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George TownTravel

Best Time to Visit George Town

Recommended: Dec to Feb

By Labeeb Mirza · Published September 8, 2026 · Updated September 8, 2026

When to go

December to February is driest and coolest, low-to-mid 30s C with less rain. March to September brings the southwest monsoon with afternoon showers that pass quickly. October to November is wettest. Ramadan and Hari Raya (dates shift yearly on the Islamic calendar) change hawker hours around Malay and mamak stalls; check the year's dates before booking food-focused days.

Month by month in Malaysia

George Town sits in Malaysia, so the country's broader seasonal pattern applies. Malaysia is equatorial and hot year-round, so timing is about rain, not temperature. Peninsular Malaysia's west coast (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malacca, Langkawi) is driest December to February; the east coast monsoon runs roughly November to February. Sabah gets rain year-round with no sharply defined dry season.

Jan-FebDriest window on the west coast and in KL. East coast monsoon still active, some resorts there close.
Mar-MayHot and increasingly humid across the peninsula, generally lower rainfall before the mid-year change.
Jun-AugSouthwest monsoon; drier on the east coast, this is when east coast islands reopen fully.
Sep-OctTransitional, rain increasing on the west coast as the northeast monsoon builds.
Nov-DecNortheast monsoon peaks on the east coast (heavy rain, rough seas); west coast still workable but wetter than Jan-Feb.

About the author

Labeeb Mirza runs paid acquisition for an online used-car marketplace, across Google Ads, Meta, Reddit, TikTok, StackAdapt, Bing, and CTV/YouTube.