9 Malaysian Stargazing Spots for Mid-Autumn Festival

In Malaysia, the Mid-Autumn Festival or Mooncake Festival is mostly a quiet affair.

If it’s not just some overpriced mooncake with some hastily brewed tea, it’ll be an outdoor party with poor views of the full moon

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Lately, stargazing has been gaining popularity in Malaysia with various dark zones and astronomy groups popping up to promote for Malaysia.

And what’s not to love? Far away from urban light pollution, not only will the moon be far more prominent, the invisible sea of stars will also reveal itself to all!

So, for this Mid-Autumn Festival, why not gaze up at the full majesty of the moon at these Malaysian dark spots?

Mapping the Dark

But first, let’s take a look at these light pollution maps by lightpollutionmap.info.

Despite the West Coast being some of the most light-polluted regions in Peninsular Malaysia, northern Selangor and the interior of Perak and Kedah still provide accessible stargazing opportunities.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, a huge stretch of Johor’s eastern coast is ripe for stargazing, no doubt helped by generous stretches of clear, beautiful coasts and isolated islands.

But the stargazing prize has to go to East Malaysia, especially within the hinterland between the Sarawak cities of Miri, Bintulu and Kuching as well as the rural interior of Sabah’s Kota Kinabalu.

Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor

Located right the approach to Fraser’s Hill, Kuala Kubu Bahru is surrounded by tons of forested hills, making it the perfect place to search the skies, particularly around the Sungai Selangor dam and Taman Tasik Millenium.

@tourismselangor
Korang pernah datang ke sini ke belum? Siapa yang pernah datang komen kat bawah ya!🌳 @MajlisPerbandaranHuluSelangor #suprisingselangor #visitselangoryear2025 #wahselangorkanada #vsy2025 #kualakububharu #nature #outdoor #empangansungaiselangor #lake #photospot #fyp #viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp
♬ SURPRISING SELANGOR (Acoustic version) – Yusuff Khan

At the Sungai Selangor Dam, not only do you get to enjoy views of the massive reservoir views by day, the wide-open skies let you get a front row seat to some truly celestial shows.

And if you don’t want to bother driving back in the middle of the night, there’s a camping site for all-night stargazing too!

Down to the southwest, the more modest and placid Taman Tasik Millenium is yet another popular spot for camping and stargazing up in Selangor’s northern frontier.

Taman Empangan Sungai Selangor
Kuala Kubu Bharu, 44000 Selangor (Google Maps)

Taman Tasik Milenium
Taman Milenium, 44000 Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor (Google Maps)

Sekinchan, Selangor

It’s not hard to see why Sekinchan is a favourite among KLite stargazers.

This Hulu Selangor region is a highly accessible weekender hangout just 1.5 hours from Kuala Lumpur by car.

And thanks to huge paddy fields and quiet towns, it’s also a great stargazing spot, though somewhat marred by some minor light pollution.

Sekinchan Paddy Fields
G4R8+F8, 45400 Sekinchan, Selangor (Google Maps)

Padang Terap, Kedah

Next to the storied and ETS-accessible Alor Setar is rural heartland of Padang Terap and its collection of picturesque lakes.

Flanked by the smaller Ahning Lake and Muda Lake and hugging the Thai border, the relatively gargantuan Tasik Pedu boasts kilometres of roads far from any major settlements, allowing you the best chance of catching even the faintest stars in northern Malaysia.

Plus, there’s nothing stopping you from hopping over to Padang Besar or even Thailand for some shopping!

Tasik Pedu
6.244545, 100.817086 (Google Maps)

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan

Port Dickson’s beaches sound like the obvious place for stargazing, but its forests are surprisingly great places to catch some celestial sights too.

At the PD Forest Sungai Menyala forest reserve, its swampy forests and relatively young, regenerated trees mean less light pollution and clearer skies compared to the popular coast.

In fact, the park actually houses Malaysia’s only astronomy park at Dataran Astronomi square, offering open, uninterrupted skies and even a cool sundial!

PD Forest Sungai Menyala
Jalan Sua Betong, N8, 71000 Si Rusa,
Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus
Park Entrance (Google Maps)

Mersing, Johor

Located on Johor’s underrated east coast, Mersing offers gorgeous beaches, secluded islands and dark skies to visitors who make the journey out here.

One of these starry hotspots is the island of Pulau Mawar.

By day, cross a sandbar during low tide to explore its famous stone arch and rocky shores. By night, gaze up at the starry skies above and the “blue tears” or milky seas phenomenon.

Scoot a little to the northeast, and you’ll find another dark spot at the crescent-shaped Tanjung Penyabong.

Accessible by narrow rural roads, its picturesque jetty offers a fine spot to set up your telescope or camera.

But head up north through even narrower roads, and you’ll hit a spectacular bluff (Google Maps) that looks out towards the South China Sea.

Tread carefully though, as the surroundings feature bare cliffs and steep drops with no railings.

But if you’re looking for some truly dark skies, head on over to Endau Rompin, one of Malaysia’s many celebrated national parks. And speaking of national parks…

Pulau Mawar
JQ8P+G9 Kampung Mawar, Johor (Google Maps)

Tanjung Penyabong
2, Jalan Penyabong – Endau, Kampung Penyabong Pantai, 86900 Endau, Johor Darul Ta’zim (Google Maps)

Endau Rompin
GCJ7+8M Kampung Peta, Johor (Google Maps)

Taman Negara, Pahang

As a tentative candidate for Malaysia’s UNESCO World Heritage List, Taman Negara has no shortage of natural wonders to admire.

In addition to jungle hiking and river rafting, you can also add stargazing to the list!

Stargazers should head towards Kuala Tahan, where the total lack of any major towns or cities nearby grants you one of Malaysia’s darkest and purest skies.

Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara
9CM2+CG Kuala Tahan, Pahang (Google Maps)

Kota Belud, Sabah

Moving onto Sabah, we have Kota Belud, a rural district that’s just a stone’s throw away from the state capital Kota Kinabalu.

Besides being renowned for the fresh produce and catch offered in its Sunday “Tamu” or market, Kota Belud is also listed by the Sabah Tourism website as one of the state’s most prolific stargazing regions, with over ten sites to choose from.

Some of the stellar spots here include the riverside campsite at Tegudon Tourism Village, the pristine sands at Pintasan Beach as well as the lightly forested slopes of Lasau Podi.

Tegudon Tourism Village
P/S 291 Tegudon, 89158 Kota Belud, Sabah (Google Maps)

Pintasan Beach
CCVM+CM Kota Belud, Sabah (Google Maps)

Lasau Podi
9H74+P9, 89150 Kota Belud, Sabah (Google Maps)

Tanjung Datu National Park, Sarawak

Located at the far western tip of Sarawak’s “tail”, Tanjung Datu National Park features a huge variety of hiking trails lined by rafflesia flowers and hornbill habitats.

What attracts stargazers here though are its largely wild and untouched beaches that provide a sanctuary for both sea turtles and those looking for clear, star-filled skies.

Tanjung Datu National Park
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/N27y5pDNVbSYXYrn9

Bario, Sarawak

Looking to Sarawak’s interior, you will find Bario, a quiet hamlet famed for its highland Bario rice and as a gateway to the Kelabit Highlands.

Some great vantage points to catch the moonlight here include the peak of Prayer Mountain or simply from the porch of one of the many homestays and lodges around.

The town’s tiny population and vast paddy fields between settlements will ensure you get some of Malaysia’s best night skies.

Bario
Lawai, Jalan Penghulu, Bario, Sarawak (Google Maps)