Essential information

An unforgettable family holiday takes some planning, especially when you’re travelling somewhere new and exotic where things don’t work quite like they do back home. Booking with Rickshaw takes the stress out of deciding where to go and booking your itinerary, but you’ll still want to be prepared for all those little differences and details a new place will doubtless throw your way.

This guide and other pages in this section relate specifically to family travel in the Malaysian part of Borneo island. Malaysian Borneo is the northern part of the island and is generally considered much more accessible and well set up for tourism.

Read on for our advice on what to expect in Malaysian Borneo, as well as practical tips to make sure you’re ready for your big family holiday.

Time zone: GMT+8

Language: Malay (official language) plus Chinese, Tamil, English and other local languages

Capital city: Officially Kuala Lumpur, although Kuching and Koto Kinabalu are the main cities on the island.

Population: 6.7 million (2020 estimate)

Main religions (approximate): Islam (60%), Buddhism (19%), Christianity (9%), Hinduism (6%), plus other minority faiths

Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR or RM)

International dialling code: +60

Side of the road: Left

Malaysian Borneo has three main airports; Kuching in the west (Sarawak) and Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan in the east (Sabah).

You can fly into any of these with Malaysian Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, where you can take a stopover to explore the city if you’d like to. Alternatively, Singapore Airlines fly into Kuching and Kota Kinabalu with a stopover option in (you’ve guessed it) Singapore. Speak to your travel specialist if you’d like to visit either of these great cities before or after your Borneo adventure.

Other routes are available, usually via the Middle-East with the likes of Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways. These routes will have two stops before arriving in Borneo.

Unless you already have flights booked, your Rickshaw travel specialist will be happy to arrange your flight tickets on your behalf. Read more about the advantages of booking flights with Rickshaw here.

Entry to Malaysia is pretty straightforward for most nationalities, including UK citizens, and there are no additional requirements for travelling on to Malaysian Borneo (although you will get a separate stamp in your passport).

If you’re just travelling for leisure then you don’t need to apply for a visa in advance, and you’ll usually be granted a 90-day stay. On arrival, each member of your family will need to present a valid passport with at least one blank page, as well as evidence of onward travel (e.g. your return flight ticket). The expiry date of your passport must be at least 6 months after your arrival.

One additional requirement to be aware of is the Digital Arrival Card, which should be completed within 3 days of your arrival in Malaysia.

You can always check the latest UK travel conditions on the FCO website. If you own a passport issued by another country, please check with your relevant embassy before travel.

The currency in Malaysian Borneo (and Malaysia generally) is the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR or RM). You can get exchange money before you travel but there’s no real need to – you’ll usually get just as good rates at the airport or at an official bank ATM. Just beware of your bank’s foreign withdrawal fees, and note that most cash machines will also charge a small fee.

Many shops and restaurants will accept card payments but you will need some cash for local spending, especially outside of the main cities and tourist areas.

You should also be aware of the local tourist tax (currently MYR10 or about £2 per room per night). This must be paid locally and in cash.

A vital part of any family holiday is keeping everyone safe and avoiding illness if possible – you don’t want to be missing out on holiday highlights because you’re sat in a doctor’s office.

Health & safety standards are generally good in Borneo tourism, and all of our tours and activities are rigorously checked and certified, with fully-trained guides and well-maintained equipment throughout. If you’re booking something locally then it’s best to be a little wary and use your best judgement – there are many good operators but also some less trustworthy ones. Look out for substandard equipment and check out the operator’s online reviews if possible.

Take extra care when crossing roads since drivers don’t always stop at crossings, and always pay attention to local advice regarding tides when heading into the sea.

Crime involving tourists is, for the most part, limited to petty theft. Keep a tight hold on your valuables in busy urban areas or use a concealed money belt. Never hand over your passport to non-officials (we suggest carrying a photocopy instead) and try to stick to ATMs located inside of banks. Protests and disturbances happen very occasionally in the cities – these won’t target tourists but it’s strongly advised to steer clear of any unrest.

In terms of health, the medical services in Malaysian Borneo are of a pretty good standard and most common medicines are available from pharmacies. You are likely to travel to some more remote spots during your holiday where supplies will be more basic, so it’s always a good idea to take any specialist medicine you or your children need along with you (clearly labelled in case of airport checks).

Also, be aware that the sun can be strong here and there are bugs about too, so take some good sunscreen and repellent. We’d also recommend sticking to bottled drinking water and regularly washing hands.

Vaccination advice should only be taken from a doctor or travel nurse but Malaysian Borneo is not considered especially high-risk for diseases. It is sensible to consult your doctor 8 weeks before travel in case any boosters are needed, and the NHS Fit For Travel website has lots of useful information you can refer to.

You may require a yellow fever certificate if you have recently travelled to certain destinations in Latin America and Africa.

In case of emergency, you’ll have a 24/7 telephone number for our local partners who can help and advise in almost any situation. In more extreme cases, 999 is the police number and it’s 112 for an ambulance (calling from a mobile).

You can also speak to the dedicated Malaysian Tourist Police on (+60) 3 21496590 and reach the British Embassy in Malaysia on (+60) 3 21702312. Make sure you have good family travel insurance to cover any costs that arise.

P.S. We’d recommend making a couple of copies of your passport photo page before travelling and also saving a digital copy in your e-mails – this will make things much easier if something happens to your actual passport.

In general, Borneo has a warm and humid climate so loose clothes made from natural materials are perfect. You’ll also want light rain jackets, some sturdy trainers or walking boots, and a couple of warmer layers for travelling.

Some other family packing essentials include;

Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats or caps, sandals, mosquito repellent, universal plug adaptor, charger cables for any gadgets, reading materials, refillable water bottles, small first aid kit, any specific medicines (clearly labelled).

Also remember your bank card and any emergency helpline numbers, a small first aid kit, copies of important documents and a money belt to keep them in.

Borneo’s food scene is full of unique and wonderful dishes, and if you’re a family of adventurous eaters then you’ll find plenty here to inspire you. The cuisine is heavily influenced by mainland Malaysian and Chinese food, so expect lovely fresh noodle and rice dishes made with fish, meat and local vegetables. Borneo also has some exceptional signature dishes of its own and an excellent street food scene, so be sure to seek out favourites like Sarawak Laksa, Mee Sua and Kolo Mee.

Dishes can be moderately spicy but you can ask things to be toned down for the kids if needed – the phrase “tidak terlalu pedas” (not too spicy) could come in handy in the unlikely event that your server doesn’t speak English.

If any of the family have allergies, we recommend creating a little card with the allergies translated into Malay. This way you can be clear and avoid any confusion at restaurants.

If your kids are going through a fussy eating phase then you should stick to the larger and more tourist-friendly restaurants, which are likely to have more classic western dishes on the menu.

Conveniently for British travellers, Malaysian plug sockets are primarily type G so your gadgets can be powered with no adaptor. The voltage is 240V which is  very similar to the UK, so voltage converters are also unnecessary. We would recommend packing a universal adaptor just in case, but you’re unlikely to need it often.

WiFi is available in most hotels, as well as some restaurants, cafes and malls – the speed can be a little hit and miss though, especially in rural areas.

If you have an unlocked mobile handset then you can purchase a local SIM card on arrival at the airport (Celcom and Digi are the main providers). This will allow you to access the internet via data and is a pretty low-cost solution. Otherwise, check with your mobile provider about data roaming charges.

Malay is the main national language and the most widely spoken. Knowing a few words can be helpful and endear you to the locals, so we’d recommend getting phrasebook or using Google Translate. Having said that, many local people speak a good level of English, especially the younger generations and those in popular tourist destinations, so you’ll get by fine even if you’re not much of a linguist.

Malaysia in general has a multi-cultural and multi-faith society, and it’s a largely peaceful and welcoming culture where family plays a huge role. Colourful religious festivals happen throughout the year amongst the different communities and ethnicities, from Chinese New Year to Diwali and even Christmas. As a majority Muslim nation, Ramadan is an important month – it’s fine to travel at this time and it can be a very interesting experience, but it’s advised to show respect by not eating in public areas during fasting hours.

Despite the variety of faiths, all Malaysians share certain cultural norms that it’s good to be aware of;

• Overly revealing outfits are not appreciated. Malaysians themselves dress quite modestly so showing too much skin isn’t advised.
• Raising your voice in public is also frowned upon.
• Men and women do not shake hands when greeting each other, and hugging or kissing is a greeting reserved only for very close friends and family.
• If you are giving a gift, it’s best to avoid alcohol, anything to do with pigs and white wrapping paper.
• You should always use your right hand to give and receive things.
• It is considered rude to touch another person’s head.
• Feet are considered dirty so try not to move objects with them or display your soles to anybody.
• You should avoid pointing at things with your finger – try to gesture with an open hand instead.
• Sadly, homosexual activity remains illegal in Malaysia, and public displays of affection are frowned upon whatever your orientation.

Most Malaysians are aware of cultural differences and will forgive minor discretions without any comment, but it’s always best to be aware.