The fascinating Malaysian Island of Penang is best visited during the period 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 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.
Where is Penang?
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. It’s capital, Georgetown is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Penang lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, meaning it enjoys 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.
Best Time to Visit Penang for Good Weather
Penang’s tropical climate means that the island is both 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.
Rainfall
Unlike many destinations in the tropics, Penang doesn’t have a simple wet and dry season. Instead the island sees rainfall throughout the year, but considerably more during the period 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’s 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.
Temperature
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 the minimum temperature rarely falls below 24°C. Therefore there’s really no better or worse time to visit from a temperature perspective.
Humidity
There’s no getting away from it, 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% and this increases 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.
Penang Weather by Month
The table below shows Penang’s weather by month. You can see how remarkably consistent Penang’s temperature is, 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 |
Best Time to Visit Penang for Events and Festivals
Penang’s storied past means that it 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, but especially during festivals and celebrations. A visit to one or more of these colourful celebrations is often the highlight of a visit. So if at all possible, why not try and time your visit to coincide with one of these fantastic events and festivals.
Chinese New Year - January/February
The Chinese New Year otherwise known as the Luna New Year is one of Asia’s biggest celebrations. It’s date varies from one year to the next depending on the lunar cycle but it’s always in January or February. In Penang expect to see the large Chinese population celebrate in style with parades, lots of cultural and food stalls, fire crackers and lighting shows. This is a joyous and fun celebration and one that’s great to experience.
Thaipusam - January/February
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 is a festival that 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’s one that will live long in the memory.
Georgetown Festival - July
This annual festival is a celebration of Georgetown’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now entering it’s 14th year, the festival offers a mix of arts and cultural programmes. Spread across 2 weeks, expect to see everything from dance to film and visual art.
Deepavali (Diwali) - October/November
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.
Penang International Dragon Boat Festival - November /December
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 now 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.
In Summary - Best Time to Penang
The best time to visit Penang is during the period November through March. It’s best to visit during this time due to:
- The end of the monsoon season and lower rainfall throughout the period
- Lower humidity during this period in comparison to the rest of the year
- The period includes a number of amazing, colourful celebrations such as Deepavali, Chinese New Year and Thaipusam.
While the November to March period 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. Just be sure to book accommodation well in advance as availability can be scarce at peak times.
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