MY · Travel guide
Malaysia
Sabah and Sarawak have separate immigration controls from Peninsular Malaysia. If your trip includes Malaysian Borneo, expect an immigration check even when travelling on a domestic flight and keep your passport accessible rather than packing it in checked luggage.
Quick facts
- Currency
- MYR
- Main language
- Malay
- Calling code
- +60
- Driving side
- left
- Plug types
- Type G
Power
240 V · 50 Hz
Tipping
Tipping is not part of normal everyday Malaysian culture and is generally optional.
- Hawker stalls and casual local restaurants: locals normally pay the stated price without leaving a tip.
- Restaurants and hotels: many mid-range and higher-end businesses add a service charge, commonly 10 per cent, so check the bill before adding anything extra.
- Taxis and Grab: no tip is expected; rounding up is sufficient if you want to leave something.
- Hotels and guides: small cash tips may be appreciated in tourist-facing services, but they are discretionary rather than expected.
Tourist hotels and organised tours can make tipping seem more common than it is in everyday Malaysian life. There is no need to apply US-style percentage tipping.
Getting around
Malaysia is split between Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo, so domestic flights are useful for longer journeys and almost essential when combining the two. On the peninsula, trains and coaches connect many major destinations, while taxis and ride-hailing are particularly useful for local travel.
Trains and coaches
KTMB's ETS trains provide fast intercity travel along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Butterworth and destinations further north and south. KTM Intercity serves additional routes, including the east coast.
Long-distance coaches reach many places that are not convenient by rail, so compare both options when travelling between cities.
Local transport and Grab
Kuala Lumpur has an extensive urban rail network, but public transport varies considerably elsewhere. Grab is widely used for local journeys and can be especially convenient when a destination is poorly connected by bus or rail. Fares are shown before booking, although tolls or other surcharges may be additional.
Driving and tolls
Hiring a car can work well for exploring Peninsular Malaysia, but major expressways use electronic toll payments rather than cash. Touch 'n Go is widely used, with RFID available on equipped vehicles and selected locations trialling card payments.
If you hire a car, ask how tolls are paid before leaving the rental desk rather than assuming you can pay cash at the barrier.
Everyday essentials
Monsoons and beach trips
Malaysia does not have one simple nationwide dry season. The northeast monsoon, normally from November to March, brings particularly heavy rain to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Sabah and Sarawak.
If your trip is centred on beaches or islands, check the specific coast and destination rather than relying on a general Malaysia weather guide. Boat services and resort activity can be affected during wetter periods.
Payments and hotel tax
Cards and mobile payments are widespread in cities, but keep some ringgit for markets, hawker stalls and smaller businesses. DuitNow QR is extremely common locally, although whether a foreign banking app can use it depends on the country and payment network.
Foreign visitors are generally charged a RM10 tourism tax per room per night at registered accommodation, so this may appear separately from the advertised room price.
Local customs
Dress and religious sites
Malaysia is multicultural but majority Muslim, and standards are generally more conservative away from beach resorts and nightlife areas. Dress modestly when visiting mosques, religious sites, government buildings and more traditional communities.
Mosques normally require covered shoulders and legs and shoes must be removed before entering. Some provide robes or head coverings for visitors.
Rules visitors can easily miss
Drug laws
Malaysia has very strict drug laws, including for cannabis. Do not carry recreational drugs into the country, including when merely transiting through a Malaysian airport.
Even small quantities can result in arrest and severe penalties, while trafficking offences can carry exceptionally serious sentences.