Malaysia›East Coast & Islands›Kota Bharu›December
Kota Bharu in December
Better avoided: December is outside the recommended season (March – September). Against it: Monsoon Rains and Floods.
The season opens in March, 3 months away. Monsoon Rains and Floods: usually over after January.
2 days in Kota Bharu in December · from ₹7,994 for two
Stay, food & local travel; getting there extra
The weather in December
What the season does to Kota Bharu this month.
Worth knowing
Monsoon Rains and Floods
The north-east monsoon brings days of heavy rain to Kelantan and Terengganu, and floods most years in December and January that can cut roads and the railway. The islands offshore are closed. Watch the news before you travel.
What it costs
For two sharing a room; 2 days on the ground, getting there not included.
Budget
₹7,994 for two
- Room a night₹2,090
- Food a day, each₹1,053
Mid-range
₹18,511 for two
- Room a night₹4,420
- Food a day, each₹2,430
Luxury
₹41,018 for two
- Room a night₹9,300
- Food a day, each₹5,670
Totals cover the room (taxes included), food, local transport, entry and a 10% buffer: the figures the planner opens on. These are typical rates; Tourisma has no month-by-month rates for Malaysia yet, so they don't move with the month.
Getting there
Fly into Penang (George Town) (PEN), 225 km away
Then: Bus · 7h (Express bus over the East-West Highway)
Flights from India: from 1 city, one way from ₹10,000
Fly into Kuala Lumpur (KUL), 337 km away
Then: Flight · 4h (AirAsia / Malaysia Airlines / Batik Air, KUL–KBR)
Flights from India: from 8 cities, one way from ₹9,500
Routes compared
Entry rules
No visa needed for up to 30 days
- In the 3 days before you land, fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my. It is free (sites that charge are not official); keep the confirmation email. One card per traveller, children included.
- At immigration, show your passport, the MDAC confirmation and, if asked, your return ticket, hotel bookings and money for the stay. You are stamped in visa-free for up to 30 days.
- Flying on to Sabah (Kota Kinabalu) or Sarawak (Kuching, Mulu)? Those states run their own immigration check, so keep your passport with you on the domestic flight.
Carry: Passport valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive; Confirmed return or onward ticket leaving Malaysia within 30 days; Hotel bookings (or a host's address) for the whole stay; Money for the stay: cash, a forex card or a bank statement; MDAC confirmation (screenshot or printout).
Visa-free entry for Indians is in force until 31 December 2026, and no extension had been announced by late October 2026. For a trip that starts in 2027, check the Malaysian High Commission or malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my before you book: without an extension you will need an eVISA.
Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.
Elsewhere in Malaysia in December
Instead in season this month.
- Langkawi · great month
- Ipoh · good month
- Kuala Lumpur · good month
- Melaka · good month
- Penang (George Town) · good month
Nearby in East Coast & Islands:
Want this as a real plan?
Kota Bharu in December, day by day, priced for your group.