The best time to visit Malaysia

Dry and warm weather prevails across most of the country, with the only exception being the east coast and its islands. A great time to head to the beaches of Langkawi, or explore the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Steer clear of the east coast, but elsewhere the weather is perfect for exploring. It’s a quieter time of year, so you can be spontaneous.

Great weather across almost all of the country, as the weather picks up on the east coast. An exciting time to explore, with Chinese New Year too.

A popular time to travel as the majority of the country basks in sunshine. There is a chance of showers on the west coast, but no significant rainfall.

The start of the snorkelling and diving season on the east coast, as the seas calm on the white sandy beaches of the tropical islands. The chances of thunderstorms on the west coast increase but there is still plenty of sunshine.

Snorkelling and diving become more popular, with many areas on the east coast enjoying hot, dry weather now. The rainy season begins on the west coast, but generally, showers are short and won’t impact your holiday too much.

With the start of European school holidays and beautiful weather on the east coast, it is peak season. The west coast is windy, seas are rough, with some heavy showers.

Prime time on the east coast continues, and it can be hard to book your favourite accommodation. It is hot and humid on the west coast, with some downpours.

The weather on the east coast starts off well, but deteriorates as the month goes on. Seas become choppier, and hence visitor numbers drop. Conversely, on the west coast, the weather starts to improve, as the rain abates and sunshine becomes the norm again.

The east coast is preparing for high winds and heavy rain now. Langkawi and Penang on the west coast start to bathe in the sunshine as the month progresses. This can be a good time to visit as it is quieter.

The east coast is virtually closed now, but the west coast is kicking into life. At the start of the month, you can easily find accommodation and pick your favourite place.

The east coast accommodation is now closed until March. Similar to November, but the west coast gets busier on the build-up to Christmas.