Sightseeing Cities, exotic islands, beaches, rainforests and tropical jungles, mountains and marine life, temples, historical monuments, palaces and hill stations.
Accommodation
Wide range of accommodations from six-star to medium range, luxury beach resorts, city centre hotels, theme park resorts, romantic hideaways, mountain retreats and island getaways are available.
Family activities
Have fun under the sun with its myriad of theme and amusement parks, water theme parks, wildlife reserves and cultural parks situated throughout the country. Surrounded by lush greenery and perfect weather, get wild and crazy at Malaysia’s parks and indulge in a bit of culture. Fun and excitement awaits the adventurous soul.
Shopping
What you can buy – Gold, gemstones, electronic equipment, clothes, gold and silver embroidery, designer goods, handicrafts, wood carvings, pottery, brassware, silverware, pewter and batik.
Where you can buy – Modern shopping complexes and malls. There are roadside stalls, bazaars and night markets in towns throughout the country. Bargaining at night markets is acceptable. It can be quite a humorous exercise as the traders are generally enthusiastic and friendly. The exemption of duty on a range of items has resulted in more competitive pricing and makes shopping in Malaysia an even more attractive option. Malaysian duty-free zones are the islands of Langkawi and Labuan.
Entertainment
Entertainment is diverse – there are discothèques, bars and karaoke houses; nightclubs and supper clubs combining fine food and live entertainment; Malaysian cultural shows.
Sports and leisure
Golf, water sports, diving and snorkelling, deep sea fishing, mountain climbing, wellness centres and spas.
Honeymoon
Spend a blissful honeymoon on the tranquil islands of Langkawi and Penang or exotic Kota Kinabalu.
Sepang Formula One Grand Prix (April); Colours of Malaysia (June); Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival (July – September); Malaysia A1 Grand Prix (October); Malaysia Savings Sale (December).
Visas:
Visas are not required for a holiday or a business trip by nationals of the following countries for a stay of up to three months:
Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia - Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Slovak Republic, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay.
Visas are not required for a holiday or a business trip by nationals of the following countries for a stay of up to 30 days:
Antigua and Bermuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cyprus, El Salvador, Equador, Estonia, Fiji, Georgia, Greece, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, North Korea, Russia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen and Zaire.
Health requirements:
No compulsory vaccinations are required. However, a yellow fever certificate is required for travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas. Countries formerly classified as endemic by the World Health Organisation are considered infected areas by the Malaysian authorities.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
Currency:
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) and sens.
Notes in denominations of MYR100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.
Coins in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 sens and 1 sen.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = MYR0.95
EUR1 = MYR4.65
USD1 = MYR3.48
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
Banking hours - 0930 to 1500 hours, Monday - Friday.
The country’s regulations require all visitors to declare the amount of local and foreign currency in their possession on arrival in to the country and departure from the country. Traveller’s Declaration Form (TDF) for this purpose can be obtained from entry/exit points in Malaysia.
There is no restriction on the import of foreign currency. Export of foreign currency is limited to the amount imported. Local currency import and export is restricted to MYR1,000.
Currency exchange is offered by most hotels.
Commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Diners Club International, MasterCard and Visa. Local currency can be withdrawn from the numerous automated teller machines (ATMs) in the city and at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
All banks, hotels and large department stores accept travellers cheques. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, visitors are advised to get travellers cheques issued either in Pound Sterling or in US Dollars.
Clothing:
Lightweight cotton clothing and linens are recommended throughout the year. In addition, rainwear is usually required all year long.
Airport information:
Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur International Airport (known as KLIA) is 70 kilometres from the city centre. The airport information telephone number is 03 8777 8888 or 8776 4389.
Penang - Bayan Lepas International Airport is 27 kilometres from Penang city. The airport information telephone number is 04 648 2111.
Langkawi - Langkawi International Airport is 25 kilometres from Kuah town. The airport information telephone number is 04 955 1311.
Kota Kinabalu - Kota Kinabalu International Airport is seven kilometres from Kota Kinabalu city centre. The airport information telephone number is 088 219195.
Customs:
Duty free allowance for visitors is 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 grams of tobacco; one litre of spirits or wine or malt liquor; one bottle of perfume up to the value of MYR200; and gifts and souvenirs not exceeding the total value of MYR200.
The following items are prohibited:
• Firearms and explosives
• Pornography of any kind
• All goods from Haiti and Israel
• Counterfeit notes or coins
• Clothes bearing the imprint or reproduction of any verses from the Holy Quran
• Narcotic drugs, poisons, industrial and hazardous chemicals
Note: Trafficking of illegal drugs is a serious offence in Malaysia and carries the death penalty.
Departure tax:
Departure tax of MYR51 per person for international departures and MYR9 per person for domestic departures is applicable for persons over the age of two. This tax can also be pre-paid with the airline ticket cost at the time of purchase.
Driving licence:
Driving is on the left-hand side of the road and an International Driving Permit is required.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Police and ambulance - 999
Fire - 994
Tourist Police - 03 2163 4422
Hours of work:
Business: 0830 to 1730 hours, Monday - Friday,
0830 to 1200 hours, Saturday.
Government Offices: 0800 to 1630 hours, Monday - Friday.
Offices and banks are closed on every first and third Saturday of the month, every Sunday and on public holidays.
Shopping: 1000 to 2200 hours, daily.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st January - New Year’s Day
1st May - Labour Day
31st August - National Day
25th December - Christmas Day
Public holidays (moveable):
February - Chinese New Year
February - Hari Raya Qurban Celebration
March - Maal Hijrah
April - Thaipusam
May - Wesak Day
- Maulidur Rasul
June (1st Saturday) - Birthday of SPB Yang di Pertuan Agong
November - Deepawali
November - Hari Raya
Time zone:
GMT + 8 hours.
Language:
Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, although English is widely spoken. Other languages spoken are Chinese (Mandarin), Iban and Tamil.
Tipping:
A 10 per cent service charge plus a five per cent government tax is added to most bills. Extra tipping is optional. In Langkawi, the five per cent government tax is not applicable, as it is a duty free zone.
Dress code:
A formal suit is recommended for business meetings. Visitors are requested to dress modestly when visiting places of worship - it is important to wear garments that cover the arms and legs.
Electricity:
240 volts, 50 cycles AC.
Safety tips:
Malaysia is a safe destination. However, it is advisable to keep valuables and passports in the safety deposit boxes provided by all hotels.