About Malaysia |
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| Located between 2º and 7º north of the Equator, the Federation of Malaysia comprises thirteen states. Eleven of these are on the Peninsula and the states of Sabah and Sarawak are on the island of Borneo. You will also hear the Peninsula referred to as West Malaysia and the Bornoe states as East Malaysia. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur.
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Peninsular Malaysia stretches from Singapore in the South to Thailand in the North. Malaysian Borneo is separated from the peninsula by the South China sea, Sabah and Sarawak both border Indonesian Borneo and Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.
Malaysia has an ethnically mixed population, about 57% of the 25 million total are Malays with Chinese, Indians and other ethnic groups making up the rest. Islam in the official religion but all other religions are freely practiced
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ClimateThe malaysian climate is generally hot and humid all year round, with temperatures ranging from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm. Some areas principally the East Coast and Borneo states have a rainy season. We would not normally recommend travel to the East Coast from November to January and if you are visiting Sarawak from October to March or Sabah from May to November you can expect more rain than at other times of year. |
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Language |
| Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English is very widely spoken. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects. |
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Driving |
| Malaysia has a modern road system. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and the regulations are similar to those in the UK. |
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Electricity |
| The electricity supply is 200-240 volts 50Hz. The sockets are 13amp flat pin and therefore if your home base is the UK you will not need adaptors for your appliances. |
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Tipping |
Tipping is usually not necessary although many hotels and large restaurants now automatically add a 10% service charge (in addition to the 5% government tax) to the bill.
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Internet/Phones |
Internet services are widely available, luxury hotels will have in-room connections others have a communal facility often free of charge. Internet cafes are found in most towns.
There is a cellular phone system with good coverage and if you are UK based your mobile phone with the roaming option will be compatible. |
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Clothing |
| To best cope with the weather clothing made of cotton and other natural fibres is most suitable. Most Malaysians wear european style clothes particularly in the towns. Modesty should be observed particularly when visiting predominantly Islamic areas. |
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Visas |
| Visas are not required by UK citizens provided their stay is for less than 3 months. |
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Health Regulations/Medical Facilities |
The only health requirement stipulated by the Malaysian Authorities relates to travellers arriving from Yellow fever infected areas or endemic zones.
If you are travelling to Sabah or Sarawak you should seek advice on the current malaria risk at the time you propose to travel.
Hospitals and other medical facilities, both government-owned and private are of good quality and private clinics are widely available in most places.
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Time Zone |
| Malaysian Time is GMT + 8 hours at all times of year. |
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