Good to know

(mostly for overseas guests)

Climate

Malaysia has a tropical climate - warm and humid year round.
As it is right by the equator, it does not have changing seasons.

Temperatures range from mid 20 degrees C at night, to mid 30 in the day. Thunderstorms are common for a couple of hours in the afternoons and evenings.

Places to visit in Malaysia

In and around KL

  • Petronas Twin Towers: Twin 88-story steel and glass towers.

  • Independence Square: Where Malaysia declared Independence in 1957.

  • Sultan Abdul Samad Building: Grand 1800s government building featuring copper domes & a large clocktower with a 1-ton bell.

  • China Town

  • Little India

  • Central Market & Petaling Street Market

  • Batu Caves: Home to a 154-foot (47-meter) gold statue of the Hindu god, Lord Murugan, the Batu Caves - which are tucked into limestone hills. The UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of four limestone caves.

  • Cameron Highlands

Out of KL

Perhentian Islands - beaches, snorkelling, diving

Malacca - history, culture

Penang - culture, lots of food

Langkawi Island - beach resorts and relaxing

Borneo - different island, fly time 1 to 2 hours from KL. Thick rainforests.

Sabah in Borneo:
- Mount Kinabalu, highest peak in South East Asia

- Kinabatangan River, rainforest wildlife watching

Please feel free to ask Gavin and Alice for specific recommendations!

Chinese New Year 2026

Chinese New Year falls on 17th February, the Tuesday after our wedding, celebrating the year of the horse.

This will be an exciting festive period with fireworks, lion and dragon dances, lots of food.

If you’re in KL, let us know and we can recommend some places to go to enjoy the festivities!

Short flights within South East Asia

Singapore - 45 min flight from KL

Thailand - 1 hour flight (Bangkok)

Indonesia - 2 hour flight (Jakarta), 3 hour flight (Bali)

Cambodia - 2 hour flight

Vietnam - 2 to 3 hour flight

Philippines - 4 hour flight

Tap water

Tap water in Malaysia is treated and generally safe - brushing your teeth, washing, etc. is all fine.
However, for drinking purposes - to be on the safe side and not ruin your holiday, we’d advise to boil tap water first.

Vaccines

Please check current vaccine recommendations here.

Food

Malaysia is BIG on food - we’ve got the highest rate of obesity in South East Asia…

As a multicultural country, we have an endless range of cuisines available, with the top 3 being food from Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures.

In most cities, you’ll have your pick of authentic street food or high end restaurants, including Michelin Star establishments in KL.

You’ll be able to find a British pub for those missing home, or a cafe serving chicken feet for those more adventurous.

Language

The national language is Malay, but most people in Malaysia will be able to speak a degree of English. Many other languages are also spoken, such as Chinese languages and dialects (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien) and Indian languages (Tamil, Hindi, Bengali).