Sandakan weather by month & the best time to visit
Malaysia · coastal city break · tropical rainforest climate
The best time to visit Sandakan is April — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 65/100), with January and February close behind. Sandakan averages about 2,225 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 29°C / 84°F and roughly 148 mm of rain in April.
When is the best time to visit Sandakan?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Sandakan is April, then January and February. The dullest month is January (64/100, 380 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Sandakan?
Sandakan gets a moderate 2,225 hours of sunshine a year. Conditions barely change through the year — only 1 Sunshine Score points separate April from January. It ranks #16 of 34 destinations in Malaysia for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,210 hours. The year's 2,886 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 | 27° / 81°F | 26° / 79°F | 380 mm | 9 | 31° / 88°F |
| February | 64 | 27° / 81°F | 25° / 77°F | 250 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| March | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 208 mm | 11 | 31° / 88°F |
| April | 65 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 148 mm | 11 | 33° / 91°F |
| May | 64 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 156 mm | 11 | 33° / 91°F |
| June | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 194 mm | 10 | 32° / 90°F |
| July | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 216 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| August | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 210 mm | 10 | 32° / 90°F |
| September | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 230 mm | 10 | 32° / 90°F |
| October | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 262 mm | 10 | 32° / 90°F |
| November | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 273 mm | 9 | 32° / 90°F |
| December | 64 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 359 mm | 9 | 31° / 88°F |
Sea temperature in Sandakan by month
The sea off Sandakan is warmest in April at around 33°C / 91°F, and coolest in January at 31°C / 88°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
Sandakan: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Sandakan?
Sandakan is a coastal city break in Malaysia with a tropical rainforest climate — the sea reaches 33°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Sandakan get a year?
Sandakan gets about 2,225 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around April.
When is the best time to visit Sandakan?
The sunniest time to visit Sandakan is April, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 65/100 (with January and February close behind). Expect daytime highs around 29°C / 84°F.
What is the least sunny month in Sandakan?
January is the least sunny month in Sandakan, scoring 64/100 with about 380 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Sandakan?
The sea in Sandakan ranges from about 31°C (January) to 33°C (April). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Sandakan?
The typical midday UV index in Sandakan peaks around 11 (extreme) in March, easing to about 9 (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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