are you looking for the Best recommendations for traveling to MalaysiaIf you're planning your trip and want to avoid surprises, here's a practical guide with everything you need to know before your next adventure. Entry requirements, how to get around the country, what to pack, and some tips to save time and money during your trip.After traveling through Malaysia and visiting Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo, and the Perhentian Islands, we're sharing our experience and some things we wish we'd known before going.
10 essential tips for traveling to Malaysia
1) Check entry requirements: Passport and Malaysia Digital Arrival Card 🛂
To travel to Malaysia as a Spanish citizen, you need a valid passport with at least 6 months validity and the ticket out of the country. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. This may change, so we always recommend checking the travel recommendations for Malaysia beforehand. Official SiteIf you are reading this from another location, you should check the conditions on your country's foreign affairs page. You must also fill out the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online before your trip.
Important: if you travel to Sabah or Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of Borneo, you will have to spend a additional control upon arrival and a new entry stamp will be placed in your passport. The same applies when leaving these states for the peninsula. As we have read in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websiteIt's recommended to avoid the "fast track" at the mainland arrival airport (pass through the police checkpoint with a manual stamp). Keep this in mind if you have scheduled domestic flights.
2) Choose the best time to travel to Malaysia ☀️
La best time to travel to Malaysia it is during the dry season, which goes from March to October. During these months you will enjoy more stable days with less rain, both in Peninsular Malaysia and in Singapore and Borneo. In destinations such as the Perhentian Islands, the ideal is to go between april and october, since outside of these dates (November to February) many tourist areas and accommodations close due to the monsoon and the poor state of the sea. Still, remember that Malaysia has a very humid tropical climatelarvae, nymphs, and adults, so It can rain at any time of the year, even in the dry season. To cities like You can travel to Kuala Lumpur all year round., but you will have more rainy days if you go outside the recommended months.
3) Learn how to get around Malaysia ✈️
If you have little time, lThe most practical way to travel around Malaysia on long journeys is by plane.. AirAsia, one of Asia's best low-cost airlines, operates very economical internal flights that save you many hours on the road or train. On our trip, we used it on practically every route: Kuala Lumpur – Borneo (Sandakan) – Perhentian Islands (Kota Bharu) – Penang – Singapore, and it always worked very well for us. That's right, if you don't usually invoice, pay attention to the baggage rules: the basic fare includes only 7 kg and AirAsia checks the weight of carry-on bags before security checkpoints..
If you go over a couple of kilos you'll have to pay a supplement. Don't panic: you can add extra kilos of hand luggage online when booking or after, and it's not expensive at all. For a two-week trip, it's practically impossible to carry only 2 kg, We recommend adding at least 7 kg extra. This way, you can carry up to 14 kg in the cabin. and avoid surprises when boarding. On a trip like this where you're going to visit destinations, we don't recommend checking in. If they lose your suitcase... you're left without it. Where will they send it to you if you're not going to stay still?
On the other hand, to move around within cities, the app Grave (similar to Uber) It is the most comfortable and cheapest option for making your tripsFor example, for 1-hour journeys we pay less than €20, for 20-minute journeys we pay less than €4. To use it, you'll need to download the app, create an account, and link it to your bank card. In addition, you need to have internet on your mobile.
4) Get an eSIM with unlimited data 📲
Traveling with mobile internet saves you a lot of headaches: Book a Grab, find a place to eat, find directions to your hotel, check attraction schedules, or simply chat with your family without relying on Wi-Fi. We have been trusting in you for years. Holafly and, without a doubt, it is the best eSIM for travelingOn this occasion we hired the eSIM Asia, valid on all Malaysian islands (Penang, Perhentian, Borneo) and also in Singapore, without changing settings or wasting time searching for local cards. It is activated instantly by scanning a QR code and you forget about the international roaming, surprise charges and being left without connection: the data is unlimited, so you'll have internet when you need it most. Plus, we have a 5% off for our community in all destinations and plans.
5) Carry cash 💵
Although most places accept cards, in the markets, street stalls and even for some activities, you can only pay in cash (Malaysian ringgit). Always carry some with you, and if you withdraw money from ATMs, Do it at local banks to avoid high fees.. U.S we carry euros and We changed our money at the exchange offices under the Petronas Towers when we arrived in Kuala Lumpur. Later we had to withdraw money from an ATM (one called AmBank Islamic) and we they charged 4% de commissionAvoid ATM traps (such as ATMs). get cash, etc.), the commission is usually higher. Finally, Please note that there are places in Malaysia, such as the Perhentians, where there are no ATMs.
6) Get travel insurance for Malaysia 💡
In Malaysia you drive on the left, as in the United Kingdom, so you have to be very careful when crossing the streets. Furthermore, there are few sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, even in Kuala Lumpur. Similarly, in many areas Heavy rains cause potholes and sinkholesAdd to all this the exotic food, the water quality, and the activities that can carry certain risks. For all these reasons, it is advisable to hire a travel insurance that covers accidents, medical assistance and activities such as hiking or snorkeling. We always reserve the policy IATI Backpacking and we have a 5% off for our readers since this link.
7) Equip yourself well, recommendations for traveling to Malaysia 🥾
Humidity in Malaysia is very high. Carry light and breathable clothing, long linen trousers for temples (especially girls) and for survive mosquito bites at night. Likewise, as we show you in the video, if you can carry quick-drying shoes For beaches and water activities, your trip will be next level! Finally, we recommend a light raincoat that allows you to continue enjoying your trip even if it rains. Of course, it's important that it's lightweight, otherwise it'll stick to you.
8) Bring a plug adapter 🔌
The plug in Malaysia is type G (three flat pins), the same as in the UK. It has a universal adapter and USB-C and USB-A cables to charge your mobile phone while traveling (on Grabs and buses).
9) Treat yourself, it's a budget-friendly destination 💸
Malaysia is a very destination affordable compared to Europe. You can eat in a Michelin-starred restaurant for about €20 per person or stay in a 5-star hotel with views of the Petronas Towers for about €120 a nightBy the way, if you don't have it yet hotel in Kuala LumpurWe recommend ours. You can check availability and prices at this page. And, if you haven't decided yet, Malaysia itinerary, below we share with you the destinations we visited with the number of nights per area.
10) Choose the best tour and accommodations to visit Malaysia 🏨
If you have two or three weeks, you can tour Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Perhentian Islands and end in Malaysian Borneo to see orangutans and take a safari on the Kinabatangan River. Accommodations are very affordable, and if you book in advance, You will find good quality hotels at low prices. Below we share with you the itinerary we took. with number of nights per destination and accommodation chosen.
| No. nights | Places Malaysia route | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur | Ascott Star KLCC Kuala Lumpur |
| 2 | Sepilok (Borneo Island) | Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort |
| 1 | Kinabatangan River (Borneo Island) | Sukau Tomanggong View (remote and local area, don't expect great luxuries) |
| 1 | New City (technical stop) | Ibis Styles Kota Bharu |
| 1 | Perhentian Islands (Perhentian Besar) | Tuna Bay Island Resort |
| 3 | Penang Island (Georgetown) | The Granite Luxury Hotel Penang |
| 2 | Singapore | Marina Bay Sands |
Note that We had to do a "technical night" in Kota Bharu, the city where it is located the nearest airport to visit the Perhentian Islands, since our flight arrived at night. On the other hand, In Penang we spent three nights because we arrived at night and flew early on the day of departure to Singapore. We hope these tips for traveling to Malaysia are helpful, and if you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment. We also have guides for each of the destinations we visited, which we share below.
- 👉 Complete route through Malaysia and Singapore
- 👉 What to see in Kuala Lumpur in 2 or 3 days
- 👉 What to see in Malaysian Borneo
- 👉 What to see in the Perhentian Islands
- 👉 Things to do in Penang
- 👉 What to see in Singapore
Full video tips for traveling to Malaysia
If you are left wanting more, you can see the below Full video where we talk in more detail about these recommendations for traveling to Malaysia, with real images of our internal flights, the eSIM experience, transportation, hotels, and activities. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you don't miss out on upcoming guides!
Leave your comment