Question 1

Health

Accepted Answer

The following information is intended as a guide only and in no way should it be used as a substitute for professional medical advice relative to a travellers individual needs and vaccination history. No guarantee is made as to its accuracy or thoroughness. For further information, please contact The Travel Doctor.

Vaccination against Hepatitis A is recommended for travellers to Malaysia and vaccination against Typhoid should also be considered. Depending on a travellers itinerary and activities, vaccination against Hepatitis B, Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis may also be considered. Malaria (considered medium-risk) and Dengue Fever are present in Malaysia, as such insect avoidance measures should be taken and Antimalarial drugs may be required.

Please consult a medical practitioner or contact The Travel Doctor for your specific risk to these preventable diseases and the appropriate avoidance measures. Australians travelling to Malaysia should also ensure that they have adequate travel insurance to cover the length of their stay. For further information on insurance, please visit the Smartraveller website www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/malaysia

Question 2

Electricity

Accepted Answer

Electrical Plug: European and British
Voltage: 220-240 volts (same as Australia)
Modem Plug: USA and UK

Question 3

Communications

Accepted Answer

Country Code for Malaysia: +60
Visa Global Assistance: 1800 802 997
Emergency Services: Ambulance - 999, Police - 999, Fire - 994. These services may not always have English speaking staff. In this case, you should have a local call on your behalf or contact the Australian mission.

Question 4

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Travelling around Malaysia is smooth-sailing as the country is well-connected. Whether it is via air, road, rail and sea, you can fully utilize Malaysia’s vast transportation network. For tourist convenience, there are Touch'n'Go (TnG) Concession Cards which provide discounted fares on RapidKL Bus, LRT and Monorail services throughout Kuala Lumpur.

Question 5

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Malaysia is a genuine shopper's paradise. Many popular international brands have their stores in one of the malls in Malaysia. Normal business hours in Malaysia are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with many businesses and government agencies also open until noon on Saturdays.

Question 6

Tipping

Accepted Answer

Tipping is not customary in Malaysia, although guests may pay a little more at their discretion, especially if the service has been particularly good. In established restaurants there is a mandatory 6% government tax and often an additional 10% service charge on receipts. For your guide and driver, a tip of about 8-10 Ringgit per person per half day is a suggested guideline.

Question 7

Language

Accepted Answer

Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese (various dialects), English and Tamil are spoken throughout the country.

Question 8

Visas

Accepted Answer

The Travel Corporation has partnered with the company Sherpa to provide travellers with the latest government and health restrictions. Simply enter the country you want to travel to for information on safety regulations, border closures, quarantine requirements, your travel visa and more using the Sherpa travel tool.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR TRIP

Official travel advice is available by visiting the SmartTraveller Website

Question 9

Customs

Accepted Answer

Greetings in a social context will depend upon the ethnicity of the person you are meeting. In general, most Malays are aware of Western ways so the handshake is normal. There may be slight differences though and a few things to bear in mind include: Malay women may not shake hands with men. Women can of course shake hands with women. Men may also not shake hands with women and may bow instead while placing their hand on their heart.

As an extension to the need to maintain harmonious relations, Malaysians rely on non-verbal communication (i.e. facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc). Such a communication style tends to be subtle and indirect. Malays may hint at a point rather than make a direct statement, since that might cause the other person to lose face. Rather than say "no", they might say, "I will try", or "I’ll see what I can do". This allows the person making the request and the person turning it down to save face and maintain harmony in their relationship.

Silence is an important element of Malaysian communication. Pausing before responding to a question indicates that they have given the question appropriate thought and considered their response carefully. Many Malaysians do not understand the Western propensity to respond to a question hastily and can consider such behaviour thoughtless and rude. Malaysians may laugh at what may appear to outsiders as inappropriate moments. This device is used to conceal uneasiness.

Malaysian Borneo tours

Authentic Borneo

Essential Borneo

Borneo Family Adventure

Travel tips

Highlights

Gunung Mulu National Park

Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

Orangutans

Kuching cuisine

Sandakan

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

Useful information