Getting around Malaysia is fairly easy with affordable flights, safe roads, and a rail system. If you’re traveling to any of the islands, ferry and boat schedules need to be accounted for when selecting flights and other transport.
Within the country, Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiary, Firefly, offers reasonably priced flights with a checked baggage allowance of 20kg. Discount carrier AirAsia offers flights for as low as £10 but you’ll pay extra for baggage, seat assignments, and other extras. We’ll recommend flights that suit your itinerary and can book flights for you but we do charge a fee for this. Many people prefer to book directly and we’re easy going about that.
For short trips such as Kuala Lumpur to Melaka, we’ll arrange a private driver so that you can enjoy the ride although if you prefer, we can arrange car hire. If visiting the Cameron Highlands, we suggest a private driver or car hire between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. If you prefer to travel by rail, the luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express runs from Singapore to Bangkok and you can disembark for a night in the Highlands and a day in Penang. Alternatively, state-owned rail lines run the spine of the peninsula. With these, you can schedule longer stops in the Cameron Highlands and end in Penang. Reservations are required and we can assist with these.
Ferry service to Langkawi is available from Penang but we generally recommend the short flight to avoid the risk of rough seas. This can be a very unpleasant crossing if the wind is strong. Langkawi is best explored on your own with a bicycle, taxis, or by hiring a car for a day or two if you wish to explore the island beyond the area of your hotel.
For information about getting around Borneo, please see our Borneo resources.
