When to go to Borneo for families

Weather & best places to go during the school holidays

Although Borneo can be visited throughout the year, the weather varies a little between regions and there is a wetter season to bear in mind when planning your family holiday. The good news is that Borneo is warm all year round, with temperatures generally sitting in the high 20s to low 30s, so you can expect plenty of tropical sunshine.

Rain is always possible, but it often arrives as a short, heavy shower before the sun comes back out. The wettest months are usually November to February, particularly December and January, while March to October tends to be the drier and more popular period for travelling. Don’t let a shower put you off though: the rain keeps the rainforest wonderfully lush and can make wildlife spotting even more exciting.

In all likelihood, you’ll be restricted to times when the kids aren’t at school. So, to make things easier, here’s a summary of Borneo weather during school holidays.

Borneo school holiday travel

February half term

For most UK schools February half term is just a week, so you may feel it’s a little too far to travel for that length of time. However, if you can get away for longer or live closer to South East Asia then February can be a lovely quiet time to explore Borneo.

The island will be just emerging from its rainy season so expect some showers, and the weather will usually be drier in Sarawak (western Borneo) so we’d recommend sticking more towards this part of Borneo.

Easter break

With Borneo now firmly into its dry season, Easter is an excellent time to visit. Rainfall will be limited (although you may still get the odd shower) and days will be hot and sunny for the most part. This is especially true towards the east in Sabah which usually sees marginally better weather at this time, so it’s an ideal time to see orangutans in Sepilok and relax on Kota Kinabalu Beach.

However, the likelihood is that you’ll have lovely conditions wherever you go in Borneo, and this is also a slightly quieter time to visit than over the summer months.

Summer holidays

The summer months bring more warm and dry weather to the whole of Borneo, and it’s no surprise that this is the island’s busiest time for tourism – if you’re thinking of a summer family holiday to Borneo then it’s best to book early. Beach destinations such as the Damai Peninsula are especially popular, and this is also a good time to visit areas of outstanding beauty like Kinabalu National Park.

Rainfall starts in increase in Sabah (eastern Borneo) later in August and into September, so if you’re planning on heading out towards the end of summer then it’s better to spend more time in Sarawak (western Borneo).

October half term

Again, you may feel this break is a little short to be travelling to Borneo, but if you can get away for longer then we recommend spending more time in Sarawak (western Borneo) since rainfall can be quite heavy in the east. The west will see some rain too as the wetter season will just be starting, but there will still be plenty of sunshine and many of the most popular destinations will be nice and quiet.

Christmas & New Year

Although travel is still possible over the festive period and you will see some sunny spells, this is usually the wettest time of year across Borneo with some tropical storms expected.

This probably isn’t the best time for a Borneo beach break, but most wildlife reserves and lodges remain open so it can be a great time to meet the local animals without the big crowds – just make sure you pack a decent waterproof!

When to go to Borneo for families