Surfer's Almanac: Asia

The wave season in Indonesia runs from April to October with lots of local variations. For instance:

• Bali's west side works best June through August, when the offshore winds blow. However June, July and August in Bali can get crowded with surfers.
• Bali's east side gets an offshore breeze from December thru March.
• Lombok, the island just east of Bali, gets good swell all year, but April thru June have the most favorable winds.
• Sumbawa -- April to June
• Timor -- April to June
• Java and Gland are best tackled April to September with swell peaking June thru August.
• West Java -- April to September.
• Sumatra -- January to July.

• Temps are 80s and 90s year-round, with high humidity and lower temperatures in high altitudes
  
• Best weather for travel: March/April and October
  

Japan

Japan has its best waves between May to October; typhoons can generate big swell, but Nippon also has some epic flat spells. Water temperatures range from 50F in the winter to 70F in summer.

• Typhoon season: August to October
  
• Rainy season: December to February
  
• Hot, humid season: May to August
  
• Cool, dry season: March to April

• Best weather for travel: Spring
  

India is a big country with seven distinct climates from the mountains down to the coastal plains. In general:

• The wet season is June to October
  
• The cool and dry season is December to February
  
• And the drought starts in March
  
• Monsoons start in May or June in the south and move northward
  
• Best weather for travel: December to February.

Maldives --  are an independent republic in the northern Indian Ocean comprised of over 1,100 tiny coral islands. Many of the islanders are of Indian descent since the archipelago is only 350 miles SW of Ceylon. The best waves are ridden from May through October. Although many perfect waves peel over the sharp coral reefs, the Maldives rarely see truly big swell, which is fortunate because the islands' average elevation above sea level is less than 10 feet. Tourism is tightly controlled in this Islamic republic and expensive. The average hotel or surf boat will run about $150 US per day, per person.