South West Coast Kuala Lumpur Johor Bahru Melaka Port Dickson North West Coast Penang Langkawi Pulau Pangkor Ipoh East Coast Kuantan Tioman Island Perhentian Islands Terengganu Redang Kota Bahru Hill Stations Cameron Highlands Fraser's Hill Maxwell Hill Sabah & Sarawak Kuching Kota Kinabalu Miri

Malaysia's position in the equatorial zone guarantees a classic tropical climate with relative humidity levels usually around 90%. Weather is fairly hot and humid all year round (with the exception of the cooler climes of the central highlands) averaging 30C in the daytime, with short intense showers almost daily. Malaysia's climate is dominated by the effect of two monsoons or "rainy seasons", which affect different parts of Malaysia to varying degrees. The north-east monsoon blows between October and March and from May to September Malaysia is affected by the south-west monsoon. Heavier rainfall is experienced in spring and autumn when the monsoon changes direction, however this increased rainfall should not spoil a visit to west coast Malaysia or the hill stations. Mornings are usually hot and sunny with showers in the afternoon. Try to avoid east coast destinations and Island Malaysia between November and January. Otherwise, Malaysia can be enjoyed at any time of year as the weather is generally hot, sunny and fairly uniform; it's rare to have a day without showers and unusual to have a day without sunshine. Take light summer clothes, carry an umbrella and an extra warm sweater if visiting the hill stations. Haze In recent years Malaysia has suffered from the phenomena known in Asia simply as "Haze". Caused in part by forest fires and out of control "slash and burn" practices in both Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia - late summer and early autumn sunny skies have been obscured for days and air quality has been known to be poor. Haze is difficult to predict, however efforts are being made to prevent the recurrence of the severe hazes of 1996 and 1997.   South West Coast  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   January - December 23 - 32oC 190 mm Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Melaka, Port Dickson Hot and humid throughout the year, the west of Malaysia can be enjoyed at any time. With a tropical climate, showers occur almost daily and downpours during the rainy season are not much worse than the rest of the year.   North West Coast  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   January - December 23 - 31oC 204 mm Penang, Langkawi, Pulau Pangkor, Ipoh Typically tropical, hot, sunny and humid with light showers - a beach holiday can be enjoyed at any time of year in this part of Malaysia. More rain falls in September and October but even during the rainy season on the west coast it is still possible to enjoy a week's holiday with little more than the occasional short tropical downpour.   East Coast  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   February - October 23 - 32oC 189 mm Rainy Season November - January 22 - 29oC 407 mm Kuantan, Tioman Island, Perhentian Islands, Terangganu, Redang, Kota Bharu Hot and sunny with South China Sea breezes moderating the humidity somewhat - excellent beach weather for most of the year. Try to avoid the rainy season on the east coast which strikes between November and January and can disrupt boat crossings to the islands. The rainy season is most pronounced on this side of the peninsula but once over, east coast destinations are slightly drier than the rest of Malaysia.   Hill Stations  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   January - December 15 - 22oC 211 mm Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill, Maxwell Hill Located at an altitude of 1,524m above sea level, the highlands have a distinctly different climate to the rest of Malaysia. Temperatures average a very pleasant 22C in the daytime and a comparatively cool 15C at night - excellent for growing tea and for visitors, a pleasant contrast to the more humid lowland areas. Clear blue skies in the morning, showery afternoons and chilly nights. Rainfall is heaviest from September through to early December. Pack an extra-warm sweater for evenings and light rain gear when venturing up-country at any time of year.   Sabah & Sarawak Malaysia's two states on the island of Borneo have hot humid climates with temperatures rarely dipping below 30C in the daytime.  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   April - September 23 - 32oC 236 mm Rainy Season October - March 23 - 31oC 446 mm Kuching, Miri, Sarawak Sarawak experiences heavy rain all year, although less marked between April and September. Take note of the haze situation when you plan to travel.  Seasons   Average temperature     Average rainfall   December - April 23 - 31oC 126 mm Rainy Season May - November 24 - 31oC 287 mm Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Due to its more north-easterly location, Sabah is drier than Sarawak. The north-east coast suffers higher precipitation from December to January, whereas heavy rainfall occurs May to November on the west coast. If you decide to trek up the 4,101m peak of Mount Kinabalu or in and around the foothills, you must obtain accurate local advice at the time of your trip.