Best time to visit Tawau, Malaysia

Our verdict

The best time to visit Tawau is October

While Tawau is a popular destination to visit all year round, October is the ideal time to go due to a number of factors such as the climate, cost of travel and accommodation, as well as avoiding peak holiday periods.

In summer, the temperature in Tawau can rise as high as 32℃ (90℉). In the winter months, it can get down to as low as 22℃ (72℉) at night.

The days are longest in Tawau in May, so if you want to see the sights during the day when the sun is up for the longest time, it’s best to visit around that time of year. The wet season in Tawau usually falls during the months surrounding May each year. It’s not uncommon to get some decent rainfall or light showers during this time, but on some days the weather tends to be fine for a majority of the day, with only a few drops of rain falling from a passing shower.

If you want to learn everything you need to know about the best times to travel to Tawau, the weather and stats by month and so much more, make sure you keep reading. Once you’re ready, we’ve included a bunch of our favourite online booking tools to help you find the best deals on flights, accommodation and anything else you’ll need for your trip. Happy reading!

Warmest month

May

Least rainfall

September

Most daylight

May

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Tawau seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Tawau as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Tawau is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Tawau

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Tawau for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Tawau climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Tawau for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Tawau in January

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average high temperature: 29℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 3 days
  • Average rainfall: 125mm (5") over 27 days
3 days
of pure sunshine
27 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in January, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in February

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 4 days
  • Average rainfall: 88mm (3") over 23 days
4 days
of pure sunshine
23 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in February, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in March

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 5 days
  • Average rainfall: 95mm (4") over 25 days
5 days
of pure sunshine
25 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in March, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in April

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 3 days
  • Average rainfall: 100mm (4") over 26 days
3 days
of pure sunshine
26 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in April, make sure you pack t-shirts and shorts.. It stays warm all day and night.


Tawau in May

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (81℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (76℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 3 days
  • Average rainfall: 132mm (5") over 28 days
3 days
of pure sunshine
28 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in May, make sure you pack t-shirts and shorts.. It stays warm all day and night.


Tawau in June

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 2 days
  • Average rainfall: 108mm (4") over 27 days
2 days
of pure sunshine
27 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in June, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in July

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average high temperature: 29℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 2 days
  • Average rainfall: 107mm (4") over 28 days
2 days
of pure sunshine
28 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in July, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in August

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 4 days
  • Average rainfall: 108mm (4") over 26 days
4 days
of pure sunshine
26 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in August, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in September

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 4 days
  • Average rainfall: 87mm (3") over 25 days
4 days
of pure sunshine
25 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in September, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.

Tawau in October

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (76℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 3 days
  • Average rainfall: 118mm (5") over 27 days
3 days
of pure sunshine
27 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in October, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in November

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (76℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 3 days
  • Average rainfall: 92mm (4") over 26 days
3 days
of pure sunshine
26 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in November, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Tawau in December

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 30℃ (86℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 2 days
  • Average rainfall: 118mm (5") over 28 days
2 days
of pure sunshine
28 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Tawau in December, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Tawau is usually May, where temperatures tend to rise to around 30℃ (86℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Tawau is generally around September. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in September first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Tawau is generally around May, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of May too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Tawau, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in May are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Tawau map