Things to Do in Kota Kinabalu in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Kota Kinabalu
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + Whale-shark season refuses to quit in early November—captains working the Sipadan–Mabul corridor still radio in fins 45 minutes out from Jesselton Point. By December the sightings flat-line.
- + Once October’s peak collapses, hotel tariffs in Kota Kinabalu tumble 30–40%. The sea stays a 28°C (82°F) bath and the snorkeling visibility off the nearby islands stays razor-sharp.
- + Durian trucks roll down from the interior in November. After 6 PM at the Filipino Market the heat has turned D24 and Musang King into spoon-soft custard—buy, squat, eat.
- + Sunset at Kota Kin Balla City Mosque is suddenly civilised: the tour-bus armada that jams the esplanade June–October has sailed away, leaving only local fishermen hurling nets across a pink sky.
- − Thunderheads punch in at 3 PM sharp, unloading 30–40 mm (1.2–1.6 in) in twenty minutes. Jalan Gaya becomes a canal and satay vendors sprint for awnings, coals hissing in the rain.
- − Mount Kinabalu’s summit trail locks its gate 1–15 November for annual maintenance. Want the peak? Book late-month or come back next year.
- − Chop picks up around Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park—when waves top 1.5 m (5 ft) the island-hoppers scrub one trip in five, hitting Sapi and Manukan hardest.
Year-Round Climate
How November compares to the rest of the year
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
November’s glass-calm dawns are made for turtles. Catch the 7 AM speedboat to Mantanani Island; the 60-minute ride is mirror-flat and you’re back in KK by 2 PM, well before the sky cracks. Underwater you’ll see 25 m (82 ft), a full ten metres clearer than monsoon months.
The 12 km coastal trace from KK City Centre to Likas Bay stays dry until 4 PM—good for a twilight bike ride. Stilt villages exhale smoke and ikan bakar; at 6 PM the rigs out in the strait glow like iron islands in the sunset.
Humidity drops to 70% in November (versus 85% in March), so you can handle Monsopiad’s 42 acres and three-hour programme without wilting. Longhouse demos run 10 AM and 2 PM—take the morning slot and dodge the 3 PM steam bath.
Evenings cool just enough to weave through 150+ stalls without the mid-year sauna. Grilled stingray and sambal squid land after 8 PM when the fishing boats unload; rain usually holds off until 10 PM.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Final-week Kadazan tamu markets dish out harvest specials: hinava raw-fish salad and tapai rice wine. Thursday’s Penampang market, 15 km (9.3 mi) out of KK, adds bamboo bands and traditional-dress contests.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls