MALAYSIA PRACTICALITIES

Facts and Figures

Area: 329,750 sq km / 127,316 sq miles

Population: 23,000,000

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Passport/Visa requirements

Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond intended stay. No visa is required unless staying for more than 3 months.

Geography

Malaysia is split into two distinct parts: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia is the long area of land south of Thailand and north of Singapore. East Malaysia is North of Indonesia on the island of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia is 800km north-south with much of it covered with dense jungle. East Malaysia is divided between Sarawak and Sabah with Brunei between them.

Climate

Malaysia has a typically tropical climate. It is hot and humid all year round. The temperature rarely drops below 20°c. The monsoon season is November - February which affects the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the north-eastern part of Sabah, Brunei, and the western end of Sarawak.

Language

The official language is Malay although English, Tamil and Chinese are widely spoken.

Money

The local currency is the Malaysian ringgit which is divided into 100 sen. Banks are efficient but they usually charge commission, typically around RM5 per transaction. There are also moneychangers which have no charges but their rates vary more. All major brands of traveller's cheques are acceptable in Malaysia. Credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted and ATM's are available for use all over the country.

Religion

52% Muslim, 17% Buddhism, 12% Taoist, 8% Christian, 8% Hindu, 2% Tribal

Time

8 Hours ahead of GMT

Electricity

220 V AC (50 Cycles). Plugs usually have three flat pins.

Brief History

The aboriginal Malays (the Orang Asli) are thought to have settled in MalaysiaMalaysia was first seen as a place for gold and attracted many Indian and Chinese traders. The beginning of the 15th Century brought Islam to Malaka, a city that was then very powerful throughout Malaysia due to the Chinese admiral Cheng Ho, and it did not take it long for Islam to spread throughout Malaya. Malaka's wealth soon lead to European interest which attracted first the Portuguese in 1511, then the Dutch in 1641 and the British in 1795. The British encouraged the migration of many Chinese and Indians, many of which still remain in Malaysia around 10,000 years ago. today. The discovery of tin encouraged the British to move inland and govern the whole peninsula.

It was not until 1957 that Malaysia achieved independence and in 1963 Sabah and Sarawak, two northern states of Borneo, along with Singapore, joined Malaya to create Malaysia. However this did not last for long and in 1965 Singapore left to become a separate state.

Malaysia was on the track to becoming a fully industrialised nation by the year 2002 until the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis brought down currency values and therefore put the area into a recession. Today the Malaysian economy is still struggling compared to before the crisis but it is slowly improving.

Natural History

Due to Malaysia's tropical climate and high rainfall much of it is covered in dense rainforest and is home to many unusual plant and flower species. The most famous animals to spot in Malaysia are the Orang-utan and the Proboscis monkey, which can both be found in East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia has excellent bird watching opportunities in National Parks such as the Taman Negara. East Malaysia is also good for birdwatching with 38 species that can be found nowhere else.

Special Events

There are many more festivals and events that take place in Malaysia but this is a short list of the main national holidays. Please note some dates do vary.

January 1 New Years Day
January 10 Hari Raya Quarban
January 29/30 Chinese New Year
January 31 Awal Muharram (Muslim New Year)
April 11 Prophet Muhameds Birthday
May 1 Labour Day
May 12 Wesak Day
June 3 Yang di-Pertuan Agongs (Kings) Birthday
August 31 National Day
October 21 Deepavali
Oct 24/25 Hari Raya Puasa

December 25 Christmas Day

December 31 Hari Raya Qurban (for 2006, Hari Raya Qurban is observed twice)

Music and Arts

Malay music has a large Chinese and Islamic influence. There are four major types; hadrah, ghazal, dondang sayang, and zikir. Traditional Malay music is largely based around the gandang (drum) of which there are more than a dozen types.

Immunisations/Malaria

Visitors to Malaysia are typically advised to make sure they are up to date with their Diphtheria and Tetanus, Polia, Hepatitus A and Typhoid. Malaria can be a risk in some areas so we recommend you take your doctors advice, based on your travel itinerary, on whether or not you need to take anti malarial medication.

Getting Around

Air: Malaysian Airlines is the countries main domestic carrier. The other domestic flyer is Pelangi Air which offers far fewer flights but covers a few destinations that Malaysian Airlines doesn't. Both airlines are generally reliable.

Driving: Driving in Malaysia is a much more enjoyable experience than driving in other parts of Asia can be. The roads are mostly of a high standard and you drive on the left-hand side of the road. The Lebuh Raya (North-South highway) is the fairly new six-lane highway that runs the length of the peninsular. There are toll charges, which vary according to the distance being travelled. A valid overseas license is needed to rent a car.

Transfers: Whilst we use reputable companies to transfer our clients from place to place there may be occasions when the ‘Malay time’ clashes with the ‘English time’ and the driver does not arrive as promptly as we may wish. If this is the case do wait for a good half-hour before ordering a taxi and call our local operator if possible.

Baggage

We strongly recommend you use lockable luggage, and don’t leave any valuables in unlocked side pockets.

Airports

If you have arranged a transfer, look out for your local representative outside the arrivals area. Please wait outside the arrival area for a reasonable amount of time e.g. half an hour. If your flight was late and you think they may not have waited please ring your contact number (provided by Magic of the Orient before you depart). If your plane is delayed or connection missed please try to phone the contact number and leave the new arrival time.

British High Commission

Street address: 185 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Postal address: PO Box 11030, 50732 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: (3) 2170 2200 or 2345 (consular section) or 2164 9323 (visa application section).

Useful Numbers

From Malaysia to the UK: 0044 and remove the first zero from the dialling code

To Malaysia from abroad: international code is 60

Communications

Internet cafes are available in most towns and are the cheapest way of keeping in touch. Fax machines are becoming increasingly available in most towns as well as large hotels and post offices. Phone cards are widely available, as are phone booths in tourist areas, which provide a fairly cheap way to call Europe.

Media

Malaysia has newspapers in Malay, English, Tamil and Chinese with English accounting for just under 30%. The main English paper is the New Strait Times which is a broadsheet paper. Satellite and cable TV are available in most resorts.

Food and Drink

Malaysia has a diverse range of cuisine due to its ethnic mix. The three most prominent cuisines are Indian, Chinese and Malay. The Chinese food mainly has a Cantonese influence and therefore is similar to many of the western Chinese dishes such as chow mein and sweet and sour. There are an excellent variety of Indian foods in the Southern, Northern and Muslim styles. Some examples of typical Malay food are Satay (tiny kebabs dipped in a spicy peanut sauce), Ikan Assam (fried fish in sour tamarind curry), Redang (spiced curried meat in coconut marinade).

The main beers to drink are Anchor, Tiger and Carlsberg although they can be expensive and hard to find in some areas. Samsu is a cheap alcohol but be careful as its alcohol content can vary from 20% - 70%!

Tipping

Tipping is not normal practice although the more expensive hotels and restaurants have a 10% service charge.

Shopping

There are many souvenirs and handicrafts to be found around Malaysia that you can bargain for. Found along the east coast are Songket (weavings with gold thread) and Batiks (fabric with patterns made with wax and dye). Electronic goods can be obtained fairly cheaply although there is a slightly better and cheaper range in neighbouring Singapore.

Opening Hours

Most businesses are open between 09:30 and 17:00 Monday to Friday but on the East Coast the weekend often begins on Thursday afternoon. Banks open 10:00 – 15:00 Monday to Friday and 09:30 - 11:30 on Saturdays.

What to pack

Malaysia is hot all year round so lightweight cotton and linens are the most comfortable and a light jumper may be needed for the evenings. As Malaysia is a Muslim country women are advised to wear appropriate dress and cover up as much as possible. If you intend to hire a car then you will need to take your driving license.