General information about Malaysia
Malaysia has an area of around 330,803 square kilometers, making it slightly smaller than Germany. It stretches across two separate regions separated by the South China Sea: Peninsular Malaysia and the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo. Malaysia has modern cities such as Kuala Lumpur, tropical rainforests such as Taman Negara and beautiful beaches on the Perhentian Islands and in Langkawi.
It borders the following countries, which can be entered by land or ferry. It is located in the middle of Singapore and Thailand. There is even the option of taking a train from Singapore to Bangkok, but this option is very expensive. From Singapore, we simply took a one-hour bus ride across the border and had our passport and border control there.
We then wanted to travel from Kuala Lumpur via George Town to Langkawi to take the ferry to Thailand. However, the ferry doesn’t run during the rainy season, only between October and May. Easy travel between the countries is perfect for backpackers.
Malaysia has a rainy season from October to January, although rain showers can occur in between. The average temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius, making it warm all year round.
The people are very friendly and mostly speak English. On Borneo, they seemed even friendlier to us. The homestays and restaurants in particular are often family-run businesses and give you a warm welcome.
Language
The official language in Malaysia is Malay (Bahasa Malaysia). However, English is widely spoken, especially in urban areas and tourist regions. There are also many local dialects and languages, including Chinese and Tamil.
As it is important to us as travelers in a foreign country to immerse ourselves in the language, we like to look at the most important terms in advance and use them in everyday life. This also builds a good relationship with the locals because you show interest in the culture and the country. They are also always happy to help you with pronunciation and teach you other words.
Here is a small list of words in Malay for beginners:
- Hello – Halo
- Thank you – Terima kasih
- Good Bye – Selamat tinggal
- No – Tidak
- Yes – Ya
- Please – Tolong
- Excuse me – Maaf
- How are you? – Apa khabar?
- Good morning – Selamat pagi
- Good day – Selamat tengah hari / Selamat petang
- Where is…? – Di mana…?
- How much does it cost? – Berapa harganya?
- Delicious- Sedap
- Water – Air
- Food – Makanan
- Bathroom/Toilette – Bilik mandi/Tandas
- Without – Tanpa
- Meat – Daging
- Fish – Ikan
- Vegetarian – Vegetarian
Time difference
Malaysia is in the GMT+8 time zone, which means that it is seven hours ahead of German time in winter and six hours ahead in summer.
Visa
With a German passport, you do not need a visa and can stay in Malaysia for a full 90 days. Proof of departure must be presented on entry. This is often in the form of a flight ticket or confirmation of onward travel to a neighboring country.
On Borneo, we needed a different visa to enter Kuching, Sarawak, which was issued to us quite simply at the airport in Kuching.
Currency
The official currency of Malaysia is the ringgit (MYR). The exchange rate fluctuates but averages around 1 Euro = 5 MYR. Credit cards are accepted in most urban areas, but it is advisable to always have some cash with you for small purchases. Especially in the very popular places Taman Negara and also at the Perhentian Islands there are no ATMs and you urgently need cash in advance, otherwise you might not be able to afford a tour or even buy food. No joke, this happened to someone in Taman Negara during our time there.
Food
In Malaysia there is a wide variety of food and supermarkets to cook for yourself. Malaysian cuisine is an exciting mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian influences. The most famous dishes include nasi lemak, roti canai and satay. The food is often spicy, but there are also many mild options.
In the often very good-looking bakeries, however, we missed pastries without sugar, as a cheese roll also contained pure sugar as a topping, which we didn’t like.
The prices for a meal varied between MYR 5 and 20 and were therefore very affordable.
Overall, we always enjoyed everything and there is something different to discover in the different places. Our favorite dishes included nasi lemak, roti canai and satay tempeh. Nasi lemak includes Malaysian coconut rice drizzled with an anchovy and hot chili sauce and topped with fried anchovies, fried peanuts, cucumber slices and hard-boiled egg. As vegetarians, we had a tempeh alternative which was delicious. These are just a few of the delicious and often very healthy dishes.
Means of transportation
The transport system in Malaysia is well developed, especially in the cities, and therefore perfectly adapted for travelers like us with buses, e-hailing and cabs. For longer distances to Borneo or within Malaysia, flights are also quite cheap at around €30.
App Grab: It‘ s best to download the app in advance and then you can call a cab from anywhere. Comparable to Uber. The difference to regular cabs is that the price is already fixed in advance and is paid directly when booking via the app. This means you don’t need cash and the price doesn’t change during the journey. You get the verified name of the driver, the license plate, the type of car and can share the location or the journey with someone, so you feel really safe. We continue to use the Grab app as much as possible. We were able to test a trial month of Grab Unlimited, which included numerous coupons, making it even more attractive to use. Grab not only allows you to book cars, but also scooters, which then transport you from one place to another.
Cab: There you will find a taximeter and the actual price only becomes clear at the end of the journey. Unfortunately, these taximeters are often manipulated and the previously discussed price is far exceeded. The advantage: cabs are available everywhere, even where Grab is prohibited or not available. They are often more expensive than Grab and charge according to the taximeter. Sometimes the prices can also be fixed in advance so that no additional costs are added.
InDrive and Maxime: Similar to Grab, these are apps where you can find drivers for a cheaper price than with Grab. Highly recommended, especially between cities such as Taman Negara or on Borneo. The difference is that although the price is displayed via the app, the amount is firstly paid in cash and tolls, especially in Kuala Lumpur, are paid by the driver. This means that a few MYR are still added to the total price displayed. You also indicate how much you are willing to pay for the route and the drivers can send you a counter offer.
Buses: There are many buses throughout Malaysia. There are small buses in the form of 9-seater sprinters, 15-seater 25-seater buses and even larger coaches. Tickets can be booked at tour offices or online. We use the website 12go.
Train: There is a train system within Kuala Lumpur and also to Singapore and Thailand, but we always used e-hailing as an alternative as we weren’t often in the city center and therefore didn’t have access to the train. The tickets can be booked via 12go, on site at the ticket counter. You have to get a card in advance, which you use to pay for public transport.
Ferry: We used the ferry to get to Perhentian Island. This took around 40 minutes. Tickets are available directly at the Besut Jetty and it’s worth getting a round trip ticket with an open date. A trip costs 35 MYR and a round trip 70 MYR. By bargaining at the tour office, we got the ticket for 50 MYR. The boat is very small and open and unlike a meeting point, you are taken directly to the beach where your booked accommodation is located. Within the islands you can reach popular beaches and snorkeling spots by cab boat.
Flight: Sometimes the prices for a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu are cheaper than the bus if you are in a hurry and don’t plan a stopover on the way. Flights from Kota Bharu and Kuala Lumpur to Borneo usually start at €30 per person and are very cheap. It is best to fly from Kuching to Sabah, as the overland route takes a long time and passes through Brunei. If you have the time and inclination, you can make stops along the way.
On foot: To save money and work on our fitness, we always wanted to walk as much as possible. Walking is the best way to explore. However, even here the sidewalks often stopped or were blocked by cars. In Kuala Lumpur itself, the sights can be easily reached on foot, but it is a lot of walking and the low e-hailing prices make it worthwhile to be driven.
Scooters: In some places you can easily hire scooters. A scooter should always be used with caution and at your own risk. There are small places where it makes a lot of sense, as there is little traffic, but in the big cities you should leave the driving to the professionals. And wearing a helmet should not be a question, if there is no helmet available, you should rent the scooter somewhere else.
SIM card
If you want to book your SIM card in advance, you can do this easily and conveniently using the Airalo or Nomad app. However, you can also find these everywhere and on every corner. They are slightly more expensive at the airport than in the typical tour stores in the city. Here you hand in your cell phone and the staff take care of activating it. Everything is set so that the German number continues to work for WhatsApp.
We bought our sim card for Malaysia via Nomad.
Excursions and activities
Klook is an app that allows you to book various activities at a lower price. It is particularly well known and popular in Asia.
GetYourGuide is also a globally known and popular app for booking excursions. These can almost always be canceled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. We ourselves have tested GetYourGuide in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, Tenerife, Turkey, Egypt and the Dominican Republic, and have never been disappointed.
Excursions can also be booked locally the day before or on the day in most accommodations or small street stores. Many accommodations send a WhatsApp list of options after booking or if you want to plan in advance, ask your accommodation directly. Ours even offered a free daily city tour with a local.
Accommodation
We usually book our accommodation either via Booking.com or Airbnb. If you make several bookings with Booking.com, you get different Genius levels and therefore discounts or other benefits. These often include free breakfast and special offers. However, we have often compared the prices with Agoda.
Our itinerary
Singapur→🚌
Kuala Lumpur → 🚗
Taman Negara → 🚌
Kuala Besut → ⛴️
Perhentian Islands → ⛴️🚌
Kota Bharu → ✈️
Kuching → ✈️
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is known for its impressive skyline, which is dominated by the iconic Petronas Towers. The city combines modern architecture with traditional culture, as in the historic district around Merdeka Square. In Kuala Lumpur, different cultures can be found in Little India and Chinatown, which is reflected in the variety of cuisine and the numerous religious sites such as the National Mosque and the Hindu Batu Caves. Shopping fans get their money’s worth in the luxurious malls that can be found everywhere.
Taman Negara
Taman Negara is Malaysia’s oldest national park and a paradise for nature lovers. The dense rainforest, which is one of the oldest in the world, is home to an incredible variety of species. Visitors can hike along jungle trails, explore the canopy walkway in the treetops or take a boat trip on the Tembeling River. Taman Negara also offers the opportunity to observe fascinating wildlife such as tapirs, elephants and rare birds in their natural habitat. There are numerous tours on offer, from night hikes or boat trips to 7-day hikes into the depths of the forest. We opted for a 2-day tour with an overnight stay in a cave.
We wrote about our adventure with the overnight stay in a cave on our website.Taman Negara is Malaysia’s oldest national park and a paradise for nature lovers. The dense rainforest, which is one of the oldest in the world, is home to an incredible variety of species. Visitors can hike along jungle trails, explore the canopy walkway in the treetops or take a boat trip on the Tembeling River. Taman Negara also offers the opportunity to observe fascinating wildlife such as tapirs, elephants and rare birds in their natural habitat. There are numerous tours on offer, from night hikes or boat trips to 7-day hikes into the depths of the forest. We opted for a 2-day tour with an overnight stay in a cave.
We wrote about our adventure with the overnight stay in a cave on our website.
Perhentian Islands
The Perhentian Islands, consisting of the two main islands of Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil, are a real paradise for beach lovers and divers. The islands offer crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches and colorful coral reefs. The relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to swim with sea turtles and tropical fish make the Perhentian Islands a popular destination for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The prices are very reasonable and invite inexperienced divers to take their diving license at a reasonable price or to explore the underwater world even more closely with their existing diving license.
Kuching
Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak on Borneo, is often referred to as the “cat city”. The city is located on the Sarawak River and is known for its well-preserved colonial architecture, such as the Sarawak Museum. Kuching is the gateway to some of Malaysia’s most beautiful nature parks, including the Bako National Park and the Semenggoh Wildlife Center, where you can observe orangutans in the wild. There is even a free bus that also goes to the airport. This can also be followed live in the app. The city itself offers a delightful mix of cultural attractions and culinary experiences. It is the perfect starting point for day trips around Kuching.
We have written some information about the Bako National Park and Kuching in our article about Borneo.
Cost breakdown
We always keep our costs up to date in an Excel spreadsheet and divide them into 6 different areas. This means we always know exactly what we have spent, when and on what and can generate reports. For 44 days in Malaysia, including the flights to Borneo, we spent a total of €2,196.42 for 2 people.
Our conclusion
Malaysia is a real wonderland for us. We arrived with absolutely no expectations and have had so many experiences and unique adventures. It has so much to offer, has comparatively high standards for South East Asia and is still incredibly cheap, so we got a meal for just one euro.
We would recommend everyone to explore this diverse country for themselves. The airports in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore make it easy to get there from Europe. There are mountains, rainforests and beautiful stretches of coastline and beaches. Thanks to this great diversity, Malaysia really offers something for every visitor. Malaysia also includes a part of the 3rd largest island in the world: Borneo. And you have to visit it.
Borneo`s Big 5
Similar to Africa, Borneo is home to the so-called Big 5. These include the orangutan (which can only be found on Borneo and in Sumatra), the proboscis monkey, pygmy elephant, hornbill and the striped crocodile. The best chance of seeing all of the Big 5 is definitely in Sabah. This part of Borneo is also part of Malaysia.
We would definitely come back and fly to Sabah on Borneo and book accommodation on the Kinabatang River to have the best possible chance of seeing all the Big 5 that didn’t show up last time. As divers, we would also go to Sipadan to spend the night in small bamboo huts directly on the sea, similar to the Maldives, and enjoy the breathtaking underwater world there.
In Kota Kinabalu, you can climb Kinabalu Mountain, which is not exactly small at 4,095 meters high.
On the Malaysian mainland, we would also visit the city of Georgetown with its street art and the island of Langkawi.
So we are very grateful and satisfied with our time in Malaysia and definitely say thank you and see you soon in Borneo!