Last updated: 05.12.23

Welcome to Malaysia, a multicultural and diverse country with a proud and tasty culinary scene!

We spent 1 month in this tropical country located in Southeast Asia. Where we stayed in an apartment in Kuala Lumpur and loved it.

To make it even easier for you to plan your visit I have collected “good things to know when you visit Malaysia” in this general guide to visit the country. Here you will find inspiration about the weather, food, transportation and more. Furthermore I will share my personal ups and downs in Malaysia.

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Travel guide to Malaysia

If you’re planning a trip to Malaysia continue reading this travel guide to Malaysia. In this guide you find some general facts about this multicultural and tropical country, which are good to know before visiting.

Here is a guide with good things to know before visiting:

Language:
They speak their own language Malay, but English is spoken by almost everyone as the country is a former English colony.

Religion:
As a multicultural country Malaysia has a mix of religions. The most popular is Islam, however there are many citizens with Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity as their main religion.
The religious diversity means you can find a mosque, a church and a temple almost besides each other, living in harmony with each other.

Currency:
Their currency is called Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). 100 MYR = $21,54.

Food:
Malaysia is well known for its diverse and multicultural food scene. The culturally diverse cuisine in Malaysia is a mix between Indonesian, Chinese and Indian.
The most famous dish is Nasi Lemak. It can be eaten as breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dish contains rice, sauce, roasted nuts, egg, anchovies and cucumber.
Another speciality you find is Roti Canai. It’s an indian flatbread served with dal curry. It’s my favorite dish from Malaysia.

Transportation:
As mentioned above, we stayed almost our entire time in Kuala Lumpur. It’s easy to get around in the city. You can take a Grab* (taxi) or the metro, both are very affordable.
* When you travel in many Asian countries it’s a good idea to have the app “Grab”. You can use it for ordering transportation and food delivery.

Weather:
Malaysia has a tropical climate. There is relatively little seasonal variation in the temperature, meaning the tropical heat occurs all year round.

But be aware of monsoon seasons:
– Southwest Monsoon: May-September
– Northeast Monsoon: November-March

Bonus fact:
Kuala Lumpur has one of the highest rates of lightning strikes in Asia.
The Klang Valley, where Kuala Lumpur is located, has an average of 240 days of thunder in a year.

Accommodation inspiration:
We stayed in an apartment in Kuala Lumpur we really liked and I can definitely recommend it. The building is called Lucentia Residences. You have access to pools and gyms with views of the Petronas Towers. There are lots of food options close by – Both a modern mall as neighbor called LaLaport and a street with cafes.

Ups and downs in Malaysia:

Here is my honest opinion about my time in Malaysia after spending one month there – Most of the time in Kuala Lumpur:

UPS:
– We got great value for money
– Our apartment (having a nice home with everything we needed around us and everything was new and worked)
– Street food tour – trying new dishes
– Our sweet local guide and the trips he brought us on
– Taking the time to have a routine and enjoy living in Kuala Lumpur
– Watching fireflies in a sailboat in the evening
– The beautiful tea plantations
– Great wifi and good work conditions
– Having a gym and pool to use (almost) everyday

It wasn’t easy to find the downs. We had such a lovely time living here.

DOWNS:
– Many hours behind a screen (but that’s the whole point about a “workation” and staying for long time the same place)
– The weather (some of the time!): Many days with rain and lightning around afternoon and evening. It was also very hot and humid most days.
– Chicken and rice can be a bit boring after some time + it was difficult at times to find dishes with fresh vegetables.

Was it worth it?
Yes! Having one month in Kuala Lumpur to combine work, relaxation and exploring was perfect for us!
Staying the same place for a longer period of time is essential for us, to avoid burning out from traveling too “fast”.
Kuala Lumpur offered the perfect base: A new apartment, pool, fitness and food close by. Everything for a fair price.

Would I visit again?
Yes, but I have many destinations on my bucket list I have never visited before that is much higher priority. But if we ever need an affordable big city to stay in in Asia, I wouldn’t reject coming back to Kuala Lumpur again.

If you consider visiting Malaysia, I recommend you to do so! I hope this mini guide clarified some of the good things to know before visiting. If you have questions then you are always welcome to write them here (under the blog post) or directly to my instagram profile @dailytravelmoment.

Enjoy your planning and stay in Malaysia!