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Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap Malaysian holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Malaysia in our guide below.

Holidays in Malaysia

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia. It includes mainland territory on the Malay Peninsula and on the island of Borneo, plus over 1000 islands. Much of Malaysia is covered in tropical rainforest, parts of which are up to 100 million years old. Some of the islands are designated as marine parks.

Terrain is very varied, with excellent beaches, unspoiled wilderness areas and ultra-modern cities featuring superb hotels, culture and shopping opportunities. The climate is tropical; warm in daytime and mild in the evening.

Many languages are spoken in Malaysia, but English is also very common. There should be no problem making yourself understood.

Malaysia has a long and diverse history. Evidence of human inhabitants has been found dating back 50,000 years or more. The nearby Straits of Malacca have been an avenue for seagoing commerce for centuries, which has brought visitors from many nations over the years. At times Malaysia has been a Sumatran kingdom, a Portuguese possession, a Dutch trading centre and a British protectorate.

Today Malaysia is a multicultural nation governed by a Constitutional Monarchy similar to that in Britain. Many different racial and ethnic groups form part of the population, though racial tensions are very low.

Malaysia Facts at a Glance

Area: 328,550 km 2

Climate: tropical

Terrain: hills and mountains rising from coastal plains

Population: 24 million, Mainly Malay, Chinese and Indian, many other ethnic groups

Languages: Malay and many others. English is widely spoken

Currency: Ringgit Malaysia

Time Zone: GMT +8 hours

International Dialing Code: +60

Accommodation and Food

The urban areas of Malaysia are popular tourist destinations as well as being modern cities with excellent amenities. There is a range of accommodation available to suit all budgets. Society is very cosmopolitan and shows influences from many regions. International cuisine is widely available as well as dishes based on local specialties.

Eating out is not an important part of the Malaysian culture, so it is quite difficult to find really authentic Malay cuisine in a restaurant. A few offer traditional dishes but you may have to search for a while to find one. However, for most visitors the difference between the real thing and what is offered in restaurants is not great. You can also find good Malay food on sale from roadside stalls.

Malaysian cuisine is influenced by several cultures. Staples include rice, noodles and bread, with seafood or chicken as the meat content. Fruit, and especially coconut, is a common component of many dishes.

Among the delights of Malay cooking are Nasi Lemak (Rice cooked in coconut milk), Satay (meat in a spicy peanut sauce) and Roti Canai (a breakfast dish of layered Indian bread with curry fish gravy). Tropical fruit dishes are popular. These include Ais Kacang (beans and jellies served in syrup and condensed milk) and Cendol (rice noodles served with syrup and coconut milk).

In some areas Chinese influences have resulted in an interesting Chinese/Malaysian cuisine, and other local variations exist. Exploring Malay cooking is a worthwhile and enjoyable experience – but expect to get a few surprises. Nowhere else in the world will you encounter fruit salad topped with prawn paste!

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Places to visit

Most visitors will come to the great urban centres of Kuala Lumpur or Penang. Kuala Lumpur, the capital, offers the bright lights of a big modern city, with theatres, restaurants and night life to enjoy, plus the chance to go shopping in pleasant surroundings.

Among the shopping experiences on offer is the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur, which is both a market and a cultural centre. The market is popular for its handicrafts including Batik fabrics, glass blowing and pewter work. You can watch the craftsmen at work in many cases, or enjoy other attractions such as dance and art classes, shadow-puppet plays and fortune telling. For a more modern shopping experience the Central Square complex is close by with its cinemas and fast food restaurants.

Kuala Lumpur has a long history which awaits discovery as you explore. There are old mosques alongside ultra modern office buildings and museums dedicated to a range of fascinating subjects including space exploration and, not far from the city, the National Science Centre.

The region around Kuala Lumpur also boasts a number of excellent parks and gardens. These include the National Zoo, the Lake Gardens and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), which is located about an hour’s drive from the city in Kepong. Close to the city lie the Batu Caves, where a Hindu temple is sculpted from natural limestone. On the climb up to the temple (nearly 300 steps) you will be all but mugged by monkeys wanting you to feed them. More accessible is the Museum Cave with its religious paintings.

All this contrasts with the manic energy of Chinatown and the pulse of ultra-modern business in huge skyscrapers including the gigantic Petronas Towers.

Penang Island, some 370km from Kuala Lumpur, was the site of the first British settlement in Malaysia. The island’s capital, Georgetown, is often referred to as Penang, and is a popular holiday destination. Georgetown is more traditional than Kuala Lumpur, retaining much of the flavour of the colonial years.

Chinatown in Georgetown is alive with frenetic activity. Other attractions include historic remains of bygone eras such as the fort built by the British to defend the settlement. Today, Fort Cornwallis houses an open-air amphitheatre and shops as well as a historical centre.

The city also has many fine temples, mosques and churches plus gardens and parks. It makes an excellent base for exploring the area. Bendera Hill offers spectacular views of the island and is reached via a 50-year-old cable railway.