Mariyam Faiz in Travel

How To Travel To Malaysia On A Budget!

Malaysia is like the responsible older sister to Thailand. Still magnificent with natural beauty but a little more restrained, a little more industrialized, and a little more urbane when compared to other Southeast Asian countries. It is enormously diverse and any generalization, it is probably even more expensive than in most of the other places.

After all, once you cross the Thai border and step into Malaysia, it’s all about the ringgit and not the baht. Which means, that you need to be a little clever if you want to stretch your buck? So, to help you travel to Malaysia on a budget, allow me to be your guide to enjoying this diverse country on a budget!

1. Plan a Holiday during Monsoon

Two boys playing in the rainy season in Malaysia

If you planning to explore Malaysia on a budget, then book your hotels in Malaysia between the months of November and March. This is when the northeast monsoon hits the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia — which means that the hotel and air flight prices will fall very low. (So, book it!) To make the most of your travel to Malaysia on a budget, it is better to avoid major holidays like Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya and Christmas. This is the time when the locals flock like chickens to their village.

2. Bus, Uber or Grab?

Transport in Malaysia

Photo by Deva Darshan on Unsplash

You may not have to worry about the inter-state transport costs, but when it comes to traveling in Malaysia intra-state, you might want to pay some attention. Taxis are notorious for being overpriced whereas public transport, including the LRT in Kuala Lumpur and the buses are good value for money. But personally, I would recommend you use Grab instead – as it’s cheaper and more dependable than taxis. Hence, when travelling to Malaysia on a budget, you can also check out our flight offers that will help you save big on your travel!

3. Take an Architectural Tour

You can take a free walking tour of Malaysia

You can take a free guided walking tour of Malaysia or just visit the main sites on foot individually. Both ways, you will probably find it impossible to miss the iconic Petronas Towers. From here, you can take a walk over the KLCC pedestrian walkway to Bukit Bintang, where you can drool over all the high-end consumer products.

4. Hotels or Airbnb

Theme Park Hotel, Bentong, Malaysia

Photo by Joy Lim on Unsplash

You are lucky because AirBnB is legal in Malaysia, unlike other certain countries. This means that you get to stay in pretty furnished apartments and home-stays for less than the price of a 2-star hotel. For below RM100, you will have a crash pad and sometimes breakfast, too!

5. Eat like the Locals

Malaysian Food – Curry Laksa

Photo by Advocator SY on Unsplash

Malaysian cuisine has an amazing culinary blend. The intricate spices and flavors make the food that you’ll find here utterly exclusive. The street is crowded with both street food kiosks and also nice bistros for the backpacker that has some extra cash to spare.

6. Stay sober to travel to Malaysia on a budget

Sunset view from Trader’s Hotel towards KLCC

Photo by Esmonde Yong on Unsplash

My last little advice would be to avoid drinking as much as possible! Why? Well, while Malaysia is on the whole reasonable, the prices for a bottle of beer are similar to those in the US and Europe. Therefore, avoiding drinking alcohol will spare both your liver and your wallet! This will definitely help you travel to Malaysia on a budget!

I hope these 6 Malaysia travel tips would help you when you plan your next holiday in Malaysia. But wait, there is one more thing we can do for you, and that is plan a personalized Malaysia trip for you. So simply choose one of our Malaysia holiday packages and let Akbar Travels customize your trip for you.

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" Mariyam Faiz : ."