You might have noticed that it has been raining a lot lately and temperatures are slightly cooler than usual. According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, this year’s annual monsoon season officially began in November and will last until March 2021.
During the monsoon season, the eastern side of the Malaysian peninsula gets hit the hardest, and while a mountain range that cuts through the center provides some respite from the monsoon, Kuala Lumpur still experiences rain and thunderstorms.
On the eastern side of the peninsula, the weather is usually quite rough and it is not advisable to visit coastal towns or islands during this period. Continuous heavy rain for several days may cause the occurrence of floods in low lying areas. Some islands including Perhentian, Redang, and Tioman will “close” during the monsoon season – this means that resorts are closed, and ferries and boats will not bring visitors to the islands. Resorts will usually start to open again in March, but it is best to contact them to be sure.
To the western side of the peninsula, there’s hardly a rainy season or monsoon. This is because of the moderate climate from the Andaman Sea. Here, Malaysia is protected by the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Islands to the western side include Penang, Langkawi, and Pangkor, amongst others.
Be sure to keep these monsoon season dates in mind when it is safe to travel within our beautiful country once again!
