Kota Kinabalu · Month comparison
May vs March
March ranks #1 overall vs May at #4. Best month overall: 32°C, 95mm rain, and the clearest views of Mount Kinabalu.
May
#4 of 12 months
Best match
Sabah Fest and Kaamatan harvest celebrations with manageable but rising rain.
- ↑Sabah Fest (early May) and Kaamatan Harvest Festival: Kadazan-Dusun rice wine, traditional dance, and longhouse visits
- ↑Rain mostly in afternoon bursts — mornings still reliably sunny for island trips
March
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Best month overall: 32°C, 95mm rain, and the clearest views of Mount Kinabalu.
- ↑Driest skies of the year — Mt Kinabalu summit at 4,095m rewards climbers with panoramas across Borneo
- ↑Marine park islands at their best: clear coral visibility, calm seas, and white sand beaches uncrowded
| Factor | May | March |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 9 |
| Value score | 7 | 6 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 6 |
| Events score | 5 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly rain | 145mm | 95mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.5hrs | 7.5hrs |
May trade-offs
- ↓145mm of rain — just under the hard cap, but afternoon plans need contingency
- ↓Mt Kinabalu summit views less consistent than March–April; trail busier with festival visitors
- ↓Accommodation tighter during festival weekends — book 6–8 weeks in advance
March trade-offs
- ↓Mt Kinabalu summit permits book out fast — plan and pay at least 2 months in advance
- ↓Prices rising from February lows as word spreads about the dry season
- ↓Humidity still 76% — midday in the city centre is hot even on sunny days
Scores compare months within Kota Kinabalu. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →