Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Bicycle vacation Malaysia'

Useful addresses

New York

Consulate General of Malaysia
Two Grand Central Tower
140 East 45th Street 43rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel.: 212-490 2722

London

Malaysian High Commission
45 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8QT
Tel.: 020-7235 8033

Paris

Malaysian Embassy
2bis, Rue Bénouville
75116 Paris
Tel.: 01-4553 1185
Fax: 01-4727 3460
E-mail: malparis@kln.gov.my

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my

General information

In hotels and guesthouses people usually speak some English.

It's probably a good idea to read up about Islam and Chinese religions before your trip. The influence of religion on daily life is strong and with a little knowledge, it's easier to understand.

People are extremely friendly and make you feel at home. We didn't feel unsafe anywhere. Some women may feel uncomfortable or even discriminated against in the Muslim provinces.

Money

There are ATMs almost everywhere in Malaysia. One can also change cash at hotels and banks.

If you know which places you are going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's that you can use with MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa

Climate December-January

This is the wet season. One definitely need rain wear. Bicycling on the east side of the country is inadvisable. The inland route is much better. When planning your trip, take the dominant wind direction into account. In January it is north- east.

Bicycling

In every village is a bicycle repair shop. Smaller sized wheels are used, tough. So bring your own inner and outer tubes. The same goes for brake pads; only a limited selection is available.

One gets used quickly to bicycling on the left. Drivers pay attention to bicyclists.

In general, the roads are in good condition. Sometimes one can't avoid using busy thru-roads. When available, trains are a good and cheap alternative.

There are no detailed road maps.

Food and drink

Everywhere in stalls along the roads. One does need a phrase book.

Accomodation

In larger towns and cities it's not a problem to find a place to sleep. But in small villages it's a big problem. Sometimes there isn't a guesthouse in tens of miles around. It's a good idea to bring a route description which includes hotels.

Health

For up-to-date information about health risks go to the site of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Malaysia. Always consult your family doctor as well.

Safety and security

Traveling in some countries or regions can bring risks with it. That shouldn't always be a reason not to go there, but part of a thorough preparation is to find out about possible risks.

A good place to find information is the web site of the CIA World Factbook Malaysia. Always seek advice from your own country's foreign department as well.

Plan your trip to Malaysia online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.