Heading to Malaysia? If you time your visit right, you can attend cultural festivals in Malaysia and experience its culture in all its essence. While Malaysia hosts countless cultural festivals throughout the year, some are simply unmissable. We’re listing some of the best and top cultural festivals to experience in Malaysia.
Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a Tamil Hindu festival that honours Lord Murugan as an enlightened being. It celebrates the occasion when Lord Murugan received a heavenly weapon from Goddess Parvati. It is celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. Although Thaipusam is celebrated in various countries, Malaysia takes it up a notch. Thaipusam in Malaysia usually falls between January and February, and goes on for three days. Thaipusam kicks off with a grand procession that starts from Kuala Lumpur and travels across the area. A chariot with Lord Muruga is carried over a procession of drums and chants.
Malaysia Water Festival
Next, we have the Malaysia Water Festival, which usually happens in summer, when the heat takes its peak. It happens during April and is celebrated across the country. Interestingly, the Water Festival of Songkran originates from the same festival in Thailand, during which people from all regions, cultures, and religions join hands to throw cool water at each other. You could say it’s a colour-free version of the Hindu Holi, which might explain why so many gather to celebrate. But that’s not all; during the Malaysian Songkran, you can even participate in fishing activities, sand castle building and kayaking.
Harvest Festival (Pesta Kaamatan)
Kaamatan Harvest Festival occurs on May 1st annually in the pre-chosen district in Sabah. The Festival brings together members of the Rungus, Murut, and Kadazan-Dusun ethnicities, who honour Huminodun, the daughter of a creator god, Kiniongan. It’s a way to honour the harvest collected throughout the year, and to hope well for the coming years. During Kaamatan Harvest Festival, people gather around to sing hymns, chant slogans, pray, decorate and pay respect to the local churches with offerings of baskets filled with fruits and flowers. Although exclusive to certain members, locals encourage outsiders to learn more about their festival.
Wesak Day
Wesak or Vesak Day has several names: Visak Bochea, Buddha Purnima, Buddha Jayanti, and Buddha Day. As the name suggests, Wesak Day is celebrated by all Buddhist nations and commemorates Buddha. Wesak Day celebrations revolve around the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Buddha, and are taken as a day of soulful cleansing. Participants of Wesak Day fast all day as a way of spiritual cleansing and then meditate at various temples. You’ll also find them releasing doves and tortoises; an act they believe parallels the forgiveness of their past sins. It’s an interesting cultural festival that thousands attend yearly, and is open to tourists.
Gawai Dayak
This is one festival that truly brings you up close with Malaysian culture. Gawai Dayak takes place on the first and second of June every year, and is celebrated by the Dayak people in Sarawak. Also dubbed the Dayak Day, Sarawak Gawai begins with thousands of Dayak people dressed in traditional attire and adorning themselves in bright colours. Next, they perform ceremonial rites to honour the harvest of the year, visiting the longhouses (traditional Dawak houses) to gather and celebrate. If you’re lucky enough to join, you’ll spend the next two days dancing and feasting on delectable delights, with plenty of tuak (rice wine) to keep you up.
Rainforest World Music Festival
If you’re a musicophile, you’ll love the Rainforest World Music Festival, which takes place in Kuching, Sarawak. The Rainforest World Music Festival usually takes place over two days in mid-June, which is when most tourists from Malaysia and surrounding nations visit to join. This not only makes it the biggest music festival in Malaysia but also among the largest in Southeast Asia. And if you think the festival is only about music, you’re partly right; you’ll find yourself surrounded by thousands of people jamming to the tunes, dancing, and ending the day by visiting various local artisans and workshops.
Mooncake Festival
The Lantern, Mooncake or Mid-Autumn Festival is yet another harvest festival, but this one is celebrated in Chinese culture. The Mooncake Festival in Malaysia is expected to take place on October 6, 2025, so you can book a seat now. The Mooncake festival is one of the most interesting and fun cultural festivals in Malaysia because it revolves around the harvest, and thus involves a lot of vibrant colours, energetic performances, and, of course, delicious mooncakes. That’s not all; if you make it early, you can also join in on the Hungry Ghost Festival, an annual event celebrated to appease restless spirits.
Deepavali
Deepavali or Diwali is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of Dharma over Adharma (light over darkness). In a way, it is celebrated to honour the triumph of goodness over evil, and involves lighting candles that shine throughout the night. Deepavali or Diwali in Malaysia is expected to happen in mid-October 2025, so you can attend multiple other festivals, too. You can observe locals make rangoli and even learn how to make it.
The Dragon Boat Festival
Another Chinese festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, is exactly what it sounds like: participants dress up and race boats across the Straits Quay Retail Marina in Penang, Malaysia. It is up to the participants, but the Dragon Boat Festival often involves adorning the boats like a dragon, too. The races start and end with rhythmic beats of the drums, leading to a colourful and performative experience. Regardless of the winner, the participants join hands in celebrations and feasts, and dine throughout the day. It is expected to happen from 28th to 30th November this year.
Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji
Lastly, we’ve got the Hari Raya Puasa (Eid-ul-Fitr) and Hari Raya Haji (Eid-ul-Azha), both separate festivals celebrates by Muslims. The Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidil Fitri is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, when Muslims gather to feast and hold special prayers early in the morning. Similarly, Hari Raya Haji is celebrated a little over two months after Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and involves the qurbani (special sacrifice) of cows, goats, camels or sheep. The meat is distributed among loved ones and the needy, and the rest of the three days are celebrated by eating and sharing desserts. Both festivals usually happen privately, but you’re welcome to visit a mosque to see them happen in reality.
The best way to get a real feel for Malaysia is to attend the local festivals. Whether it’s bright lights during Deepavali or street processions at Thaipusam, there’s always something happening in the country. Plan your trip around a festival, and come back home with rich cultural experiences and learning.
