Capital of Sabah state on Malaysian Borneo, Kota Kinabalu sits at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia's highest peak at 4,095m and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was almost completely destroyed during World War II and rebuilt from scratch. It is the gateway to world-class diving at Sipadan Island and the oldest tropical rainforest on Earth.
Nights sit around 24°C and afternoons around 32°C.
Kota Kinabalu barely changes season: afternoons sit around 32°C and nights around 24°C most of the year.
It rains all year: about 20 days in 30 in October and 8 in February, so there is no dry stretch to aim for.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: March averages an AQI of 56, while January clears to 46.
Daylight is steady all year, around 12.0 hours a day.
For what you're after, the best months in Kota Kinabalu are February – April. Expect fast internet (235 Mbps) and a low cost of living (about €600 a month).
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