Malaysia: currency, shopping
The national currency of Malaysia is divided into the Ringgit (MYR) = 100 Sen. One often speaks of the Malaysian dollar.
The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:
- 1
- 2
- 5
- 10
- 20th
- 50
- 100
- 500
- 1000 MYR
Conversion rate
You can find a currency converter here:
www3.forium.de
Bank opening hours
- Monday-Friday:9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday:9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Opening times in Sabah:
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Shop
Shop opening times
- Daily:10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs,
handicrafts such as:
batik fabrics, silver jewelry, pottery and wood carvings.
Songket is a brocade-like fabric that is embroidered with gold thread and silver thread.
Malaysia: Transport/How to get there
How to get to Malaysia
Air connections
If you are flying to from abroad, you will usually enter Kuala Lumpur’s state-of-the-art airport, Sepang, which is 50 km south of the city.
Malaysia is served by over 40 airlines. The domestic airline Malaysia Airlines is one of the most respected in the world.
www.malaysiaairlines.com
The flight from Germany to Frankfurt takes about 11 hours.
Ferry connections
You can enter from Indonesia using the following ferry connections:
West Malaysia:
Penang-Medan
Melaka-Dumai
East Malaysia:
Tawau-Tarakan
Railways
Malaysia can be reached by train from Thailand or Singapore, e.g. B. with the Eastern-Oriental-Express.
Eastern-Oriental-Express
The train runs from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.
www.orient-express.com
Overland
From Thailand you can enter overland at five border crossings.
Travel in the country
Air connections
Malaysia has a dense local air network.
If you want to travel longer distances or from West to East Malaysia, the most comfortable way to travel is by plane.
Air Asia, the country’s low-cost airline, which now also offers flights abroad, offers an inexpensive alternative to Malaysia Airlines.
www.airasia.com
Railway
The Malaysian peninsula is excellently developed by the state railway KTMB. The rail network is around 2,500 km long.
Eastern-Oriental Express
The train runs from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.
www.orient-express.com
Bus
A dense bus network with buses both with and without air conditioning runs through the country. Buses are an inexpensive and efficient way of getting around Malaysia.
Roads
Malaysia has a dense and good road network of around 66,000 km. About 50,000 km of these are tarred. There are around 1,200 km of expressways.
Rental
cars Rental cars can be rented in many places.
The Malaysian Automobile Club has the following Internet address:
www.aam.org.my
Traffic rules
In Malaysia there is left-hand traffic.
Top speeds
- Urban: in built-up areas there is a speed limit of 50 km/h
- Country roads: there is a speed limit of 90 km/h on country roads
- Motorways: there is a speed limit of 110 km/h on motorways
Special regulations
Wearing seat belts is compulsory, for example in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Blood
alcohol limits In Malaysia there is a blood alcohol limit of 0.8 per mille for drivers of motor vehicles.
International license plate
Malaysia’s international license plate is:
| MAL |
Tourist office
Malaysia Tourist Office in Germany
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
Weissfrauenstr. 12-16
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 460 9234 20
Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 460 9234 99
E-Mail: info@tourismmalaysia.de
Web: http: //www.tourismmalaysia. de
Malaysia: entry and exit regulations
Formalities, visas
Germans and all other Europeans do not need a visa to enter the country, but the passport must still be valid for six months. You are entitled to a three-month stay.
Accompanying children should have their own passport or be noted in their parents’ passport.
The following is responsible for issuing visas in Germany:
Embassy of Malaysia in Berlin
Klingelhöfer Strasse 6
10785 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 8857 490
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 8857 490
Email: mwberlin@compuserve.com
Departure fee
In many countries, a fee must be paid when leaving the country. This fee when leaving Malaysia is:
International Departure Tax: 40 MYR
National Departure Tax: 1 MYR
Import and export of foreign currency
There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currency.
Import and export of goods
The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result in severe penalties.
The following quantities may be imported duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 g of tobacco
- 1 liter of spirits, wine or liqueur
- Perfume with a value of 200 MYR or less
- 100 pieces of matches
- Goods up to a total value of MYR 200
Entry with pets
For the owners of dogs and other animals, the question arises when traveling abroad whether they can even take their animals with them to the chosen travel destination, and if that is possible, then of course the question of the applicable conditions then arises. Here with us you will find all the important information on this topic, seriously researched at the embassies or the Foreign Office.
An import permit is required to import pets into Malaysia. This can be obtained from the Department of Veterinary Servicebe requested in Malaysia. In order for this to be issued, the pet must be vaccinated against rabies and an official veterinary health certificate is required, which must not be older than seven days. In this it must be confirmed that the animal is healthy and free from contagious diseases. The rabies vaccine and the antibody content in the animal’s blood must also be listed in this. In addition, there is a seven-day quarantine requirement for every animal.
Dogs and cats under three months of age should not be brought into Malaysia under any circumstances. A general import ban applies to certain breeds of dogs. These include the Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Mastiff, Japanese Tosa, Akita, Argentine Mastiff, and Fila Braziliero.
Pets in the airplane
When transporting pets in airplanes, there is the possibility that the animal flies together with an accompanying person (owner) or without such a person.
Transporting animals with an accompanying person (keeper)
In this case, proceed as follows: At the airport, the animal is locked in a transport box provided by the keeper beforehand. It must be ensured that the container is large enough that the animal can stand in it and turn around, and it must also be ensured that no liquids can run out (urine). This is done using suitable absorbent material, in the simplest case using a sufficient amount of newspaper.
There should also be a water bowl and, depending on the length of the flight, enough food. The transport container is handed over to the staff at the check-in counter. The transport fee depends on the weight of the animal. It is imperative to ensure that there is space for the animal for the flight booked, as the number of animals that can be transported is limited.
The animal is located in the machine in an air-conditioned area between the passenger deck and the cargo area. As a rule, no member of the crew takes care of the animal during the flight, not even to give water or food.
However, experience has shown that the stress of checking in and the take-off phase is so stressful for most animals that they sleep for most of the flight. The administration of sedatives before check-in is not only not recommended, as their effects cannot be foreseen under these conditions, but is even prohibited for reasons of security (smuggling). Many airlines also exclude a number of dogs (attack dogs) from transport.
Animal transport without an accompanying person
In this case, a specialist company must be commissioned with the transport, which then takes care of everything else. However, it should be ensured that the animal is picked up at the arrival airport by someone who is familiar to the dog. And of course all import regulations for pets for the country have to be explored beforehand and strictly adhered to.
Note
It has proven to be very helpful if you have accustomed the animal to such a transport container at home a few weeks before the intended flight.
Drugs
The country’s drug laws are very restrictive.
Drug trafficking in Malaysia faces the death penalty. But even drug possession threatens draconian penalties.
The airlines will point this out again when landing!
Malaysia: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations, and Warnings
Infectious Diseases
- Malaria: There is a year-round risk of malaria infection in the country, especially in Sabah in Borneo and in the hinterland. There is a rather low risk in West Malaysia and Sarawak. There is no risk of malaria infection in the country’s cities or in the coastal regions. About 60% to 70% of infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
- Amoebic dysentery
- Bacterial agitation
- Schistosomiasis
- Chikungunya, a non-fatal but serious viral infection for a healthy adult human, which is transmitted by the mosquito “Aedes albopictus” (tiger mosquito). The name of the disease comes from the East African Swahili (Kiswahili) language and roughly means: “who walks crookedly”.
- Cholera– but there is only a risk of infection for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
- dengue fever
- Intestinal infectionsfrom contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Filariasis
- Typhus
- Early summer meningoencephalitis
- Hepatitis A and B
- Japan encephalitis
- tetanus
- rabies
- Typhoid– however, there is only a risk of infection for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Vaccination recommendations
When traveling to Malaysia are recommended vaccinations against the following diseases:
- Cholera– but among travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
- Diphtheria– a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Japan encephalitis– but only for particularly vulnerable people
- Polio, polio– vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
- Tetanus– a vaccination against tetanus should always exist, also in the home country.
- Rabies– but only for high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
- Typhoid– but only for travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
Malaria prophylaxis
When traveling in the country, especially when traveling to the areas mentioned above, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.
Compulsory vaccination
For all persons older than a year and arriving from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO, there is a compulsory vaccination against an illness with yellow fever.
Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?
Most children in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.
Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007.
There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory additional payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge:
- cholera
- diphtheria
- Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococci
- Polyo (polio)
- Tetanus (tetanus)
- rabies
- typhus
The costs of malaria prophylaxis are also reimbursed by some health insurance companies. Private health insurance companies usually (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.
Malaysia: embassies, consulates
Representations of Malaysia in Germany
The Embassy of Malaysia in Berlin is located in the so-called Tiergarten Triangle – the former Klingelhöfer Triangle in Berlin-Tiergarten. Diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the Federal Republic of Germany go back to 1957. Until 1999 the Malaysian Embassy was in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, until it moved to Berlin on November 11th, 2000. The official inauguration took place on March 19, 2002 in the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad instead.
Embassy of Malaysia in Berlin
Klingelhöferstraße 6
10785 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 8857 490
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 8857 4950
Email: mwberlin@malemb.de
Consulate General of Malaysia
Platz der Einheit 1, Kastor, Floor 17-18
60327 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 87 00 370
Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 87 00 37 241
E-Mail: mwfrankfurt @ malcg.de
Honorary Consulate General of Malaysia
Wolf-Hirth-Straße 37
71034 Böblingen
Tel: 0049 – (0) 7031 – 419535
Fax: 0049 – (0) 7031 – 419535
E-Mail: hon.generalkonsulat-malaysia@web.de
Honorary Consulate General of Malaysia
Kajen 2
20459 Hamburg
Tel: 0049 – (0) 40 – 372172
Fax: 0049 – (0) 40 – 3687249
E-Mail: consulate.malaysia@nrc.de
Honorary Consulate of Malysia in Munich
Schlossstrasse 23
82031 Grünwald
Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 189367-0
Fax: 0049 – (0) 89 – 18936729
E-Mail: wley@ley-gmbh.info
German representations in Malaysia
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
No 3 Jalan U Thant
55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 0060 – (0) 3 – 21 70 96 66
Fax: 0060 – (0) 3 – 21 61 98 00
Email: info@kuala-lumpur.diplo. de
Web: www.kuala-lumpur.diplo.de
Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone 3
11900 Penang
Tel: 0060 – (0) 4 – 647 12 88
Fax: 0060 – (0) 4 – 647 21 20
Austrian representations in Malaysia
Embassy of the Republic of Austria
Suite 10, 1-2 Level 10, Wisma Goldhill, 67 Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 0060 – (0) 3 – 23 81 71 60/62
Fax: 0060 – (0) 3 – 23 81 71 68
Email: kuala-lumpur-ob@bmaa.gv.at
Web: www.aussenministerium.at/kualalumpur
The Austrian embassy in Malaysia is still responsible for Brunei.
Honorary Consulate in Penang
19, Halaman Bukit Gambir 2
11700 Gelugor, Penang
Tel: 0060 – (0) 4 – 656 85 25
Fax: 0060 – (0) 4 – 659 85 25
E-Mail: austrianconsulate@carmelita.com.my
Representations of Malaysia in Austria
Embassy of Malaysia in Vienna
Floridsdorfer Hauptstrasse 1-7, Florido Tower 24th floor
1210 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 50 51 04 2
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 50 57 94 2
Email: embassy @ embassymalaysia. at
Swiss representations in Malaysia
Embassy of the Swiss Confederation
16 Pesiaran Madge
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 0060 – (0) 3 – 21 48 06 22
Fax: 0060 – (0) 3 – 21 48 09 35
Email: kua.vertretung@eda.admin.ch
Web: http: //www.eda.admin.ch/kualalumpur
Consulate in Kuching
301 Golden Farm, 6th Mile
93250 Kuching
Malaysia
Tel: 0060 – (0) 82 – 61 24 63
Fax: 0060 – (0) 82 – 61 46 22
E-Mail: muheidi@pc.jaring.my
Representations of Malaysia in Switzerland
Embassy of Malaysia
Jungfraustraße 1
3005 Bern
Tel: 0041 – (0) 31 – 350 47 00
Fax: 0041 – (0) 31 – 350 47 02
Email: malbern@greenmail.ch
Consulates
Consulate of Malaysia in Bâle
Riehenring 77
4058 Bâle
Tel: 0041 – (0) 61 – 681 30 70
Consulate General of Malaysia in Geneva
CP 1834, International Cointrin Center, Rte de Pré-Bois 20
1215 Geneva 15
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 710 75 00
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 710 75 01
Email: consgva @ kln.gov.my
Consulate of Malaysia in Zurich
Löwenstrasse 3
8001 Zurich
Tel: 0041 – (0) 43 – 443 83 62
Fax: 0041 – (0) 43 – 443 83 90
Email: cavelti.reto@bluewin.ch
