Malaysia is a relatively large country in South East Asia, made up of mainland Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Malaysia is a very developed country with an extensive transport network encompassing low-cost carrier flights, buses, van transfers and ferries. They also have many rideshare apps and taxi options for getting around once you are in a city. As someone who has backpacked Malaysia twice, I have a pretty good understanding of how to get around and the most accessible backpacker routes. This guide will focus on mainland Malaysia, but I will add information about getting around Malaysian Borneo soon.
Malaysia Backpacking Route
Most people travel to north to south or south to north when travelling Malaysia. There is a well-trodden backpacking route with plenty of public transport options connecting tourist hot spots. Most travellers start in either Singapore or Langkawi and work down Malaysia’s west coast and centre. There are a few destinations in the east of Malaysia, such as the Tioman Islands and the Perenthian Islands. However, these are less easy to visit as there are fewer public transport options and they involve multiple connections between buses and ferries. Many people also visit Malaysian Borneo, which involves flying from mainland Malaysia. I’ve made a custom map of all the destinations and the general route most people travel:
While you do not need to book transfers far in advance, you may want to consider how you will get to destinations like Borneo, Tioman Islands and Perenthian Islands.
Getting around Malaysia by Plane
Air Asia has an extensive network of flight routes across Malaysia, offering affordable prices. You can get flights within Malaysia for as low as 46 MYR Malaysian Ringgit ($10 USD). While this may seem like a great price, you must also factor in the cost of adding checked baggage and getting to and from the airport. Most airports in Malaysia are quite far outside of the city. Also, the environmental impact of getting many short flights may be something you would want to consider. Additionally, catching flights over buses can be inconvenient as low-cost carrier flights are often delayed or cancelled last minute.
I try to avoid flying where possible for all the reasons stated above, particularly when there is a convenient bus/ van transfer option. If you are heading to the west coast of Malaysia (Tioman Islands and Perenthian Islands), you may want to consider flying to avoid multiple bus connections. Also, many people fly between Penang and Langkawi as the ferry is no longer operational, and the alternative involves many connections. If you are heading to Borneo, you must fly as this is a separate island, and there is no ferry or other alternative transport option.
Getting around Malaysia by Bus
The bus network in Malaysia is extensive, making it incredibly easy to get between tourist destinations. The best two websites toe best two websites to book buses online in Malaysia are busonlineticket and redbus. Buses can be booked as last minute as the day of travel, allowing flexibility of travel plans. Depending on which bus company you go with, there will either be toilets on board or the bus will make regular toilet and snack stops. Most buses in Malaysia are airconditioned, with some even having small TV screens and USB chargers. Depending on the length of the journey, seats may also be reclinable to a certain degree. Overall, the bus system is easy to navigate and affordable, and the buses are comfortable.
The one exception to the above will be if you are going to Taman Negara. The buses (they are more like vans) can only be booked via Han Travel Agency online here. They have a limited number of places on the small vans, so make sure you book at least a day or two in advance.
Getting around Malaysia by Taxi, Grab or Gojek
In most tourist cities in Malaysia, it is easy to access Taxis and book a car on a rideshare app. The two most popular rideshare apps are Grab and Gojek. The only vehicle option is a car or a minivan; they do not have scooter rideshare in Malaysia. In my opinion, Grab and Gojek are better than Taxis as it feels safer knowing the apps are tracking your journey. You can also input your destination without having to communicate with the driver on google translate verbally. The prices are pretty affordable for Grab and Gojek, and there are generally a lot of cars available. One important thing to note, drivers in Malaysia prefer cash over card payments, so if you have your rideshare app set to “credit card” instead of “pay cash to the driver”, then it may take you longer to get a driver.
Grab and Gojek are everywhere in Malaysia except Cameron Highlands and Taman Negara. Getting a rideshare driver in Langkawi and Teluk Bahang in Penang can also be trickier as there are fewer drivers.
Getting around Malaysia on foot
It’s really easy and safe to walk around any city in Malaysia, even at night, as a solo female. Most bigger roads in cities will have well-maintained footpaths. There are also not as many stray dogs around, and they are nowhere near as aggressive as the street dogs in Indonesia. Walking around cities is also a great way to get to know a place and see things you might have missed if you were in a vehicle.
Getting around by scooter in Malaysia
It is possible to rent a scooter to travel to Malaysia, but relatively uncommon for backpackers. The only place where it is more common to rent a scooter is Langkawi.
If you want to rent a scooter for transport anywhere in South East Asia, my recommendations would be:
- Ensure you get an international driver’s license in your home country before leaving. In many countries, you can get one for a small charge by going to your local post office.
- Take a scooter lesson when you arrive to learn about road rules and safety from a local. I did one for less than $5 USD, which made me more confident.
- Don’t drive drunk. You’d think it would be common sense, but you hear many horror story accidents from backpackers driving drunk. By all means, drive your scooter during the day sober. At night, jump in a grab. They are literally so cheap.
- Make sure you always lock your scooter and keep the key somewhere safe. You’d be surprised how often someone is tearing apart the dorm looking for a scooter key.
- Take photos and videos of the scooter’s condition before you rent it. Otherwise, you will be charged for scratches or dents already on the vehicle.
- Be mindful of using your phone or any passengers using their phones while driving. Phone grabbing from other vehicles is not uncommon and can cause serious accidents. For directions, get the back passenger to discretely use their phone from their lap or have Google map directions playing in your AirPods, so you don’t need your phone out.
Getting around by Ferry in Malaysia
There are a couple of ferry routes, such as to get to the Perenthian and Tioman Islands. Bookings are direct through the ferry company websites, or you can sometimes book them at hostels. If you’re travelling to Langkawi from the mainland, there is also a ferry from Kuala Perlis. It operates a few times a day through Cuti Cuti Langkawi ferry company. Important to note, since the pandemic, the direct ferry between Penang and Langkawi, which was popular with backpackers, no longer runs. There is no indication of whether this ferry route will operate again or whether another ferry company will take over the route. There is a lot of old information online recommending travellers take this ferry, but sadly it no longer exists.
Did you find this blog post helpful? Want to see more travel tips and recommendations? Join me on Tik Tok and Instagram for daily travel content!
This blog is a free and independent source of information for all things travel and backpacking. If you benefitted from the information on this blog, please consider using the affiliate links to book hostels/activities etc. This will be at no extra cost to you but helps subsidise the cost of running a free travel blog.
