Weather locations in Brunei

Brunei lies just north of the equator on the coast of Borneo, so its climate is equatorial: warm, humid and wet all year with very little change between the seasons. There is no true dry season, and the country is one of the wettest in the region.

Main climate types

The entire country is classed as tropical rainforest. Rain arrives almost daily in heavy showers or short thunderstorms rather than in long spells, and relative humidity is typically above 80 per cent. Two wetter periods are recognised, corresponding to the north-east monsoon in November and December and a secondary maximum around May and June, when wind can be strong along the coast.

Temperatures

Bandar Seri Begawan averages about 26.5 degrees in January and 27 degrees in July, and the annual range across the country is under 3 degrees: daytime highs are usually near 31 degrees and lows near 23. Because the sea surrounds almost everywhere, nights never get properly cool. The most settled and pleasant interval is often said to be between March and May.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is very heavy, commonly 2,500 to 3,000 millimetres on the coast and more again on the hill slopes inland, where parts of Borneo receive over 5,000 millimetres. November and January are the wettest months, and on the coast as many as 200 days a year record at least some rain. The interiors of the Temburong district, cut off from the sea, catch even more.

When to go

There is no bad month for the climate itself, but the driest, most settled interval is usually December to February, when rain is heavy but often brief. To avoid the deluges, the months around March to May are often a little calmer and the insects less of a nuisance. Visits around the Hari Raya festival periods require booking transport early.