Malaysia Travel Tips - with Wired Destinations

Malaysia Arrival

Malaysia Airlines at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Every person entering Malaysia must possess a valid passport or internationally recognized Travel Document valid for travel to Malaysia. The documents must be valid for more than six (6) months from the date of entry into Malaysia. Foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Malaysia must apply and obtain a visa in advance at a Malaysian Representative Office before entering the country. In countries where Malaysian Missions have not been established, application should be made to the British High Commission or Embassy. Yellow Fever vaccination is required for all visitors coming from Yellow fever infected areas or endemic zones except for children under 1 year of age. It is not necessary to take malaria tablets or vaccination for yellow fever, but if you are in doubt, please consult your doctor or family physician. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has terrific duty-free outlets for those who wish to do last minute shopping. Transport from the KLIA to the city is fast and easy. Choices include taxi or limousine, the Express Rail Link (ERL), airport busses and rental car. An airport departure tax of RM40 is applicable for international flight passengers. For domestic travellers, the tax is RM5. Children below 2 years old are exempted. Trafficking of illicit drugs carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Malaysia Climate

Located between latitudes 1 and 7 degrees north ensures Malaysia enjoys a tropical climate. The weather is warm and humid (80% avg.) throughout the year. Temperatures in the lowlands range from 22C to 32C while in the highlands they vary between 16C and 23C. The southwest monsoon (April - September), brings more rainfall to the west coast while the northeast monsoon (November - March), affects the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.

Malaysia Currency

Malaysian Ringgit

Legal tender is the Malaysian Ringgit (RM). There are 100 sen in one ringgit. RM notes are in denominations of RM100, RM50, RM10, RM5, RM2 and RM1. Coins are in denominations of RM1, 50 sen, 20 sen, 10 sen, 5 sen and 1 sen. The Malaysian Ringgit is currently pegged to the US Dollar at RM3.80 to one USD. Major credit cards such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club are accepted by most business establishments. Many hotels and restaurants levy a 10% service charge and 5% government sales tax in their bills. Tipping is not customary. Visitors bringing in more than US$2,500 must fill in form IMM26, which is endorsed by immigration officers and returned to the visitors to be kept in their passports. You may not leave with more money than you came in with, or you will have to declare from where the extra money came from. Visitors may not bring in or take out more than RM1000.

Malaysia Time

UTC / GMT (+8 hours) Standard Malaysia time is eight hours ahead of London and 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles. It shares the same time zone with Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

Malaysia Business Hours

Malaysian Railways, Kuala Lumpur

Banking hours are from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm on weekdays, and 9.30 am to 11.30 am on Saturdays. All public service departments and some banks usually close on the first and third Saturday of the month.In general, business hours are weekdays 8:30 to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 1 pm. Government office hours are usually from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. The states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah practice different office hours. Saturday to Wednesday are full working days while Thursday is treated as a half-day workday. The weekend starts on Friday.

Malaysia Communication

Malaysia provides service nationally and internationally by telephone, facsimile, telegraph, telex and through the internet. Most hotels provide International Direct Dial (IDD) telephone services. Public phones are available in cities and towns in areas such as bus stations, shopping malls and office buildings. Phone cards come in denominations of RM5, RM10, RM20, and RM50 and are widely available. Coin operated phones are also in use.

Malaysia Electricity

Typically, the point of electricity is provided by three square pin contact socket. Malaysia hotels often supply adaptors. The standard current is 240-volts (50-cycle).

Malaysia Language

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language but the use of English is widespread in the commercial sector. The ethnic groups also speak other languages such as Mandarin and Tamil as well as Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Hokkien. The various languages of the indigenous communities are still preserved and still widely used in the eastern states of Sarawak and Sabah.

Malaysia Dress Code

At the beach and resorts, shorts, T-shirts and sandals are suitable. Comfortable and informal clothing in light cotton or linen is preferable during the day when visiting towns or cities. Dress that is more formal may be required by some establishments and you are advised to check if you are unsure. Malaysia is essentially an Islamic country; therefore, overt exposure of flesh is not appreciated outside of beaches and resort areas.

Transport Malaysia 

Malaysia has a well-developed transportation network enabling visitors to travel within the country quickly and conveniently. All major towns have road, rail and air links. There is a good public transport, which includes car rentals, taxis, buses and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) System in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Another rail service known as KTM Komuter connects suburban or adjoining districts within the Klang Valley. KTM Berhad's Intercity rail service connects cities and major towns to the countryside, enabling access to some remote areas. Group discounts and holiday packages at attractive prices are available as well. The states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo are serviced by regular flights from KL aboard Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia.

Malaysia Health Facilities

Chinese New Year

Malaysia has excellent health care facilities. Modern hospitals staffed by highly qualified medical professionals are found in all urban centres. Clinics are in abundance throughout the smaller towns in the rural areas. Excellent dental services are available at a fraction of the cost found in most western countries. Efficient pharmacies dispense prescription drugs and supply a good selection of brand name medications and toiletries. For a comprehensive overview of Malaysia's health care facilities, the Ministry of Health kindly invite you to look to their website: http://www.moh.gov.my.

Browse through more about Malaysia Travel with Wired Destinations’ Malaysia Travel Guide or find out about the metropolis Kuala Lumpur with  Kuala Lumpur Travel info, Kuala Lumpur Culture and Kuala Lumpur Sightseeing. Here you have all the Kuala Lumpur travel information you’ll ever need. We can also find the finest Malaysia hotels and Kuala Lumpur hotels at discountend rates, see Wired Destinations.