Malaysia

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, but English is widely spoken, especially in cities and tourist areas, a legacy of British colonial rule. Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, and Tamil are also common given the country's Chinese and Indian communities. Malay uses the Latin alphabet, so signage is easy to read even without knowing the language.

Prepaid tourist SIM cards and eSIMs are sold at the airport and in convenience stores; registering one requires showing a passport, as it does for local SIMs too. Coverage is strong across the peninsula and in and around the main Bornean cities, though it thins out in remote rainforest areas.

Tap water is treated but not usually drunk straight from the tap even by locals; stick to bottled or filtered water. Pharmacies are common in cities and malls. As in much of tropical Southeast Asia, mosquito-borne dengue fever occurs year-round, so use repellent, especially at dawn and dusk.

Many nationalities, including most of the EU, the UK, the US, Australia, and most ASEAN countries, can enter visa-free for a stay of 30 to 90 days depending on nationality. Travelers from other countries can usually apply for an eVisa online before departure.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

• Remove shoes before entering homes, mosques, and some temples.
• Dress modestly at religious sites - shoulders and knees covered; some mosques provide robes for visitors who need one.
• Use your right hand for eating, giving, and receiving, especially in Malay and Indian households.
• Avoid pointing your feet at people or religious objects, and avoid touching someone's head.
• During Ramadan, be discreet about eating or drinking in public during daylight hours in more conservative areas.
• A handshake is common, but wait for a woman to offer her hand first in more conservative Muslim settings; a slight nod or smile is a safe alternative.

Malaysia's mix of Muslim, Chinese, Hindu, and Christian communities means a long calendar of public holidays, and many follow lunar or religious calendars that shift each year. In the more conservative east-coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu, the weekly rest day is Friday-Saturday rather than the Saturday-Sunday used nationally, so shops and offices there follow a different weekly rhythm.

During Ramadan, some restaurants in Muslim-majority areas open shorter hours during the day and get busy after sunset for the breaking of the fast.

• By train: The KTM network covers the peninsula, with the faster ETS service running between Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Butterworth (for Penang). Book through KTMB.
• By air: Domestic flights are the practical way to reach Sabah and Sarawak, on Borneo, since they are separated from the peninsula by the South China Sea. AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines both fly these routes, and flights are also useful for reaching some islands.
• By bus: An extensive, cheap intercity coach network connects almost every town on the peninsula.
• Driving is on the left, as in the UK - a rented car is a practical way to explore places like Penang or Pahang's hill country at your own pace.

Malaysian food blends Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Peranakan (Nyonya) traditions, and eating out at a hawker center or food court is central to daily life for locals as much as visitors. Nasi lemak - rice cooked in coconut milk, served with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, and egg - is considered the national dish, usually eaten for breakfast but available all day.

Other dishes to try include satay (grilled skewers with peanut sauce), laksa (a spicy noodle soup with many regional versions), roti canai (a flaky flatbread served with curry), and char kway teow (stir-fried flat noodles). Teh tarik, a frothy pulled milk tea, is the everyday drink of choice. Because Malaysia is majority Muslim, most food is halal, and alcohol is easy to find in cities but less available in more conservative rural areas, particularly on the east coast.

Kuala Lumpur, the capital, is most travelers' starting point, with Selangor surrounding it. Penang and Malacca are the country's best-known heritage cities, both with old colonial-era town centers. Kedah is home to the island of Langkawi, a popular beach destination, while Pahang has the cool hill country of the Cameron Highlands. Terengganu and Kelantan on the east coast are known for islands and a more traditional, conservative character - note that the northeast monsoon closes many east-coast islands and resorts from around November to February. Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Putrajaya, the modern administrative capital, round out the peninsula.

Across the South China Sea, the Bornean states of Sabah and Sarawak are a different kind of trip entirely - rainforest, orangutans, and Mount Kinabalu draw travelers who have more time and want to get off the peninsula.