26 Nov – 10 Dec

Malaysia

Cuti-cuti Malaysia

Beach ★ Heritage ★ City

Where to stay

Langkawi and Penang are booked. Kuala Lumpur still to book: exact dates and the best areas below.

    Day by day

    Times are a guide. Stops marked Optional are extras you can add or skip. Each day stays in one area, with the commute between stops.

    Weather

    Hot and humid, with showers. It gets drier as December starts.

    Langkawi · 27 Nov–1 Dec

    23–32°C

    • Showers on many November days, often short
    • Sea is about 29°C, perfect for swimming
    • About 6–7 hours of sun a day

    Penang · 1–5 Dec

    22–31°C

    • Wettest of the trip: rain on roughly half the days
    • Usually afternoon or evening downpours
    • Mornings are your best outdoor time

    Kuala Lumpur · 5–10 Dec

    24–32°C

    • Brief, heavy showers, often late afternoon
    • Very humid; malls and trains are cold
    • Batu Caves and Putrajaya: go early
    ☂ Small umbrellaLight rain jacketSandals that can get wetSunscreen & hatCardigan for the cold ACSwimwear for ESCAPE

    The eating list

    Tick what you've eaten. The magnifying glass finds it nearby in Google Maps.

    Halal: Malay and mamak (Indian-Muslim) places are halal. Many Chinese hawker stalls aren't, but halal versions of most dishes are easy to find, especially in Penang.

    Shopping

    Beyond KLCC: thrift, local brands, gifts, clothes and bags. All busy, safe spots, close to where you're staying. Tap a number to find it on the map.

    Our shopping list

      Haggle at street stalls, not in shops · bring cash for markets · keep your bag in front in crowds.

        Money & costs

        All estimates, per person unless marked. International flights not included.

        Converter

        Mid-market rates: RM1 = 13.54 EGP (23 Oct), £0.1847 and $0.2463 (29 Oct 2026). Money changers and cards give a bit less.

        How much cash to carry

        Each of you, for 14 days
        About per day

        Pay cash

        • Hawker stalls & night markets
        • Langkawi boat tours booked locally
        • Small shops, drinks, tips
        • Touch 'n Go top-ups, temple sarongs

        Pay by card

        • Hotels & flights
        • Trains, SkyCab, ESCAPE, attractions
        • Malls, cafes, restaurants
        • Grab (card in the app)

        Bring the cash as US dollars or pounds and change it at money changers in KL or Penang malls; they beat airport rates. Change a little at KLIA for day one.

        Trip cost estimate

        On the trip, without hotels per person

        Both of you:

        Everything, with hotels per person

        Both of you:

        Per person (RM)LowHigh
        On the trip
        + Hotels, 13 nights sharing (Langkawi & Penang paid: RM987 each; KL estimated)
        Everything

        Low = hawker food and a simple KL hotel; high = sit-down meals and a comfortable KL hotel. Langkawi ($220.32) and Penang ($265.71) are the real prices you paid, split between you.

        Activity costs

        DayActivityRM
        Total, with your Day 10 pick

        Foreigner prices where they differ. ~ means approximate; check before booking.

        Getting around

        No Uber in Malaysia: use Grab.

        Grab · rides & foodinDrive · cheaper backup in KLKTMB · train ticketsGoogle Maps · buses & trainseSIM or KLIA SIM for data

        Between cities

        Flying is in the plan by default. Tap “Use this” on another option and the day plan updates for both of you.

        KLIA → Langkawi

        Fri 27 Nov

        • FlyBest

          AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines or Batik Air. Separate ticket from your long-haul flight: leave ~3 hrs between them.

          ~1 hr 10 minRM50–200

        • Train + ferry

          ETS train north, then the ~1 hr 15 min ferry from Kuala Perlis. A whole day; only for slow travellers.

          9–11 hrsRM110–150

        Langkawi → Penang

        Tue 1 Dec

        • FlyBest

          AirAsia or Firefly. The easiest way by far.

          ~40 minfrom ~RM110

        • Ferry + Grab

          Ferry to Kuala Perlis (~1 hr 15 min), Grab or bus to Butterworth (~2 hrs), then the short ferry to George Town.

          ~5 hrs~RM100–150

        • Direct ferryNot running

          Suspended for years. Old listings still show it, so don’t book it.

          ——

        Penang → Kuala Lumpur

        Sat 5 Dec

        • Fly

          Lands at KLIA, then the KLIA Ekspres (~30 min) into the city. Or Subang with Firefly.

          ~1 hr + airportRM90–260

        • ETS trainBest

          Butterworth to KL Sentral, centre to centre. Book on the KTMB app; take the ferry or a Grab to Butterworth first.

          ~4 hrsRM59–91

        • Express bus

          From Penang Sentral or Sungai Nibong to TBS. Cheapest, but slowest.

          ~5 hrs~RM40

        In each city

        Langkawi

        Barely any buses. Grab (book early) or rent a car for a day. Your villa is ~10 min from the airport and Cenang.

        Penang

        Grab is cheap. Bus 101 → ESCAPE. Bus 204 → Penang Hill & Kek Lok Si.

        KL

        Touch 'n Go card for trains (cards can't tap the gates yet). Rapid Kembara pass: RM25/day or RM55/3 days.

        KL → airport

        KLIA Ekspres from KL Sentral, ~30 min, RM55.

        KL → Malacca

        Komuter to TBS, then bus ~2.5 hrs, from RM12. Book the return.

        Our album

        Swipe through the trip. Tap the strip button to turn a photo into a photobooth print.

        Before you go

        Entry

        Visa-free for Egyptian & UK passports per most sources; confirm on the official site. Passport valid 6+ months.

        Arrival card

        Fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before landing.

        Book early

        Your KL hotel, the Langkawi→Penang flight on 1 Dec, the ETS train on 5 Dec, ESCAPE and SkyCab.

        Dress

        Shoulders and knees covered at mosques and temples. Mosques lend robes.

        Sources

        Open in new tabDownload

        Photo credit