Things to Do in Kota Kinabalu in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
March Weather in Kota Kinabalu
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
77°F (25°C)
High Temp
68°F (20°C)
Low Temp
3.7 inches (94 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is March Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + March is dry season's last hurrah. Mornings stay glass, visibility 30 km (18.6 miles) across the South China Sea. Snap sunrise shots of Mount Kinabalu from Tanjung Aru Beach. Light is unreal.
- + Hotel rates drop 25-30% from Chinese-New-Year highs. April's heavier rains haven't arrived yet. You pay shoulder-season prices for near-peak weather. Smart money books now.
- + Sea conditions settle. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park sees 0.5-1 m (1.6-3.3 ft) swells. Twenty-minute speedboat hops to Sapi and Manukan islands feel smooth, not spine-jarring.
- + Wildlife viewing peaks. Migratory birds pause at Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre before heading north. Proboscis monkeys along the Klias River go wild during late-afternoon low tides. Bring binoculars.
Considerations
- − Humidity creeps back to 70% by mid-March. Walk the 5 km (3.1 mile) waterfront from Jesselton Point to the night market and you'll feel that sticky layer under your backpack by 10 am.
- − Afternoon thunderstorms slam in fast. One minute you're photographing the floating mosque, the next you're sprinting through sheets of rain. Expect 20 mm (0.8 inches) in 30 minutes.
- − Water visibility at Manukan and Sapi clouds to 8-10 m (26-33 ft) as plankton blooms start. Serious divers bail to Sipadan or Mantanani where clearer water holds longer.
Year-Round Climate
How March compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°C | 20°C | 8.4 inches |
| Feb | 25°C | 20°C | 8.4 inches |
| Mar | 25°C | 20°C | 3.7 inches |
| Apr | 25°C | 20°C | 5.5 inches |
| May | 25°C | 20°C | 7.4 inches |
| Jun | 25°C | 20°C | 7.8 inches |
| Jul | 25°C | 20°C | 13.0 inches |
| Aug | 25°C | 20°C | 10.4 inches |
| Sep | 25°C | 20°C | 10.2 inches |
| Oct | 25°C | 20°C | 9.7 inches |
| Nov | 25°C | 20°C | 11.4 inches |
| Dec | 25°C | 20°C | 7.7 inches |
Best Activities in March
Top things to do during your visit
Tunku Abdul Rahman Island-hopping Snorkel Circuits
March's mild swells and 28°C (82°F) water make the 15-minute hop to Sapi good for first-timers. Reef fish swarm the 2022 reef balls. Circle the island in 40 minutes, no current to fight. Morning beats afternoon squalls and the 10 am bus crowds.
Booking Tip: Book the day before at Jesselton Point counters. Aim for 8 am departures when sea grass lies flat and visibility peaks. Licensed operators flash yellow safety-certification stickers on ticket booths.
Sunset Seafood Feast at Kota Kinabalu Night Market
Stalls fire up at 5:30 pm along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens. March evenings hover around 26°C (79°F) so you can linger. Follow the smoky grill row. Calamansi-marinated prawns and sambal stingray scent mark the real vendors, not the mall-priced copies.
Booking Tip: No reservations needed. Arrive 6:30 pm for pick-of-the-catch before Korean tour buses hit at 7:30. Bring small notes and your own wet wipes. Most stalls skip them.
Mount Kinabalu Lower Trail Day Hikes to Layang-Layang
Park gates open 7 am. At 1,800 m (5,905 ft) March mornings start crisp at 14°C (57°F) then climb to a perfect 22°C (72°F) by 10 am. Tackle the 6 km (3.7 mile) return to Layang-Layang in comfort. Rhododendrons ignite above 2,000 m (6,562 ft), red and white against mossy forest before April clouds veil the granite walls.
Booking Tip: Permits sit available 1-2 days ahead in March, unlike peak season. Still grab park entrance the afternoon before. Hire a guide at park HQ for flora tales. Birders start at 6:30 am for Bornean laughing-thrush calls.
Klias River Wetland Sunset Cruise
The 2-hour drive south rolls through oil-palm estates before mangroves spill into coffee-coloured waterways. On March's receding tides proboscis monkeys drop to low branches at 5 pm. Fireflies flick on by 6:45 pm, earlier than wetter months because nights stay dark and dry.
Booking Tip: Shared vans leave hotel areas at 1:30 pm. Private cars let you linger for golden-hour shots. Pick operators that include afternoon tea at a riverside stilt village. The tapioca fritters alone justify the trip.
Gaya Street Sunday Market Heritage Walk
Market stalls sprout 6 am-1 pm every Sunday. March skies stay overcast until 9 am, soft light for browsing minus tropical glare. Spot elderly Kadazan-Dusun women selling wild jungle ferns (midin, tuhau) that appear only this month before heavier rains turn trails slippery.
Booking Tip: Pair the market with a 10-minute walk to the Sabah State Museum. Sunday entry stays quiet and Heritage Village houses open for interior photos only until 11 am.
Where to Stay in Kota Kinabalu in March
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for March travellers.
March Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late March weekends
Kaamatan Harvest Festival Pre-Events
Though the main festival lands in May, villages around Penampang kick off tamu besar (grand markets) in late March with buffalo races and tapai rice-wine tastings. Visitors join minus the May crush.
Usually second weekend of March
Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival
Two-night outdoor concerts rock the Sabah Tourism Complex. Humidity drops after sunset, so 8 pm headliner sets feel easy under colonial-era casbah lights.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Kota Kinabalu Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Taxi meters from the airport work. Insist on 'pakai meter' and you'll pay half the fixed-rate coupon price to city hotels.
Local food courts (like Kompleks Asia City) shut Ramadan prep kitchens by 3 pm in March. Show up earlier for ayam bakar lunch.
The free purple shuttle bus loops every 15 minutes between Imago mall, Sutera harbour and Tanjung Aru beach. Ride it and skip Grab fares while base-hopping.
Sea gypsies (Bajau Laut) anchor off Gaya Island in March. Walk to Tanjung Aru fish market at dawn. Negotiate boat rides directly with them. You pay half the agency rate. Bargain hard. Bring small bills.
Hotel balconies facing the sea collect salt spray during afternoon storms. Request mountain-view rooms if you want doors open. Salt crusts everything. Corrodes metal. Ruins selfies.
Avoid These Mistakes
Booking 9 am island tours after a late night is a bad call. March sun is already intense. Hangovers amplify seasickness on the 20-minute channel crossing. Hydrate first. Pop ginger candy.
Do not assume all night-market seafood is fresh. Stalls fronting the boardwalk often reheat lunch catch after 8 pm. Ask 'baru bakar?' (just grilled?). If the vendor hesitates, walk away.
Wearing flip-flops on Mount Kinabalu lower trails is a rookie error. March moss is slippery and leeches active. Closed shoes with socks prevent both problems. Pack salt. Leeches hate it.
Planning outdoor dinners without checking radar invites a soaking. 6 pm downpours drench open-air restaurants along the waterfront. Most offer no cover. Eat early. Or book inside.
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Top-rated things to do in Kota Kinabalu this March
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