When is the best time to visit Flores? Official data explain the seasons

Flores and the surrounding islands do not have one uniform tourism season: official statistics separate visitor activity by place and period, while BMKG tracks rainfall and drought by climate zone. That means travel conditions and visitor numbers should be read through local data, not a single island-wide calendar.

How is tourism measured across Nusa Tenggara Timur?

BPS tourism statistics cover visitor activity such as arrivals, overnight stays, expenditure, purpose of visit, tourism businesses and infrastructure, according to BPS-Statistics Indonesia’s tourism statistics table, accessed in 2026.

The provincial tourism publication reports an average of 260,502 intra-provincial tourist visits per month and 161,526 inter-provincial tourist visits per month, according to BPS, 2026. These are visit counts, not necessarily unique people.

What do the official figures show for Flores?

BPS publishes tourism data by regency, including districts on Flores and nearby islands, rather than treating Flores as a single statistical unit. Its tourism publication lists separate figures for places including Flores Timur, Sikka, Ende, Ngada and Lembata, according to BPS, 2026.

Because the tables are organised by area and reporting period, a provincial total cannot automatically be used as a visitor count for Labuan Bajo, Komodo National Park or another individual destination.

When is rainfall highest in NTT?

BMKG’s NTT climatology bulletin says rainfall in Nusa Tenggara Timur in December 2025 generally ranged from 301–400 millimetres per month and was classified as above normal, according to BMKG, 2026.

The same bulletin predicted rainfall of 301–400 millimetres per month for February 2026, 201–300 millimetres per month for March 2026 and 151–300 millimetres per month for April 2026, according to BMKG, 2026.

Why can conditions differ between islands?

BMKG divides NTT into climate zones and reports rainfall, seasonal forecasts and drought using those zones. Its seasonal forecast for 2024/2025 said 28 zones were assessed: 1 was expected to enter the rainy season in October, 19 in November and 8 in December, according to BMKG, 2025.

For readers moving between Flores, Lembata, Sumba and the smaller islands, the official approach therefore matters: rainfall forecasts and tourism counts are localised, and the relevant regency or climate zone may provide a more accurate picture than a province-wide figure.

Sources

• Badan Pusat Statistik
• BMKG Stasiun Klimatologi NTT