Malaysia
Area: 329,847 sq km
Population: 27,730,000
Population density: 84 per sq km
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Area: 329,847 sq km
Population: 27,730,000
Population density: 84 per sq km
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia country information
Passport & visa | Getting there | Cycling & maps | Cost of living | Accommodation | Food | Bike shops | Climate | Distances
Passport & Visa
| Passport Required? | |
|---|---|
| British | Yes |
| Australian | Yes |
| Canadian | Yes |
| USA | Yes |
| Other EU | Yes |
| Visa Required? | |
| British | No |
| Australian | No |
| Canadian | No |
| USA | No |
| Other EU | No/1 |
Passports
Passport valid for at least
six months required by all nationals referred
to in the chart above.
Visas
Not required by nationals
referred to in the chart above for stays of up
to three months apart from:
(a) 1. nationals of Bulgaria, who may stay visa-free for up to one month.
(a) 1. nationals of Bulgaria, who may stay visa-free for up to one month.
Visa Note
(a) Nationals may still require a pass upon arrival, even if they are permitted to enter Malaysia visa-free. (b) All visitors must have proof of adequate funds and an onward or return sea or air ticket. (c) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.
Visa Restrictions:
The government of Malaysia refuses admission and transit to nationals of Israel; but will accept other passports containing Israeli stamps or visas.
Getting there
Getting There by Air
The national airline is Malaysia Airlines (MH) (website: www.malaysiaairlines.com ).
Note tour.tk: best low cost airline for Sout East Asia: Air Asia
Approximate Flight Times
From London
to Kuala Lumpur is 12 hours 30 minutes; from New
York is 20 hours 20 minutes.
Main Airports
Kuala Lumpur International
Airport (KUL) (Sepang)
(website:
www.klia.com.my
) is 55 km (34 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur.
To/from the airport: Taxis
must be pre-paid in the arrivals area at the
airport (journey time - 40 minutes).
An express bus service operates to
hotels in Kuala Lumpur via the Hentian Duta
bus terminal (journey time - 1 hour). Regular
feeder buses travel from Hentian Duta to Lot
10 on Jalan Sultan Ismail in the city centre
during the day (journey time - 30 minutes).
The cheapest way to travel to the city is by
combined bus and train. The Stage Bus Service
leaves the airport for Nilai KTM Station
(journey time - 30 minutes). From Nilai, trains
travel to Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (journey
time - 1 hour). The KLIA Ekpres (website:
www.kliaekspres.com
) and KLIA Transit trains link the
airport to Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral) (journey
time - 30 minutes). Facilities:
ATMs, bureaux de change, shopping,
duty-free, restaurants, postal services, tourist
information, hotel reservations, medical service,
left luggage, prayer rooms, car hire, executive
lounges and business centres.
Kota Kinabalu (BKI) is 6.5km (4 miles) from the city and is the international gateway to Sabah (the northeastern part of Borneo Island).
Kuching (KCH) is 11km (7 miles) from the city and is the main gateway to Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Kota Kinabalu (BKI) is 6.5km (4 miles) from the city and is the international gateway to Sabah (the northeastern part of Borneo Island).
Kuching (KCH) is 11km (7 miles) from the city and is the main gateway to Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Departure Tax
MYR45; may
be included in the air fare.
Getting There by Water
Main
ports: George Town (Penang) (website:
www.penangport.com.my
), Port Kelang (website:
www.pka.gov.my
), Northport (website:
www.northport.com.my
) and Westport (for Kuala Lumpur)
(website:
www.westports.com.my
) and, in East Malaysia (for Sabah and Sarawak),
Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu,
Kuching (website:
www.kpa.gov.my
), Lahad Datu, Rejang,
Sandakan and Tawau.
Ferry Link (tel: (07) 252 7408) operates a ferry between Tanjung Belungkor and Changi Point in Singapore.
Various cruise ships visit Malaysia's ports.
Ferry Link (tel: (07) 252 7408) operates a ferry between Tanjung Belungkor and Changi Point in Singapore.
Various cruise ships visit Malaysia's ports.
Getting There by Rail
Keretapi
Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM Berhad) (tel: (03)
2267 1200; website:
www.ktmb.com.my
) runs Malaysia's train services. Direct services
operate to and from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur
and between Butterworth and Bangkok (Thailand).
There is also a 41-hour round trip available from
the Eastern and Oriental Express (tel:
(020) 7921 4000, in the UK; website:
www.orient-express.com
), a luxury train service modelled on the famous
Orient Express, which leaves from Singapore, journeys
through Kuala Lumpur and heads north to Bangkok
from where it returns to Singapore.
Rail Passes
KTM
Rail Pass: available to foreign tourists
(except Singaporeans) and valid for five, 10 or
15 days. Passes permit unlimited travel on Intercity
train services on the KTM network and into Singapore.
Supplements apply for sleeping berths and on night
trains. Passes can be purchased through agents
selling rail tickets and at major railways stations.
Getting There by Road
Peninsular
Malaysia is linked by good roads to Thailand and
(via two causeways and the North-South Expressway)
to Singapore. Those travelling from Thailand generally
follow the North-South Expressway from Bukit Kayu
Hitam to Kuala Lumpur. Toll fees are levied on
all highways throughout Malaysia. Road connections
between the two eastern states, Sarawak and Sabah,
and their neighbours on Borneo, Brunei and the
Indonesian state of Kalimantan are fairly good.
Several companies operate air-conditioned coach services to and throughout Malaysia, including Transnasional Express (tel: (03) 2273 6473; website: www.nadi.com.my ).
Several companies operate air-conditioned coach services to and throughout Malaysia, including Transnasional Express (tel: (03) 2273 6473; website: www.nadi.com.my ).
Cost of living
Malaysia: all prices in Malaysia Ringgits
(MYR)
| drinks and snacks | food: local markets; restaurants; and stores | ||||
water |
1 litre 1 litre 355ml 600ml 1.5 litre glass |
1.00-1.50 6.50 1.60-1.80 2.00-2.30 3.00-3..40 2.00-2.50 |
bread loaf-white bread loaf-whole grain |
650g loaf 800g |
3.00 6.75 |
| roti chanai with daal roti telur with daal nasi / mee goreng soya based dish pisang goreng maggi noodles |
each |
0.80 1.30 3.00-3.50 3.00-5.00 0.50 3.40 |
|||
| beer wine |
325ml 750ml |
7.50-10.00 20 + |
|||
| teabags coffee Nescafe instant filter coffee - local |
box 25 street stall 125g 500g |
6.00 1.00-2.00 5.90 17.50 |
tofu eggs rice pasta |
300g per dozen 1 kg 500g |
0.70 4.20 7.50 4.00 |
| milk |
1 litre 180g 500g each |
3.00- 4.00 3.50 12.90 tba |
potatoes onions tomatoes spinach |
kg kg kg kg |
3.50 6.00 6.00 8.00 |
| cornflakes malaysian snacks chips / crisps |
375g pack 175g pack 56-65g pack |
10.00 1.00-3.00 tba |
bananas oranges apples pineapple dragon fruit |
kg kg kg each each |
4.00 |
| salted peanuts dried mango |
200g 100g |
1.40 2.80 |
|||
| chocolate (dark) |
180g block 260g 500g/150g each |
5.90 3.90 3.30 / 2.00 1.00-1.50 |
pineapple tinned corn oil |
500g 500ml |
6.00 4.70 |
| peanut paste jam |
500g jar 360g |
5.90 7.80 |
|||
| accommodation | personal | ||||
| budget city hostel budget city hotel |
10-25 per dorm bed 35-60 (double) with bathroom |
deodorant roll on soap shampoo toothbrush toothpaste disposable razor toilet paper |
50ml 150g 200ml per 3 pack 175 ml 5 pack 10 rolls |
9.50 1.50 8.00 6.90 2.60 13.50 9.90 |
|
| camping | no real campsites wild camping on beaches and in forests |
||||
| internet | 1.50-2.50 per hour | ||||
| *
tba = price to be announced * January 2009: at time of writing 1.00 USD = 3.67 MYR all prices have been taken from internet resources such as wikitravel, hostel world, leading supermarket chains, travel blogs, forums and of course our own travel experiences and purchases of everyday products in food markets, bazaars and local shopping facilities. They are only an indication and designed to give you a general impression of the cost of living in Malaysia. Items are geared towards the budget conscious traveller with an occasional craving for a bit of luxury. |
Source:www.exchange-rates.org |
Accommodation
| Acommodation we used while in Malaysia (February 2008): (prices based on two people sharing) | ||||
| Star system explained: from 0 to ***** where 0 is a total disaster and ***** is luxurious (and out of our price range) | ||||
| City / town: | Name accommodation: | Our experience: | Price: | Stars: |
| Batu Pahat | Hotel Sentosa | a little grungy | MYR 38 | ** |
| Cherating | Ranting Resort | ok room, pleasant surroundings | MYR 50 | ** |
| Dungun | Sri Gate Hotel | comfortable, clean & convenient | MYR 50 | **½ |
| Kota Bharu | Ideal Travellers' House | very basic room, but cheap | MYR 18 | ** |
| Kota Tinggi | Nasha Hotel | best pick in town | MYR 48 | **½ |
| Kuala Besut | Nan Hotel | very clean, tiny bathroom | MYR 45 | **½ |
| Kuala Rompin | Hotel Kencana | light, cheary and cheap | MYR 35 | **½ |
| Kuala Terenganu | Ping Anchorange Travellers Inn | giant rooms / offices | MYR 38 | ** |
| Melaka | Samudea Guesthouse | little box with no windows | MYR 30 | *½ |
| Mersing | Omar's Backpackers | adequate for this budget price | MYR 20 | **½ |
| Muar | Hotel Riverview | a steel | MYR 65 | **** |
| Pekan | Hotel Pekan | basic, old, shared bath, cheap | MYR 18 | ** |
| Pontian Kechil | Hotel Seaview | luxury, aircon, close to rest. | MYR 70 | *** |
| Port Dickson | Hotel New Meng Yen | small room, but clean | MYR 35 | ** |
| Salak Tinggi | Transit Budget Hotel | bright, clean, super friendly | MYR 100 | **** |
Bike shops
Le Run is a nationwide bicycle
manufacturer. It is the official distributor of
Shimano, Giant, Topeak, Colnago, Marin and more
in Malaysia and they have shops in Singapore and
Indonesia too. They have a long list of Malaysian
bicycle shops (conveniently listed per state)
on their website:
Le
Run Malaysia
|
|
| Alor Setar | Soobeng Trading 4 Pekan Melayu 05000 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. Tel: 604-7310499 |
| Ampang | Syarikat Perniagaan Hee Hong
18, Jalan Nirwana 1, Taman Nirwana, 68000 Ampang. Tel: 603-92854681 |
| Ipoh | Perniagaan Mewah Jaya 737, Taman Tasik Jaya Jalan Kuala Kangsar 31400 Ipoh, Perak Tel : 05-5469899 |
| Ipoh | Syarikat Kedai Basikal Soon Yik
155, Jalan Pasir Puteh 31650 Ipoh , Perak Tel : 05-2552577 |
| Kota Kinabalu | Kedai Aik Huat No4, Jalan Sireh, Tanjong Aru, 88100 Kota Kinabalu Sabah Tel: 6088-253 549 |
| Kuantan | Kuantan Mountain Bike Centre
23 Jalan Datuk Lim Hoe Lok, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang Tel: 6012-95522488 |
| Kuching | W.G. Enterprise 36A, 1st Floor, Nam Meng Building, Ban Hock Road, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak Tel : 082-238239 |
| Melaka | Sin Bee Hin Bike Centre ***
47, Jalan Ong Kim Wee 75300 Melaka Malaysia tel./fax 06-283 1477 mob: 016-232 1381 website:
www.sinbeehin.tripod.com |
| Miri | Hiap Ho Motor Boulevard Centre 2397 Lot 31, 3 Km, Jalan Miri Pujut, 98000 Miri Sarawak Tel: 6085-423 589 |
| Muar | Sykt Seng Hin **
No 12-1A Bawah Jalan Dato HJ Hassan 84000 Muar, Johor Tel: 06-9522933 Fax: 06-9548528 |
| Penang | Dreamwerkz Cycles Sdn Bhd 163F-1 Wisma Seri Perak Jalan Perak 10150 Pulau Pinang Malaysia Tel. (+60) 4 226 2181 Fax (+60) 4 226 3181 Website:
www.dreamwerkzcycles.com |
| Penang | Lim Bicycle Shop 16, Jalan Mayang Pasir Bayan Baru, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Penang (Opposite Sunshine Square) Tel: 012-4556626 |
| Petaling Jaya | Bike Pro Center
31 Jalan SS24/8 Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia 47301 Tel. 603 - 7805 1989 Fax 603 - 7803 3995 Website:
http://bikeprobicycle.com |
| Petaling Jaya | KSH Bicycle SDN BHD No. 3, Jalan SS2/3, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor D. E., Malaysia Tel: 603-7877 0450 Fax: 603-7877 7450 Website:
www.kshbikes.com |
| Petaling Jaya | The Bike Boutique Unit W105, Level 1, West Wing Metropolitan Square, Jalan PJU 8/1 Bandar Damansara Perdana 47820 Petaling Jaya Selangor D.E., Malaysia Tel. (+60) 3 77277 824 Fax (+60) 3 77277 824 Website:
www.thebikeboutique.com |
Road distances
Detailed distance chart from our trip through Malaysia February / March 2008 (km/alti) |
km |
total
km |
|
| Kuala Lumpur - Melaka - Singapore - Kuantan - Kota Bahru | |||
| Kuala Lumpur International Airport | Port Dickson | 56 |
|
| Port Dickson | Melaka | 84 |
140 |
| Melaka | Muar | 46 |
186 |
| Muar | Parit Jawa | 15 |
201 |
| Parit Jawa | Semerah | 19 |
220 |
| Semerah | Batu Parat | 19 |
239 |
| Batu Parat | Senggarang | 25 |
264 |
| Senggarang | Rengit | 14 |
278 |
| Rengit | Benut | 13 |
291 |
| Benut | Pontian Kechil | 28 |
319 |
| Pontian Kechil | Pekan Nenas | 18 |
337 |
| Pekan Nenas | turn off no.1 highway | 24 |
361 |
| turn-off no.1 highway | Singapore border (causeway) | 19 |
380 |
| border crossing | Singapore | 39 |
419 |
| Singapore | Changi Ferry Terminal (ferry to Tanjong Belungkor) | 16 |
|
| Tanjong Belungkor (Malaysia) | turn-off highway 89 / 92 | 18 |
34 |
| t.o. highway 89 / 92 | Kota Tinggi | 54 |
88 |
| Kota Tinggi | Jemaluang | 73 |
161 |
| Jemaluang | Mersin | 21 |
182 |
| Mersin | Endau | 39 |
221 |
| Endau | Kuala Rompin | 24 |
245 |
| Kuala Rompin | Nenasi | 44 |
289 |
| Nenasi | Pekan | 44 |
333 |
| Pekan | Kuantan | 50 |
383 |
| Kuantan | Cherating | 50 |
|
| Cherating | Cukai | 15 |
65 |
| Cukai | Kemasik | 25 |
90 |
| Kemasik | Kertih | 9 |
99 |
| Kertih | Paka | 16 |
115 |
| Paka | Dungun | 22 |
137 |
| Dungun | Rantau Abang | 17 |
154 |
| Rantau Abang | Marang | 44 |
198 |
| Marang | Kuala Terengganu | 17 |
215 |
| Kuala Terengganu | Batu Rakit (via Seberang Takir ferry) | 19 |
234 |
| Batu Rakit | Penarik | 35 |
269 |
| Penarik | Kuala Besut | 52 |
321 |
| Kuala Besut | Tok Bali | 13 |
334 |
| Tok Bali | Bachok | 21 |
355 |
| Bachok | Kota Bharu | 24 |
379 |
| Kota Bharu | Pengkalan Kubor | 27 |
27 |
