Travel Malaysia • Asia | She is Wanderlust travel blog

Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is one of the most diverse countries in the world. From its culture and architecture to landscapes and cuisine, there are a variety of elements that would impress any visitor.

Why Visit Malaysia

ARCHITECTURE

Malaysia is a very interesting mix between old and new. Architecture from many periods is all over the country. The city of Kuala Lumpur is a fantastic place to admire the modern architecture, especially the Petrona Towers, once the tallest buildings in the world, while many other cities in the country feature a colonial style from the time when the british, portuguese and dutch ruled the country, many of them are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

LANDSCAPES

The landscapes of Malaysia are as diverse as its culture. It offers stunning scenery, with pristine beaches in Langkawi, some of the oldest tropical jungles in the world in the Borneo, the Kinabalu mountain in Sabah and the Quartz Ridge in Klang. A very popular destination for hiking and adventure seekers.

WILDLIFE

Thanks to its diverse landscapes, Malaysia offers unique and interesting endemic wildlife like the tapir, the binturong and the elusive pangolin. The Malaysian Borneo is also home to tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans, while the archipelago offers a rich marine life with turtles, barracudas, sharks and more.

CULTURE

Malaysia is a former portuguese, dutch and british colony. Thanks to its geographic location, it is also a place where multitudes of ethnicities settled, creating a melting pot of cultures, living peacefully while keeping its customs, religions cuisines and languages. Its gastronomy is an experience itself, thanks to all the mixtures of flavors from its many influences, one of the best places to dine in Asia.

AFFORDABLE

Malaysia is very cheap for western standards. Although Kuala Lumpur (the capital) can be a little bit more expensive than the rest of the country, on-budget options are still available.

Why Visit Malaysia

ARCHITECTURE

LANDSCAPES

WILDLIFE

CULTURE

AFFORDABLE

Malaysia is very cheap for western standards. Although Kuala Lumpur (the capital) can be a little bit more expensive than the rest of the country, on-budget options are still available.

Name: Federation of Malaya
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Official Languages: Malay
Currency: Ringgit
Time Zone: UTC+8

Name: Federation of Malaya
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Official Languages: Malay
Currency: Ringgit
Time Zone: UTC+8

Bucket list

What to expect

LANGUAGE

Malay is the official and national language of Malaysia. However, as a former british colony, malaysians do speak english and it is the second language of the country. As it is a diverse countries, other languages like chinese and many indian and indigenous languages are also spoken.

ELECTRICITY

In Malaysia the standard voltage is 240 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. That’s the standard voltage in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa; If you are traveling from the US you will need an adaptor.

CURRENCY

The Malaysian ringgit is the official currency in Malaysia. Dollars and Pound Sterlings are accepted at tourist attractions and hotels, however it is recommended to exchange the money in banks, exchange houses or withdraw it directly from the ATM. 1 USD equals 4.26 ringgits (as of 2020)

SAFETY

Malaysia is a relatively safe country to visit. Violent crime rates are low, however petty crime and robberies do exists and common sense is recommended and encouraged, especially in crowded places and tourist attractions. Try to avoid isolated places and walking alone at night.

CLIMATE

Located near the equator, Malaysia’s enjoys a tropical weather year round. Its climate is often very humid thanks to its proximity to water.

How to get around

By plane: Domestic airlines in Malaysia offer a variety of flights connecting almost every major city, town and island.

By bus: Buses are the cheapest way to get around Malaysia. There are a lot of privately owned bus companies offering its services, especially for long and popular routes. Small towns are usually services by public buses.

By Local Transport: Local transport is great in all the major cities, especially in Kuala Lumpur. Taxis can be found almost anywhere (most of them with meters), the bus network is very reliable and commuter trains and the Metro (LRT – MRT) are widely available, cheap and reliable as well.

By car: Renting a car in Malaysia is a delight as scenery is fantastic and the roads are in very good condition, as long as you are not staying in Kuala Lumpur, as the capital has a lot of traffic and reckless drivers. Major rental companies like Avis, Hertz, Mayflower and Orix. can be found in Malaysia, as well as other local agencies. Be aware that Cars are right-hand drive, and you drive on the left side of the road.

By train: Malaysia’s rail network is limited, but modern and comfortable. One line runs up the west coast from Johor Bahru, through Kuala Lumpur and into Thailand, and the other branches off at Gemas and runs through Kuala Lipis up to the northeastern corner of the country. There are express and local trains, with the first ones offering different classes with a difference in prices and amenities.

By Ferry: Boats and ferries are available between the peninsula and some islands.

Visa Policy

Holders of passports issued by the following 63 jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 90 days: All European Union citizens, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, Iceland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan , Lebanon, Liechtenstein , Maldives, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Oman , Peru , Qatar , San Marino , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , South Korea , Sudan , Syria , Switzerland , Tunisia , Turkey , Turkmenistan , United Arab Emirates , United Kingdom , US, Uruguay and Yemen.

Citizens of the following 97 jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 30 days: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Bahamas , Barbados , Belarus , Belize , Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chard, Chile, Comoros, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Kazakhstan , Kenya, Kiribati , Laos, Lesotho, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Island, Mauitania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe , Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan , Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan , Vanuatu , Vatican, Venezuelan, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Holders of passports issued by the following 2 jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 14 days: Iran and Lybia.