By Air: Malaysia Airlines, the national carrier, currently flies to 95 destinations worldwide. Many other international airlines offer flights to Malaysia, most of which land at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) approximately 35 miles (55km) South of Kuala Lumpur. Air traffic to and from Malaysia is estimated to grow between almost seven per cent a year over the next decade. The new KL International Airport at Sepang has one of the most sophisticated passenger facilities in the region.

Some of the international airlines that fly to Malaysia are Aeroflot, Air France, Air India, Air Lanka, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, Air Vietnam, Alia/Royal Jordanian Airlines, Balkan-Bulgarian Airlines, Bangladesh Biman, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Eva Air, Garuda Indonesia, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Kampuchea Airlines, Koran Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan Airlines, Phillipine Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Dutch Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sempati Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai International, and Uzbekistan Airlines.

By Rail:

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM), or Malayan Railways, connects to both Singapore and Bangkok. The trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur takes 7 to 10 hours; from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur is about two days.

By Bus or Car:

Buses from the Ban San terminus in Singapore travel to many different points on peninsular Malaysia; buses from Bangkok or Haadyai in Thailand travel to both the West and East coasts of Malaysia as well as to Kuala Lumpur. Entering Malaysia by rental car is not difficult from either Thailand or Singapore, and the North-South highway makes travel along the west coast quite convenient (10-12 hours from Singapore to the Thai border).

Once you have overcome your jet-lag fatigue, step into the real heart of Malaysia--the citizens of the country. You would be pleasantly surprised at the warmth of Malaysians. For deeply entrenched within each of the different races is the engaging charm and traditional hospitality for which Malaysia is renowned.

Malaysians enjoy meeting people from other lands. So, do go right ahead and strike up a conversation. After all, the whole point of travelling is to know other cultures.

Entry Formalities Passport/Travel Documents Visitors to Malaysia must be in possession of valid passport/travel documents with a minimum validity of six months beyond the period of intended stay. In the case of a national passport not recognized by the Malaysian Government, the holder must be in possession of a document in lieu of passport obtainable at the nearest Malaysian Mission abroad. The national passport must also ensure his re-entry into the country of his citizenship.

Every visitor to Malaysia has to fill in a Disembarkation Card (IMM. 26). The card has to be handed over to the Immigration Officer on arrival together with the national passport or other internationally recognized travel document endorsed for travel into Malaysia. A passport/travel document is also necessary for travel between Sabah and Sarawak.

Visitor passes issued for entry into Peninsular Malaysia are not valid for entry into Sarawak. Fresh visit passes must be obtained on arrival at the point of entry in Sarawak. However, subject to conditions stipulated, visit passes issued by the Immigration Authorities in Sabah and Sarawak are valid for any part of Malaysia.  


Visa Requirements:

Commonwealth Citizens (except Bangladesh/India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), British Protected Persons or Citizens of the Republic of Ireland and Citizens of Switzerland, Netherlands, San Marino and Liechtenstein do not need a visa to enter Malaysia.

Citizens of Albania, Austria, Algeria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Republic of Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Italy, United States of America, Bahrin, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, North Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia,Qatar United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Tunisia do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding three months.

Nationals of ASEAN Countries do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one month.

Citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, South Yemen do not require visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding 14 days.

Citizens of Bulgaria, Romania and Russia do not require a visa for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one week.

Nationals of the Republic of China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cuba, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, North Korea, Nepal, Myanmar, Taiwan, Vietnam and all Certificate of Identity (CI) holders must obtain a visa before entering Malaysia.

Citizens of nations other than those stated above (except Serbia Montenegro and Israel) are allowed to enter Malaysia for a Social and Business visit not exceeding one month without having a Visa.

A visitor intending to visit any part of Malaysia is required to be in possession of only one visa to travel direct from one part of the nation to another.

Visas are issued by Malaysian Diplomatic Missions abroad or British Consulates which act for Malaysia in countries where no diplomatic representation of Malaysia is established. All visitors to Malaysia should inquire at the nearest Malaysian Diplomatic
Mission for the latest entry procedures and requirements

Water

It is generally safe to drink water straight from the tap. Bottled mineral water, however, is easily available in shops and supermarkets.


Electrical Supply

Electric supply is on a 240-volt 50-cycle system.


Health Regulations

No vaccination is required for cholera and smallpox.

Climate

With a temperature that fluctuates little throughout the year, travel in Malaysia is a pleasure. Average temperature is between 21 C and 32 C. Humidity is high. Rain tends to occur between November to February on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, on western Sarawak, and north-eastern Sabah. On the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia the rainy season is April to May and October to November.


Clothing

As Malaysia's climate is sunny almost year round, light clothing is ideal. It is advisable for ladies, when entering mosques and temples, to wear long sleeves and loose pants or long skirts.

Greetings

When greeting a Muslim, offer your right hand then bring it towards you, fingertips lightly touching your heart. This is the traditional Salam or 'greeting of acceptance'. Hindus greet with a Namaste (in Hindi) or Vanakam (Tamil). Both palms are brought together as in prayer at mid-chest level. With a Chinese, you may shake hands. If you are really unsure about all the different forms of greetings, just smile and nod your head slightly when introduced.