According to topschoolsintheusa, Malaysia consists of two distinct parts: Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian provinces of Saba and Sarawak in North Borneo. The two parts are 650 km apart and are separated by the South China Sea. On the peninsula, Malaysia borders Thailand and Singapore. The provinces of Saba and Sarawak border on Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, and Sarawak is surrounded on all sides by the tiny state of Brunei. The Andaman Sea washes the western coast of the peninsula. The east coast of the peninsula, Saba and Sarawak are washed by the South China Sea.
The Malaysian peninsula accounts for 40% of the country’s territory. Several mountain ranges stretch along the peninsula from north to south. On the west coast there is a wide fertile plain, and on the east there is a narrow coastal plain. Saba and Sarawak are covered with dense jungle and have developed river systems. Mount Kinabalu (4101m) in Saba is one of the highest peaks in Southeast Asia.
More than 60% of the country is covered by jungle, but the government is planning to build a huge hydroelectric plant in Sarawak, and about 27,600 hectares of forest are expected to be cleared, which could have negative consequences in the future. There are about 8,000 species of flowering plants in Peninsular Malaysia alone, including 2,000 species of trees, 800 species of fruit trees, and 200 species of palm trees. The fauna includes elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, tapirs, bears, orangutans and gibbons. East Malaysia is home to the most numerous and diverse bird populations in the world.
Malaysia is hot and humid throughout the year. Temperatures usually fluctuate between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius; humidity is usually 90%. This region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia has a truly rainy season. The wettest season on the western coast of the peninsula is from September to December; on the east coast and in Saba and Sarawak – from October to February. Rain, if it happens, usually only interrupts the sunny weather for a short time; Precipitation mainly falls in the form of short, heavy showers.
Climate and temperature
Because of the heat, humidity and tropical downpours, Malaysia is sometimes referred to as a “sauna”. Indeed, there is an equatorial climate, high humidity and many sunny days a year, but this is only a plus for tourism and leisurely relaxation.
There are almost no seasonal changes in climate in Malaysia, but the coolest time is from November to January, when the thermometer drops to 26 degrees. However, the climate of Malaysia differs depending on which region you are in. In the south of Malacca and Kalimantan, the climate is equatorial, hot and humid, to the north – subequatorial monsoon. On the plains, average temperatures during the year range from 25 to 32°C, but in mountainous areas, such as Genting Highlands, temperatures drop to 15°C at night. Monsoon winds blow in the southwest from April to October, and from October to February in the northeast of the country. During the monsoon period, sea tourism sometimes stops on the northeast coast of Malacca. At other times, strong winds are rare.
Strong, but short-term rains go all year round, so there is no rainy season as such in Malaysia. On the west coast of Malaysia (the islands of Langkawi, Penang, Pangkor), the rainy season is practically not expressed and falls on May – September; in April, May and October, thunderstorms hit the western coast of the peninsula. On the east coast (Tioman Islands, Redang) a more pronounced rainy season lasts from October to March. The rainy season is marked by heavy showers lasting two to three hours, they usually pass in the afternoon. Due to higher rainfall, the evergreen jungle on the east coast is denser and more impassable, and the river network is very full-flowing, although it consists of short rivers. In mountainous areas, it rains more often, because clouds constantly gather over high peaks. In general, the rainfall in Malaysia is about 2000 mm per year, in the mountains it reaches 5000 mm. However, your clothes here will be wet and without rain: throughout the year, the humidity here is 75%.
All this provided an amazing wealth of flora and fauna of Malaysia, which can amaze any traveler: 600 species of birds, 210 species of mammals, 140 species of snakes, 80 species of lizards, about 14,500 species of plants grow here. You can become a guest of this tropical holiday at any time of the year, but the best time to visit West Malaysia is the period from late February to early October, and East – the second half of October.
Average monthly water temperature in the South China Sea:
| Jan. | Feb. | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug. | St. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Pace. °C | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Average monthly air temperature in the country:
| Jan. | Feb. | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug. | St. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Pace. °C | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
