Travel Guide to Malaysia for Backpackers
Malaysia is often overlooked by most travelers as a transit country when backpacking through Southeast Asia, but what they might not know is that Malaysia is one of the easiest and cheapest places to travel in Southeast Asia with a very generous visa policy (up to 90 days), a great choice of food and many cool and surprisingly impressive places to see.
Here’s a comprehensive travel guide and 10-day itinerary on what to see, where to stay, and how to get around Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur (3 Nights)
Kuala Lumpur is the bustling capital of Malaysia with plenty of things to do and places to visit.
First of all, if you are interested in the history of Malaysia and its origins, I recommend that you visit the National Museum (Muzium Negara). The museum is very well organized with 4 rooms dedicated to each period of history from the founding period to modern Malaysia. There is much to learn from their bloodless struggle for independence.
You can spend your first day exploring the city by visiting the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. Also, be sure to visit the park behind the Petronas Towers before you go. This is a great place to cool off from the KL heat.
Another great place to explore is the Bukit Bintang area where all the high-end malls are located. Even if you don’t like shopping, it’s still a great place to visit to see the architecture, the people, and all the delicious food to eat.
If you are interested in cafe culture (Kopi culture) in Kuala Lumpur, there are several cafes to check out like VCR, Yut Kee, and many more.
At night you can visit Jalan Alor street and try all the street food they offer. From Indian to Thai, there are countless street restaurants where you can sit and enjoy.
The next day, you can take a day trip to Batu Cave and climb 272 steps to the sacred Hindu temple inside a limestone mountain. Batu Cave is easily accessible via train from Kuala Lumpur to the cave.
Melaka (1 Night)
After Kuala Lumpur, you can take a bus south to the historic port city of Melaka, formerly known as Malacca, for an overnight stop and explore the diversity of Nyonya culture and see how colonial powers influenced and shaped the city into what it is. today.
The city is only a 2-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, so you can easily see most tourist attractions in a day. First, visit Stadthuys Square and Christ Church, a unique red-colored square that is considered the oldest Dutch colonial structure in the East.
Close to the Stadthuys, there is a pedestrian street called Jonker Street where you can find many restaurants and street food stalls to indulge yourself in. On a weekend night, the street turns into a flea market where you can buy cheap crafts, street food, and more.
You can also climb from Stadthuys to St. Paul’s Church and Fort A Famosa and admire the view of Melaka from St. Paul’s Hill.
If you want to know more about the history of the Kingdom of Melaka and how it became an important port city in the world that conquered the trade of ancient times, you should go to the Sultanate Palace Museum and the maritime Museum. The first tells how the kingdom was born while the second focuses more on maritime trade, and its functioning under the sultanate, the Dutch, and the British. Both museums had great content that I really enjoyed.
Cameron Highlands (3 Nights)
After Melaka, you can take a bus to Kuala Lumpur in the morning and take another bus to Cameron Highlands. It should take around 4 hours to get from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands and shouldn’t cost you more than MYR 35.
There are 2 ways to explore the Cameron Highlands, one with a tour and the other via hiking. Since you will have 2 full days in the Cameron Highlands, I would recommend taking an excursion to visit more remote tourist attractions like Boh Tea Plantation and Mossy Forest and another day of hiking on your own.
It should cost around MYR 50 for a half-day tour including a visit to Boh Tea Plantation and a hike around Mossy Forest. I went with Eco Cameron and can vouch for them. The guide is knowledgeable and he even took me to a secret mossy forest instead of the well-trodden one.
For the second day, I recommend you do a hike on your own through the tea plantation. There are several (14) hiking trails you can do in the Cameron Highlands, but the one I recommend is a combination of trail #6 and trail #10 which will take you to Gunung Jasar and through the tea plantation of the Cameron Valley. See my complete hiking guide to Cameron Highlands for more details.
Penang (3 Nights)
Finally, let’s visit Malaysia’s gastronomic paradise, Penang, another important port city that has seen better development by the British in recent times compared to Melaka.
George Town is a good place from which to explore Penang as there are quite a few cool things to do in the area. Such things to do are exploring the street arts of George Town, strolling along Chew Pier, and sampling cheap beers at the Antarabangsa Enterprise stand.
From George Town, you can also take a direct bus and spend a day at Kek Lok Si temple, taste the most delicious Laksa there, and don’t forget to visit the Farlim night market in the evening and indulge in all the cuisine of Penang Street to offer.
When To Visit Malaysia
Humidity is high all year round in Malaysia and the temperature often hovers around 30°C in the lowlands and 20°C in the highlands.
March to April is often considered the best time to visit since it’s the shoulder season that will give you the best of both worlds, with relatively drier weather than January and February but less touristy than May to October.
That said, if your vacation does not coincide with the recommended period, any month between March and October is also a good option.
Here is a guide to getting to Malaysia
Malaysia is easily accessible via AirAsia, a popular low-cost airline in Asia headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. All flights will pass through KL, so you will have no problem getting to Malaysia from Asia.
Be sure to browse Yugo.pk, Skyscanner, or Expedia to find a cheap flight from your home country to Malaysia.
If you are coming from Singapore, several buses depart daily from Singapore to Melaka. It should cost you around MYR 80 and it will take you 4 hours to get to Melaka. You can book your bus ticket through 12Go Asia for this trip.
If you are currently in Thailand and want to visit Malaysia, there are several buses that run from Hat Yai (Thailand) to George Town, Penang. The bus should cost around MYR 40 and will take around 4-5 hours.
Malaysia Visa Articles:
Malaysian Travel Tips
The bus system in Malaysia is very well connected and accessible to tourists and most people speak English which helps a lot in navigating the country via public transport.
All the places recommended in this itinerary are connected via Kuala Lumpur, so you can easily book your bus tickets online at 12Go Asia and show up at either Bersepadu Selatan Terminal or KL Sentral Bus Terminal.
In major cities like Kuala Lumpur, you can take the RapidKL train which should cover most tourist attractions in and around the city. The GRAB taxi app is also a great option if you’re looking to get around to places further away from the usual tourist area.
For smaller towns like Penang, you can easily walk to most places or take a local bus and visit most tourist attractions easily and cheaply.
For Cameron Highlands and Melaka, most of the tourist attractions in these 2 places are within walking distance. In Cameron Highland, there are several hiking trails that you can hike to see places and in Melaka, you can walk or easily call the GRAB taxi app to get around the city quite easily.
Daily Budget
This place is quite cheap compared to all other countries in the world. If you are planning a trip here you can expect to pay around 25-45 USD (PKR 5479 – 10273) per day per person and this should include accommodation and 3 meals.
Keep in mind that this is just a suggested daily budget based on my travel style, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you want to stick to this budget, expect to sleep in dorms, only eat out a few times, and feel comfortable using the cheapest and most convenient form of transport, which often involves walking.
How the Internet works in Malaysia
Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend you check out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace, and get an eSIM so you can stay connected affordably while traveling in Malaysia without having to switch your physical SIM card.
Long are the days when you have to manage to find a local SIM card at an airport when you arrive. You can buy an eSIM before you arrive and you’re good to go. If your phone does not support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Malaysia:
Internet access in Malaysia is really good even if you only rely on Wi-Fi. The hostels I have stayed in all have great Wi-Fi and otherwise, all the cafes including PapaRich Cafe and Old Town White Coffee which are literally in every city in Malaysia all have fast and reliable Wi-Fi.
If you want to access the internet on the go, you can also get a local SIM card at a very reasonable price. I got a 5 GB SIM card for 30 days from Celcom for only MYR 30 and had a 4G connection in almost every place I visited.
The Best Things to Pack for Malaysia
As you know I am a light traveler and traveling light for a trip like this is an art in itself. Here are some tips on what to pack for your trip to Malaysia:
Walking/Hiking Shoes: I love walking around new towns or taking a short hike. I therefore strongly recommend that you take a good pair of comfortable shoes with you on this trip. My favorite pair of shoes is the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes which I always wear when I’m on the go, even on long hikes.
Breathable Shirts: It can be very hot outside when the sun is out and the skies are clear, so be sure to pack several breathable shirts that you can wear when you’re on the go. We also have some really cool t-shirts in the clothing store, so be sure to check them out!
Shorts/Jeans: Since you’ll be walking around a lot more when traveling, I highly recommend packing a few pairs of breathable shorts as well as some Levi’s jeans when it’s a little cooler outside. For women, leggings are great for both hot and cold climates, so be sure to pack some too.
Outer jacket: An outer jacket is ideal when it’s raining or a little windy outside. There is nothing I recommend more than the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It’s breathable, light to carry, and best of all, it comes in that great orange color.
Microfiber Towel: A microfiber towel is an ideal towel for backpackers because it’s lightweight, easy to dry, and can be compressed to save space in your backpack.
Swimwear: Swimwear is a must-have item if you plan to visit Malaysia in the summer, in case there is a body of water you can jump into.
Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the great experiences you might have on your trip. I recommend the Sony a7C camera with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the most capable camera and lens combination you can get right now.
Power Bank: Keep your electronic device charged on the go with a power bank of over 20,000 mAh.
Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you around town or on the hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold/hot for over 12 hours. A total game changer.
Universal Adapter: You only need one universal adapter to plug in your electronic devices in any country you visit.
Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your stuff organized.
A backpack: Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my everyday camera backpack. It’s big enough to carry all my travel gear, it comes with plenty of slots and pockets, and it’s stylish as hell!
A large backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of this with you. I recommend getting the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With the excellent weight distribution and lifetime warranty, you can never go wrong with Osprey.
Take out travel insurance before you go
If you are looking for travel insurance to accompany your trip to Malaysia, I recommend WorldNomads.com, which I use to find travel insurance suitable for my type of adventure.
Let’s start planning your Malaysian vacation now that we have all the information we need! You can start your journey by using the following resources:
What to pack: To help you get started packing, here are 60 essential travel gear items I packed with me on my trip to Malaysia.
When looking for cheap flights from your country, Yugo.pk, Skyscanner and Expedia are the best options.
Accommodation: Yugo.pk, Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the go-to platforms for finding amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.
Homestay: Vrbo is the best platform to seek a more local experience while staying in Malaysia. This way I meet a local firsthand and have access to local information that I wouldn’t otherwise have.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads will provide you with a ton of insurance options to cover your trip.
Transportation: 12go is a great place to look up bus and train schedules and buy tickets online in Southeast Asia that otherwise wouldn’t be available in English online.
Car Rental: Rentalcars.com is an excellent and reliable platform for finding rental cars in Malaysia.
Day trips and tours: Yugo.pk, Viator, GetYourGuide, and TripAdvisor are great platforms for researching things to do in Malaysia.
Tickets and Deals: Yugo.pk is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entry tickets to tourist attractions in Malaysia.
Are you planning to travel to Malaysia independently? I wrote a guide on How to Plan a Backpacking Trip here that you may find useful.
Here are some further readings for Malaysia
Travelers can often overlook Malaysia, but the country has so much to offer that you can’t get anywhere in Southeast Asia.
Here is a selection of articles you may want to read about Malaysia:
Are you planning to travel to Malaysia as part of a big trip to Southeast Asia? Check out our 3-month backpacking itinerary through Southeast Asia.
Are you planning a trip to Malaysia and now you know where to start? Check out: Top 10 places to visit in Malaysia.
Click here: Malaysia Visa from Pakistan
Kuala Lumpur is where you’ll most likely land when traveling in South East Asia, and from the outside, it might look like a typical Asian city, but KL is so much more and cheaper too. Here is a complete guide on things to do in Kuala Lumpur.
Not your first time in Kuala Lumpur? How about we explore the unique coffee and culture of Kuala Lumpur’s Kopitiam with the guide to the 8 best cafes and restaurants to try in Kuala Lumpur?
If you’re looking for a day trip from Kuala Lumpur or a place to stop on your way to/from Singapore, Melaka is a great place to stop and learn a bit about this ancient port city. Check out my travel guide to 8 amazing things to do in Melaka here.
Cameron Highlands is a welcome break from the hot, humid weather and bustling KL city. Surrounded by mountains and tea plantations, here is a complete travel guide on things to do in the Cameron Highlands.
Cameron Highlands is high up in the mountains with cool breezes making it the perfect place for hiking and there are over 14 trails to choose from. Check out my ultimate hiking guide to the Cameron Highlands.
Penang is the foodie paradise of Malaysia and is a must-stop on your way to/from Thailand. You can enjoy 7 delicious things in Penang if you follow these suggestions.
Want to get off the beaten path in Malaysia? Let’s go to Borneo with a complete travel guide and a 2-week itinerary for Borneo and Brunei.
Do you want to know where to go after Malaysia? How about spending 3 days in Singapore or snorkeling in Koh Lipe, Thailand?
For all articles on Malaysia, visit the Malaysia Travel Guide page.
Looking for more travel guides for Southeast Asia? I have a Southeast Asia Travel Guide you can check out for more information.
I have also collected all my favorite photos I took in Southeast Asia in one post. See 64 photos of Southeast Asia that will inspire you to travel.
For more of my travel guides, visit the All Destinations Travel Guide page.
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