Best Time to Visit Malaysia

Two coasts, two calendars

Malaysia is hot all year, so the real question is when it rains. For most of the places we cover, February is the sweet spot. Malacca and Kuala Lumpur are also good in January. Kota Kinabalu and George Town both pick February as their best month.

The wet months vary a little. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and George Town peak in November. Kota Kinabalu, on Borneo, peaks a month earlier, in October. George Town is the soggiest of the lot, with 362 mm in November. Rain usually comes as a heavy afternoon downpour, not a grey day that never ends.

The main seasons

Think dry-ish and wet, not summer and winter. From about December to March, the northeast monsoon brings rain to Peninsular Malaysia's east coast, so islands like the Perhentians and Redang close down for the season. The west side, where Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and George Town sit, gets a drier spell then.

March and April are the hottest months, with highs of 30 to 31°C. The sticky afternoons suit a mall, a museum or a long lunch of laksa (spicy noodle soup). Kota Kinabalu peaks in April, so it's a good time for island hopping in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, as long as you can handle the sun.

Holidays and crowds

Chinese New Year, usually in late January or February, is the big one. Many people head home, roads clog up, and some shops in Malacca's Jonker Street area and George Town's old quarter shut for a few days. It's also lively, with lanterns and lion dances.

Ramadan changes the rhythm of the day. Food stalls in the evening are wonderful, especially the Ramadan bazaars, but some daytime eateries close. Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the festival that ends it, empties the cities as families travel.

School holidays in late May to June, August and December fill beaches and hotels. Those are high season. October to November is the quietest, so you'll find easier bookings, with an umbrella in your bag.