Best time to visit Sarawak Helping Dreamers Do.

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Best time to visit Sarawak

The only thing warmer than Sarawak's year round climate is the unforced friendliness of its impossibly welcoming locals

A truly tropical State, the temperature in Sarawak hovers between 27-32°C year-round, with frequent rains replenishing its verdant jungles. Those here to hike the rainforest trails, or watch for wildlife should be aware that they will be doing so in hot weather with very little breeze. Apr-Sept are drier months of the year, and generally considered the best time to visit Sarawak, but showers can occur at any time. Thankfully, the whole of Sarawak is sheltered from the worst of SE Asia’s weather.

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Sarawak Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

690

FEB

530

MAR

350

APR

290

MAY

230

JUN

200

JUL

190

AUG

210

SEP

280

OCT

320

NOV

350

DEC

490

Our Sarawak Holidays

Sarawak, month by month

November to January are the wettest and least settled months, this is not the best time to visit Sarawak unless you’re happy to be wet, and particularly if you’re planning to hike. Stef Studley, from our supplier Regent Holidays, shares her advice on when to visit Sarawak: "There are issues with accessing certain areas during the wet season (November, December, January and February), certainly to the Bako National Park, which isn’t recommended then because it’s tricky to get into on the boats." However, if you are on a budget, then the wetter months may well be the best time to visit Sarawak. As well as the likelihood of cheaper flights, accommodation and tours, its incredible National Parks will be much quieter, plus the unpredictable weather means you may just get lucky with a dry spell! Rainfall significantly decreases in Sarawak during March. Apart from during the wet monsoon season, there isn’t really any other clear-cut seasons in Sarawak; it’s tropical and hovers at around 27-30°C, which is lovely and warm and only adds to the jungle flavour! April, May, June, July, August and September are drier in Sarawak, but the entire region is sheltered from the worst of SE Asia’s weather anyway. During October, Sarawak sees an increase in rainfall, particularly in the coastal areas of Kuching, Damai Beach and Bako National Park, but head south to Batang Ai and Gunung Mulu National Park and you’ll find much drier climes. Rainy and with an ever-present possibility of thunderstorms, November is an exciting time in Sarawak if you don’t mind a bit of rain – most thunderstorms occur in the late afternoon or evenings, giving you a spectacular show as they do! This time of year is temperamental, but crowds deplete massively and national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, jungle lodges and caves are even more appealing without the hordes. Keep an eye out for local holidays and festivals. Malaysian Borneo’s harvest festival and Sarawak’s Rainforest Music Festival are both held in July, and while this is a wonderful time to experience the region, be aware that you may need to book early to secure a room. It's Rhythm not rain that fills the rainforest in August, when the world renowned Rainforest World Music Festival takes over the Sarawak Cultural Village for three days when global artists unite under one big cultural canopy.

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Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Sarawak or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823700 (UK)

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823700 (UK)

rosy@responsibletravel.com

What happens when in Sarawak

Harriet Whitmarsh, from our supplier The Great Traveller, shares her opinion on the best time to visit Sarawak: “The temperature in Sarawak is consistent and sits between 27 and 31 year-round, but November to February is the monsoon season, so rain is heavier, though the whole of Sarawak is subject to rainforest conditions, so it can rain at any given time. Outside of November and February, rain is a lot less frequent and it’s a lot lighter, but there is a high chance that it will rain at some point during your stay and when it does it will be a proper tropical rainforest shower, but almost instantly the clouds seem to part, the sun comes out, and it’s over as quick as it began. Apart from the monsoon, there isn’t really another distinctive season and the whole length of Sarawak plus most of Borneo is predictable like that.”

Festivals & events in Sarawak

Rainforest World Music Festival.
This jungle boogie takes place every year during the first half of July. Gorge yourself on local Dayak delicacies, wander round welcoming longhouses, and dance til dawn to sets played by all sorts of world music artists including, of course, headline act ‘Tarika’, who are seriously big Malaysia way. At the end of the three-day shindig no one has slept and everyone is filthy: it could almost be Glasto.

Responsible Travel would like to thank the Sarawak tourist board for their sponsorship of this guide

More about Sarawak

Sarawak travel guide

If you’re looking to learn all about Malaysia’s largest state then our Sarawak travel guide does just the job with a brief history of Sarawak as well as a 2 minute summary to help you travel like a local on your Sarawak holiday.

Where to go in Sarawak

Make the most of your time on your travels by checking out our interactive map of highlights, travel times and suggested itineraries which will give you a much better idea as to where to go in Sarawak and what to do when you get there.

Things to do in Sarawak

There are loads of things to do in Sarawak with Mulu National Park, Bako National Park and Gunung National Park all providing ideal trekking and nature trail locations to help travellers get to grips with everything from orangutan conservation to how to live like a local.

Community tourism in Sarawak

If you travel into the Central Highlands of Sarawak, you should take the opportunity to stay with the Lun Bawang people.

Sarawak National Parks

Sarawak’s national parks are a revelation.

Sarawak adventure holidays

Adventure amongst a place of dense rainforest and vibrant green plateaus snaked across by the toffee-coloured waters of the Sarawak

Rainforest World Music Festival

If the late, great Ella Fitzgerald were still singing on our mortal coil, she would almost certainly have graced the stage of the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak.

Orangutan conservation in Sarawak

Orangutans are eerily human and, ironically, many conservationists believe that it is this similarity to humans that has endangered them so.

Bird watching in Sarawak

There are over twenty Important Bird Areas in Sarawak alone.

Travel to Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak

An unsurpassed destination to see the highly endangered orangutan in the wild living symbiotically with the local Iban community which contribute to it's protection.

Travelling in Sarawak with kids

Travelling in Sarawak with kids is all about finding what to do with little ones that they’ll enjoy and learn from at the same time with cultural villages, Kuching Cat Museum and the Sarawak Caves in Gunung National Park all perfect activities for families in Sarawak looking to inspire future responsible travellers.

Sarawak travel advice

If you’re searching for Sarawak travel advice then make sure you pay attention to the tips from our friends in Sarawak as from Stef Studley to Harriet Whitmarsh, we’ve published a few pearls of wisdom to help you travel safely with kids, and without.

Responsible tourism in Sarawak

There are some major wildlife & environment issues that may come to the fore when researching responsible tourism in Sarawak.

More relevant guides

Written by Polly Humphris

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: charles taylor] [Temp chart - Sarawak River: Gido] [RT recommends: Intrepid Navigator] [Festivals and events: Rainforest World Music Festival]

Best time to visit Sarawak