Malaysia, a Southeast Asian country which occupies a stretch of land on the Malay Peninsula (between Singapore and southwestern Thailand) as well as about a third of the island of Borneo (which is also shared with Indonesia and Brunei), wasn’t a country at the top of my bucket list. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have thought too much about backpacking Malaysia at all if I didn’t find the cheapest flight into Singapore, and so naturally it made sense to travel through Singapore and peninsular Malaysia in order to get to my main destination, Thailand.
While I didn’t have many expectations for this country, I thoroughly enjoyed backpacking Malaysia and in the future I plan to visit the other half of the country on the Borneo side. In this guide, I’ll talk about all the basics about how to visit the Malay Peninsula, including popular destinations, transportation, costs, and more. Enjoy 🙂
Is Malaysia Worth Visiting?
It seems like many travelers overlook Malaysia (like I did at first) in favor of its more famous neighbor, Thailand. Malaysia may not have the same number of beautiful islands or beaches to choose from, nor does it have the same party scene that exists in the Thai islands. However, this country has so much varied culture, rich history, beautiful sights, amazing food, and incredibly friendly people to offer any visitor.
Malaysia is for you if you want to experience a modern Asian city like Kuala Lumpur, visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, spend time on beautiful islands, go trekking in one of the oldest rainforests in the world, explore cave temples, eat amazing food, or witness the blending of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and Islamic culture all coming together in one mishmash of a melting pot! On top of that, the wide use of English and the affordability of this country make it very accessible as a travel destination.
How Much Time to Spend on the Malaysian Peninsula?
For traveling in this part of Malaysia, I recommend anywhere from one week to one month. One week will limit your travels to a few destinations, while a month offers plenty of time to explore all or most of the peninsula without needing to rush.
Popular Destinations in Malaysia
The following are more or less listed in geographical order from south to north. If traveling from Thailand, you could travel the same route but starting from the bottom of this list. If you are flying into Kuala Lumpur, then you could take one trip south to nearby Melaka, and then continue the rest of the way north through the list.
Melaka
Melaka (or Malacca) is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was once ruled by the Dutch. As such, a lot of the architecture and art here was influenced by that period, so you can find colorful colonial buildings and some interesting historical monuments. Jonker Street is the main hub of food, culture, and shopping, though if you get out of this popular tourist area, there are cheaper and more authentic shopping and food stalls in other parts of the city. Nearby Jonker Street, there are lots of bars and restaurants along the Melaka River as well, so you can take your pick of a nice spot to sit and have a beer or dinner with a view.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur was probably my favorite place in all of peninsular Malaysia. For one, the quality of the metro line in KL is on par with Singapore, so it made getting around the city super easy and affordable. Second, the food is amazing – there is no shortage of cheap, delcious street food all around the city. And, of course, there is so much to do. We had to extend our stay because there wasn’t enough time to explore and we were really enjoying ourselves. A few of my favorite activities include the popular Batu Caves, Chinatown, and the Islamic Arts Museum.
Ipoh
Ipoh is a quieter city than the others we visited, and much less touristy. For that reason, less people here speak fluent English and there aren’t too many cultural sites or things to do in the city. However, this is a great place to visit if you want to explore the many cave temples that exist here. (There are over 30 of them!) A few notable temples to visit: Perak Cave, Kek Look Tong, Ling Sen Tong, Sam Poh, and Perak Guanyin temples. You will need to take a taxi or use the Grab app to get to all or most of the temples in Ipoh.
Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands is famous in Malaysia for its rolling hillscapes and tea plantations. Mostly, people go there to visit said tea plantations and possibly do some hiking in the hills. The main town here is called Tanah Rata, wherein mostly everything (food and shops) are within walking distance. Some hikes can be started from the town center, but most of the activities (to see a plantation, etc.) require a tour.
Teman Negara National Park
Estimated to be one the oldest original growth rainforests in the world, this national park in Malaysia offers camping and guesthouses for people who would like to explore the trails in the area. There are easy day hikes you can do from the village, and a suspension walk, and there are several overnight or multiday trekking options you can do, with guides for hire in the village.
Perhentian Islands
This is the spot if you’re interested in seeing some beautiful islands in Malaysia that also boast great beaches and awesome diving and snorkeling opportunities.
George Town
Another UNESCO site, George Town is bigger and busier than Melaka, but it’s a gem all the same. This small island city has lots of food options and nightlife. A highlight for me was doing the Penang Hill hike, even though I nearly died in the heat. This trail brings you up to some great viewpoints of the city, and surrounding it there is a surprising amount of wildlife. (I saw monitor lizards and dusky leaf monkeys!) There is also a tram available. Other highlights of George Town include the beaches and the world’s smallest national park, Penang National Park.
Lankawi
Lankawi is so close to the Thai border in the north of Malaysia that it is practically in Thailand. There’s tons to do for adventure-seekers, such as kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and hiking. And of course there are some beautiful beaches to relax on!
Getting Around Malaysia
While 12go is the preferred site to book cheap transport throughout much of Asia, I used busonlineticket.com for all of my bus needs in Malaysia because I found cheaper tickets there.
Grab (Asia’s version of Uber) is available in Malaysia and widely used throughout the country. Grabs here tend to be cheaper than taxis.
The very clean and modern metro in Kuala Lumpur is super easy, cheap, and affordable.
Costs of Visiting Peninsular Malaysia
Accommodation: When I went with my partner, we were able to keep our accommodation to roughly $5-6 USD each per night. Sometimes that was us splitting the cost of a private room, and sometimes that was us splitting a double size dorm bed (there are quite a few of those in Singapore and Malaysia).
Food: On average we spent about $3-5 USD per meal in peninsular Malaysia.
Beer: $3-4 USD.
Activities: Range anywhere from a few dollars (such as museums) to over $100 USD (like scuba diving or a Teman Negara guided multiday hike).
Transportation: The buses in Malaysia are cheap and comfortable. Depending on distance, prices can range anywhere from $2-20 USD. When arriving to your destinations, Grab is available in most areas and are an inexpensive way to get to your accommodation if you are too far to walk.
Malaysian Culture & Laws You Should Know
Malaysia is a very diverse country and is thus influenced by many cultures, most significantly China, India, and the Arab world. Due to its multicultural society, many languages are spoken, different religions are followed, and various cultural and food traditions are practiced. While the official language is Malay, most people also speak or know some English. Other languages include Mandarin, Tamil, and a variety of others.
While there are numerous religions that are practiced in Malaysia, the dominant religion is Islam, which affects many of the cultural norms and laws in Malaysia, a few of which I detail below:
As expected, Malaysia doesn’t have a huge party scene given that Muslims aren’t supposed to drink alcohol. Despite this, there are nightclubs and such in the cities and it is okay to buy a beer and walk around with it in public.
It is illegal to makeout or be in any way “sexual” in public in Malaysia, so you can imagine that the nightlife scene is toned down a bit. You could literally go to jail for this. (However, some more formal gestures like hand holding is okay.)
Unfortunately Malaysia is also not a queer friendly place, as it is illegal to be gay here. 🙁
Malaysia is quite diverse and there is no one expected way to dress, but since the majority of people (especially women) cover themselves up, it might make you more comfortable if you wear slightly more conservative clothing. However, do note that when visiting temples you will be required to cover shoulders, chest, and knees.
Like the rest of Southeast Asia, it’s common practice to remove your shoes before entering your accommodation and some shops in Malaysia as well.
Have an amazing time in Malaysia!
I hope this guide has helped to plan the best trip on the Malaysian Peninsula. For further reading on nearby destinations, check out my post on budget backpacking in Singapore.
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