Malaysia travel guide

Find out what to see and do when travelling or backpacking around Malaysia.

Malaysia highlights

	Destination	Make a reservation
	Kuala Lumpur The lively capital is rich with an interesting blend of old colonial and modern architecture, cultures and traditions. This city offers many sight-seeing options, such as the famous Petronas Towers.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Tioman Island Tioman Island is a lush, green Tropical Island located off the East-coast of Malaysia, home to a wealth of marine life. This is a great place to try your hand at snorkelling or diving.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Cherating Cherating located along the coast of Pahang is the perfect place to stay to take advantage of the area's great surf, beautiful beaches and lively nightlife.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Kuantan Kuantan boasts a great location which offers each visitor the best of both worlds with nearby beach resorts and quiet coastal villages all within reach.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Perhentian Islands The Perhentian Islands have so much to offer every visitor that sets foot on its shores; white sandy beaches, secluded lagoons, jungles to explore and amazing waters teeming with marine life.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Penang Penang is a beautiful island full of distinctive colonial architecture, its capital Georgetown has been awarded the status of an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Renowned as being Malaysia food capital, it a great place for anyone with a love of different foods.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Langkawi The island of Langkawi offers picturesque beaches and clear blue waters. Fancy a move away from the beaches? The island has a wealth of attractions to keep you entertained during a stay.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Pangkor Take some time out and relax on this island's beautiful sandy beaches. This friendly, low-key island is the ideal place for anyone who is looking for a chilled out beach break.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Pangkor Laut This very small island just off the coast Malaysia's Pulau Pangkor is home to only one secluded resort. This helps to create a great sense of privacy and exclusivity.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu is a great base for many adventure trips to visit the nearby Kinabalu National Park and the �Survivors' island of Pulau Tiga.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Sandakan This is the ideal base for a trip to the Sepilok Orang-utans Rehabilitation Centre to see the wonderful Orang-utans in their own environment. You can get a boat to visit the Turtle Island National Park from here and visit the Sanctuaries for the Green and Hawksbill Turtles or even catch a glimpse of one as it comes ashore to lay its eggs.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Kuching This city has a lively waterfront with a colourful market. It is a great base for people who want to use it as a base to visit Bako National Park or Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours

Main travellers routes

• Most people travel to Malaysia either as they travel down from Thailand or as they travel up from Indonesia. They normally spend anything from a few nights in the capital Kuala Lumpur as a stopover, or many weeks on the Peninsula visiting the East and West Coast Islands and Taman Negara. They may even decided to combine they trip with a visit to the neighbouring island of Borneo.
• Coaches are the cheapest form of transport. With many bus companies now offering luxury buses; this is a great way to travel across the country without compromising price for comfort.
• Rail is also cheap and convenient option. Trains are one of the best ways to travel around Malaysia, as they offer you the chance to take all the local scenery as you pass on by. The Jungle Railway from KL to Kota Bharu is a stunning trip.
• Borneo is a more expensive destination than Peninsula Malaysia but it is still possible to keep the costs down.

Capital and main cities

• Kuala Lumpur is the capital
• Other main populated areas: Kota Bharu (North-East), Georgetown (Penang), Ipoh (Central)

Languages

• Bahasa Malaysia (Bahasa Melayu)
• English
• Chinese
• Tamil

Currency

• Malaysian Ringitt (RM)
• Currency converter

Visas

• Visa not required for UK Tourists for stays of up to 30 days.
• Tip! If you are travelling between Peninsula Malaysia and Borneo (Sabah or Sarawak), always check in your passport to see the length of stay you have been issued with, as there are different immigration procedures for each. Submitted by Kalam from Malaysia

Foreign Office Advice

• Malaysia foreign office advice

Flights and accommodation

• Flight prices to Malaysia
• Hotel and hostel prices

Tours and day trips in Malaysia

• Malaysia Travel Plan - Design your own Malaysia Trip
• Responsible Travel in Malaysia - Trips and accommodation from the main tourist routes to off-the-beaten track places.

This guide to travelling in Malaysia was contributed by Malaysia Travel Plan

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