Kota Kinabalu weather by month & the best time to visit
Malaysia · coastal city break · tropical rainforest climate
The best time to visit Kota Kinabalu is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 74/100), with March and April close behind. Kota Kinabalu averages about 2,194 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 30°C / 86°F and roughly 98 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu is February, then March and April. The dullest month is January (64/100, 197 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Kota Kinabalu?
Kota Kinabalu gets a moderate 2,194 hours of sunshine a year. Conditions barely change through the year — only 10 Sunshine Score points separate February from January. It ranks #18 of 34 destinations in Malaysia for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,210 hours. The year's 2,715 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 197 mm | 8 | 30° / 86°F |
| February | 74 | 30° / 86°F | 24° / 75°F | 98 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| March | 69 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 123 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| April | 66 | 31° / 88°F | 26° / 79°F | 138 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| May | 64 | 31° / 88°F | 26° / 79°F | 218 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| June | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 263 mm | 9 | 31° / 88°F |
| July | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 259 mm | 9 | 31° / 88°F |
| August | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 239 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| September | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 272 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| October | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 356 mm | 9 | 30° / 86°F |
| November | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 282 mm | 9 | 31° / 88°F |
| December | 64 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 270 mm | 8 | 30° / 86°F |
Sea temperature in Kota Kinabalu by month
The sea off Kota Kinabalu is warmest in April at around 31°C / 88°F, and coolest in February at 29°C / 84°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
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Kota Kinabalu: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Kota Kinabalu?
Kota Kinabalu is a coastal city break in Malaysia with a tropical rainforest climate — the sea reaches 31°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Kota Kinabalu get a year?
Kota Kinabalu gets about 2,194 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu?
The sunniest time to visit Kota Kinabalu is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 74/100 (with March and April close behind). Expect daytime highs around 30°C / 86°F.
What is the least sunny month in Kota Kinabalu?
January is the least sunny month in Kota Kinabalu, scoring 64/100 with about 197 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Kota Kinabalu?
The sea in Kota Kinabalu ranges from about 29°C (February) to 31°C (April). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Kota Kinabalu?
The typical midday UV index in Kota Kinabalu peaks around 10 (very high) in February, easing to about 8 (very high) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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