Why are tours to Malaysia so popular? Everything is simple. Tourists are attracted by the exotic of the South Asian country, amazing nature, stunning beaches and high service provided by hotels in Malaysia. What should you know about Malaysia?
Malaysia: location. According to thesciencetutor, Malaysia is located in the south of Asia, on the island and the peninsula, which are separated by the sea. The western part of the country is located on the Malay Peninsula, and the eastern part is located on the island of Kalimantan. Thus, Malaysia borders immediately with 4 countries: with Singapore and Thailand (west), with Brunei and Indonesia (east).
Malaysia: capital. The Malay capital is the lively city (a millionaire in terms of the number of local residents) Kuala Lumpur, where it will be most interesting to see insanely high skyscrapers, impressive and very beautiful mosques, temples and palaces. Many tourists will also appreciate the sea of shops where you can carry out “shopping tours” and a considerable number of nightclubs.
Malaysia: language. The official language in Malaysia is Malay. Considering that the country has a fairly large percentage of the inhabitants of the Chinese and Indians, Chinese, Mandarin and a number of dialects are also widely used languages. But most of the locals are fluent in English.
Malaysia: visa. Ukrainians do not need a visa for tours to Malaysia if the duration of your trip does not exceed 30 days. All you need to do is fill out an immigration card upon arrival and pay the official fee of $10. If the travel plans are more than 30 days, then literally in 3 working days and without a visa fee, a visa to Malaysia for Ukrainians is issued (the list of documents is minimal).
Malaysia: features of customs control. When entering the country, an unlimited amount of currency is allowed, but there are restrictions on export – up to $ 1,600 or up to 5,000 ringgit (local currency). Malaysian customs rules also limit the import of tobacco products to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 225 grams of tobacco of your choice, alcohol (up to 1 liter), Israeli goods, some food (meat, mushrooms, seeds) and equipment (electric, audio, video – no more than 1 piece per person). It is best to check the full list of import and export restrictions before visiting the country.
Malaysia: climate and seasonality. Tourists will definitely enjoy the climate in Malaysia, because you can go here in any season of the year. The weather in Malaysia is quite stable, the average temperature is between +28 – +31 degrees (although it feels higher due to humidity). The rains here are mostly very short, so you don’t have to worry that your vacation will be spoiled by rainy days.
Malaysia: time. In summer you can add +6 hours to Kiev time, and +7 in winter. The time zone in Malaysia is GMT +08:00 and it is the same for the entire country.
Malaysia: currency. The national currency in Malaysia is the ringgit, the unit of which is approximately 0.23 US dollars.
Malaysia: tips. “For tea” in the country it is customary to give within 5-10% of the cost of the check and services.
Malaysia: telephone. If there is a need to contact someone by landline phone, then you can easily do this with the help of automatic machines, which are located in almost all crowded places and telephone cards. Regarding mobile communications, you will have to buy a SIM card (its cost is quite small) from one of the three main mobile operators. Prices for calls from Malaysia to Ukraine range from $5 to $6 per minute. It is also worth remembering emergency numbers in Malaysia: 999 is a single number for police, ambulance and fire services.
Malaysia: electrical network. The voltage in the network is 220, like ours, but the socket has 3 connectors, so you need a special adapter. You can buy it quite cheaply or ask at the hotel.
Malaysia: dress etiquette. Considering that the official religion in Malaysia is Islam (although a small percentage of the population are also Buddhists and Christians), tourists are still advised not to dress too revealingly. Therefore, it is better to take not very short clothes with you and from the lightest fabrics. In addition, if you enter a temple or mosque, you must take off your shoes and, as far as possible, cover open areas of the body (for example, cover yourself with a large scarf or cape).
Malaysia: official holidays. As in most European and other countries of the world, New Year in Malaysia falls on January 1 and is celebrated in most cities. In addition, the Chinese New Year is celebrated brightly and on a grand scale, the date of which depends on the year and falls between January 21 and February 21. Therefore, if you plan to go in the winter, be sure to pay attention to this period of time! The Indian celebration of the victory of light over darkness, Deepavali, will also be interesting for tourists – the streets of many cities are decorated with thousands of lights! It is also celebrated on moving dates in October or November. Malaysian Independence Day is celebrated on August 31 with a parade attended by the government of the country, concerts, theatrical performances, shows and fairs! The holiday ends with long fireworks.
