Manageable for cautious visitors but not enjoyable. Better to skip and visit in April or July if you have flexibility.
Timbangu Waterfall in December is more manageable than the larger or more remote East Lombok waterfalls because the trail through Lemor Forest is short and the gorge geography is forgiving. The falls are rebuilding power as the catchment recharges, but trail mud and leeches are at their peak and afternoon storms are reliable. A cautious morning visit is possible, but it's not the right month for most travellers — the forest is harder to enjoy in continuous wet weather and the small site offers little reward for the difficulty.
# Timbangu Waterfall in December: Manageable but Not Recommended
December is the wet month at Timbangu, and while it's more forgiving than the remote sites like Mayung Putek, it's still not a great visit. The trail through Lemor Forest is short enough that you can attempt the walk in any reasonable weather window, but the forest experience that makes Timbangu worthwhile in dry season is genuinely harder to enjoy in continuous monsoon conditions. Most travellers should skip this month.
The trail itself is the main issue. Lemor's path becomes muddy throughout, with the dirt sections turning to slippery clay and the rock sections becoming genuinely slick. Falls happen — usually minor, occasionally a twisted ankle. The 20-25 minute walk that's casual in dry season takes 30-40 minutes in December and requires concentration the whole way.
Leeches multiply in December. Lemor's wet undergrowth is exactly the right environment, and you'll likely pick up a few on a December visit. Salt or repellent in your pocket helps but doesn't eliminate the issue.
The falls themselves are rebuilding power as the catchment recharges, but the water runs brown rather than clear. You're not seeing the spring-fed clarity of dry season; you're seeing runoff carrying soil and forest debris. The plunge pool is unappealing for swimming and visually you can't see what's beneath you.
The wider forest experience that makes Timbangu worthwhile is also reduced. December's continuous wet weather pushes most birds to lower activity, the canopy is heavy and obscures distant viewing, and the slow-walking pace that works in dry season becomes uncomfortable when you're being rained on.
Despite all this, Timbangu does have some December advantages compared to the other waterfalls in this East Lombok group:
These advantages mean a careful December visit is reasonable in a way that a December Mayung Putek visit isn't. But "reasonable" doesn't mean "good."
Specific conditions where a December Timbangu visit is sensible:
The realistic December visit looks like: arrive at the entrance around 8:30 AM, wait for a weather window if needed, walk down to the falls in 30-40 minutes with care, brief time at the falls (no swimming), walk back, eat at the warung. Total time on site: 2 hours. Drive back to your base before afternoon storms build.
The quietest of the quiet months. Most December weekdays see fewer than 10 visitors at Timbangu. Some days see zero. The few visitors are usually Sasak day-trippers from Mataram or Selong who know the site doesn't require much effort. Foreign tourists are essentially absent.
This solitude is the December visit's main upside. If having the site to yourself matters and you can accept the trail conditions, December does deliver that.
Same as other months, with off-season accommodation pricing in the broader area:
Tetebatu or Sembalun homestay rates are at their annual lowest in December. If you're already in the area for the lower prices, building Timbangu into a Suela exploration day costs almost nothing.
If you write off Timbangu for December, the Suela area still has things to offer. Local Sasak villages around Suela have working farms, traditional architecture, and the kind of authentic rural Lombok experience that's increasingly hard to find. A morning village walk and a long lunch in Suela town is a perfectly good East Lombok day in December without any waterfall hiking.
The drive between Tetebatu and Sembalun via Pusuk Sembalun pass is also genuinely scenic in December — misty highland views, lush vegetation, occasional clear-weather panoramas. You can do this drive as a slow exploration day rather than rushing to a destination.
Timbangu in December is the wrong month for most travellers. The trail is harder than its short distance suggests, the falls are not at their best, and the forest experience that makes the site worthwhile in dry months is genuinely degraded. If you have any flexibility in your dates, push to April for peak flow or July/September for easier access.
If you're in Lombok in December and want a waterfall experience, Sendang Gile on Rinjani's north slopes is the more reliable choice — better infrastructure, shorter approach to the lower falls, more developed paths. Save Timbangu for a return trip.
If you're already in the Suela area in December for other reasons and a clear morning opens up, a careful Timbangu visit is fine. Just keep expectations modest.
If you're determined to visit a Lombok waterfall in December, Timbangu is honestly one of the more reasonable choices because the trail is short, the gorge isn't a flash-flow trap, and the entrance area has shelter. But even so, the experience won't be great — wet trail, modest brown-water cascade, slippery rocks, leeches. The smart December plan is to either skip waterfalls entirely and focus on the southern beaches between storm windows, or wait for a clear weather day and pair Timbangu with Suela village walks rather than other waterfalls. Don't expect the easy nature day that July or September deliver.