South-Eastern Asia · UN member
Malaysia: Travel Guide & Requirements
· مليسيا
Malaysia is a country in South-Eastern Asia with its capital in Kuala Lumpur. It has a population of 36.0 million (#45 in the world) and covers 329,847 km². The official languages are English and Malay. The currency is the Malaysian ringgit (MYR, RM).
Where is Malaysia? Map of Malaysia
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam.
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia
- Coordinates
- 2.5° N, 112.5° E
- Neighbours
- 3 — see list
- Coastline
- 4,675 km
- Malaysia
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Malaysia showing Kuala Lumpur (capital) and the largest cities: Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Malacca, Kota Bharu, Kuantan, Kota Kuala Muda, Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Malaysia
- Passport
Malaysia's Immigration Department says travel documents must be valid for six months or more from the date of entry into Malaysia.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 167 need no visa, 29 need an eVisa, 1 needs a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Malaysia entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Malaysia's Immigration Department says every visitor is required to have a fixed return ticket to their home country or to another country.
- Proof of funds
Malaysia's Immigration Department says every visitor is required to prove their financial ability while in Malaysia; it names no amount.
- Travel insurance
No official requirement. The UK Foreign Office advises checking before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.
- Vaccinations
Malaysia's Immigration Department says a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate must be presented upon arrival for travellers from countries at risk of yellow fever infection.
- Arrival card
The Immigration Department requires visitors to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my and to present their passports together with a complete MDAC to the Immigration Officer.
- Customs allowance
Royal Malaysian Customs says travellers entering or leaving Malaysia with cash and bearer negotiable instruments exceeding USD 10,000 equivalent must declare them on Customs Form No. 7, and that importing or exporting M…
- Travel advice
Some caution needed — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Malaysia
- Safety: Malaysia is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Malaysia Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: January to December — when daytime highs in Kuala Lumpur are around 28–30°C.
- Money: the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) — 1 US dollar is about 4.0840 MYR.
- Plugs: type C, G and M, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 999, Ambulance 999, Fire 999.
- Language: English and Malay are official.
- Driving: on the left — speed limits are 90 km/h in built-up areas and 90 km/h outside built-up areas.
- Time zone: UTC+8 in Kuala Lumpur.
- Capital: Kuala Lumpur. About 36.0 million people live in Malaysia.
- Outdoors: 28 national parks.
Key facts
Malaysia at a glance
Languages spoken: Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
Geography & history
About Malaysia
Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th …
Read the full history
Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants. The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and in Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. Japan occupied these holdings from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula (except Singapore) formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. A communist insurgency, confrontations with Indonesia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965 marred the first several years of the country's independence. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Former Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted UMNO rule. From 2018-2022, Malaysia underwent considerable political upheaval, with a succession of coalition governments holding power. Following legislative elections in 2022, ANWAR Ibrahim was appointed prime minister after more than 20 years in opposition. His political coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), joined its longtime UNMO rival to form a government, but the two groups have remained deeply divided on many issues.
Location
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Climate
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Highest point
Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m
Natural resources
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Natural hazards
flooding; landslides; forest fires
National symbols
tiger, hibiscus
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Malaysia
The default speed limits in Malaysia are 90 km/h in built-up areas and 90 km/h outside built-up areas. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.8‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 9090 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and citiesWHO data (2017)
- 9090 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roadsWHO data (2017)
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1949 GenevaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the leftOvertake on the right
- Alcohol limit0.8‰ blood alcohol (0.08% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsNo national child-restraint law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)13.9 per 100,000 peopleClose to the world median (12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0) and WHO. Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Malaysia safe to visit?
Malaysia is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Malaysia Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: Updated information about global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
Updated 19 Mar 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Malaysia
The best time to visit Malaysia is January to December, when daytime highs in Kuala Lumpur are around 28–30°C. April is the warmest month (30°C by day), February the coldest (21°C at night), and November the wettest with about 314 mm of rain.
- Jan28°C21°C
- Feb29°C21°C
- Mar30°C22°C
- Apr30°C23°C
- May29°C23°C
- Jun29°C23°C
- Jul28°C22°C
- Aug29°C22°C
- Sep29°C22°C
- Oct29°C22°C
- Nov28°C22°C
- Dec28°C22°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Malaysia
Plugs & sockets
- Type C (Europlug)two round pins
- Type Gthree rectangular pins in a triangle
- Type Mthree large round pins in a triangle
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
28 national parks in Malaysia
- 8,988 km² protected
- oldest from 1957
Largest: Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park · Crocker Range National Park · Belum Temenggor Forest Reserve
Currency · 26 October 2026
Malaysian ringgit exchange rates today
Malaysia uses the Malaysian ringgit (MYR, RM). One US dollar buys 4.0840 MYR; over the last 30 days the MYR has lost 0.2% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in MYR
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Malaysia ranks
How Malaysia compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Malaysia
122 airports and airfields — 8 large, 21 medium and 69 small, plus 24 heliports. 34 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Malaysia borders 3 countries along 2,742 km of land borders. Coastline: 4,675 km.
Military
Malaysian armed forces
Malaysia ranks #42 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $4.9 billion (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Kuala Lumpur (8.6 million), Johor Bahru (1.1 million), Ipoh (857,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - log…
Export partners
China 21%, Singapore 12%, USA 12%, Japan 5%, Hong Kong 5% (2023)
Top exports
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, palm oil (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Malaysia
Next public holiday
Christmas Day — Friday, 25 December 2026. Then Chinese New Year (6 Feb).
Malaysian passport
Ranked #34: 116 countries visa-free, 34 with visa on arrival, 9 with an eTA and 21 with an eVisa.
Malaysian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Malaysia's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Malaysia
Dial +60 before the local number. Internet domain .my.
Climate footprint
290.2 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 8.16 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Malaysia: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Malaysia
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Frequently asked questions about Malaysia
What do I need to travel to Malaysia?
How long must my passport be valid for Malaysia?
Where is Malaysia?
What is Malaysia known for?
What is the capital of Malaysia?
What language is spoken in Malaysia?
What currency does Malaysia use?
What is the calling code of Malaysia?
Which countries border Malaysia?
How strong is the Malaysian passport?
What is the speed limit in Malaysia?
Is Malaysia safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Malaysia?
What plug type does Malaysia use?
How many airports does Malaysia have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.