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In this article we are going to explore whether Malaysia is worth visiting in 2026. Malaysia has a reputation for amazing natural beauty, incredible street food, and stunning cultural heritage.
We have lived in Malaysia for a few years and traveled extensively around the country. We have visited Malaysia many times over the past few years. Malaysia is a very beautiful and impressive country and we genuinely love it. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean Malaysia is your best choice. We’re going to tell you all of the highs and lows to help you make the best decision.
Does Malaysia live up to its reputation? Is Malaysia worth visiting? What things have changed in Malaysia? And is Malaysia an expensive country to visit? We will answer all of these questions and more in order to help you to help you decide whether Malaysia is worth visiting.
ALSO don’t miss our guide: Malaysia vs Thailand – which is best for family travel
Step by step Malaysia Itineraries
Here are some detailed Malaysia itineraries to help you plan your trip and NOT miss a thing!
- Relaxation, adventure & beauty 5 days in Langkawi itinerary
- Hit all the epic highlights of Sabah 10 day Sabah itinerary
- An exciting blast in KL 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary
- Food, culture & nature 7 day Penang itinerary
What are your priorities?
Is Malaysia worth visiting? The answer to this question is personal. It depends on what your priorities are. If your priority is amazing experiences on a very low budget, you may find Malaysia quite expensive for things like accommodation. On the other hand, Malaysia is very cheap for amazing street food and transport. Malaysia does have its fair share of amazing experiences. If your priority is staying in luxurious accommodation, you may find that your money goes further in a country like Indonesia or Thailand.
What are activities like in Malaysia?
If you are trying to decide whether Malaysia is worth visiting in 2023 we recommend that you consider the epic range of the things that you can do in Malaysia. If you are excited by some of the unique activities and attractions in Malaysia, then it may well be worth a visit.
There are plenty of amazing things to do in Kuala Lumpur (the capital city). Whether you are looking for a cosmopolitan experience in the shopping malls, go hiking in KL, or you are hoping to visit an Intrepid temple, Kuala Lumpur has plenty to offer. Whether you are staying for 3 days in KL or longer – we think you will love this city.
Malaysia has an impressive range of exciting, adventurous and epic activities. If you’re traveling Malaysia with kids there are some amazing theme parks like Legoland (located near Singapore) and the ESCAPE adventure theme park located in Penang. If it’s jungle and scenery you are hoping for, don’t miss the Habitat Biosphere reserve on Penang Hill.
Malaysia is also packed with stunning national parks, beautiful jungle for exploring and some amazing islands with beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. Tioman island is wild and packed with beauty. We also LOVE the Perhentian islands too.
There is some amazing diving in Malaysia and also some epic places for snorkeling. Some of the best diving and snorkeling can be experienced around Semporna and Mabul island.
Malaysia is also well known for its rich cultural diversity, beautiful temples and cultural heritage (you can even stay in Heritage Hotels in Georgetown). Malaysia is also a great place to see wildlife. In Malaysia you can see the biggest flower in the world, you can see orangutans up close, you can trek in tea plantations and explore the high-altitude mossy Forest. Whether it’s an adrenaline rush on a canopy walkway or relaxing in geothermal hot springs – Malaysia has it all.
Top tip
Malaysia is NOT great for elephants or impressive waterfalls. If you’re looking for elephant encounters or impressive waterfalls we recommend the north of Thailand. One of the main disadvantages of activities in Malaysia is the increase in local tourism in recent years. During public holidays and school holidays some of the local activities can be very busy and crowded. If possible we recommend avoiding these times.
What is wifi like in Malaysia
Internet access in Malaysia is not as good as Thailand or Singapore. It is similar to Indonesia. Wi-Fi is not readily available in Malaysia. Some places do offer free Wi-Fi but you often need a local phone number to register to use Wi-Fi services. We traveled around Malaysia with a local SIM card. You can find some SIM card deals which enable you to pay on a monthly basis and give unlimited data. Expect to pay around RM50 for a monthly deal with unlimited data. We found the signal was generally quite good around Malaysia, at least around cities and urban areas. However, internet speed varies. It was generally good enough for what we needed to do.
What are prices like in Malaysia?
Malaysia is a relatively cheap country for travel and living. If you are comparing Malaysia to a western country in Europe or the United States of America it is likely that Malaysia will seem very cheap. However, it is worth knowing that Malaysia is not the cheapest country in Southeast Asia.
Activity prices in Malaysia
One of the most frustrating things about Malaysia as a visitor is a dual pricing system. Malaysia consistently charges foreigners higher entrance fees and ticket prices for activities and attractions around the country. Sadly, the foreign entrance fees tend to be significantly higher than other Southeast Asian countries and in some cases may even be more expensive than your home country. This does make Malaysia more expensive to travel and also just feels unwelcoming and frustrating. If you are traveling in Malaysia, we recommend not letting this spoil your trip. Just be aware that it is what they do in Malaysia and remember that a lot of other things are still very cheap. Overall, your travel budget in Malaysia should not be too heavily affected by this, especially if you are planning what activities you wish to do and what things you want to see.
Food prices in Malaysia
One of our favorite things about Malaysia is the amazing street food. Some of the best food in Malaysia is also the cheapest food. Another great thing about food in Malaysia is its availability. Cheap and delicious street food is readily available around the country. Street food in Malaysia is very varied due to the cultural diversity of Malaysia. And best of all, street food is very cheap.
If you were traveling Malaysia on a budget, the Cheapest food around is called Nasi lemak. Nasi lemak is rice boiled in coconut milk served with fish, chicken or egg. It is normally wrapped in a banana leaf and costs around RM2 (roughly £0.40 or $0.50). You can also find roti (fried indian bread) for around RM2-3 in Malaysia.
Some of the street food in Malaysia has increased in price in recent years. On average expect to pay around RM10 – RM15 for a generous portion. For example, a plate of Nasi Champur (mixed rice) is likely to cost around RM10. This includes rice with chicken, fish and vegetables.
Although food in Malaysia is very tasty, it is not very healthy. This is one of the main disadvantages of food in Malaysia. Most popular Malaysian street food dishes contain a lot of oil – they are often fried and may also contain lots of salt and sugar. We found that it is difficult to buy fresh fruit around Malaysia and fruit is often relatively expensive.
Hotel prices in Malaysia
If you are traveling Malaysia on a tight budget then you may find accommodation to be quite expensive. At the budget end of accommodation in Malaysia it can feel like you pay a lot for not a lot. We have traveled Malaysia on a tight budget and in our opinion budget accommodation in Malaysia is quite expensive and not very good.
In most places around Malaysia accommodation prices start at around RM50 per night. Budget accommodation is not widely available so you will need to shop around and plan your trip carefully. Some places have classic hostels offering dormitory accommodation. However this is not normally the cheapest option. We recommend that you find a cheap guest house and look for a cheap room. This is especially true if you are traveling as a couple or family.
However, if you are not on a tight budget there is a very good range of accommodation available in Malaysia. If you are able to pay around RM150 – RM200 per night (this is roughly £30 – £40 or $40 – $50) you should be able to find great rooms with character, charm and great locations. If you are planning to stay in luxurious hotels, prices typically range from RM250 per night to RM1,000 per night.
You can use search platforms like booking.com or Agoda to find a hotel in Malaysia.
Transport prices in Malaysia
transport in Malaysia is relatively cheap. The cheapest way to travel around Malaysia is to use the long-distance buses. long-distance buses connect cities around Malaysia and normally cost around RM30 – RM60 (roughly £6 – £12 or $8 – $15) depending on the length of the journey. There is also a train system connecting some areas of Malaysia.
Another way to get around Malaysia is to use cheap domestic flights. AirAsia is a budget airline based in Malaysia offering cheap domestic flights around the country. This is more expensive than traveling overland, which is a very convenient way of traveling around Malaysia. Expect to pay around RM100 per day for car rental in Malaysia (roughly £20 or $25). Some areas of Malaysia have a very good public transport system (particularly Penang and Kuala Lumpur). You can also use the Grab taxi app to get a fair price on taxis in Malaysia. Most local Taxi journeys cost RM5 – RM15 (£1 – £3 or $1.20 – $4).
How does Malaysia compare to other countries in Southeast Asia?
Malaysia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in Southeast Asia. This gives Malaysia a very impressive street food culture. Although food in Malaysia is not the cheapest in Southeast Asia it may well be the best. The only frustration with food in Malaysia we have mentioned already is a lack of healthy food.
In Thailand and Vietnam there is a lot more fresh healthy food available compared to Malaysia. We already mentioned that it is very difficult to find fresh fruit in Malaysia. In most places around Thailand you can find fresh, cheap fruit cut up on the street side.
On average Malaysia is more expensive than Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia. We mentioned that transport in Malaysia is very cheap. However, the transport system in Malaysia is pretty good but it is not well integrated. Malaysia is not very good for budget accommodation. If you’re traveling on a tight budget you will find the accommodation much better in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
If you are only planning to visit Malaysia for beautiful beaches, it is worth being aware that many other Southeast Asian countries also offer beautiful beaches and waters. For example, in South Thailand there are plenty of stunning islands with lovely beaches and crystal clear waters. Indonesia is also packed with amazing islands, epic beaches and beautiful Waters.
Summary – is Malaysia worth visiting in 2023?
Yes, in our opinion Malaysia is worth visiting in 2023. Especially if you’re attracted to some of the unique and awesome things that you can do in Malaysia.
Although there are some disadvantages to Malaysia it is still amongst our favorite countries in Southeast Asia. Our favorite things about Malaysia are the beautiful welcoming local people, the rich cultural diversity, the amazing food and the epic activities. We have already mentioned some of the frustrations of traveling in Malaysia such as the dual pricing system and the lack of affordable accommodation (at the low budget end).
Our website is packed with loads of articles on things to do in Malaysia, travel tips for Malaysia and hotel reviews for Malaysia. Hopefully we can help you love Malaysia as much as we do.
