8 Things to Know Before Travelling to Malaysia

This article is sponsored by AirAsia.

Malaysia is calling: the Southeast Asian country is ripe with rich history, a world-class food culture where street vendors offer some of the best meals you’ll ever have, spectacular natural wonders, rainforests and pristine beaches, and a diverse culture spanning languages and diasporic communities.

And travelling to Malaysia has never been easier, too. With AirAsia announcing direct flights from Perth, Sydney and Melbourne to the capital Kuala Lumpur — three times a week from Perth and Melbourne, and twice a week from Sydney — travelling to Malaysia is now a breeze.

To celebrate the current opening sale, where flights booked between Monday, September 26 and October 2 range from $209-489, with premium flatbed flights available from $769-2539, we’ve round up six essentials you need to prepare or be aware of before travelling to Malaysia — in order to make sure you have the best time.

Seasons

A tropical climate, Malaysia is hot and humid year-round — though its coasts experience the wet season at opposite times, meaning it’s a perfect beach getaway at any time of the year.

Malaysia’s West Coast — featuring the likes of Penang, Langkawi and Pangkor — experiences its wet season from April to October, though it’s usually brief and in the afternoon. The East Coast’s wet season runs from November to February and tends to be heavier. Even in ‘dry seasons’, showers and the occasional downpour occur due to the humidity, though it’s often a welcome respite.

Food & Drink

Malaysia is a must-visit destination for any hardcore foodie. Across the country, you’ll be able to indulge in a variety of cuisines (including Malay, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Arabian, and Western). However, the star of the show is the Malay and Indian dishes like nasi lemak, roti canai, chapati, and biryani you’ll find in abundance. Any good meal deserves to be capped off with a drink at one of Kuala Lumpur’s famous rooftop bars. Marini’s on 57, Man Tao Bar, and Fuego @ Troika Sky Dining are some of the chicest the city has on offer.

Natural Landmarks

While Kuala Lumpur’s bustling city centre may be the main attraction, Malaysia’s natural landmarks are essential for any tourist too. Taman Negera National Park — the oldest tropical rainforest in the world — is in Malaysia and is great for multi-day trekkings or smaller, pleasant hikes. There are also plenty of paradise-like beaches to visit too, including Pangkor Island, Perhentian Island, Redang Island and Penang.

COVID-19 Restrictions

As of August 2022, Malaysia has severely relaxed its COVID-19 restrictions for travellers. You are no longer required to test pre-departure or on arrival, nor download a contact-tracing app and fill in your details. However, if thermal scanners upon arrival find you have a fever, you will have to comply with examination for COVID-19, monkeypox or MERS-CoV. And if you do have COVID-19, you’ll be required to isolate for seven days.

Masking remains mandatory in indoor spaces, though for the most up-to-date advice on COVID restrictions, check Smart Traveller.

Cultural Sensitivity & Laws

While Malaysia is a diverse, multi-religious country, the majority of Malaysians are practicing Muslims — and technically, all Malays are Muslim, as per the country’s constitution. Sharia law is practiced but only applies to Muslims, including Muslim visitors.

As a non-Muslim visitor, wearing clothing that reveals your shoulders, hips, legs and stomach should be fine within major cities like Kuala Lumpur, though particularly revealing clothes may attract negative attention. For regional areas or less tourist-prone sites, it’s worth researching dress expectations. When visiting religious sites, covering your body is necessary as a sign of respect: moving around with a travel jacket, scarf and light, loose-fitting pants will be handy.

Use or possession of illegal drugs is severely penalised including the death penalty in Malaysia, including for travellers. Don’t risk it!

Health

As a traveller, there are several diseases and health issues to be aware of before heading to Malaysia. There are multiple insect-borne diseases within Malaysia, with increased risk during the country’s wet season.

A GP visit prior to travel is essential, in order to be vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis and to consider getting preventative Malaria medication, especially if you are travelling into rural areas. Outbreaks of insect-borne diseases like dengue and Zika virus can occur, too — it’s best to research regions before visiting for up-to-date health information. Using insect repellent and long clothing will help protect you from infection.

It’s also safest to drink only water from bottles with sealed lids, due to waterborne diseases. Avoid ice cubes and uncooked foods, and pack medication like Gastro-Stop and other indigestion and rehydration aids.

How To Pack

Given the hot, humid climate, packing lightweight, breathable clothes is key for Malaysia. Rain is common and sporadic, so travelling with a light, waterproof jacket is a must, too.

Despite the heat, it’s a good idea to pack clothing that covers your body in addition to singlets, shorts & dresses — especially if you’re planning on visiting rural or religious sites. (Packing a scarf to drape around bare shoulders would work for religious sites, too.) Coverage will also help protect against mosquitos, which are especially prevalent during the wet season. Insect repellant is a must, as are sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.

You’ll also need a travel adaptor plug — Malaysia uses the same socket type found in the UK. Our voltage difference is minimal (230V vs. 240v), meaning a separate voltage adaptor is not necessary for most Australian-bought electronics.

Language

While Malay is the official language of Malaysia, many people speak and understand English, as it’s compulsory to learn up to secondary schooling. Still, learning basic Malay words may be useful, especially when travelling in regional areas, and it will help curry favour with locals, too. Malay has many dialects, and you’ll also hear Tamil and Chinese dialects repeatedly, too.

To celebrate being crowned the World’s Best Low Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022 for the 13th consecutive year, AirAsia has put millions of flights on sale this week across its vast network. They start from $189 to Auckland, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok direct from Australia.

You can scope out all of AirAsia’s discounted deals on direct flights to Malaysia, here.