It must be said that this country has a monsoon climate, i. H. it is warm and rainy practically all year round.
Best travel time for Malaysia
Malaysia has year round average temperatures between 20ºC and 30ºC in the lower areas while in the higher areas the temperature ranges between 15ºC and 25ºC. However, it rains practically all year round, even in the dry season. The intensity of the rains varies by month, and the positive part is that they are short-lived.
On the other hand, several monsoons lash the country depending on the season, so between April and October it is the turn of the southwest monsoon. However, between late October and early March is monsoon season in the northeast. As if there wasn’t enough rainfall, typhoons make themselves felt between April and November.
With such a climate, one could say that the best time to travel to Malaysia is always, because there will always be more or less heavy rains. It all depends on the areas you want to visit as there are small differences in climate and temperature depending on the region.
In this sense, Malaysia is divided into two major regions namely West Malaysia or Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia with Borneo. Both with similar climatic characteristics, but with small differences. However, the humidity across the country is around 90%, so you have to be prepared for a constant feeling of heat.
We will see when you should travel to Malaysia depending on which region you want to visit and what the climate is like in that region.
When to Travel to Kuala Lumpur
To travel to Kuala Lumpur it is best to avoid April as it is the rainiest month of all, the rest of the year you can easily travel to the capital. The highest temperatures are recorded in February at 35ºC and although there is still rain it does not last all day.
There are two months with less rainfall, one of them is February with 35ºC and the other is July with 34ºC. If you can organize your trip in one of these months, you will avoid a higher rate of precipitation, but you will not avoid the heat in any way.
When to Travel to Peninsular Malaysia
In this region, along with Kuala Lumpur, are Malaca, Negeri Sembilan and Putrajaya. All are very humid and warm, with average temperatures of 32ºC all year round.
As we have already said, it rains all year round and although they are quite intense rains, they do not last long. The good thing is that you can use enough dry hours to enjoy your trip. Humidity is very high, tempered only by sea breezes in Malacca, while temperatures are much milder above 1,500 meters in Peninsular Malaysia.
When to Travel to Penang and Langkawi
These two Malaysian paradises are located on the west coast of the country, the part that receives the southwest monsoon. Between April and October the rains are constant and very frequent, the good thing is that they cool the atmosphere and make the heat more bearable.
It is best to plan your trip between November and March, preferably in January and February. During these months, especially February, there is less rainfall and the temperature is a bit milder.
When to Travel to East Coast Malaysia
If your trip includes the east coast and the islands of Perhentian, Kapas or Redang, remember that the northeast monsoon occurs in this area between November and February. The ideal is therefore to travel to this region between March and October, not only to avoid the rain, but also because there are many closed accommodations and it will be more difficult for you to move between the islands.
It would not be a good idea to visit the eastern islands during the monsoon as one cannot enjoy the sea nor use the ferries that connect them.
When to go to Borneo
Surely you’ve always dreamed of traveling to legendary Borneo. Well, this part of Malaysia is affected by both monsoons. In other words, it rains all year round in Borneo, either because of one monsoon or another, especially between December and February when many tourist spots are closed.
The rest of the year you can still visit Borneo and enjoy its natural parks and crystal clear waters. With this in mind, May and June would be good months to visit the island, especially June which has less rainfall.
Now that you know Malaysia’s climatic characteristics, it’s time to pick a few days and start planning your trip. Don’t let the rain scare you.
