Each country has its own customs which means that you have to approach each place differently every time you travel. While we have experience, there were definitely still things we wished we’d known before we set foot in Malaysia, so here’s a quick guide to what we we think are important in travelling the colourful country of Malaysia!

All the information is also mentioned in the video above, if it makes for easier retention.

General Travel

We make it a must to bring tissues, wet wipes, and hand sanitisers. Getting sick on trips is not fun by any definition, and even if these three items aren’t completely effective in maintaining hygiene, it sure can help minimise exposure to bacteria. They’re also handy in places which may be lacking in basics, such as in restaurants which don’t provide tissues, or in bathrooms with no soap, or in small local restaurants, which often don’t provide napkins.

Bathrooms

This isn’t necessarily everywhere, but it’s still something you have to expect in Southeast Asia, especially in smaller cities. Some public bathrooms don’t offer toilet paper, so make sure you have some ready or check before entering the cubical. This is because the use of bidets is still widespread, as compared to wiping.

In many cases there are communal toilet rolls in the bathroom where the hand dryers might be. Check for one of these and grab some before going in. Even if there’s toilet paper in the cubical, it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Weather

Umbrellas are also a very handy item to have. While the rain often only lasts an hour at most according to a few locals we talked to, umbrellas are also very useful for sun protection. The heat is bearable but direct sun on your skin or head can cause you to overheat quickly. In Malaysia, it’s common to see locals use umbrellas as they walk around under the sun, and we highly recommend the same. Umbrellas are generally found in convenience stores, so even if you don’t bring one, you can usually find one for cheap.

Transport

Public transport in smaller cities may not be super convenient, but that’s where Grab comes into play. Grab is a rideshare app, the Southeast Asian equivalent of Uber or Lyft. In Malaysia, there seems to be a base price of around RM4 (US$1), but it is very common, used by locals and tourists alike. It is much cheaper than taxis and far more reliable, but just like Uber the price can fluctuate depending on the time of day and demand for cars.

Buses do not give change. It is important to be carrying small change when taking buses. Tell the driver your destination, and you’ll be told the fare. The money is slotted directly into a machine, which spits out a ticket and nothing else. Don’t be caught short of cash and having to pay up RM100 for a RM2 ride.

Language

Malaysia, being multi-cultural, speaks many languages. English is one of them, amongst Malay, several dialects of Chinese, and a few Indian languages. That being said, many people don’t speak English to western-standard fluency. As with any country, speak slowly and clearly, but not condescendingly. Even those without great English will do their best to communicate, even if that means gesturing.

Supermarkets and Convenience Stores

Once more, this is more applicable in smaller cities (including Ipoh and Penang) and outside of central Kuala Lumpur. 7-11s are fairly easy to find, but they won’t be as stocked as in places like Singapore. The prices will unsurprisingly be higher than in local shops or supermarkets, but they won’t be outrageous as Southeast Asia is generally very cheap.

In smaller cities, it’s not common to find ready-to-eat meals. Frozen meals may be more common, but it will be a small variety and may not cater to dietary requirements. There is usually packaged bread, and of course hordes of cup noodles.

Supermarkets are difficult to find anywhere but the basement of major malls. Only large malls will have supermarkets that resemble western-style grocery stores, so don’t expect too much if you’re looking for one in your area.

Coffee Shops, Restaurants, and Hawker Centres

This covers smaller local eateries, rather than established hotel restaurants, fast food chains, or those you might find in malls. On Google, many establishments are listed as coffee shop (kedai kopi) or restaurant (restoran), but much of the time they are what some people might consider “hawkers”, where multiple vendors operate out of one shared space. From our observation, these sorts of places are actually an established drink shop where food hawkers sell food. Usually, the beverage menu is a large plaque on the wall and the counter is located fairly central. In these cases, it is polite to order a drink, as you are using their space.

Also be wary of opening times in smaller cities. While places like Kuala Lumpur have longer and more regular hours, we found that in Penang and Ipoh, some restaurants opened only for 6 hours a day, and at any time of day. Despite food being readily available everywhere, we found that often for every place that was open, there were 2 or 3 that were closed. Because of this, make sure you check the opening times and days if you’re interested in visiting particular restaurants, or you may find yourself stranded and hungry, or rushing to finish.

There is also the common debate: are the famous restaurants worth going out of your way for?

Our personal opinion is that, it is not. In some cases we have dined at smaller or less-famous establishments as well as the big names, and for the most part they are just as good, or sometimes even better than the famous spots. In any case, try your hand and eat whatever you feel like having nearby. If you’ve only had the dish once because you’re only there for a short time, it will become your standard, and you’ll never know the difference.

A recommendation is to search up the local reviews on Google, or follow the lines, which are more often than not a reliable way of getting good local recommendation without hassle. Or else, ask for recommendations from your hotel clerk, your AirBnb hosts, or even your Grab driver! They’re usually happy to help.

Tips for Penang

Penang is undoubtedly more touristy than KL or Ipoh, as it is a famed eating city which is small, easy to travel, and very budget-friendly. Be warned that it is quite crowded, and in many cases the streets are sometimes not too well-maintained.

That being said, tourist information is everywhere. There are a couple of information centres whose staff speak fluent English who are happy to point you where you need to go or make recommendations on what to do or where to eat. Pick up the brochures, as they have seasonal information, such as information on free walking tours.

Another handy thing to know is there is a free bus in Penang called the CAT (Central Area Transit) Shuttle Bus. They run every 15-20 minutes in a loop. The routes are available on one of the tourist brochures, which we relied heavily on. Take note that these do not leave the suburb, but there appears to be CAT buses in each region, as we spotted a CAT5 in Gurney area.

Tips for Ipoh

Ipoh is considerably less crowded than Penang or Kuala Lumpur, and is often regarded as a hidden eating city. It’s split up into the Old Town area, which consists of the famous painted murals, old architecture such as the Town Hall or Railway Station, and the popular white coffee kedai kopi, as well as the New Town, which has more restaurants and accommodation. While the area is a little spread out, much of it is still accessible by foot, as the main area is only a couple of kilometres in diameter.

However, public transport is less ideal here, as there seem to be fewer buses throughout the city. Nonetheless, Grab is very easy to use if you’ve got the app downloaded, and you often don’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a driver.

Tips for Kuala Lumpur

Generally, Kuala Lumpur, at least in the central areas, are much more modern. They have much more food options available and open for longer hours, so food is no concern. Convenience stores here are also more stocked.

Jalan Alor: A Huge Tourist Trap

We went to Jalan Alor with fairly high hopes, as it’s the night market that everyone visits when they’re around. We found that it was structured more of a wide road that was closed off in the evening, with large restaurants on either side selling mostly seafood though at a seemingly higher price. People may be willing to pay up that much for seafood, which is fair, as we found it to be cheaper than what we get back home, just not as much as we expected.

While there were street stalls, the prices are substantially greater than other establishments we’d been to. One example was the mango shake, which we bought in the Jalan TAR night market for RM5 (US$1.25), but in Jalan Alor we saw it for RM12 (US$3). A mango drink of that size may still be reasonable for foreigners, but having had a comparison we decided it wasn’t for us, and ended up not eating there. We still highly recommend the Jalan TAR night market, but it only runs on Saturday evenings and may be a little far for some people staying nearer to the Jalan Alor night market. If not, there are other local night markets that often only happen once a week, which makes rotations around Kuala Lumpur, and we encourage that you try those out instead.

Transport

Trains are very reliable, though not as frequent as cities such as Singapore. During peak hours, the trains run every 7-10 minutes and cost between RM1.5-3 (less than US$1) for a ride.

You can buy cashless cards at the airport or train stations for RM20 (RM10 for the card, with RM10 credit) which saves about 20 sen to RM1 per ride depending on how far you’re going. If you’re visiting for a short time with no plans to travel frequently by train, it’s likely not necessary to purchase a card, though they can save time.

Otherwise, train tickets are purchased at machines. A token is given as a ticket, which is scanned at the entry gates like a transport card, and slotted into the slot at the ticket gates during exit.

Getting to the Airport

There is an express train running from KL Sentral to KLIA for RM55 (~US$14) per person. While this may be fine for solo travellers, it isn’t that great of a deal for groups of two or larger, as we hired a Grab from Chinatown area to KLIA for RM65 (plus RM8 for toll), which took us immediately to the terminal and gate we needed in about 45 minutes.

Alternatively there are airport coaches that run from KL Sentral for only RM10 per person. This is great if you’re travelling on a budget.

Malaysia is a country with amazing food, great sights, and friendly people. It’s also super budget-friendly and easy for English-speakers to navigate, making it a great country for budding travellers. Make sure you’re aware of the heat, drink plenty of water, but best of all, look forward to visiting!