late deals, apartments and cheap flights can be found by searching on our home page.

Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap Malaysian holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Malaysia in our guide below.

Holidays in Malaysia

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia. It includes mainland territory on the Malay Peninsula and on the island of Borneo, plus over 1000 islands. Much of Malaysia is covered in tropical rainforest, parts of which are up to 100 million years old. Some of the islands are designated as marine parks.

Terrain is very varied, with excellent beaches, unspoiled wilderness areas and ultra-modern cities featuring superb hotels, culture and shopping opportunities. The climate is tropical; warm in daytime and mild in the evening.

Many languages are spoken in Malaysia, but English is also very common. There should be no problem making yourself understood.

Malaysia has a long and diverse history. Evidence of human inhabitants has been found dating back 50,000 years or more. The nearby Straits of Malacca have been an avenue for seagoing commerce for centuries, which has brought visitors from many nations over the years. At times Malaysia has been a Sumatran kingdom, a Portuguese possession, a Dutch trading centre and a British protectorate.

Today Malaysia is a multicultural nation governed by a Constitutional Monarchy similar to that in Britain. Many different racial and ethnic groups form part of the population, though racial tensions are very low.

Malaysia Facts at a Glance

Area: 328,550 km 2

Climate: tropical

Terrain: hills and mountains rising from coastal plains

Population: 24 million, Mainly Malay, Chinese and Indian, many other ethnic groups

Languages: Malay and many others. English is widely spoken

Currency: Ringgit Malaysia

Time Zone: GMT +8 hours

International Dialing Code: +60

Accommodation and Food

The urban areas of Malaysia are popular tourist destinations as well as being modern cities with excellent amenities. There is a range of accommodation available to suit all budgets. Society is very cosmopolitan and shows influences from many regions. International cuisine is widely available as well as dishes based on local specialties.

Eating out is not an important part of the Malaysian culture, so it is quite difficult to find really authentic Malay cuisine in a restaurant. A few offer traditional dishes but you may have to search for a while to find one. However, for most visitors the difference between the real thing and what is offered in restaurants is not great. You can also find good Malay food on sale from roadside stalls.

Malaysian cuisine is influenced by several cultures. Staples include rice, noodles and bread, with seafood or chicken as the meat content. Fruit, and especially coconut, is a common component of many dishes.

Among the delights of Malay cooking are Nasi Lemak (Rice cooked in coconut milk), Satay (meat in a spicy peanut sauce) and Roti Canai (a breakfast dish of layered Indian bread with curry fish gravy). Tropical fruit dishes are popular. These include Ais Kacang (beans and jellies served in syrup and condensed milk) and Cendol (rice noodles served with syrup and coconut milk).

In some areas Chinese influences have resulted in an interesting Chinese/Malaysian cuisine, and other local variations exist. Exploring Malay cooking is a worthwhile and enjoyable experience – but expect to get a few surprises. Nowhere else in the world will you encounter fruit salad topped with prawn paste!

Why not search our database of cheap Malaysian holidays now by visiting the holidayco.co.uk homepage and using the search facility.

Places to visit

None available this moment.

Things to do

None available this moment.