【Malaysia】 A recommended country for first-time solo travelers abroad.

Located near the equator, Malaysia has a warm climate and people.

It is safe and highly recommended as a first overseas travel destination.

I lived in Malaysia for less than a year, and it is an easy country to live in, with calm people and relaxed atmosphere.

This is indeed a country that ranks high in overseas immigration.

Here is some information about Malaysia and useful apps for travelers.

Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country

Malaysia’s land area is approximately 330,000 km2, about 0.9 times the size of Japan.

The population is 32.7 million (2020),

with Malay (69.6%), Chinese (22.6%), Indian (6.8%), and others (1.0%).

The main languages spoken are Malay, Chinese, and Tamil (Indian).

And English, the semi-official language.

If you are traveling to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, you can communicate in English.

Also, even if you don’t speak English, the response is friendly.

You can get by with body language and Google Translate.

I have been to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore, but Malaysia is the most comfortable in terms of language.

Even foreign tourists are treated normally, and this is one of the aspects of a multi-ethnic country that makes it a good place to live.

Also, if you want to make friends with local people and exchange contact information, it is convenient to include the “WhatsApp” application.

It will be a messenger application like “LINE” in Japan.

Safety in Malaysia

After living in Kuala Lumpur for less than a year, I have the impression that the city is safe.

There was no trouble.

Many people are calm and laid back.

Thailand is also calm, but more relaxed.

Sometimes they talk to me out of the blue, but I think the friendliness is a national trait.

However, crimes such as pickpocketing and snatching are more common than in Japan.

（See information on Embassy of Japan in Malaysia）

After all, there are not many countries as safe as Japan, so you must be on your guard.

Please be careful to keep your valuables close to your skin and out of sight.

Malaysia Climate

The average annual temperature is about 27°C, with an average maximum temperature of 34°C.

（Refer to Tourism Malaysia）

It is not the sweltering heat of Japan’s midsummer, and it is comfortable.

There is a wet and a dry season,

but even in the rainy season, it rarely rains all day long; it rains hard for an hour or two and then stops.

Local weather forecasts can be found on the “AccuWeather” app.

Access to Kuala Lumpur City

A direct flight from Japan (Narita) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport takes 7 hours and 25 minutes.

It is 60 km from the airport to downtown Kuala Lumpur, about 1 hour by car.

Cabs are a cheap and comfortable way to get around in Malaysia.

It is especially convenient to call them with the “Grab” application.

It is a major app in Southeast Asia.

A 60-km ride from the airport to the city center costs around 65 RM (about US$15).

The app displays the fare when you select your starting point and destination on the app, so there is no need to worry about being ripped off.

GRAB is a convenient application that delivers food delivery and online supermarket items in addition to cabs.

In Malaysia, it is so rare that people do not have the GRAB application.

If you are going to Malaysia or any other country in Southeast Asia, this is the first app you should include.

If you are heading to the city center by bus, it takes about 1 hour to KL Sentral Station.

It leaves from the airport every 30 minutes and costs as little as 15 RM (about US$3.5).

Malaysian express buses have spacious and comfortable seats.

The quality is as good as or better than the seats on Japanese Shinkansen trains.

Many seats have USB or outlet charging.

Tickets can be purchased at the bus counter at the airport or through the “Red bus” app.

The app allows you to select a seat, but when it’s time to board, it may be a free seat.

This kind of place shows the loose feeling of Malaysia.

Seating is recommended, especially in the last row, which is very spacious.

Enter the code below when you register the app and you will receive a coupon for 20 RM (about US$4).

Coupon code：　REDFKEZM

By train, it takes about 30 minutes to reach KL Sentral Station.

The express train, KLIA Express, is slightly more expensive at 55RM (about US$12), but is the fastest.

Please click here for the timetable.

KLIA Express Timetable

Tourist Attractions in Kuala Lumpur

There are numerous tourist attractions, including mosques and casinos, but here are two representative ones.

Petronas Twin Towers & KLCC Park

The Petronas Twin Towers, the symbol of Malaysia.

At 452 meters high, it is the tallest twin tower in the world.

It is mainly an office building, but the Sky Bridge on the 41st and 42nd floors and the observation deck on the 86th floor offer panoramic views of the city.

A fountain show is held every evening from 19:30 to 22:00 at KLCC Park next to the Twin Towers.

Both the Twin Towers and the fountain show are beautiful.

It is a must see if you visit Malaysia.

Tickets for the Twin Towers Observation Deck can be purchased at the local counter, but they are sometimes sold out.

I recommend making reservations through the “official website” or “klook“.

Batu Caves

Batu Caves is considered a sacred Hindu site within Malaysia.

There is a large bronze statue (murugan statue) in front of the stairs and a temple in a limestone cave at the top of the 272 steps.

It takes about 30 minutes by cab from downtown Kuala Lumpur.

There is a train service, but it is more efficient to take a cab as there is only one train service per hour.

The stay here is about 1 hour.

Restroom conditions

The restrooms in the mall are clean and have toilet paper.

In Southeast Asia, you cannot flush toilet paper and often put it in a box by the toilet, but in Kuala Lumpur, many places allow it.

In local places, there is no toilet paper, and many people use the showers provided to rinse off their urine by hand, so it takes some getting used to.

There are also showers in the restrooms of shopping malls, and sometimes the floor is soaked with the water.

Alcoholic Beverage

More than half of Malaysia is Muslim, and alcohol is prohibited in Islam.

However, due to the multi-ethnic nature of the country, there are no restrictions on alcohol consumption for non-Muslims or tourists.

In supermarkets, it is sold in a separate area from regular food items. (non-halal section).

A 350 ml can of beer costs about 10 RM (about US$2.5).

A bit of a challenge for those who like to drink.

In addition, up to 1 liter of alcohol that can be brought in from Japan is duty-free.

Anything more than that will be subject to higher taxes.

If you wish to bring your own, please see below.

Alcoholic Beverages – Malaysia Tourism Organization

If you are looking for cheap drinks, Langkawi is the place to go.

It is a more laid-back and remote island than Kuala Lumpur, with no liquor tax and cheap drinks.

It takes about one hour by plane from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

If you have the time, by all means.

“Air Asia” is also convenient for air travel within Malaysia.

AirAsia is the leading low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, based in Malaysia.

Terminal 2 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport is dedicated to AirAsia and is a fine facility.

Flights to Langkawi cost 120RM (about US$26) round-trip in the cheapest season.

This price is so cheap for a round-trip flight!

It is easy to use because it is e-ticket compatible and you can get on the bus by holding up the barcode.

Paper boarding passes can also be issued.

Things that are useful to bring

Tissues & Wet Wipes

Even food courts and restaurants often do not have tissues.

Instead, hand washing stations are provided.

Tissues are available at convenience stores and supermarkets, so it is helpful to have them ready.

Outlet conversion plug & charger

In Malaysia, there are many cafes where you can plug in and charge your batteries.

Carry it with you while sightseeing and you won’t have to worry about recharging.

The outlet is a three-pronged BF type with a voltage of 220V.

If you bring a conversion plug, you can also use a Japanese one.

(Most Japanese products are compatible with 100-240V, but there are some that are not.)

Wise Debit Card

Wise, which allows you to exchange money into local currency at low fees.

Currency exchange offices and ATMs in Malaysia can be easily found in shopping malls, but fees tend to be high.

The Wise debit card can be exchanged for local currency on the app, paid by card or withdrawn at ATMs.

Over 50 currencies are supported.

If you are going to travel abroad, you should have this card.

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Finally.

Malaysia has many events as well as tourist attractions.

Hindu festival “Thaipusam,” Chinese New Year, and “Hari Raya Puasa” after the fasting period (Ramadan).

It is always enjoyable to visit, and it is a good experience to be exposed to a culture different from your own.

The country is also a good choice for your first trip abroad.

Please try to visit Malaysia.

Thank you for reading to the end.

Klook.com