Benang Kelambu in December

December rainfall returns to about 320mm across 22 rainy days — essentially identical to February's wet-season volume. The catchment above Benang Kelambu is fully saturated by mid-month and discharging accordingly. Flow specifics:

• Central main cascade: Approaching January peak, perhaps 90-95% by late December
• Outer curtain streams: 30-35 active streams, the wide multi-tier curtain effect substantially restored
• Multi-tier appearance: The signature "curtain" hangs dense and white across the wide rock face
• Pool clarity: Brown with sediment, similar to January-February
• Spray zone: Substantial — viewing platforms get wet, expect to be damp throughout the visit

For visitors specifically wanting the dramatic wet-season character of Benang Kelambu, December is when it returns. The visual impact is genuine and worth the difficult conditions.

The 1.5km approach is fully back to wet-season demands by mid-December:

Early December (1-10):

• Significant mud throughout
• Wet roots present
• Stream crossings shin-deep
• Reef shoes essential
• Local guide hire recommended

Mid to Late December (11-31):

• Continuous mud, slick volcanic clay
• Wet roots dangerous
• Stream crossings knee-deep at points
• Reef shoes mandatory
• Local guide hire essentially required for safety

Solo hiking is increasingly inadvisable through December. The guide investment (50,000-100,000 IDR) becomes one of the better Lombok travel decisions you'll make. Guides know which sections of the upper tier are dangerous in heavy flow — the rock surfaces behind the main curtain become genuinely hazardous.

The two-halves story is the December crowd reality:

Early December (1-20):

• Crowd level: 2 out of 5
• Weekday: 3-5 other parties at falls
• Weekends: 8-12 parties
• Pricing: shoulder rates continue from November
• Tetebatu homestays: 250,000-500,000 IDR

Late December (21-31), particularly 27-31:

• Crowd level: 4 out of 5 even given the conditions
• Christmas Day: international visitors visible
• NYE week: peak season pricing across the island
• Tetebatu homestays: 400,000-800,000 IDR (often books out)
• Mataram and Senggigi essentially full
• Roads to Aik Berik busier
• The falls themselves see 15-25+ parties on holiday week days

The contrast is sharp. A visit on 12 December looks like November's quiet wet-season experience. A visit on 28 December looks like a peak-season scramble despite the demanding conditions.

December pricing follows the two-halves story:

Early-mid December:

• Tetebatu: 250,000-500,000 IDR (matching November)
• Mataram: 400,000-900,000 IDR
• Standard guide rates

Late December (NYE week):

• Tetebatu: 400,000-800,000 IDR, often booked out
• Mataram: 600,000-1,500,000 IDR
• Senggigi premium hotels at peak
• Roads jammed during NYE week
• Book NYE-week accommodation 3-4 weeks ahead minimum

If you have flexibility, target the first three weeks of December. The wet-season drama is identical, the crowds are minimal, and the prices are friendly.

December delivers some of the year's best photography conditions:

• Continuous diffused cloud cover
• Soft white-water rendering
• Saturated forest green
• Long-exposure work straightforward
• Mixed light occasionally breaking through

The combination of full curtain flow plus soft cloud light makes December (along with January-February) the year's best months for serious cascade photography. The trade-off is wet equipment and slippery footing — bring multiple dry bags and a stable tripod.

Drone use becomes impractical in December's continuous cloud cover even where regulations permit.

December swimming is essentially off the recommended list:

• Pool water cold (18-20°C)
• Brown sediment reduces visibility
• Higher inflow makes some pools unsafe
• Wet conditions make changing inconvenient

Skip the swimsuit for December visits. The visual experience of the falls is what you've come for.

The standard combination still works but requires extra time and care:

• Early morning: Benang Stokel (mud, shorter trail)
• Mid-morning to noon: Benang Kelambu (full wet-season conditions)
• Lunch: Tetebatu
• Afternoon: Rice terrace walk in continuous green

Allow 10-11 hours from Mataram in December — slower trails, weather delays, traffic.

If New Year's Eve in Lombok is part of your trip:

• Stay in Senggigi or Kuta Lombok for NYE itself
• Visit Benang Kelambu on 30 December (busy but doable)
• Avoid 31 December and 1 January — service quality drops, road traffic peaks
• Consider 2-3 January for post-NYE quiet falls visit when many tourists have left

Early to mid-December is one of the year's most underrated visiting windows — full wet-season drama with friendly logistics. Late December is dramatic conditions with peak-season costs, harder logistics, and meaningful crowd presence even at this inland destination.

For the dramatic Benang Kelambu experience without January-February's full commitment to slippery conditions, target 8-18 December. For peak winter Lombok atmosphere with NYE energy, target late December and accept the trade-offs. Either way, a local guide and reef shoes are essential — December is genuinely demanding regardless of which week you visit.