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Kota Kinabalu Weather in March — Climate Guide

March in Kota Kinabalu is very-high

Avg High
31°C
Avg Low
24°C
Rainy Days
7
Sunshine
8h

March is very-high for Kota Kinabalu.

Dry season starts. Ideal for Mt Kinabalu trek + Sipadan diving.

Crowds: Busy Prices: Shoulder Sea temp: 28°C
10 /10

Travel score

Kota Kinabalu March Weather Stats

Avg High

31°C

-10°
40°
Temperature range

Avg Low

24°C

Rainy Days

7

90mm total

Sunshine

8h

Daily avg

Humidity

78%

moderate

UV Index

11

Extreme

Wind

10 km/h

Gusts 25

Sea Temp

28°C

swimming

Crowds

Busy

At attractions

March Sunrise & Sunset

Sunrise
06:25
Day length
12h 5min
Sunset
18:30
00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00

Air Quality

30
AQI
Good
GoodModeratePoorVery poor

PM2.5

9 μg/m³

PM10

18 μg/m³

Status

good

Feels-Like Temperature & Wind

Feels like

Daytime

35°C

/

Nighttime

25°C

Humidity and wind affect how the actual temperature feels.

Wind

10 km/h

Max gust 25 km/h

Activities Recommended for March

Tunku Abdul Rahman Mt Kinabalu Sipadan Kinabatangan

March Travel Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Dry season starts
  • Mt Kinabalu ideal
  • Sipadan diving ideal

Cons

  • Heat building

March Events & Festivals

  • Dry season starts

Kota Kinabalu in March — Full Picture

Dry season starts. Ideal for Mt Kinabalu trek + Sipadan diving.

What to Wear & What to Pack

Tropical light.

Packing Checklist

Light tropical clothes
Reef-safe sunscreen
Hat
Hiking shoes

Seasonal Weather Overview

Spring (Mar·Apr·May)

Current
Avg High

31.7°C

Avg Low

24.7°C

Rainy days

8/mo

Busy Shoulder

Summer (Jun·Jul·Aug)

Avg High

31°C

Avg Low

24°C

Rainy days

9.3/mo

Busy Shoulder

Autumn (Sep·Oct·Nov)

Avg High

31°C

Avg Low

24°C

Rainy days

13.3/mo

Moderate Shoulder

Winter (Dec·Jan·Feb)

Avg High

30.3°C

Avg Low

24°C

Rainy days

11.3/mo

Very busy Peak

Kota Kinabalu Monthly Weather Comparison

Month High Low Rain Sun Humid UV Crowd Price
30° 24° 13d·180mm 6h 82% 10 Very busy Peak
February (Best)
31° 24° 9d·130mm 7h 80% 10 Very busy Peak
March (Best)
31° 24° 7d·90mm 8h 78% 11 Busy Shoulder
April (Best)
32° 25° 8d·100mm 8h 80% 11 Busy Shoulder
May (Best)
32° 25° 9d·130mm 8h 80% 11 Very busy Peak
June (Best)
31° 24° 9d·130mm 8h 80% 11 Busy Shoulder
July (Best)
31° 24° 9d·120mm 8h 80% 11 Very busy Peak
August (Best)
31° 24° 10d·150mm 7h 80% 10 Busy Shoulder
31° 24° 12d·200mm 7h 82% 10 Moderate Shoulder
31° 24° 14d·280mm 6h 84% 10 Moderate Shoulder
31° 24° 14d·280mm 6h 84% 10 Moderate Shoulder
30° 24° 12d·200mm 6h 82% 10 Very busy Peak

View Other Months

Kota Kinabalu March Hotel Picks

Frequently Asked Questions

Is March a good time to visit Kota Kinabalu?

Kota Kinabalu in March is very-high. Tourist crowds are busy and flight/hotel prices are shoulder.

What's the average temperature in Kota Kinabalu in March?

Kota Kinabalu March averages a high of 31°C and a low of 24°C.

Does it rain much in Kota Kinabalu in March?

Kota Kinabalu March averages 90mm of rainfall over about 7 rainy days.

What should I wear in Kota Kinabalu in March?

Tropical light.

What time are sunrise and sunset in Kota Kinabalu in March?

Kota Kinabalu March sunrise is 06:25 and sunset is 18:30, with 12h 5min of daylight.

What's the air quality like in Kota Kinabalu in March?

Kota Kinabalu March air quality (AQI) averages 30, rated Good. PM2.5 averages 9μg/m³.

What activities are recommended in Kota Kinabalu in March?

In March, Kota Kinabalu is great for Tunku Abdul Rahman, Mt Kinabalu, Sipadan.

Is March peak season in Kota Kinabalu?

Kota Kinabalu March crowds are busy and prices are shoulder. Advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Best Months to Visit Kota Kinabalu

View Other Months

Why you can trust weather guide

Jimmy Kong TripPick founder · Travel content creator

Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.

8+ years analyzing travel data 30+ countries visited Live exchange rate verified
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