The weather MALAYSIA : the monsoon, when to come, where to go?

“In June, is Malaysia good?”
“In July, do you recommend going to Malaysia? For Langkawi Is it good?”
“The Perhentian islands, in August, do you recommend?”

Here are the questions that come up most often: the MALAYSIA WEATHER.

The weather in Malaysia, especially in recent years, is increasingly unstable.
Some regions remain nevertheless more sheltered from showers, depending on the period.

How to avoid the rain in Malaysia?
When to come to Malaysia to enjoy the sun?
When is the best time to travel to Malaysia?

We will see all this in detail, in this article dedicated to the weather in Malaysia.

The instability of the weather Malaysia in recent years

Before you start, you should know that no one can predict the weather in Malaysia.
We know that your travel Malaysia depends mainly on good weather, but unfortunately, this is an unpredictable parameter to take into account.

It has had many surprises in recent years.
In 2022, we can mention for example:

• Snow at the level of Mount Kota Kinabalu, late February 2022.
  This phenomenon had not occurred since 1993.
• Also in the Sabah region, Sandakan experienced a hailstorm in April 2022.
• In late 2021 to early 2022, Kuala Lumpur and its outskirts experienced heavy flooding. Precipitation records were broken.
  This has created many traffic difficulties. This period of flooding was ranked as the worst since 2014-2015.
  The other states of Malaysia have also experienced very large floods, such as in Kelantan or Terengganu.

Nevertheless, there are always more or less safe periods (it will never be 100% safe), if you are looking for the sun in Malaysia.
To begin with, avoid the monsoon Malaysia.

The weather Malaysia : the monsoon

Malaysia knows 2 local monsoons (period of heavy rains).
During these periods, it can rain continuously for several days.
The rains can be violent, over a short period of the day.

Fortunately, the monsoon will not affect the whole country.
And so fortunately, when one part of Malaysia will experience the monsoon, the other part of Malaysia will enjoy a weather, generally, more clement.
So you can travel to Malaysia at any time of the year.

You just have to choose the right place, at the right time.

The South-West monsoon : between May and October

This monsoon generally lasts between May and October, with each time, +/- 1 month.
It affects the western part of peninsular Malaysia.

The NORTHEAST monsoon : between October and March

The northeastern region of Malaysia is experiencing heavy rains during this period.
Access to the northeast islands is temporarily closed.
The opening and closing dates vary each year, depending on the annual monsoon.

Between March and September : towards the most beautiful islands of Malaysia

We won’t go into too much detail about the weather in Malaysia.
Simply put, between March and September, you can reach the most beautiful islands of Peninsular Malaysia.

Among the most popular islands, you will have the following:

• the Perhentian islands,
• the Redang island,
• the Kapas island,
• the Tioman island.

There are of course several other islands, especially around Tioman (Besar, Tinggi, Tengah, Rawa, etc.).

You want to go to these islands during the monsoon season in October and March?

This will not be possible: no boat connection exists during the monsoon.
Hotels usually close during this period as well.

Between November and March : direction Langkawi

During this period, Malaysia experiences the northeast monsoon.
This will not affect all the islands of the Malaysian west peninsular coast.

It is therefore the ideal time to reach the island Langkawi for example.
You also have Pangkor Island, which is close to Kuala Lumpur.

Another popular destination is Penang Island.
Travelers love to visit this island, especially for the local cuisine.

You want to go to Langkawi during the monsoon season, between May and October?

This is still possible: flights between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi remain available all year round.
You may have good weather, as was the case last year, in 2021.
But keep in mind that this is not the best time to avoid the risk of showers.

To better illustrate this, here is the weather for July 2021 and August 2021:

In comparison, here is the weather for Langkawi, a month of December (supposed to be the best period):

As you can see, the weather was good for the most part in July and August 2021.
Personally, we already had several days of rain on Langkawi, in the middle of December, which is normally the best time to enjoy Langkawi Island…

This history is visible on the site
holiday-weather.com

What about Kuala Lumpur during the May-October monsoon?

You can visit Kuala Lumpur all year round.
During the monsoon season between May and October, you can have rain, but it is usually only part of the day.
In case of rain, know that there is no lack of indoor activities in Kuala Lumpur.

Other cities and regions of Malaysia

The Melaka region

Many people enjoy this area.
At only 1h30 from Kuala Lumpur, it is easily integrated in a tour from Kuala Lumpur.
You can visit Melaka all year round too.

The Cameron Highlands

At 1500 meters above sea level, this part of Malaysia has a unique climate compared to other parts of Malaysia.
The temperatures are much cooler: you have an average of 22 degrees Celsius, during the day, and up to 15 degrees at night.

This has the advantage of tea cultivation : the Cameron Highlands area is known for its tea plantations.
But you will also find the famous Cameron Highlands strawberries: the best in the world for some.
Many other fruits and flowers have found their happiness in this region.

The risk of rain is more present between September and early December.

Kuantan and Terengganu

For these two regions, it is enough to avoid the NORTH-EAST monsoon.
Therefore, do not plan a Malaysia trip to Kuantan and Terengganu between October and March, if you are looking for sunshine.

The case of the eastern part of Malaysia : BORNEO weather

East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur) is divided into two regions: Sarawak and Sabah.

Weather Malaysia Sarawak

During the Northeast monsoon, Sarawak experiences heavy rains (between November and March).

While the southwest monsoon, Sarawak usually experiences between June and October.

Weather Malaysia Sabah

Generally, the wettest period in Sabah is during the Northeast monsoon, from October to March (with +/- 1 month): this is the period to avoid, if you wish to travel to Sabah.

March marks the end of the monsoon season.

The driest period, and therefore the most recommended time to visit Sabah, is between April and September (during the southwest monsoon).

November is the month of transition between the dry season and the rainy season.

However, it is quite difficult to mark the difference between the two periods.

Our advice for your vacations in Malaysia

Here are some tips for your trip to Malaysia:

• Have a plan B (or even C) in case the rain comes as a surprise.
• Be aware that you may have rain, even during the “best of times”.
• Being flexible is always the best option: if you have the means (time and money), you can easily fly from one region to another.
• Avoid school vacations: unfortunately, this will not be possible for travelers with children.