Malaysia Travel Guide

Most nationalities can enter Malaysia without a visa and can reside in Malaysia for 14 to 90 days, depending on their nationality. Refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for current information regarding visa requirements and stay periods. The East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak each maintains its own immigration system and separate controls: even Malaysians from other states require a passport or MyKad on arrival.

The Malaysian currency is the Malaysian ringgit, abbreviated as RM (ISO code: MYR). It is divided into 100 sen (cents). The ringgit used to be referred to as the dollar and you may see the '$' symbol on older notes. Coins in Malaysia are issued in denominations of RM0.05 (silver), RM0.10 (silver), RM0.20 (silver or gold), and RM0.50 (silver or gold). Banknotes in Malaysia are issued in denominations of RM1 (blue), RM5 (green), RM10 (red), RM20 (orange), RM50 (green/blue) and RM100 (purple). 5 sen coins are mainly given as change in large establishments or supermarkets whereas peddlers and stre…

Immigration controls are in place for travel between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, as well as between the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysian citizens need to present their ID cards, while foreign citizens are required to present their passports in order to travel.

The official language of Malaysia is Malay (officially Bahasa Malaysia, also commonly known as Bahasa Melayu). The Indonesian language, spoken across the border in Indonesia, is similar to Malay, and speakers of both languages can generally understand each other. The main differences are in the loanwords: Malay borrowed more from English, while Indonesian borrowed more from Dutch. Some parts of Malaysia near the Thai border, most notably Kelantan, have dialects of Malay which are nearly incompre…

Though the crime rate is higher than in neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia is generally a safe country for visitors. Crimes towards tourists are usually restricted to bag-snatching, pickpocketing and petty theft. It is important to keep a close eye on valuable items. Theft is more common in crowded places, such as markets and on public transport. Generally, if you avoid deserted areas, get back to your hotel before midnight and use your common sense, you're unlikely to be assaulted.

There are differences of opinion about whether and to what degree tap water is safe to drink. It is treated and monitored, but the condition of the pipes is not always reliable. Therefore, you may want to boil or filter it first just to be on the safe side, as most locals do. You can also buy bottled water, which is very inexpensive.

Internet

Broadband Internet is available for free in most accommodations and some restaurants, especially fast-food outlets and shopping malls, including Starbucks and Coffee Bean, some McDonald's and Subway.

When entering a home or a place of worship, always take off your shoes (this is often required at hostels too). Also, never eat with your left hand or give a gift with your left hand, and never point with your forefinger (you may use a closed fist with the thumb instead). Do not point with your feet or touch a person's head either.

One of the significant characteristics of Malaysian culture is its celebration of various festivals and events. The year is filled with colourful, exhilarating and exciting activities. Some are religious and solemn but others are vibrant, joyous events. One interesting feature of the main festivals here is the 'open house' custom. This is when Malaysians celebrating the festival invite friends and family to come by their homes for some traditional delicacies and fellowship.