Asia
Malaysia
Hawker food, jungle treks and islands, with some of the best buses in Asia.
Malaysia is where Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures meet, and you taste it at every hawker centre. Kuala Lumpur and the old port towns of Penang and Melaka are some of the best places in Asia to eat on a budget, and the tea hills of the Cameron Highlands are a cool break from the heat.
Across the South China Sea, Malaysian Borneo has orangutans, rainforest river trips and world-class diving off Semporna. Buses are comfortable and cheap, but alcohol is heavily taxed, so beer will cost more than you are used to in the region.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT+8
- Plugs
- Type G, 240V
- Emergency numbers
- 999, or 112 from a mobile
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered
- Traffic drives on the
- Left
- Tipping
- Not expected. Restaurants usually add a 10% service charge, and rounding up for a Grab driver is enough.
- SIM cards
- Hotlink, CelcomDigi and U Mobile prepaid SIMs with plenty of data cost around 30–50 ringgit at the airport; bring your passport.
When to go to Malaysia
Best months to go: March to August. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
September
Quieter everywhere. The last reliable month for the east coast islands.
- Daytime high
- 32°C
- Rainfall
- 190 mm
- Crowds
- Quiet
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°C | 170 mm | Busy | No |
| February | 33°C | 165 mm | Busy | No |
| March | 33°C | 240 mm | Quiet | Yes |
| April | 33°C | 260 mm | Quiet | Yes |
| May | 33°C | 200 mm | Quiet | Yes |
| June | 33°C | 130 mm | Busy | Yes |
| July | 32°C | 130 mm | Busy | Yes |
| August | 32°C | 150 mm | Busy | Yes |
| September | 32°C | 190 mm | Quiet | No |
| October | 32°C | 280 mm | Quiet | No |
| November | 32°C | 320 mm | Quiet | No |
| December | 32°C | 240 mm | Busy | No |
What Malaysia costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$462for 14 days, about $33 a day (RM 1,940 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $10 | $140 | |
| Food and drink | $9 | $126 | |
| Getting around | $6 | $84 | |
| Things to do | $5 | $70 | |
| Everything else | $3 | $42 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Roti canai with dhalRM 3, about $0.71
- Nasi lemak from a stallRM 6, about $1.43
- Teh tarikRM 3, about $0.71
- Can of beer from a shopRM 9, about $2.14
- Hostel dorm bed in KLRM 45, about $11
- Bus, Kuala Lumpur to PenangRM 45, about $11
- Grab across central KLRM 15, about $3.57
Routes through Malaysia
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 5 stops
The west coast from Melaka to Langkawi, with hawker food and tea hills along the way.
Melaka
2 nights
Colonial streets, Jonker Walk night market and chicken rice balls.
Kuala Lumpur
3 nights
The Petronas Towers, Batu Caves and Jalan Alor at night.
Cameron Highlands
3 nights
Tea plantations, the Mossy Forest and cool evenings.
Penang
4 nights
Street art in George Town and the best hawker food in the country.
Langkawi
2 nights
Duty-free beer, the SkyBridge and quiet beaches.
Getting around
Bus
$5–15 for a long trip
Express buses are comfortable, cheap and frequent. Book on Easybook or Redbus, and bring a jumper for the air conditioning.
Train
$10–20 for a long trip
The fast ETS train runs from KL to Ipoh and Butterworth for Penang. Book a few days ahead.
Flight
$25–70 one way
AirAsia connects the peninsula with Langkawi and Borneo cheaply if you book early and travel light.
Ferry
$8–25 per crossing
Ferries run to Penang, Langkawi, the Perhentians and Tioman. East coast services stop in the monsoon.
Private car
$2–10 for a Grab ride
Grab is cheap, reliable and saves haggling with taxis in the cities.
What to eat and drink
Nasi lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts and egg. The national breakfast.
RM 6, about $1.43
Roti canai
Flaky flatbread with dhal or curry, from any mamak stall at any hour.
RM 3, about $0.71
Char kway teow
Flat noodles fried hot and smoky with prawns and cockles. Penang’s best.
RM 10, about $2.38
Laksa
Sour Penang asam laksa or rich coconut curry laksa, depending on where you are.
RM 10, about $2.38
Satay
Grilled skewers with peanut sauce, sold by the stick at night markets.
RM 1, about $0.24
Teh tarik
Sweet milky tea, poured from a height to make it frothy.
RM 3, about $0.71
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Good morning
Selamat pagi
Say it like: suh-lah-mat pah-gee
Thank you
Terima kasih
Say it like: tuh-ree-mah kah-see
How much?
Berapa harga?
Say it like: buh-rah-pah har-gah
Too expensive
Mahal sangat
Say it like: mah-hal sang-at
Not spicy, please
Tak pedas
Say it like: tah puh-das
Delicious
Sedap
Say it like: suh-dap
No problem
Tak apa
Say it like: tah ah-pah
Takeaway, please
Bungkus
Say it like: boong-koos
Questions travellers ask
Is Malaysia more expensive than its neighbours?
A little for beds, but food is just as cheap if you eat at hawker centres and mamak stalls. Alcohol is the big exception, except on duty-free Langkawi.
Which coast should I visit?
It depends on the month. The east coast islands are best from March to October, while Langkawi and the west coast are driest from December to April.
What should I wear to mosques?
Cover your arms and legs, and women should cover their hair. Big mosques lend robes and scarves at the door.
Can I combine it with Singapore or Thailand?
Easily. Buses run from KL to Singapore in about five hours, and trains and minibuses cross into southern Thailand from Penang and Langkawi.
Do I need cash?
Cards and e-wallets work in cities, but hawker stalls, night markets and islands are often cash only. ATMs are easy to find.