late afternoon rather than in the midday heat.

The 2026 rains started late

According to Metro TV (8 September 2026), a forecaster at BMKG’s climatology station for West Nusa Tenggara said the 2026 dry season could last until the end of November, and that the rainy season, which usually starts in November, was expected to be pushed back to December. She gave as the reason a very strong El Nino (index 2.74), expected to continue to the end of 2026 and to weaken in early 2027 while staying in the El Nino phase.

That was the 2026 outlook. How September and October 2027 will turn out was not known when this article was written. In some years the rains start early in October, and in others, like 2026, dry days go on for longer. Check the forecast one to two weeks before you travel and choose your island days then.

Take care

The late start of the 2026 rains was an El Nino-year outlook
A forest fire broke out on Mount Rinjani on 22 September 2026
The averages are for Mataram, not Sekotong

School breaks and MotoGP in September and October 2027

The Indonesian State Secretariat’s list (15 September 2026) has no public holidays or collective leave days in September or October 2027, so there are no Indonesian long weekends in these months.

School holidays abroad continue, though. Singapore schools are on holiday from 4 to 12 September, and Western Australian public schools from 25 September to 10 October.

According to crash.net (25 September 2026), the 2027 MotoGP calendar has the Indonesian race at Mandalika on 31 October, round 20 of 22, and the date is still provisional. The 2026 race was held on 9 to 11 October. Hotels around Mandalika fill up and prices rise around race weekend.

← Scroll sideways to see the whole table

Dates (2027)	Break or event	Effect on travel
4 to 12 September	Singapore school holidays	Family travel season
25 September to 10 October	Western Australian public school holidays	Family travel season
29 to 31 October	MotoGP Indonesian race (provisional)	Hotels around Mandalika fill up

Sources: Indonesian State Secretariat (15 September 2026), Ministry of Education Singapore (14 July 2026), Western Australia Department of Education, crash.net (25 September 2026).

The circuit is covered in Mandalika Circuit Guide. If you are in Lombok during race week, staying on the west or south-west of the island, away from Mandalika, is one option.

Climbing Mount Rinjani

The national news agency Antara (25 June 2025) describes June to September as the busy season for climbers. October comes after that, with weather still close to the dry season.

On 22 September 2026, a forest fire broke out on Bukit Setampol on the Torean side of Mount Rinjani. According to the business news site katadata (3 October 2026), the Senaru route reopened on 3 October, and five routes, Sembalun, Senaru, Timbanuh, Tetebatu and Aik Berik, were back in normal use. The Torean route was not among the five. Before you climb, check the national park’s announcements for which routes are open. How to plan the climb is explained in Mount Rinjani Trekking Guide.

Spending September and October in Sekotong

Sekotong is a peninsula in the south-west of Lombok, with small islands offshore known as the South Gilis. September is still dry-season weather, and it is easy to pick days for island-hopping boats. October has a few more rainy days, so it helps to keep two possible island days in your plan.

In the village in Sekotong, the bamboo restaurant is scheduled to open on 7 November 2026, with planned hours of 10:00 to 22:00, closed Mondays. Kayak rental (7 kayaks) is also due to start on the same day. The beach cafe SAKURA CAFE and SEMELAR MARKET are open from 10:00 to 22:00 and closed on Mondays.

A note from Sekotong

Apart from race week at Mandalika, September and October make it easy to find gaps between holidays. In 2027, 13 to 17 September and 12 to 28 October do not overlap with any of the breaks listed here.

Downsides, and who September and October suit

First, the downsides. October gets a little more rain, and in some years the rainy season starts early. UV is in the extreme range. From late September to 10 October Western Australian schools are on holiday, and in MotoGP week at the end of October hotels around Mandalika fill up. As in 2026, a forest fire can close climbing routes.

This is a good time for people who want to skip the busy mid-year months and still enjoy dry-season weather on the islands and the sea. The Semelar Beach Village stay programme runs from 3 nights and 4 days to 5 nights and 6 days and costs Rp4,800,000 (about US$270) per person, including airport transfers, transport during the stay, a guide, a welcome dinner and a massage (flights and accommodation are separate). Sekotong is about 1 hour 10 minutes by car from Lombok International Airport. Where to stay is on Stay, and how to get here is on Getting here.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is September or October the rainy season in Lombok?

Not yet. They are the end of the dry season. Mataram’s averages show about 1 rainy day in September and 3 in October, and the rains usually begin in November.

Q. When is the 2027 Indonesian MotoGP?

According to crash.net (25 September 2026), the race at Mandalika is on 31 October. The date is provisional.

Q. Are there Indonesian public holidays in September and October?

There are no public holidays or collective leave days in September or October 2027 (Indonesian State Secretariat, 15 September 2026).

Q. Can I swim in October?

Yes. The average sea temperature off Mataram is 28°C in October. The sun is strong, so protect yourself from it.

Q. Why did the rains start late in 2026?

A BMKG forecaster pointed to a very strong El Nino and said the start of the rainy season was likely to slip to December (Metro TV, 8 September 2026).

Summary

September and October are the end of Lombok’s dry season, with about 1 rainy day in September and 3 in October in Mataram’s averages. The sea is 27 to 28°C, and UV is extreme.

In 2027, there are school holidays in Singapore in early September and in Western Australia from 25 September to 10 October, MotoGP on 31 October (provisional), and no Indonesian public holidays. Weekdays between the breaks make it easier to get your island days (as of November 2026).