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Welcome to Malaysia!
Moving to a new country always presents new challenges as you face the reality of settling into a new home in a foreign land. Malaysia is one of the easier countries for expats to live in, but there is still much that will be unfamiliar and maybe even confusing to the new arrival. This booklet aims to make things a little clearer. We have been producing this publication since 2005 and have periodically added new sections based on feedback from readers. We trust you will find answers to most of your initial questions within these pages.
When we ask expats what they like most about Malaysia, they typically list quite a few things. The year-round warm weather always rates very highly, especially for expats coming from cold-climate countries. Although it can certainly get rather hot here on sunny afternoons, most places are air-conditioned (or fan-cooled), so it is not really a problem. The evenings and early mornings, of course, are usually a lot cooler and more pleasant.
The Malaysian people also rate high on the list because they are generally among the friendliest people in Asia, and most are willing to lend a helping hand if you have problems. Unlike many other countries in Asia, it is common for expats to say they have many local friends as well as other expats. The fact that most locals speak English, especially in the cities, makes life that much easier, and most locals are happy to ‘show off’ their country to new arrivals. In some respects, Malaysia is a microcosm of Asia, as the three dominant races, Malay, Chinese, and Indian all have their own very different beliefs, cultures, celebrations, and cuisines. This is most apparent (and fascinating) around the various festive seasons.
As a travel destination, Malaysia offers a great deal, and there are plenty of places in the country to visit once you get settled. There are also many fascinating places in this part of Asia which are easy to reach.