Is It Monsoon in Bintulu, Malaysia? Rainfall and Weather by Month

Bintulu, Malaysia JANUARY
27°
Off-peak season
23° to 31°
Wettest Month
The rainiest month of the year, when the northeast monsoon is in full force and flooding is possible.
☔ Heavy rain gear⚠️ Flash-flood aware
27°
Shoulder season
23° to 31°
Deep Monsoon
Still deep in the wet season, though rain eases slightly from January's peak.
☔ Heavy rain gear🥵 Heat protection
28°
Shoulder season
24° to 31°
Rain Persists
Warm and consistently wet, with rain a near-daily presence.
☔ Umbrella essential🥵 Heat protection
28°
Shoulder season
24° to 32°
Rain Persists
Similar to March, warm and humid with frequent showers.
☔ Umbrella essential🥵 Heat protection
28°
Peak season
24° to 32°
Best of a Wet Year
The warmest month of the year and one of the lighter ones for rain, as close to a favorable stretch as Bintulu gets.
☔ Umbrella handy🥵 Heat protection
28°
Peak season
24° to 32°
Calmer Stretch
Rain eases slightly, though still a regular part of most days.
☔ Umbrella handy🥵 Heat protection
28°
Peak season
24° to 32°
Calmer Stretch
One of the drier months by local standards, warm and humid throughout.
☔ Umbrella handy🥵 Heat protection
28°
Shoulder season
24° to 32°
Rain Builds
Rain ticks back up as the month goes on, still warm and humid.
☔ Umbrella essential🥵 Heat protection
28°
Shoulder season
23° to 32°
Rain Persists
Consistently wet and warm, typical of Bintulu's equatorial climate.
☔ Umbrella essential🥵 Heat protection
27°
Shoulder season
23° to 31°
Monsoon Approaches
Rain increases noticeably as the northeast monsoon begins building.
☔ Heavy rain gear⚠️ Flash-flood aware
27°
Off-peak season
23° to 31°
Deep Monsoon
The northeast monsoon settles in hard, with sustained heavy rain and some flood risk.
☔ Heavy rain gear⚠️ Flash-flood aware
27°
Off-peak season
23° to 31°
Near-Wettest Month
Nearly as wet as January, with the monsoon in full force through the month.
☔ Heavy rain gear⚠️ Flash-flood aware
Drag through the year Jan
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
⭐️
May
⭐️
Jun
⭐️
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
This month
Rainfall
460 mm
18 rainy days this month
Sunshine
4.5 hrs/day
35% of daylight hours
Humidity
87%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
300 mm
14 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
86%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
277 mm
13 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
85%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
272 mm
15 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
85%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
234 mm
13 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
84%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
244 mm
14 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
84%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
249 mm
13 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
83%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
297 mm
13 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6 hrs/day
46% of daylight hours
Humidity
83%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
302 mm
15 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
84%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
371 mm
18 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
85%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
424 mm
20 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
86%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
455 mm
20 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
87%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
6 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
★★★ peak season, ★★☆ decent shoulder months, ★☆☆ true off-peak, based on rain frequency, heat, and haze.
Seasons at a glance
🌟
Peak season: May, Jun, Jul
Bintulu's closest thing to a favorable stretch, though rain remains a regular presence even now. May through July see somewhat less rain than the rest of the year and the sea is at its warmest, but an umbrella is still worth keeping close, this is an equatorial climate with no real dry season.
🌤️
Shoulder season: Feb, Mar, Apr, Aug, Sep, Oct
This tier spans most of the rest of the year: February, March, April, August, September, and October all see substantial rain on most days, warm and humid throughout, without quite reaching the intensity of the northeast monsoon months on either side of the year.
Off-peak season: Jan, Nov, Dec
The heart of the northeast monsoon, when Bintulu sees its heaviest, most sustained rain of the year. November through January average some of the highest monthly totals, and flooding is possible during the wettest spells.
Good to know
✈️
Bintulu has its own airport
Bintulu Airport connects the city to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Miri, and other major Malaysian hubs, making it an easy add-on to a wider Sarawak or Borneo trip.
🏭
A major global LNG hub
Bintulu is home to one of the world's largest single-site liquefied natural gas complexes, and the oil and gas industry plays a big part in the city's economy and skyline.
🌧️
There's no real dry season here
Unlike much of Peninsular Malaysia, Bintulu sits in a genuinely equatorial climate: every month sees substantial rain, and the northeast monsoon from November to January just adds to an already wet baseline.
🌊
The sea stays warm and swimmable year-round
Sea temperatures historically hold between about 28°C and 30°C in every month, so the water itself is rarely the issue on a Bintulu trip, the frequent rain is.
🐒
Similajau National Park is a short trip away
About 30km from the city, this coastal rainforest park is known for its beaches, hiking trails, and wildlife, including proboscis monkeys and occasional dolphin sightings offshore.
Top attractions
1
Similajau National Park
A coastal rainforest park about 30km from the city, with sandy beaches, jungle trails, and wildlife including proboscis monkeys and hornbills.
2
Tamu Bintulu
A lively native market where indigenous farmers and traders sell jungle produce, wild vegetables, and local delicacies not found in typical supermarkets.
3
Kemena River waterfront
Bintulu's riverside esplanade, a pleasant evening walk with food stalls and views across the water toward the town's mosque and older shophouses.
Frequently asked questions
When is monsoon season in Bintulu?
Bintulu doesn't have a single monsoon season in the way many other cities do; it's genuinely rainy year-round. That said, the northeast monsoon historically brings the heaviest rain from November through January, with January the wettest month, averaging around 460mm across 18 days.
What is the best time of year to visit Bintulu?
May through July is historically the closest Bintulu comes to a favorable stretch, though even then rain remains a regular feature; there's no month here that qualifies as a true dry season.
What is the least favorable time to visit Bintulu?
November through January historically brings the heaviest, most sustained rain of the year, and flooding is possible during the wettest spells.
Which month has the most rain in Bintulu?
January is historically the wettest month, averaging around 460mm of rain across 18 days.
Which month is the driest in Bintulu?
May is historically the driest month, though it still averages around 234mm of rain across 13 days, well short of a true dry season.
How hot does Bintulu get?
May is historically the warmest month on average, though temperatures stay fairly consistent year-round, generally in the low 30s Celsius by day.
Why doesn't Bintulu have a dry season?
Bintulu sits close to the equator on the northern coast of Borneo, which puts it in a genuinely equatorial climate zone, warm, humid, and rainy in every month, unlike Peninsular Malaysia's coasts, which see more distinct monsoon-driven wet and dry swings.
Is Bintulu humid?
Yes, consistently. Average humidity historically sits in the low-to-mid 80s percent range every month of the year.
Can I swim in the sea year-round in Bintulu?
Yes. Sea temperatures historically stay between about 28°C and 30°C all year, warm enough for swimming in any month.
Does flooding affect Bintulu?
Heavy rain, particularly during the wettest months from November to January, has historically caused flooding in parts of the city, worth checking local conditions if traveling during this stretch.