Days in Kota Kinabalu are currently getting shorter, about 1 minutes shorter than a week ago.*
* Calculated from sunrise and sunset times; actual visible daylight can vary slightly with weather, elevation and atmospheric conditions.
Geographic position of Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 5.9749° N, 116.0724° E.
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Distance from the Equator:
about 665 km (413 mi)
-
Distance from the North Pole:
about 9,354 km (5,812 mi)
-
Distance from the South Pole:
about 10,684 km (6,639 mi)
-
Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 12,851 km (7,985 mi) east
Kota Kinabalu lies in the tropical latitude zone. This latitude affects daylight length, seasonal variation and how local solar time compares with standard clock time.
Antipode of Kota Kinabalu
The point on Earth exactly opposite Kota Kinabalu is near Porto Velho - when it's noon in Kota Kinabalu, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Kota Kinabalu
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu is currently in Autumn. Winter begins around December 21, which is 66 days from now.
Because Kota Kinabalu is in the Northern Hemisphere, its seasons run opposite to cities in the other hemisphere. When it is autumn here, places on the other side of the equator are experiencing the opposite season at the same time.
Longest & Shortest Day in Kota Kinabalu
In Kota Kinabalu, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 12h 28m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 11h 46m, a difference of roughly 0h 42m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Kota Kinabalu's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Kota Kinabalu at 5.97° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Kota Kinabalu
With a population of 500,421, Kota Kinabalu ranks as the 19th most populous city in Malaysia, out of 355 cities tracked on this site.
Airport in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI / WBKK) is a major international airport serving Kota Kinabalu directly.
Current local time at the airport is 22:21:22.
Daylight saving time in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu uses the IANA time zone identifier Asia/Kuching. The current local offset is UTC+8 / +08.
Kota Kinabalu does not observe daylight saving time in 2026. The UTC offset remains stable throughout the year.
Best Time to Call Kota Kinabalu
Business hours in Kota Kinabalu (9 AM-5 PM local time) fall at these local times elsewhere:
- New York: 9:00 PM (previous day) - 5:00 AM ( Partial overlap)
- Los Angeles: 6:00 PM (previous day) - 2:00 AM ( Partial overlap)
- London: 2:00 AM - 10:00 AM ( Outside normal hours)
- Dubai: 5:00 AM - 1:00 PM ( Outside normal hours)
- Mumbai: 6:30 AM - 2:30 PM ( Partial overlap)
- Tokyo: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM ( Convenient)
- Sydney: 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
Times shown reflect current UTC offsets and may shift by up to an hour around daylight saving transitions.
Time Difference from Kota Kinabalu
Compare time in Kota Kinabalu with major cities worldwide.
Time now in other cities in Malaysia
Public Holidays Affecting Kota Kinabalu
Official national holiday observed in Malaysia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Kota Kinabalu in?
Kota Kinabalu follows the Asia/Kuching time zone, the official IANA identifier used by computers and databases worldwide to track local time accurately. Right now, this puts Kota Kinabalu at UTC+8.
What time is it in Kota Kinabalu right now?
The current local time in Kota Kinabalu is 22:21:22 on Thursday, 15 October 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Kota Kinabalu observe daylight saving time?
No. Kota Kinabalu is not currently observing daylight saving time, so the clock reflects standard time for this time zone.
How far ahead or behind UTC is Kota Kinabalu?
Kota Kinabalu is currently UTC+8, meaning local time is +8 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Kota Kinabalu?
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) is the airport serving Kota Kinabalu. The current local time at the airport is 22:21:22.
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