Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia uses Asia/Kuching, currently +08 (UTC+08:00). No clock changes are scheduled in the next 12 months.
Tawau is a city in Malaysia, with a population of about 372,600. It keeps the same time year-round, with no daylight saving changes.
The band below is your local scale — accent shows when everyone's business hours overlap. Add or remove a city on the left and this updates too.
Written for people arriving, calling in, or planning a trip around the time difference.
Tawau sits on the southeastern coast of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, on a bay facing Indonesian Kalimantan. It is a working port and agricultural centre serving palm oil and cocoa country, with a compact commercial centre near the waterfront.
The town is primarily a gateway rather than a destination, and the fish market and waterfront are its main local interest. Tawau Hills Park with its rainforest and hot springs lies inland, and the town is the usual jumping-off point for the diving at Sipadan and the islands off the east coast.
The centre is walkable and taxis cover local distances. The airport connects to Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur, and reaching the dive islands involves onward road and boat travel that is worth arranging in advance.
The equatorial climate is warm and humid year-round with no true dry season. Diving conditions on this coast are generally best in the calmer middle months of the year.
Malaysia uses the MYR, calling code +60.
Malaysia uses the ringgit, and Malay is the official language with English, Chinese dialects and Indonesian all commonly heard in this border town. Manner is relaxed and modest dress is appreciated.
