Malaysia consists of Malaya in the south of the Malay Peninsula and Sarawak and Sabah in the north of kalimantan island. Here, the sun is shining and the climate is pleasant. There are many high-quality beaches, strange islands, primitive tropical jungles, precious animals and plants, various caves, ancient folk customs, long-standing historical and cultural relics and modern cities.
The national flower of Malaysia is hibiscus, and there are many kinds of orchids. In addition to artificial cultivation, wild orchids growing in deep forests, deep valleys and plateaus are more precious. In the virgin forest, there are rare animals and birds that are endangered, such as flying lemurs, giant apes with long limbs and brown hair, white rhinoceros and orangutans. There are also many wild animals such as birds, snakes, crocodiles and insects. For example, there are more than 2,000 kinds of butterflies in Malaysia, which are colorful and many of them are treasures. Orchids, great apes and butterflies are called the three treasures of Malaysia.
* * Time difference * *
There is no time difference between Malaysia and China.
* * Religion * *
The Malaysian Constitution guarantees religious freedom, but stipulates that Islam (Sunnis) is the state religion. According to Article 160 of the Malaysian Constitution, all Malays are recognized as Muslims who believe in Islam.
* * Nationality * *
Malays in Malaysia account for 55% of the total population, Chinese account for 24% of the total population and aborigines account for 1 1% of the total population. According to Malaysian law, Malays are Muslims who practice Malay customs and culture, and they have political dominance.
* * Tourism season * *
Because Malaysia is located near the equator, it has a tropical rain forest maritime climate, and there are no obvious four seasons. The temperature difference changes little in a year, with an average temperature of 26 ~ 29℃ and abundant rainfall throughout the year. The rainy season is from 10 to 12. Tourism in Malaysia is basically suitable all year round. Although it is very hot during the day, there will be showers in the afternoon and monsoon in the evening, which is very cool. Especially in Penang in the north, the climate is suitable in the morning and evening, and the cool breeze is constant.
On the east coast of Malaysia and East Malaysia, the rainy season is 165438+ 10 to March, April-May and 65438+ 10 of the following year, which is very hot, so we should try to avoid this period.
The average annual rainfall in West Malaysia is 2000 ~ 2500mm, and that in East Malaysia is over 3000mm. The rainfall is the least in June-July and the most in August-September and 10- 12.
However, if there are business activities, it is best to go from March to 165438+ 10 every year, because most Malaysian businessmen take vacations from February to February. Christmas and Easter are not suitable for the week around, and Muslim Ramadan and Lunar New Year should also be avoided.
* * Currency and exchange rate * *
Cash: Malaysia's currency name is Malaysian ringgit, abbreviated as "RM", and 1 ringgit is equal to 100 cent (sen). Coins are 1, 5, 10 (called "1"), 20 (called "2") and 50 (called "5"). The denominations of banknotes are 1 RM, RM 2, RM 5,1RM 0, RM 20, RM 50 and RM 100.
Credit cards and traveler's checks: Credit cards are accepted in larger shopping malls, hotels and restaurants, but only Malaysian cash can be used in roadside stalls and tea shops. Using a dual-currency credit card will have a certain exchange rate loss, which is relatively more uneconomical than using cash.
Foreign currency: foreign currency cannot be used directly in most occasions. Foreign currency can be converted into ringgit in banks or authorized exchange shops. Generally speaking, when exchanging money locally, the exchange rates at airports and bank counters are the worst, while the exchange rates at exchange shops located in streets and large department stores are better. But be careful not to change money in illegal money exchange shops to avoid being cheated. Prompt: 1 yuan RM ≈ 1.5 yuan RMB. The data are for reference only, and the transaction price is subject to the transaction price at the counter of the bank or exchange shop). Although Malaysian ringgit cannot be exchanged by domestic banks, it is convenient to exchange RMB locally and the exchange rate is good. There is no need to buy foreign currencies such as US dollars in advance in China.
Consumption: Nearly 100 merchants in Malaysia can accept UnionPay cards. The major cities that accept UnionPay cards are Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Malacca. When spending in some brand stores, consumers with UnionPay cards can also enjoy different discounts and concessions. China UnionPay will directly convert Malaysian ringgit into RMB without charging currency conversion fee, which is slightly better than other types of credit cards.
Cash withdrawal: UnionPay cards can be cashed at ATMs of some banks, and ATMs that can use UnionPay cards are all labeled with UnionPay logo. The maximum withdrawal amount is RM 65,438+0,000, and the ATM bank will charge a handling fee of RM 65,438+0.2 each, and the card-issuing bank will also charge different amounts of handling fees.
Experience: among various channels, the ranking of cost performance is as follows:
First place: directly carry RMB to exchange Malaysian currency in the street exchange shop, but only accept 100 RMB notes.
Second place: UnionPay card spending, but there are not many merchants with UnionPay logo, which is relatively limited.
Third place: UnionPay debit card ATM withdrawal, you can use UnionPay ATM with logo and Chinese interface. However, a handling fee of RM 12 will be charged for each transaction, and the issuing bank will also charge a handling fee. The maximum withdrawal amount is RM 1000.
Fourth place: Other dual-currency credit cards are more widely used than UnionPay credit cards, but there will be a little exchange rate loss during currency conversion.
Fifth place: airport and bank counter exchange. This is the most uneconomical.
* * Hint * *
Tipping is not common in Malaysia. Because in hotels and restaurants, 10% service charge has been added to the bill, so there is no need to tip; If the service charge is indicated on the bill, you need to pay a service charge of about 10%. Visitors can give tips to hotel waiters and baggage handlers to thank them for their excellent service.
* * Communication/Internet access * *
The roaming fee for mobile roaming is: sending short messages to China 1.99/; Long distance 12.99/ min; Local 4.99/ min; Flow 0.02-0.05/KB
There are three major mobile communication companies in Malaysia, Celcom, Digitel and Maxis Maxis, all of which are 3G networks of G network or WCDMA type. There are no 2F-CDMA and TD-SCDMA networks, and G network is the main choice for mobile phones. CELCOM, (RM 10 including RM 5 phone charges) can open unlimited 3G packages for RM 18+0 weeks, but CELCOM's 3G needs to call operators to open 3G and Internet packages. Call domestic 0.28RM/ min (mobile phone); 0.9/RM (landline) DIGI, (RM 8.5 includes RM 4 phone bill), yellow duck sign, you can go to 7- 1 1 supermarket to buy prepaid cards. Call 0086+ directly.
There are WIFI limited package and unlimited package, which support 5 devices to surf the Internet at the same time. The fee is about RMB/day in 50 yuan, and the prices of different packages are slightly different. CELCOM card: it is quite famous and the most commonly used card; DIGI card: it's the cheapest, but it's more troublesome to drive.
* * Domestic transportation * *
train
There are two main railway lines in Malaysia: the west coastline and the east coastline. Each line has some branch lines, such as the Kuala Lumpur-Dingsheng Port branch line, which city people often take to the seaside on weekends. There are also feeder lines between Kuala Lumpur-Port Klang, Kuala Lumpur-Shidong and Taba Road-An Song Beach, and there are few passengers on the feeder trains. In East Malaysia, the total length of Sabah Railway connecting Kota Kinabalu-PaPalthe-Tanong is154km. The purpose of building this railway was to transport Taiwanese farmers' natural rubber to the port. Now there are two buses on this line every day, which are pulled by diesel locomotives. Although the speed is slow, it makes people fully realize the homesickness of train travel. It is really romantic to visit those unknown towns along the only railway in Borneo Island.
West coastline: 950 kilometers from Johor Bahru on the border between Singapore and Malaysia to the Great Plains on the border between Malaysia and Thailand. It connects the capital Kuala Lumpur, Beihai, Ipoh and other big cities, which is the traffic artery of Malaysia and the international route connecting Bangkok and Singapore from north to south (international express train 65438+ 0 times a day). There are many passengers on this line. There are bustling towns, vast rice fields, rubber plantations and tropical jungles along the line, and the scenery is ever-changing.
East coastline: There is a small town called Jinma City in the interior of Malay Peninsula, between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, where the east and west coastlines diverge. The eastern coastline has been connected to Tongba, a suburb of Kota Baru, with a total length of 528 kilometers. It takes about 9 hours from Tongba to Guimas, and there are only 2 through trains every day. The stations along the way are mostly unknown places, so tourists rarely take the east coastline, and passengers are mostly local farmers.
Train types: There are many kinds of trains on Xihai Line. Foreign tourists often take Sinalan Express or Lakyate Express. These two express trains run between Singapore-Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Lumpur-Beihai. The advantage is that they are fast and convenient, but the disadvantage is that there are few stops. If you want to go to Bangkok from Beihai, you should transfer to the international express. If tourists want to visit some small cities leisurely, they can take local trains. Train seats are divided into 1, 2, 3, etc. , 1, 2, etc. Booking seats, third class. They are all hard-seat cars without reservations. Hard-seat cars on the west coast can be crowded sometimes. There is a sleeper hanging on the car at night. Sleepers are divided into upper and lower bunks, such as 1 and 2, and the lower berth is a little more expensive.
Passenger Railway Pass: A passenger railway pass issued by Malaysia's state-owned railway for foreign tourists. With a pass, you can take state-owned trains at will. There are two types of passes, 10, valid for $55 for one day and 120 for 30 days. Tourists can choose different classes of trains, but berth tickets are not included. Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Johor Bahru, Beihai, Port Klang, Great Plains, Tan Hong, Wa Balu and other stations are available for sale.
coach
The bus stop is usually in the city center and it is easy to find. There are several bus stops in some big cities. There are ticket offices of various car companies on the station, which indicate the driving direction, fare and departure time. Bus stations generally have waiting rooms, restaurants, shops, and some have luggage storage. There are often several bus companies competing on the same line, and the equipment and fares of various cars are different. The cheapest is an air-conditioned car, so it's good to sit in the suburbs. Although the air-conditioned car is expensive, the seats are very comfortable and suitable for long-distance travel. When buying a ticket, tell the conductor the destination and departure time clearly. Except when the traffic is busy, such as holidays, you can usually buy tickets for the same day, but to be on the safe side, if you want to know the next destination, you'd better buy tickets in advance. In addition to buying tickets at the station, you can also buy tickets at travel agencies, some hotels and guest houses. The first bus usually leaves on time, preferably in the morning. Check the tickets many times on the way, and pay attention to keeping the tickets well. Visitors can wave to stop the bus on the road and buy tickets after getting on the bus.
Rent a car
Car rental regulations: when renting a car or motorcycle in Malaysia, you must show your international driver's license, and the driver's age is required to be between 2 1 ~ 60 years old. Some car rental companies require to be over 23 years old, and some require to obtain a driver's license for more than one year.
Traffic rules: Malaysian vehicles must wear seat belts when driving on the left. Malaysians generally obey traffic rules, but sometimes motorcycles run wild or animals run into the road, so drive carefully.
Motorcycle: It is economical to rent a motorcycle to travel in Penang or Langkawi. You must wear a helmet when driving a motorcycle. Although the expressway is good, it is dangerous to go too fast. We should also pay attention to the fact that sand often accumulates on coastal highways, which leads to wheel slippage.
* * Local traffic * *
bus
Some cities have minibuses, which go the same way as ordinary minibuses and can sometimes be used as carpool taxis.
taxi
There are two kinds of taxis in Malaysia: short-distance buses and long-distance buses. There is a sign on the roof that says "Texie" or "SEWA".
Taxi station: generally in the city center, next to the bus station. Taxis and long-distance taxis in general cities use the same station, and some big cities have their own stations. At the information desk of the station, there is a fare list for each car. Tell the staff where to go and he will tell you which bus to take.
Take a taxi on the street: explain the destination first and negotiate the price before getting on the bus. Regarding the charging standard, you can say hello to the tourism bureau or the hotel first.
Sharing a taxi: Although the fare is slightly more expensive than the bus, there are enough passengers to leave. It's faster than a bus and can be sent all the way to the hotel. If there are fewer than four passengers in a hurry, you can pay more for the driver to leave early.
Take a taxi at the airport: Generally, there is a taxi counter at the airport to explain the destination to the staff, and you can get two passes after paying according to the distance. One for the driver and one for yourself.
Short-distance taxi: There are taxis in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. If there is no agreed price, you need a meter. If you want to charter a car to visit several scenic spots, you should specify in advance the conditions such as "how long it will take, where to go, how much the fare is, or how much each person is". It is clearer to write the destination on paper.
Long-distance taxis: they travel between cities, and some can cross borders. In cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, the station and body color of long-distance taxis are different from those of local cars.
Human tricycles
Human tricycles still exists in Penang, Malacca and Kota Kinabalu, and it is a convenient and interesting means of transportation. It can walk through the alley flexibly, and the view is wide when the hood is put away.
If you negotiate the price with the driver in English, 15 and 50 are often confused, and the number between 13 and 19 is better to say a three to a nine, so there will be no mistakes.
other
Ferries regularly travel between the Malay Peninsula and the famous Langkawi, Penang, Bangka and Tioman Island. In addition, there is a ferry from Zhangyi Wharf in Singapore to Bulu Port in Disha Tanjung, Johor. It should be noted that there is no ferry service between Malay Peninsula and Borneo, Malaysia, and only flights can enter and leave.
* * Browse the food quickly * *
Malaysia, a world-famous food paradise, where you can taste delicious food from all over the world, such as Chinese food, Indian food and Portuguese specialties, and so on. The dazzling array of delicious food makes your mouth water.
When you travel to Malaysia, you naturally want to taste Malaysian cuisine and authentic snacks from other places. The Malay staple food is mainly rice and mulberry, plus vegetables, onions, garlic, ginger, spices and dried fish, which is a relatively rich meal. Malaysian cuisine is mainly beef, chicken and fish, cooked with peppers and onions, with spicy taste, and the cooking methods in different regions are slightly different. Malaysia's famous home-cooked dishes are: Satay, sour shrimp, coconut milk rice, roja, hot and sour fish and so on. Its unique taste has also won the love of tourists.
Nyonya dishes
"Nyonya" originally refers to the descendants of Chinese and Malays, especially women, and later evolved into a culture, which refers to the integration of Chinese and Malays, including diet, so you can also eat many Nyonya dishes in Malaysia, such as pork feet with sugar water, fried pork slices, stewed meat with bamboo shoots and so on. People who like desserts can also find bosom friends in their parents' food. The maiden cake made of coconut milk, vanilla leaves, glutinous rice and sugar is moderately sweet and chewy.
Related destination: Kuala Lumpur
sugpo prawn
Tiger shrimp is sweet and elastic, and it is a veritable king of shrimp. In the eyes of seafood lovers, not eating tiger shrimp means not eating Sabah food. Tiger shrimp is named for its huge size and stripes. Friends who love seafood should not miss it.
Related destinations: Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
seafood
The most famous seafood with rich flavor, the output is second to none in the world, and the seafood is very rich. All kinds of fish, shrimp, shellfish and crabs are dazzling, big, fat and fresh. We must have a seafood dinner here.
Related destinations: Langkawi
bak kut teh
Bak Ku tea is a popular breakfast or snack in Singapore. Boil soup with pig bones, add special spices and soy sauce, and add a small dish of sauce to soak red pepper.
Related destinations: Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu
Jiaxiang barbecue
This is a kind of beef or chicken marinated with seasoning. After the barbecue, it is served with sauce, cucumber, onion and special Malay rice balls. It tastes fragrant but not greasy, and everyone who has eaten it is attracted by its rich fragrance.
Related destinations: Langkawi, Sabah
Chicken Rice, Hainan Style
Hainan chicken rice in Singapore is known as Singapore's national dish, which is quite delicious and one of Singapore's special cuisines. Singapore Hainan chicken rice, each family has its own way, but generally there is not much difference. As long as the chicken tastes smooth and tender, the rice is delicious and chewy, and the Chili sauce is spicy and heavy. Soy sauce is slightly sweet and fragrant. Basically successful. A set of Hainan chicken rice in Singapore contains eight things, such as boiled chicken, rice, chicken soup, Chili sauce, ginger juice, sweet soy sauce, scallion oil and inferior dregs. Dregs are appetizers, mainly to relieve boredom. Usually when you eat chicken rice, you will serve it.
Related destinations: Kota Kinabalu
Fried core
Cendol is a traditional dessert in Java, Indonesia. It is also popular in Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand. First, quickly dig out a big bowl of first frost, add the cooked long red beans and brown sugar, then add a portion of mung bean powder mixed with mung bean powder, and finally pour a spoonful of milky coconut milk.
Related destination: Penang
coconut rice
Coconut paste rice is rice made of coconut milk, with dried fish, boiled eggs, roasted peanuts and shredded cucumber. This is a very popular breakfast.
Related destination: Kuala Lumpur
Beef offal noodles
Beef offal is a mixture of beef, tripe, beef tendon, beef tongue and other edible parts of cattle. The beef offal noodles here are usually served in the form of beef soup noodles. There are many places in Kota Kinabalu where you can eat authentic beef offal noodles.
Related destination: Sabah
pancake
Pancakes are similar to big spring rolls, with thin skin and enough material. There are shrimp, minced meat, radish, shage, bean sprouts, tofu, lettuce and so on. Cook it first, then add sauce to the pancake skin. Here, you can choose spicy and non-spicy flavors. Hot sauce is very spicy but fragrant. If it is not spicy, it is sweet sauce. Finally, roll up the pancake skin and cut it into several sections.
Related destination: Penang
Lysa
Lesha is a typical mother-in-law-authentic Chinese food. This soup is mainly made of coconut milk, spices and peppers. Sweet and spicy, there are coarse rice noodles, shrimp and clams. This is one of the specialties of Singapore.
Related destinations: Kuala Lumpur, Penang
sabotage
If you go in winter, it's just the season to eat crabs. Cut a hole in the crab shell and push it in with chopsticks, and all the crab meat will be pushed out, which is much simpler than "eight crabs" and you can easily eat sweet crab meat!
Related destinations: Kota Kinabalu
Flat white
White coffee is a native product of Malaysia, with a history of about 100 years. White coffee does not mean that the color of coffee is white. Instead, super Libica, Arabica, Robusta coffee beans and super skim milk essence are used as raw materials. After moderate and mild low-temperature roasting and special processing, a large amount of caffeine was removed, and the bitterness and sour taste produced by high-temperature charcoal roasting were removed, so that the bitterness and caffeine content of coffee were minimized without adding any additives to enhance the taste. The aroma of ethylene glycol does not harm the stomach, and retains the original color and aroma of coffee, and the color is lighter and softer than ordinary coffee.
Related destinations: Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi
Sha dia
One of the most representative famous dishes in Malaysia is called "Satay". Satay is a famous dish in any restaurant. It is skewered with beef or mutton, chicken and shrimp with bamboo sticks, roasted with charcoal fire, and dipped in sweet and spicy peanut butter when eating. But eating this dish in a restaurant is better than tasting it in an open-air food stall or food market at night, which is both economical and more interesting, because you can see with your own eyes how the store makes this famous dish that almost everyone loves.
Related destination: Kuala Lumpur