Bacan Island

Island Tropical Maluku island with historic spice trade past

Part of North Maluku’s Bacan group, the island combines coastal reefs, fishing villages and a forested interior; visitors come for diving, local markets and glimpses of the region’s sultanate history.

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Bacan Locator Topography.png
Batjan map.jpg
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Alfoerse damar halers van Halmahera in kampong Palamea Batjan TMnr 10012876.jpg
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een prauw op het strand van Batjan tijdens zonsondergang met een schip van de KPM op de rede TMnr 60018578.jpg
Diombang ambingkan gelombang laut Bacan.jpg
Kaarten van de eilanden Makian en Bacan in de Molukken, 1616 Ins. Macjan Ins. Baetjan (titel op object) Afbeeldingen van de Eylanden Macjan, ende Bacjan, RP-P-OB-75.474.jpg
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Bacan Island is one of the Maluku Islands located in North Maluku province of eastern Indonesia and forms part of the Bacan island group. The island occupies a position southwest of the island of Halmahera within the Maluku archipelago.

The island has a mix of coastal villages and interior forested terrain and is part of a region long associated with the historic spice trade. It was the centre of the local Sultanate of Bacan, which played a role in regional politics during the precolonial and colonial periods.

Today Bacan is administered as part of North Maluku province and is reachable by sea from nearby regional centres; local livelihoods include fishing, agriculture and small-scale trade.

Geographically the island lies in eastern Indonesia within the chain of Maluku Islands, southwest of Halmahera and within the maritime zone of North Maluku province.

  • Historical role: Historically the island was the seat of the Sultanate of Bacan, one of the precolonial polities in the Maluku (Spice) Islands.
Bacan Island
Bacan Island, South Halmahera/West Halmahera area, North Maluku, Indonesia
-0.5658, 127.5063
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Open daily (no set hours)
Free (no admission)

Best Time to Visit Bacan Island #

Best during the dry season (May-October) when seas are calmer and beach and boat activities are more reliable.

Dry season
May-October · 24-31°C
Drier weather, calmer seas and better conditions for beaches and boat travel around the island.
Wet season
November-April · 24-30°C
Frequent heavy rainfall and rougher seas can disrupt transport and outdoor activities.

Weather & Climate near Bacan Island #

Climate

Bacan Island's climate is classified as Tropical Rainforest - Tropical Rainforest climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Temperatures range from 22°C to 31°C. Abundant rainfall (1776 mm/year), wettest in January.

Best Time to Visit
OctoberSeptemberNovember
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
34°
Warmest Month
23°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). The wettest month with heavy rain (179 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

27°
Feels Like Warm
27°C
Temperature
23° – 30°
82%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

179 mm
Rainfall
2.0 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.3
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

February

February is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Significant rainfall (151 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 30°
81%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

151 mm
Rainfall
2.0 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.5
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

March

March is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Significant rainfall (172 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 31°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

172 mm
Rainfall
1.9 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.6
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

April

April is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Significant rainfall (174 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

71 Very Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 30°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

174 mm
Rainfall
1.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.5
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

May

May is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Significant rainfall (166 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

71 Very Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
23° – 30°
81%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

166 mm
Rainfall
1.5 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.3
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

June

June is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Significant rainfall (163 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 30°
82%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

163 mm
Rainfall
1.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.0
UV Index
Very High
12.0h daylight

July

July is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Significant rainfall (162 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 29°
82%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

162 mm
Rainfall
2.1 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.0
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

August

August is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Significant rainfall (132 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

73 Very Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 29°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

132 mm
Rainfall
2.4 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.2
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

September

September is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Significant rainfall (105 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

75 Very Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 30°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

105 mm
Rainfall
2.1 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.4
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

October

October is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Regular rainfall (89 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

77 Very Good

Comfort

26°
Feels Like Warm
26°C
Temperature
22° – 31°
76%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

89 mm
Rainfall
1.9 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.4
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

November

November is the warmest month with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Significant rainfall (119 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

75 Very Good

Comfort

27°
Feels Like Warm
27°C
Temperature
23° – 31°
77%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

119 mm
Rainfall
1.5 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.3
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

December

December is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Significant rainfall (164 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

67 Good

Comfort

27°
Feels Like Warm
27°C
Temperature
23° – 31°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

164 mm
Rainfall
1.8 m/s
Wind
Calm
2.2
UV Index
Extreme
12.0h daylight

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