Safety: tourists to Malaysia do not have to worry about safety. Most Malaysians are very friendly and go out of their way to help travellers. However, in the east coast states it would be best for women to avoid bearing too much of their skin as these states are quite fundamentally Muslim. There are several tourist police booths in the city and tourist police speak good English.

Driving in Malaysia can be quite challenging as Malaysian drivers are a breed onto themselves. There are, like any other city, some cases of pick pocketing in the more crowded areas and during major festivals. Bag snatching is less frequent now but it is best to avoid carrying bags with long straps as the gangs usually snatch bags like these while on motorbikes.

Malaysia is usually hot but the rainy seasons are between October and March and May to September on each side of the peninsula. During this time lots of rain falls and the east coast is prone to mild flooding. In general though it is possible to visit Malaysia and have a fantastic holiday anytime of the year.

Money: the Ringgit is the currency used in Malaysia and travellers from Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan and the United States will find the exchange rate to their favour. Money can be exchanged at banks, with money changers that are found in almost all the malls and in the main areas of town. Do ensure that the money changers are licensed and operating from proper premises and never hand your money to touts who ask you to wait a for a while in order for them to get you a better rate than what is being offered.

Language: almost all Malaysians speak two or three languages. Bahasa Melayu, commonly called Malay, is the national language and the main language of instruction in schools. However, spoken Malays differs in many states and sometimes even if you speak Malay you may not be understood in some of the more rural areas.

English as a second language is taught in all government schools and many Malaysians speak the language although not fluently. Additionally, many Malaysians also speak their mother tongue. Many Chinese speak two or more dialects, usually Hokkien and Cantonese.

Recommended hospitals:
Selangor– Sunway Medical Centre (603) 749 19191
Johor - Johor Specialist Centre (607) 225 3000
Kedah - Metro Specialist Centre (604) 423 8888
Kelantan – Perdana Specialist Centre (609) 745 8000
Melaka – Pantai Ayer Keroh Hospital (606) 223 1999
Pahang – Kuantan Specialist Centre (609) 567 2928
Perak – Ipoh Specialist Centre (605) 241 8777
Penang – Gleneagles Medical Centre (604) 227 6111
Sabah – Damai Specialist Centre (608) 822 2922

Business needs: there are many international business based in Malaysia from conglomerates like Citibank to smaller business dealing with exporting and importing. It is not difficult to do business in Malaysia as most Malaysians speak English. However, what is particular to the country is the ‘fee’ often expeced to speed up transactions or release of goods. There are also many ‘middleman’ who brings together two or more parties that can benefit from each transaction.