Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia, roughly north of the Equator. It shares borders with Thailand in the north, Singapore and Indonesia in the south, and the Philippines in the east. Malaysia is divided into two non-contiguous regions: Peninsular Malaysia (also known as West Malaysia) and East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo).

Malaysia is a country with incredible geographical and ethnic diversity, offering a kaleidoscope of cultures, cuisines, lifestyles, and landscapes. Beaches, islands, hill stations, towns, and the oldest rainforests on Earth are all part of the country's rich natural diversity. The flora and fauna are absolutely mind-blowing.

Climate & Clothing

Malaysia has an equatorial climate that maintains consistent temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures vary from 32°C during the day to 22°C at night. Light, comfortable clothing is the norm, while suits and ties are typically worn for more formal events.

Currency and Banking

The Malaysian Ringgit (RM) in printed notes are in denominations of RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20, RM50 and RM100. Coins are minted as 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen and 50 sen. Travellers cheques can be exchanged for Malaysian Ringgit at any commercial bank, hotel, or authorised moneychanger. Major credit cards, such as American Express, Visa, and Master Card, are accepted in most hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants.

Language and Communications

The official language is Bahasa Malaysia, but English, Mandarin, and Tamil are widely spoken and written. National newspapers and periodicals are also available in all of these languages. Malaysia has reliable telephone, facsimile, email, and internet connections.

Time Conversion

Malaysia standard time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Utilities (Water & Electricity)

Electricity voltage in Malaysia is 220-volt, 50-cycle system and piped water supply is standard. Bottled mineral water is also readily available.

Diplomatic and Consular Services

There are 126 foreign representations in Malaysia and 102 Malaysian missions abroad. https://www.embassypages.com/malaysia provides a list of all diplomatic and consular missions in Malaysia, as well as all Malaysian diplomatic and consular representations overseas.