Malaysia Holidays From the UK: The Complete 2026 and 2027 Destination Guide

Malaysia is the Southeast Asian country British travellers keep almost booking and then swapping for Thailand. That is a mistake, and an understandable one. Malaysia does not shout. It has no single postcard image the way Thailand has its longtail boats or Bali has its rice terraces. What it has instead is range. Rainforest older than the Amazon, two UNESCO heritage cities, orangutans in the wild, some of the best food in Asia, empty islands, and a capital city with a skyline that now includes the second tallest building on earth.

It also happens to be one of the easiest long haul countries a British traveller can visit. English is spoken almost everywhere, they drive on the left, the plug sockets take UK plugs without an adapter, and you do not need a visa. This guide covers all of it in detail, from where to go and when, to what it costs and how to put a trip together.

Why Visit Malaysia in 2026 and 2027

Malaysia is having a moment, and it is not accidental. Tourism Malaysia launched its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign at an event in London, with a stated target of half a million British visitors during the year. That matters to you as a traveller for practical reasons rather than promotional ones. Campaign years bring new flight routes, refurbished hotels, extra events and more competitive package pricing, because everybody in the supply chain is chasing the same visitor numbers.

Beyond the campaign, here is the honest case for Malaysia.

• It is three holidays in one country. A city break, a beach week and a wildlife trip, all reachable on short domestic flights. Very few countries let you do that without a long overland slog.
• The language barrier is minimal. Malay is the national language, but English is used in business, on road signs, in hotels and by most people in tourist areas. This is a genuine advantage over Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia for nervous first time long haul travellers.
• The food is the reason many people return. Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan cooking sit side by side. Penang in particular is regularly ranked among the best street food cities in the world.
• It is cheaper than Thailand in most categories. Not dramatically, but consistently. Hotels, food and internal flights all cost a little less.
• The wildlife is world class. Borneo is one of only two places on earth where you can see orangutans in the wild. The other is Sumatra.
• It is quieter. Malaysia receives far fewer Western tourists than Thailand. In Penang, Melaka and the Perhentians you will not be queuing behind coach parties.

If Southeast Asia is new to you and you are still weighing options, it is worth reading our Thailand trip cost guide and Vietnam trip cost guide alongside this one. The three countries suit different travellers, and Malaysia often wins on convenience while Thailand wins on beaches and Vietnam wins on price.

Understanding the Geography Before You Plan

This is the single most common planning mistake. People book Malaysia as though it is one place. It is not. The country is split in two by roughly 400 miles of the South China Sea, and the two halves feel like different countries.

Peninsular Malaysia

The mainland strip that hangs below Thailand and sits above Singapore. This is where you will find Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Melaka, the Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara and the east coast islands. It is well connected by motorway, train and short flights. Most first trips to Malaysia happen entirely here.

Malaysian Borneo

The states of Sabah and Sarawak, on the northern third of the island of Borneo, which Malaysia shares with Indonesia and Brunei. This is the rainforest and wildlife half. Orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, Mount Kinabalu, world class diving. Flights from Kuala Lumpur take between two and three hours.

Why the Split Matters

Two reasons. First, adding Borneo to a peninsula trip costs you two internal flights and at least four nights, so a Borneo add on rarely works on a ten day holiday. Second, and less well known, Sabah and Sarawak run their own immigration. You go through a passport check when you fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu or Kuching, even though it is a domestic flight. It is quick and free, but it surprises people at the gate.

Best Time to Visit Malaysia

Malaysia sits close to the equator, so the temperature barely moves all year. Expect roughly 30C to 33C in the day and 23C to 25C at night, everywhere, every month, with humidity that takes a day or two to adjust to. What changes is the rain, and the rain does not fall on the whole country at once.

There are two monsoons, and they hit opposite coasts. Getting this right is the difference between a great trip and a soggy one.

One more seasonal factor worth knowing. Haze from agricultural burning in the region can affect air quality on the peninsula and in Borneo, usually somewhere between June and October. It varies enormously year to year and most trips are unaffected, but if you have asthma it is worth checking the air quality index before you commit to a September departure.

How to Get to Malaysia From the UK

Getting to Kuala Lumpur has become noticeably easier, and cheaper, in 2026.

Nonstop Flights

Malaysia Airlines and British Airways both fly nonstop between London Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Flight time is roughly thirteen and a half hours eastbound, and a little less coming home. Malaysia Airlines operates the route with the Airbus A350, British Airways with the Boeing 787. Between them there are around three nonstop departures a day, which is unusually good frequency for a Southeast Asian capital.

The Budget Option

AirAsia X returned to the UK market in June 2026 with a Gatwick service to Kuala Lumpur routed via Bahrain. Total journey time is around sixteen and a half hours including the stop, and the airline uses an unbundled model, meaning bags, meals, seat selection and legroom are all paid extras. It launched at a reduced frequency and has been building towards daily. If your priority is the lowest possible headline fare and you are travelling light, it is worth pricing up. If you are a family of four with checked bags, add the extras before you compare.

One Stop Routes

Around two thirds of UK to Malaysia traffic goes via a hub, and it is often the better value choice. Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Etihad via Abu Dhabi, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul and Singapore Airlines via Singapore all serve Kuala Lumpur. Total journey time is usually sixteen to nineteen hours. Regional departures from Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh almost always mean one stop, and the Gulf carriers are usually the most convenient.

A Gulf connection also opens up a stopover, which is one of the smartest ways to break a long haul journey. Two or three nights in Dubai on the way out turns a punishing flight into two manageable ones. Our guide to holidays in Dubai for UK travellers covers what to do with a short stopover, and you can see the stopover options on our UAE packages page.

Arriving at KLIA

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is about 45km south of the city. The KLIA Ekspres train reaches KL Sentral in roughly 28 minutes and is the fastest option. A Grab, which is the local ride hailing app and works exactly like Uber, takes around an hour depending on traffic and costs more but drops you at your hotel door. British passport holders are eligible to use the automated gates at KLIA, which speeds up arrival considerably.

Entry Requirements for British Travellers

Malaysia is one of the easier long haul countries on paperwork, but there is one step people miss and get caught out by at check in.

• Visa. British citizens do not need a visa for tourism and can stay for up to 90 days.
• Passport validity. At least six months beyond your date of arrival. Check children’s passports too, as they run out faster than parents expect.
• Malaysia Digital Arrival Card. This is the one that catches people. Since January 2024 all foreign visitors must submit the MDAC online. It has to be done within three days of arrival, no earlier, and it is completely free on the official Malaysian Immigration portal. Airlines now check your MDAC status at check in, and without it you can be refused boarding in London.
• Beware of copycat sites. Numerous unofficial websites charge for MDAC submission. They are not government affiliated, the real form costs nothing, and a badly filled third party submission can invalidate your entry. Use the official immigration portal only.
• Vaccinations. None are required unless you are arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. Standard travel jabs are worth discussing with your GP or travel clinic.
• Onward travel. Immigration can ask to see a return or onward ticket. Have it accessible on your phone.

Rules change, so check the official UK travel advice for Malaysia before you book and again shortly before you fly. It also carries current safety guidance, including the advisories that apply to parts of eastern Sabah, which are relevant if you are planning to dive at Sipadan or Mabul.

Where to Go in Malaysia: Every Major Destination Explained

This is the part that decides your holiday. Below is every destination worth building a trip around, with an honest note on who it suits and who it does not.

Kuala Lumpur

Best for: Arrival base, city break, food, shopping.
Time needed: Two to three nights.
Why go: KL is where almost every Malaysian holiday starts, and it deserves more than an overnight. The Petronas Twin Towers are still the icon at 452 metres, and they remain the tallest twin towers in the world. Since 2024 they have been overshadowed by Merdeka 118, which at nearly 679 metres is the second tallest building on the planet after the Burj Khalifa, with an observation deck near the top.

What makes KL good is the layering. Colonial buildings around Merdeka Square, a Malay old quarter, Chinatown around Petaling Street, Little India in Brickfields, and glass towers over all of it. Then you eat. Jalan Alor at night is the classic street food strip, noisy and touristy and still very good.

Top things to do: Petronas Towers skybridge and observation deck, the View at Merdeka 118, Batu Caves and its 272 rainbow steps, KL Bird Park, Islamic Arts Museum, Jalan Alor food street, Central Market, a rooftop bar with a tower view, and a day trip to the Batu Caves and Genting Highlands.

Honest note: KL is not a walking city. It is hot, the pavements are inconsistent, and distances are longer than the map suggests. Use Grab, it is inexpensive, or use the monorail and LRT. Two full days is enough for most people.

Langkawi

Best for: Beach week, honeymoons, families, duty free.
Time needed: Four to seven nights.
Why go: Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands off the northwest coast, and the main island is where most UK travellers spend their beach days. It has proper five star resorts, a decent range of mid market hotels, and it is a duty free island, so alcohol is far cheaper here than the rest of Malaysia.

Pantai Cenang is the busy main beach with the bars and restaurants. Tanjung Rhu and Datai Bay in the north are quieter and where the luxury resorts sit. The SkyCab cable car up Machinchang mountain and the curved Sky Bridge at the top are the signature excursions, and the mangrove kayaking through the Kilim Geoforest Park is better than it sounds.

Top things to do: SkyCab and Sky Bridge, island hopping to Pulau Beras Basah and the Pregnant Maiden Lake, Kilim Geoforest mangrove tour, sunset cruise, Seven Wells Waterfall, Underwater World, and doing nothing at all on a sunlounger.

Honest note: Langkawi’s beaches are good, not Maldivian. The sand is fine and the sea is warm, but the water is not the electric turquoise you see in Indian Ocean brochures. If your heart is set on that specific look, compare it against the Maldives holiday packages before you decide, and read our Maldives trip cost guide so you can see the price difference clearly. Langkawi gives you more to do; the Maldives gives you the water.

Penang

Best for: Food, culture, heritage, photography.
Time needed: Three to four nights.
Why go: If you only add one place to Kuala Lumpur, make it Penang. George Town, the island’s capital, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, and the old town is a working, lived in maze of Chinese shophouses, clan jetties built on stilts over the water, temples, mosques and street art.

The food is the headline. Penang is one of the great street food cities anywhere in the world, and the hawker centres are where you eat, not the restaurants. Char kway teow, assam laksa, nasi kandar, cendol. A meal costs a couple of pounds and is often better than one costing thirty.

Top things to do: George Town street art trail, Clan Jetties, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill funicular, Khoo Kongsi clan house, a guided street food tour, Penang National Park, and the beaches at Batu Ferringhi if you want a couple of lazy days.

Honest note: Batu Ferringhi beach is fine but not a reason to come. Come for George Town and the food, then go to Langkawi for beach time. The two pair beautifully and there is a direct ferry between them, roughly three hours, which is scenic but can be rough.

Melaka (Malacca)

Best for: History, a short break from KL, Peranakan culture.
Time needed: One to two nights, or a long day trip.
Why go: Melaka is the other UNESCO city, roughly two hours south of Kuala Lumpur by road. It was Portuguese, then Dutch, then British, and all three left their mark. The red Dutch Square, the ruins of St Paul’s Church, Jonker Street with its night market, and a strong Peranakan or Nyonya heritage that shows up mostly in the food.

Top things to do: Dutch Square and Christ Church, Jonker Street night market at weekends, a Melaka River cruise after dark, the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, and eating chicken rice balls, which is a Melaka speciality.

Honest note: Melaka is small and can feel like a theme park at weekends when day trippers arrive from KL and Singapore. Go midweek if you can, or stay a night so you get the town in the evening when the coaches have gone.

Cameron Highlands

Best for: Cool air, tea plantations, walking, families with older children.
Time needed: Two nights.
Why go: A hill station about four hours north of KL, sitting at around 1,500 metres, where the temperature drops to a very British 18C to 22C. The landscape is rolling tea terraces, strawberry farms and mossy forest. The BOH tea plantation is the famous one, and the view over the terraces from the tea room is genuinely lovely.

Top things to do: BOH tea plantation and factory tour, the Mossy Forest boardwalk, jungle trails numbered from one upwards, strawberry farms, the Rafflesia flower trek if one is in bloom, and the night market at Brinchang.

Honest note: The road up is winding and some people find it uncomfortable. Development has also crept in, so parts of the valley are less pristine than photographs suggest. Two nights is right; a week is too long.

Taman Negara

Best for: Rainforest, adventure, something completely different.
Time needed: Two to three nights.
Why go: Taman Negara is one of the oldest tropical rainforests on earth, estimated at around 130 million years old, which means it predates the Amazon and survived the last ice age untouched. You reach it by road and then a long boat up the Tembeling River, which is half the experience.

Top things to do: The canopy walkway suspended above the forest floor, night jungle walks, rapids shooting by boat, a visit to an Orang Asli settlement, and the climb up Bukit Teresek for the view.

Honest note: Do not come expecting to see big animals. Tigers and elephants are there and you will not see them. What you get is the forest itself, insects, birds, leeches on wet days, and heat. It is brilliant for the right traveller and miserable for the wrong one.

The East Coast Islands: Perhentian, Redang and Tioman

Best for: Clear water, snorkelling, low key beach time.
Time needed: Four to six nights.
Why go: These are the islands that actually look like the brochure. White sand, water clear enough to see fish from the boat, and reefs close enough to swim to. The Perhentians are the backpacker favourite, Redang is more resort focused and family friendly, and Tioman is the largest and most varied.

Top things to do: Snorkelling with turtles and reef sharks, a PADI course, island hopping by water taxi, beach hopping, and very little else, which is the point.

Honest note: The season is short and hard. From roughly November to February the northeast monsoon closes these islands almost entirely. Resorts shut, ferries stop, and the ones that stay open are gambling on the weather. Plan an east coast trip between April and September or do not plan one at all. Accommodation is also more basic than on the west coast, so if you want a five star resort with air conditioning and a spa, Langkawi is the better fit.

Sabah, Borneo

Best for: Wildlife, diving, trekking, once in a lifetime experiences.
Time needed: Five to eight nights.
Why go: This is the reason a lot of people choose Malaysia over Thailand. Sabah delivers wildlife you cannot see anywhere else outside Indonesia.

Kota Kinabalu is the gateway city, with beaches and islands on the doorstep. Mount Kinabalu, at 4,095 metres, is climbable over two days by anyone reasonably fit, with a permit and a guide. Sepilok, near Sandakan, has the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre next door. The Kinabatangan River is where the wildlife density is highest, with dawn and dusk boat cruises that reliably produce proboscis monkeys, macaques, hornbills, crocodiles and, if you are lucky, wild orangutans and pygmy elephants.

Top things to do: Sepilok orangutan feeding sessions, Kinabatangan River cruises, Mount Kinabalu climb, Danum Valley for serious primary rainforest, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park off Kota Kinabalu, and diving at Sipadan for those who can get a permit.

Honest note: Sipadan permits are strictly limited to a small daily quota and are usually allocated through dive resorts months in advance. If Sipadan is the reason you are going, book it first and build the rest of the holiday around the permit dates. Also check the current government advice for the eastern coastal districts of Sabah before booking anything in that area.

Sarawak, Borneo

Best for: Caves, culture, longhouses, fewer tourists.
Time needed: Four to six nights.
Why go: Sarawak is Sabah’s quieter neighbour and, for some travellers, the more interesting one. Kuching is a genuinely charming riverside city with good museums and excellent food. Bako National Park, an hour away by road and boat, is one of the easiest places in Malaysia to see proboscis monkeys. Gunung Mulu National Park is UNESCO listed and holds some of the largest cave chambers on earth, including the nightly exodus of millions of bats from Deer Cave.

Top things to do: Bako National Park day trip, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre for orangutans, Mulu caves and the bat exodus, a longhouse stay with an Iban community, and the Sarawak Cultural Village.

Honest note: Sarawak is the wettest state in the country and rain is possible in any month. Mulu is only reachable by a small aircraft, which adds cost and a weather risk to the itinerary.

Johor and Legoland

Best for: Families with young children, a Singapore add on.
Time needed: Two nights.
Why go: Johor Bahru sits on the Singapore border and is home to Legoland Malaysia, which includes a theme park, a water park and a Lego themed hotel. It is a straightforward add on if you are combining Malaysia with Singapore, and considerably cheaper than equivalent attractions across the causeway.

If a Singapore combination appeals, our guides to Christmas in Singapore and the New Year celebration in Singapore cover the festive side of the city, and the Singapore holiday packages page shows what we can bundle together.

Malaysian Food: What to Eat and Where

Food is not a side note in Malaysia, it is a main reason to go. Three culinary traditions have been sitting next to each other for centuries and borrowing from one another the whole time. Malay, Chinese and Indian, plus Peranakan cooking, which is what happened when Chinese settlers married local Malay women and their kitchens merged.

• Nasi lemak. The national dish. Coconut rice, sambal chilli paste, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg, usually wrapped in banana leaf. Eaten for breakfast, which takes some adjusting to.
• Char kway teow. Flat rice noodles fried hard over a fierce flame with prawns, egg and bean sprouts. Penang does the definitive version.
• Laksa. Two main types. Curry laksa is rich and coconut based. Penang assam laksa is sour, fishy and tamarind heavy, and divides opinion sharply.
• Satay. Skewered grilled meat with a thick peanut sauce. Kajang, near KL, is the town famous for it.
• Roti canai. Flaky flatbread served with dhal or curry, cooked at Indian Muslim mamak stalls that stay open through the night.
• Nasi kandar. A Penang institution. Rice with your choice of curries ladled over it, the gravies deliberately mixed.
• Cendol and ais kacang. Shaved ice desserts with coconut milk, palm sugar and a list of toppings that sounds alarming and tastes excellent.
• Durian. The infamous spiky fruit, banned from hotels and public transport for its smell. Try it once, outdoors, so you can say you did.

Practical points. Eat at hawker centres and food courts rather than restaurants, because that is where the good cooking is and a full meal costs a fraction of a restaurant bill. Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, so pork is limited to Chinese establishments and most food is halal, which is useful to know if that matters to your family. Vegetarians do well thanks to the Indian and Chinese vegetarian traditions, although fish sauce and dried shrimp appear in many Malay dishes, so ask.

Culture, Customs and What to Wear

Malaysia is a multi faith country. The majority of Malays are Muslim, with large Buddhist, Hindu and Christian communities, particularly among the Chinese and Indian populations and in Borneo. It is relaxed by regional standards, but a bit of awareness goes a long way.

• Dress. Beachwear is fine at the beach and at resort pools. Away from those, cover shoulders and knees, particularly in the more conservative east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu. Mosques provide robes for visitors.
• Alcohol. Legal and available, but heavily taxed, so expect to pay UK prices or more for a beer. Langkawi is duty free and much cheaper. Some restaurants are dry, and public drunkenness goes down badly.
• Greetings. Many Malay Muslims do not shake hands with the opposite sex. Follow their lead. A hand placed over the heart is a polite alternative.
• Shoes. Removed before entering homes, mosques and temples. Wear something you can slip off.
• Right hand. Use it for eating, giving and receiving. The left is considered unclean.
• Ramadan. Dates shift each year. Restaurants stay open in tourist areas but eating and drinking in public during daylight is impolite. The upside is Ramadan bazaars, which are some of the best food markets in the country.
• Public affection. Keep it minimal. Holding hands is fine, more than that is not.

Festivals worth planning around if the dates line up: Hari Raya Aidilfitri at the end of Ramadan, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Thaipusam at Batu Caves, which is one of the most extraordinary religious events you will ever witness. Be aware that Hari Raya and Chinese New Year both cause enormous internal travel, so domestic flights and trains sell out and prices jump.

Getting Around Malaysia

Internal travel is cheap, frequent and mostly painless.

Domestic Flights

AirAsia, Batik Air, Firefly and Malaysia Airlines connect everywhere. KL to Langkawi takes about an hour, KL to Penang around 55 minutes, and KL to Kota Kinabalu in Borneo around two hours forty. Fares are low if booked ahead. Note that AirAsia uses Terminal 2 at KLIA, which is a separate building from Terminal 1, so allow proper connection time.

Trains

The ETS electric train runs up the west coast from KL Sentral through Ipoh to Butterworth, the mainland port for Penang, in around four hours. It is comfortable, cheap and scenic, and a genuinely pleasant alternative to flying on that particular route.

Grab and Taxis

Grab is the ride hailing app and it is the default way to get around cities. Download it before you travel and set up payment at home. Prices are fixed in advance, which removes the haggling that metered taxis sometimes involve.

Driving

Malaysians drive on the left, road signs are in Malay but the symbols are international, and the motorway network on the peninsula is excellent. A UK licence plus an International Driving Permit is the safe combination. Driving is a realistic option for Langkawi, the Cameron Highlands and the peninsula generally, less so in central Kuala Lumpur where traffic and parking are a chore.

Ferries

Ferries run to Langkawi from Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah, to Penang from Butterworth, and to the east coast islands from Kuala Besut and Merang in season. Sea conditions vary and services are weather dependent, so never book a ferry on the same day as an international flight home.

Money, Costs and Budgeting

The currency is the Malaysian ringgit, written as RM or MYR. Card payment is widespread in cities, hotels and shopping centres, but hawker stalls, markets, small guesthouses and rural areas are cash only, so carry notes. ATMs are everywhere and generally the best exchange rate. Tipping is not expected, and mid range and upmarket restaurants usually add a service charge and government tax to the bill.

Malaysia sits in the affordable half of Southeast Asia. Prices vary depending on travel dates, availability and accommodation choices, but the shape of a budget usually looks like this.

Where budgets actually go wrong is not the daily spend, it is the internal logistics. Two domestic flights, a couple of private transfers, park permits and guided excursions add up quickly, and none of it appears in the headline price of a flight and hotel. This is the same trap we see with Thailand and Vietnam, and our Vietnam trip cost breakdown shows how those extras stack up in practice.

Health and Safety

• Crime. Malaysia is a low risk country for tourists. Petty theft and bag snatching from motorbikes happen in city areas, so carry bags on the side away from the road.
• Water. Tap water is treated but drink bottled or filtered water. Ice in established restaurants and hotels is made from treated water and is fine.
• Mosquitoes. Dengue fever is present throughout the country and there is no vaccine widely available to travellers, so repellent used properly, morning and evening, is the actual protection. Malaria risk is low on the peninsula and higher in remote parts of Borneo, so take medical advice for a jungle itinerary.
• Heat. The humidity is the challenge, not the temperature. Plan indoor or cool activities between noon and three, and drink more water than feels necessary.
• Drugs. Malaysia has the death penalty for drug trafficking and the laws are enforced without exception for foreigners. There is no grey area here.
• Insurance. Private hospitals in Kuala Lumpur and Penang are excellent, and they expect payment or a guarantee from your insurer. Take out cover on the day you book, not the week you fly, and declare any pre existing conditions.

If you are planning jungle trekking, diving or a Mount Kinabalu climb, check that your policy actually covers those activities. Standard travel insurance frequently excludes them or caps diving at a shallow depth.

Suggested Malaysia Itineraries

Malaysia rewards a plan. Here are four that work, tested against real flight times rather than a map.

Ten Days: The First Timer

Kuala Lumpur for three nights, Penang for three nights, Langkawi for four nights, flying home from Langkawi via KL. City, culture, food and beach, with only short internal hops. This is the itinerary we build most often for UK travellers visiting Malaysia for the first time.

Fourteen Days: Peninsula Plus Borneo

Kuala Lumpur for two nights, Sabah for six nights split between Kota Kinabalu, Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River, then Langkawi for five nights to recover. Wildlife first while you have energy, beach second. This is the trip people describe for years afterwards.

Fourteen Days: The Family Version

Kuala Lumpur for three nights with Batu Caves and the aquarium, Legoland in Johor for two nights, Singapore for three nights, then Langkawi for five nights. Short journeys, plenty of variety, and nothing that requires a five year old to sit still for four hours.

Twin Centre: Malaysia and Thailand

Langkawi sits close to the Thai border, and combining it with Phuket or Krabi is straightforward. Seven nights in Malaysia, seven in Thailand, one internal flight between them. If you want the luxury end of that pairing, our guide to luxury holidays to Thailand covers the resorts we recommend, and the Thailand tour packages page shows the departures we currently run.

Malaysia also pairs neatly with Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan on longer trips, and Kuala Lumpur is a useful hub for all three. Have a look at our Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan holiday packages if you are thinking about a multi country trip, or browse the full destinations directory to see everything we package from the UK.

Where to Stay in Malaysia

Accommodation is one of Malaysia’s strongest cards. The gap between what you pay and what you get is wider in your favour than in most of Europe.

• Kuala Lumpur. Stay in KLCC for tower views and walkable dining, Bukit Bintang for shopping and nightlife, or Chinatown for character and lower prices. International five star brands in KL cost a fraction of their London equivalents.
• Langkawi. Pantai Cenang for convenience and value, Tanjung Rhu and Datai Bay for quiet luxury, Kuah for budget stays near the ferry.
• Penang. Stay inside George Town in a restored heritage shophouse. It is the whole point of the place. Batu Ferringhi is the beach hotel strip if you want a pool.
• Borneo. Jungle lodges are usually sold on a full board basis including guided activities, which makes them look expensive per night and reasonable once you realise everything is included.
• East coast islands. Basic to mid range, with a handful of decent resorts on Redang and Tioman. Manage expectations on air conditioning and hot water at the cheaper end.

What to Pack for Malaysia

• Light, loose, breathable clothing. Cotton and linen over synthetics. Long sleeves and trousers for evenings and mosquitoes.
• A light waterproof. Not a heavy coat. Tropical rain is warm and brief.
• Something modest to cover up. A scarf or long skirt for mosques and temples.
• Strong insect repellent. One containing DEET or picaridin. Buy it at home rather than relying on finding it there.
• Reef safe sun cream. High factor, and more of it than you think.
• A warm layer. Genuinely. For the Cameron Highlands, Mount Kinabalu and aggressively air conditioned shopping centres and coaches.
• No plug adapter needed. Malaysia uses the same three pin plug as the UK, which is one of the great small pleasures of travelling there.
• An eSIM. Cheaper than roaming, and set up before you leave home so you land connected.

Malaysia at a Glance

Is Malaysia Right for Your Next Holiday?

Malaysia suits a particular kind of traveller: someone who wants variety rather than a single postcard, who cares about food, and who likes the idea of long haul without the friction of a language barrier or unfamiliar systems. If you want two weeks lying on one beach and nothing else, the Maldives or the Caribbean will serve you better. If you want a fortnight where every three or four days feels like a different country, Malaysia is hard to beat at the price.

The practical advice is simple. Decide which coast fits your dates before you decide anything else. Build in the internal flights early, because they shape the whole itinerary. Sort the arrival card before you fly. And if you are adding Borneo, book the wildlife lodges and any Sipadan permits first and fit the rest around them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia Holidays

Do UK citizens need a visa for Malaysia?

No. British passport holders can enter Malaysia visa free for tourism for up to 90 days. You do need a passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, and you must submit the free Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online within three days before you travel. Airlines check this at check in.

How long is the flight from the UK to Malaysia?

Nonstop flights from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur take around thirteen and a half hours with Malaysia Airlines or British Airways. One stop routes through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Istanbul usually take sixteen to nineteen hours in total. AirAsia X flies from Gatwick via Bahrain in around sixteen and a half hours.

Is Malaysia cheaper than Thailand?

Generally yes, though not dramatically. Hotels, domestic flights and restaurant meals tend to cost slightly less in Malaysia, and street food is comparably cheap in both. Alcohol is the exception, as Malaysia taxes it heavily, so drinks cost considerably more than in Thailand outside duty free Langkawi.

What is the best month to visit Malaysia?

It depends which coast. For Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi on the west coast, December to March is driest and sunniest. For the Perhentians, Redang and Tioman on the east coast, April to September is the season, since those islands largely close during the northeast monsoon from November to February.

Is Malaysia safe for tourists?

Malaysia is considered a low risk destination and most trips are trouble free. Petty theft occurs in busy city areas, and travellers should check current government advice for the eastern coastal districts of Sabah before booking there. Drug offences carry extremely severe penalties, including the death penalty for trafficking.

Can you see orangutans in Malaysia?

Yes. Malaysian Borneo is one of only two places on earth where orangutans live in the wild. Sepilok in Sabah and Semenggoh in Sarawak are rehabilitation centres with reliable viewing at feeding times, while the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley offer chances of seeing genuinely wild orangutans in the rainforest.

How many days do you need in Malaysia?

Ten days works well for Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi. Fourteen days lets you add Borneo for wildlife, which needs at least five nights to be worthwhile. Anything under a week is only realistic as part of a wider Southeast Asia trip or a stopover on the way somewhere else.

Is Malaysia good for families with children?

Very. English is widely spoken, medical care in cities is good, food is varied enough to suit fussy eaters, and internal flights are short. Legoland Malaysia in Johor, Sunway Lagoon near Kuala Lumpur and the beaches of Langkawi cover most age groups without long journeys between them.