Best time to visit Borneo

Expect storms and rain throughout January as the north-east monsoon sweeps across Sabah. With animals sheltering in the forests, it’s a bad time to spot wildlife, and equally bad for trekking, diving and enjoying the tropical beaches. While Sabah gets less rain than Sarawak, it’s not the best month to visit Borneo.

January is the rainiest month of the year in Sarawak as the north-east monsoon hits this part of Malaysian Borneo even harder than neighbouring Sabah. Travelling in the torrential rain and storms isn’t easy and it’s not the best time for a holiday in Borneo if you’re hoping to spot orangutans or other wildlife either.

Festivals & events: Chinese New Year celebrations take place in January or February (date varies). It’s a busy time with lots of locals taking time off for the holiday, but a great chance to share the festivities, with dancing, special food to try and processions.

Best for: Beaches without the crowds, whale sharks, climbing Mount Kinabalu.

The drier season starts in February, especially in the north of Sabah, although you can still expect tropical showers in the afternoons. You’ll have the beaches to yourself and there’s a chance of seeing orangutans, but waiting until later in the year is better if you want to see these great apes.

The rains continue in Sarawak in February although the worst of the weather is past, but it’s still not easy to travel to locations such as Bako National Park as it involves a boat ride.

Festivals & events: Chinese New Year may fall in February, do check before travelling.

Best for: Exploring without the crowds

By March, the worst of the rains are over, and you can enjoy seeing the lush landscape and cascading waterfalls following the monsoon. It’s also the start of whale shark season, with the world’s largest fish arriving at Lankayan Island, as well as marking the beginning of the climbing season at Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest peak.

Sarawak still experiences more rain than Sabah, but it begins to ease up. On the plus side, you can enjoy exploring without the crowds.

Best for: Exploring without the crowds

This marks the start of Sabah’s best weather, with April as one of the driest months in Borneo and arguably the best time to visit Borneo before it gets too busy. It’s a great time to see orangutans, also making the most of the dry days, as well as spotting whale sharks around Lankayan Island.

April marks the start of the drier months in Sarawak, so it’s the perfect time to hit the beaches, while trekking season is also underway, and orangutans are out in force.

Best for: Beaches without the crowds, trekking in the national parks and wildlife spotting.

 

May is another of the best months to plan a holiday in Sabah, Borneo, as the weather is good, the sun is shining on the white sand beaches, you’ve got a great chance of spotting orangutans but it’s still much quieter than during the peak summer months. It’s also a great time to see wildlife in the Danum Valley and along the Kinabatangan river, including proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.

In Sarawak, the good weather continues in May but you’ll still be escaping the worst of the crowds, whether you’re exploring the national parks, spotting wildlife or relaxing by the coast.

Festivals & events: Gawai Dayak is Sarawak’s Harvest Festival, running from sundown on May 31 and into June 1. The festival sees the area’s Iban (or Dayak) people celebrate by wearing traditional dress, sharing food and decorating their longhouses. Expect lots of music and local rice wine.

Malaysian Labour Day on May 1 is a national holiday throughout the country, with schools and businesses closing and parades and processions taking place.

Best for: trekking, spotting wildlife & beach time.

June has similarly good weather in Sabah, although you can still expect some showers on the north coast, with the beginning of turtle nesting season as they start to lay their eggs on Selingan Island. As fruit ripens in the forests, it’s one of the best times to see orangutans and other monkeys in Borneo as they forage for some sweet treats.

One of the driest months of the year, June is the official start of the dry season in Sarawak, although there’s always the chance of a brief downpour year-round. It’s also one of the best times to explore Mulu National Park and the Batang Ai region.

Best for: Great weather without the crowds, seeing nesting turtles, orangutans and whale sharks

June has similarly good weather in Sabah, although you can still expect some showers on the north coast, with the beginning of turtle nesting season as they start to lay their eggs on Selingan Island. As fruit ripens in the forests, it’s one of the best times to see orangutans and other monkeys in Borneo as they forage for some sweet treats.

It is also one of the driest months of the year in Sarawak, June is the official start of the dry season in Sarawak, although there’s always the chance of a brief downpour year-round. It’s also one of the best times to explore Mulu National Park and the Batang Ai region.

July is the beginning of the peak season in Borneo, with some of the year’s best weather in Sabah but also some of the biggest crowds. This month also marks the beginning of turtle hatching on the beaches; it’s the best time to visit Borneo to see them being released into the ocean at Lankayan Island and Turtle Island.

Like Sabah, July marks the start of peak season in Sarawak, with dry sunny days but also bigger crowds. If you don’t mind it being busy, it’s the best time to visit Borneo if you want to avoid the rain. There’s also a whole string of festivals this month, so if you’re wondering when to go to Borneo to make the most of local culture, July is hard to beat.

Festivals:

• The Borneo Cultural Festival takes place over 10 days in July in Sibu. A great place to learn about indigenous culture, it includes traditional music, an art contest and lots of food to try.
• The Rainforest World Music Festival, one of the largest music festivals in Southeast Asia, also runs in July. The three-day event, just outside Kuching, features music from around the world.
• The city of Miri plays host to the two-night Borneo Jazz Festival every July as well, featuring jazz musicians from across the globe.

Best for: Cultural events and festivals, sunny weather, great snorkelling and orangutan spotting

If you’re planning to visit Borneo in August you can expect baby turtles hatching and plenty of sunshine on the beaches and it’s a great month to visit Sarawak’s national parks, but is similarly as busy as July. If you’re thinking of travelling during summer school holidays it’s worth planning well in advance as the island gets booked very early on.

Festivals & events: Borneo celebrates Malaysian Independence Day, or Hari Merdeka, on August 31, with fireworks and parades to mark the date, followed by more celebrations on Malaysia Day on September 16, the date when the Malaysian Federation was formed.

Best for: Families, turtle hatching, exploring national parks and beaches.

By September, the weather is beginning to get wetter in Sabah, but you can usually count on some clear skies and cooler weather, making it one of the best months to climb Mount Kinabalu. Turtle season is coming to an end but there’s great wildlife-watching on the Kinabatangan river, and you won’t have to share it with as many people.

In Sarawak, you’re more likely to need your waterproofs, as rains start again but it’s quieter after the busiest summer months. Trekking is still possible, as is orangutan spotting, but both get harder as the month goes on.

Festivals & events: Malaysia Day celebrations on September 16, the date when the Malaysian Federation was formed.

Best for: Wildlife-spotting and trekking in Sabah

The best of the year’s weather is over, with more rain starting to fall by October, but this month is the best time to visit in Borneo if you want to go diving around Sipadan Island, with green turtles and reef sharks as well as an array of fish.

Sarawak’s dry season also comes to an end in October, although Mulu National Park is less affected by the rain than other parts of the region, so you can still enjoy some hiking and trekking without battling the crowds.

Festivals: The Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali (or Diwali) takes place in October, with families gathering together to celebrate across Borneo.

Best for: Diving and quieter trekking

Most visitors have left Sabah by November, so if you’re happy to brave the rains, you can see a huge range of wildlife making the most of the lush forests with hardly anyone else around. Best for committed wildlife enthusiasts though.

In Sarawak, it’s already much wetter so only the hardiest explorers remain to explore the rich new growth in the rainforest, and spot the variety of wildlife enjoying it too.

Best for: Trekking explorers happy to tackle muddier ground and wildlife enthusiasts that don’t mind the rain.

December is the wettest month of the year in Sabah, with storms and monsoon downpours. The wildlife hides away from the weather and the beaches and forests are lashed with rain, so it’s not a good month for a holiday in Borneo.

Monsoon rains make December a bad time to visit Sarawak, with limited access to more remote areas, wildlife hiding from the torrential downpours and storms hitting the whole region.