Things to Do in Kota Kinabalu in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Kota Kinabalu
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + The north-east monsoon has just ended—visibility on the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park reefs jumps to 25 m (82 ft), good for snorkeling and diving.
- + December marks the start of whale-shark season off Mantanani Island; sightings peak mid-month and operators run daily trips when seas flatten.
- + Hotel rates drop 30–40 % after the November school-holiday increase, so beach-front rooms in Tanjung Aru that were a splurge suddenly fit mid-range budgets.
- + Cooler evenings (68 °F / 20 °C) make the 3 km (1.9 mile) sunset hike up Bukit Kokol comfortable; the ridge gives Kota Kinabalu’s widest city-and-sea panorama.
- − Rain arrives fast—squalls build over the Crocker Range by 2 pm and dump 30 mm (1.2 in) in 20 minutes, soaking open-air markets and ferry queues.
- − Evening plankton tours to Gaya Island are cancelled roughly one night in four when winds pick up; check operator WhatsApp groups before you trek to Jesselton Point.
- − Giant fruit bats abandon the Sepilok feeding platform in December and retreat to the mangroves, so the nightly exodus you saw on YouTube is unlikely.
Year-Round Climate
How December compares to the rest of the year
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
The five islands sit 15 minutes by speedboat from Jesselton Point. In December the water turns glass-clear and sandbars re-appear, giving you shallow coral gardens good for a mask and fins. Schedule for the morning slot—skies are calmer and the ride is smoother before the afternoon storms build.
December skies explode into tangerine and crimson over nipah palms; proboscis monkeys are easier to spot because water levels drop and they feed lower on the mangrove branches. The 2-hour cruise from Kota Klias village finishes with fireflies flickering like Christmas lights.
You won’t summit, but the lower trail to Layang-Layang at 2,700 m (8,858 ft) sits above the cloud line yet below the chilly summit zone—good for December’s clear mornings. Mossy forest smells of damp earth and pitcher plants, and the granite face appears like a wall of silver.
Penampang Sunday market spills with purple tarap, hairy rambutan, and jars of lihing rice-wine. December harvest means stalls weigh down with giant pomelos the size of bowling balls. A 15 km (9.3 mile) flat ride from Kota Kinabalu city center follows coastal cycle lanes and ends with durian cendol.
Humidity drops after sunset, so the grilled stingray at Anjung Senja steams instead of sweating. December is tarap season—watch vendors split the scaly football-sized fruit tableside, revealing custard-white flesh that smells like bubblegum. Live acoustic sets bounce off the boardwalk planks.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Though the grand Kaamatan is in May, the December mini-harvest is celebrated in Penampang with tapai tasting, bamboo-pole climbing, and the sompoton mouth-organ contest. Locals open their longhouses to visitors; shoes off, sit cross-legged, and accept the lihing toast—it's rude to decline.
Fishing boats string LED lights from bow to mast and circle the harbor after dark while carols echo from the Suria Sabah mall. Best view is from the boardwalk at 7:30 pm; the smell of satay smoke drifts across the water as the flotilla passes the floating mosque.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls