Kota Kinabalu weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Fair
Best time to visit: November – March
What is the weather like in Kota Kinabalu in May?
In May, Kota Kinabalu is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 30.2 °C – almost as warm as a bath. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 22 days, totalling 175 mm. On about 10 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Kota Kinabalu.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 12 h 23 min06:00 – 18:23
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 11 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 81 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 10 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+8Asia/Kuching
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %69 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %53 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Kota Kinabalu in May: quick answers
Is Kota Kinabalu hot in May?
Yes. In May, Kota Kinabalu is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C and nights stay around 25 °C. On about 10 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Kota Kinabalu in May?
Yes. In May the sea averages 30.2 °C – almost as warm as a bath.
Does it rain much in Kota Kinabalu in May?
It rains often – on about 22 days, adding up to 175 mm.
Kota Kinabalu month by month
The whole year in Kota KinabaluAll destinations: MalaysiaWhere to go in MaySea temperature in May
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences