The fascinating Malaysian island of Penang is best visited from November through March. This period follows the end of the monsoon season and is the driest period of the year. As Penang is located in the tropics, there will still be the odd shower, but days are largely warm, dry, and sunny. Not only is this time of the year the best for the weather, it’s also the best for many festivals. The period incorporates many of the biggest annual celebrations, including Deepavali, Thaipusam, and Chinese New Year. Penang’s cosmopolitan mix of religions and races makes this a fascinating time to visit the island.
Penang is a medium-sized island located off the west coast of Malaysia. Located in the Malacca Strait, which separates Indonesia and Malaysia, the island covers an area of 293 km2. Its capital, Georgetown, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Penang lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, enjoying a tropical climate. Within Malaysia, the island is located 360 km north of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, a journey that takes 4.5 hours to complete.
Penang’s tropical climate means the island is warm and wet throughout the year. However, some months are better and worse than others, while some are best avoided entirely. We’ll take a look at each of the important climatic factors in closer detail below.
Unlike many tropical destinations, Penang doesn’t have a simple wet and dry season. Instead, the island sees rainfall throughout the year, but considerably more during May through October, which is the monsoon season. The latter part of this period, across September and October, is the wettest and is best avoided. During these months, there are heavy downpours on a near-daily basis.
During the period November through March, rainfall is considerably lower. While there’s still a reasonable number of days of rain, the rainfall tends to be in short, heavy downpours that soon pass. Following the rain, the sun soon returns to allow you to enjoy the many attractions of Penang.
Penang enjoys warm, consistent temperatures throughout the year. The first half of the year tends to be the warmest, but there’s only 1-2°C variation between the warmest and coolest months. Maximum temperatures are typically around 32°C, while minimum temperatures rarely fall below 24°C. Therefore, from a temperature perspective, there’s no better or worse time to visit.
There’s no getting away from the fact Penang is a humid destination. Warm temperatures and regular rainfall make it inevitable that humidity will be high. Throughout the year, relative humidity is always above 70%, increasing to 80% at the tail end of the monsoon season. If the higher rainfall in September and October hadn’t already put you off visiting at this time of year, the higher humidity probably will.
The table below shows Penang’s weather by month. You can see Penang’s remarkably consistent temperature, only varying by 1°C from month to month. The biggest monthly variation is in the number of days of rain, and you can see the marked increase during the monsoon season.
Month | Maximum Temp | Minimum Temp | Days of Rain |
January | 32°C | 24°C | 7 |
February | 33°C | 24°C | 7 |
March | 32°C | 24°C | 9 |
April | 32°C | 25°C | 14 |
May | 32°C | 25°C | 14 |
June | 32°C | 25°C | 12 |
July | 32°C | 24°C | 13 |
August | 32°C | 24°C | 14 |
September | 31°C | 24°C | 18 |
October | 31°C | 24°C | 19 |
November | 31°C | 24°C | 15 |
December | 31°C | 24°C | 10 |
Penang’s storied past means the island now features an eclectic mix of people of many different heritages and religions. This cosmopolitan mixture of people makes it a fascinating place to visit any time of the year, especially during festivals and celebrations. A visit to one or more of these colorful celebrations is often the highlight of a visit. So, if possible, why not try and time your visit to coincide with one of these fantastic events and festivals?
The Chinese New Year, known as the Luna New Year, is one of Asia’s biggest celebrations. Its date varies from one year to the next, depending on the lunar cycle, but it’s always in January or February. In Penang, the large Chinese population will celebrate in style with parades, cultural and food stalls, firecrackers, and lighting shows. This is a joyous and fun celebration that’s great to experience.
The Thaipusam festival is a celebration amongst the Hindudu Tamil community. It’s celebrated on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai. This is another festival with a variable date, albeit one that always lands in January or February. This festival grabs the imagination as devotees dressed in yellow bear milk pots on their heads. Many also pierce their skin, cheeks, or tongue with skewers in a public show of self-sacrifice. This isn’t a festival for the squeamish, but it will live long in the memory.
This annual festival celebrates Georgetown’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now entering its 14th year, the festival offers a mix of arts and cultural programs. Spread across 2 weeks, expect to see everything from dance to film and visual art.
Deepavali as it’s known in Malaysia is the celebration of the Hindu New Year. Celebrated annually in October or November, it’s a festival of amazing colours, flowers and fireworks. Expect to see Little India in Georgetown come to life at this time.
The Penang Dragon Boat Festival is another fascinating festival. Held at the Teluk Bahang dam in Penang each year in November or December, the festival is over 30 years old. The festival welcomes teams from all over the world who gather in Malaysia to race their ornate and beautiful dragon boats.
The best time to visit Penang is during the period November through March. It’s best to visit during this time due to:
While November to March is the best time to visit, it’s also the busiest. However, Penang is a big island with plenty of facilities and attractions, meaning it shouldn’t ever feel too busy. Try to book accommodation well in advance as availability can be scarce at peak times.
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