LOCATION
Located between 2 and 7 north of the Equator, Peninsula Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. To the North of Peninsula Malaysia is Thailand while its Southern neighbour is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are North of Indonesia in Borneo whiles Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.
CAPITAL
Kuala Lumpur
LANGUAGES
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the official language and English is widely spoken.
RELIGIONS
Muslim (52 per cent) and Buddhist (17 per cent) majorities. The remainder are Christian, Taoist, Confucianist, Hindu and animist.
CLIMATE
Tropical without extremely high temperatures. Days are very warm, while nights are fairly cool. The main rainy season in the east runs between November and February, while August is the wettest period on the west coast. East Malaysia has heavy rains (November to February) in Sabah and in Sarawak. However, it is difficult to generalise about the country’s climate, as rainfall differs on the east and west coasts according to the prevailing monsoon winds (northeast or southwest).
CURRENCY
Malaysian Ringgit
CLOTHING
Light cotton wear during the daytime and overcoat may be needed during the evenings.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
Visitors are advised that they should be covered in full when visiting a temple or mosque.When entering the Islamic and Hindu shrines, footwear should be removed. Taking photographs is permitted however permission needs to be obtained before hand.
TIME
GMT + 8hours
FLYING TIME
London – Kuala Lumpur International Airport (12 hours)
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Year round. Malaysia basks in year-round sunshine; the heaviest rainfall occurs between
November – February in Borneo and the East- Coast. Climate chart is based on Kuala Lumpur.
ACTIVITIES
Shopping, Eco Adventure, Diving, World Class Events (Formula One Grand Prix), Golfing, Medical Tourism, Trekking, Spas and much more.
TIPPING
Most hotels and restaurants levy 10% service charge and 5% government sales tax on bills. Therefore tipping is not necessary; however you can give a small tip on top if you wish to do so.
MONEY
All major credit cards are accepted at larger shops, restaurants and hotels. Cash machines are widely available in most major cities (Visa, Maestro, Cirrus and Plus). Sterling, Euro and Dollars are widely accepted. Traveller’s Cheques are accepted by all banks, hotels and large department stores. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling, US Dollars or Australian Dollars.
HEALTH CARE
Health insurance is recommended. Hospitals are found in all the main cities and can deal with all major needs. Private hospitals, some managed and staffed by British-trained doctors and nurses, provide a high standard of medical care and include Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur and Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital, Selangor. Smaller towns and rural areas have private clinics. In an emergency, dial 999.
FOOD & DRINK
All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
AIRLINES
Malaysian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Gulf Airways, British Airways and Thai Airways.
VISA
British passport holders do not require visas for stays up to 3 months. The traveller should hold a passport which is valid up to 6 months minimum.