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Travel guide

Malaysia holidays: a travel guide for UK visitors

Orangutans in the Borneo rainforest, the tea hills of the Cameron Highlands and the old trading towns of Penang and Malacca: a practical guide to Malaysia holidays and tours, with the best time to visit Malaysia month by month.

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Why visit Malaysia

Malaysia comes in two parts, a long peninsula below Thailand and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo, and the two make very different holidays. On the peninsula, Kuala Lumpur is a modern capital of towers and food courts; Malacca and George Town on Penang are older trading ports, where Chinese shophouses, Malay mosques and Indian temples share the same streets; and the Cameron Highlands, cool and green with tea, are where the colonial British went to escape the heat. Borneo is wilder: rainforest, rivers and mountains, with orangutans at Sepilok, proboscis monkeys along the Kinabatangan River and Mount Kinabalu above it all. People often ask how it compares with Thailand for a first trip to Southeast Asia. It is generally calmer and less crowded, English is widely spoken, and the food, a meeting of Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking, is a reason in itself to go. A tour is most useful in Borneo, where the lodges, river boats and internal flights take some arranging.

Best time to visit Malaysia

Malaysia is warm and humid all year, and the best time to visit depends on which side of the country you mean, because the monsoons reach its coasts at different times. For Borneo, where most of our Malaysia tours go, March to September is the most settled period, with April and May often the driest months for wildlife on the Kinabatangan River and for climbing Mount Kinabalu. The north-east monsoon brings the heaviest rain to Sabah and Sarawak from about November to February. On the peninsula, the west coast, with Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang and Langkawi, is at its best from December to March, while the east coast and its islands are best from about March to September and largely shut down for the monsoon from November. Rain in Malaysia usually comes as a heavy afternoon shower rather than a grey day, so even the wetter months are rarely lost entirely.

Malaysia month by month

JanuaryQuiet
The wettest stretch of the year in Sabah and Sarawak, under the north-east monsoon; rain most days, often heavy.
FebruaryGood
Rain begins to ease across Borneo, though showers remain likely most days.
MarchGood
One of the drier, more settled months for wildlife-watching on the Kinabatangan River and trekking on Mount Kinabalu.
AprilBest
Generally dry and settled across Sabah and Sarawak, good conditions for both trekking and river wildlife.
MayBest
Still reliably dry, with good visibility for the Mount Kinabalu summit trek.
JuneGood
Warm and increasingly humid, with showers becoming more frequent by the month.
JulyGood
Rain is possible most days, usually in short bursts; rainforest conditions are Borneo at its most typical.
AugustGood
Similar to July: humid, green and prone to short afternoon downpours across Sabah and Sarawak.
SeptemberGood
Rain remains likely but rarely constant; a workable month for both trekking and wildlife river trips.
OctoberQuiet
Rain increases as the north-east monsoon approaches, with more overcast days.
NovemberAvoid
The north-east monsoon usually arrives in earnest, bringing the wettest conditions of the year.
DecemberAvoid
Wet and often stormy in Sabah and Sarawak, with rough seas around the coast and islands.

Top things to do in Malaysia

  1. 1

    See orangutans at Sepilok and on the Kinabatangan

    Near Sandakan in Sabah, the Sepilok rehabilitation centre cares for orphaned orangutans, and its feeding platforms are where most visitors first see one. Most of our Borneo tours go on to the Kinabatangan River, where boat trips at dawn and dusk look for proboscis monkeys, hornbills and wild orangutans in the trees along the banks. Sightings of wild animals are likely but never certain.

  2. 2

    Walk beneath Mount Kinabalu

    Mount Kinabalu rises above Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, and its national park has cool forest trails, gardens and some of the richest plant life in Borneo. Most tours walk in the park itself; reaching the summit is a separate, two-day trek with a permit, and some of our holidays are built around it.

  3. 3

    Travel from Kuala Lumpur to Penang through the Cameron Highlands

    The classic route up the peninsula runs from Kuala Lumpur and Malacca into the tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands, then down to George Town on Penang, famous for its shophouses, temples and street food. Several of our tours follow it, often with Singapore at one end.

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Malaysia travel questions

When is the best time to visit Malaysia?
It depends where you are going. For Borneo, March to September is the most settled period, with April and May often the driest. For Kuala Lumpur, Penang and the west coast, December to March is best. The east coast of the peninsula is best from March to September, and is wet from November to February.
What is the best time to visit Borneo in Malaysia?
March to September, when Sabah and Sarawak are drier and river trips and treks are most comfortable. April and May are often the driest months. From November to February the north-east monsoon brings heavy rain, though wildlife tours still run.
Does it rain all day in the wet season?
Rarely. Rain in Malaysia usually falls as a heavy shower or thunderstorm, often in the afternoon, and clears again. Mornings are often bright, which is when tours plan their wildlife trips and walks. A light waterproof and quick-drying clothes are worth packing in any month.
How long do I need for a Malaysia itinerary?
Our Borneo tours run from about a week to a fortnight. A peninsula route from Kuala Lumpur through the Cameron Highlands to Penang takes about ten to twelve days, and some holidays combine it with Singapore. Two weeks is enough for one side of the country; seeing both the peninsula and Borneo needs longer and an internal flight.
Can I see orangutans on a tour of the peninsula?
Not in the wild. Orangutans live only on Borneo and Sumatra, so a tour that sees them in Malaysia goes to Sabah or Sarawak, usually to the Sepilok or Semenggoh centres and the Kinabatangan River. If orangutans are the reason for the trip, choose a Borneo itinerary.
Is Malaysia a good choice for a first trip to Southeast Asia?
Yes, for many people. It is generally calm and orderly, English is widely spoken, roads and hotels are good, and the food is varied and easy to enjoy. Compared with Thailand it is quieter, with fewer crowds at the main sights.
Is the street food in Malaysia safe to eat?
Malaysia’s hawker stalls and food courts are one of the best reasons to go. Choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh in front of you, drink bottled or filtered water, and be wary of ice outside cities and hotels. Your guide will know the reliable places.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Malaysia?
No. UK tourists can visit without a visa and are normally allowed to stay for 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after you arrive, and you must submit a digital arrival card online before you travel. Check the UK government’s travel advice before you go.
What should I wear when visiting mosques and temples?
Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off before going in. Women may be asked to cover their hair in mosques, and many lend robes and scarves at the door. Light, loose clothing suits both the heat and local custom.
How do I pack for the heat, the highlands and the jungle?
Pack light, quick-drying layers rather than a lot of clothes: something warm for the Cameron Highlands and Kinabalu park in the evenings, long sleeves and trousers for the rainforest, and comfortable shoes with grip. Internal flights in Malaysia often allow less checked luggage than your flight from the UK, so ask your operator what applies.
What vaccinations do I need for Malaysia?
See your GP or a travel clinic at least six weeks before you go. They will check your routine vaccinations and advise on others, and on malaria and dengue, which depend on where you are travelling. TravelHealthPro publishes the current advice for Malaysia.
Can I take my prescription medicines to Malaysia?
Usually, but the rules for some medicines differ from the UK’s. Carry medicines in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription, and declare them on arrival if you are unsure. Check the UK government’s travel advice and, for anything strong or unusual, ask the Malaysian High Commission before you travel.
Do I need a travel adaptor for Malaysia?
Usually not. Most sockets in Malaysia are the same three-pin Type G as in the UK, at 240V, so UK plugs fit. A small adaptor is handy for the occasional older socket.
Is Malaysia safe for tourists?
Most visits to Malaysia are trouble-free. Take normal care with bags and phones in busy places, where snatch theft happens, and use transport arranged by your hotel or tour. The UK government advises against travel to some islands off eastern Sabah, so read its advice for your itinerary before you go.

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