Why Malaysia for a Honeymoon
Few countries pack this much variety into a trip that still feels easy. Kuala Lumpur gives you rooftop bars and Petronas Towers views on night one. A short flight later you are on an island where the main decision is which beach to walk to for sunset.
The culture is the other draw. Malay, Chinese and Indian communities live side by side, so a single street in Penang can hold a mosque, a Taoist clan temple and a banana leaf curry house. Breakfast might be roti canai, lunch a bowl of assam laksa and dinner grilled stingray at a night market.
Value matters too. Couples who would be stuck in a standard room elsewhere in Asia can often afford a pool villa or a heritage suite here. And Malaysian Borneo adds something most beach honeymoons cannot: a real chance of seeing orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants in the wild.
Best Time to Visit
Malaysia is hot and humid all year, with daytime highs around 90°F in the lowlands. What changes is rain. Where it falls depends on which coast you are on.
The west coast, including Langkawi and Penang, is driest from roughly December to March. Rain builds from about May. September to November is usually the wettest stretch in Penang.
The east coast islands, such as the Perhentians, Redang and Tioman, take the brunt of the northeast monsoon from about November to February. Many resorts and boat services shut completely then. The best window there runs from around April to September.
Sabah on Borneo is most reliable from about March to September, though showers are possible any month. The Cameron Highlands stay cool year round and get heavy rain in the last quarter.
For a two-coast trip, aim for April or May, when both sides are usually workable. Check dates for Ramadan and Chinese New Year, which affect opening hours and prices.
Where to Go
Our guides cover five places that make strong honeymoon bases.
- Langkawi: a duty-free island off the northwest coast with rainforest resorts, mangrove boat trips and a cable car to a sky bridge. Best from December to April.
- Penang: George Town is a UNESCO-listed port of shophouses, clan temples and arguably the best street food in the country, with beach hotels at Batu Ferringhi.
- Perhentian Islands: two small car-free islands off the northeast coast with clear water, reef sharks and turtles. Simple and seasonal, roughly March to October.
- Sabah: Malaysian Borneo, where Kota Kinabalu sunsets, island resorts, Mount Kinabalu and river wildlife lodges fit into one trip.
- Cameron Highlands: tea estates and misty trails about 5,000 feet up, a cool break between beach stays.
Kuala Lumpur deserves a night or two at the start or end. Melaka, the other half of the Straits heritage listing, makes an easy day trip.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
This west coast route works best from December to April. Swap Langkawi for the Perhentians between April and September.
- Days 1 and 2: Kuala Lumpur. Sleep off the flight, then take in the Petronas Towers at dusk, Jalan Alor street food and a rooftop drink.
- Days 3 and 4: Cameron Highlands. Drive or take a private transfer up, walk a jungle trail and have tea above the Boh estate rows.
- Days 5 to 7: Penang. Spend two days in George Town on foot and by trishaw, then ride the funicular up Penang Hill for the evening view.
- Days 8 to 10: Langkawi. Fly or take the ferry across, then settle into a resort for a mangrove tour, the SkyCab, island hopping and long lazy afternoons.
With 14 days, fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu and add four nights in Sabah, split between an island resort and a river lodge on the Kinabatangan.
Budget and Costs
All figures here are approximate and swing with exchange rates and season.
Street food is the bargain of the trip. A plate of char kway teow or nasi lemak at a hawker center usually costs a few dollars. A full hawker dinner for two rarely tops $15. Sit-down restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and Penang cost more, though still well below US city prices.
Rooms span a huge range. Comfortable midrange hotels often run about $70 to $180 a night. Heritage boutique hotels in George Town and good beach resorts sit higher. The top rainforest resorts on Langkawi and Borneo can exceed $600 a night in peak season.
Expect hotel bills to include a service charge, government service tax and a small per-night tourism tax for foreign guests. Alcohol is heavily taxed except on duty-free Langkawi. Domestic flights on budget carriers are cheap if you travel light, so check bag fees before booking.
Getting There and Around
With no nonstop service from the US, the usual approach is a one-stop itinerary into Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Popular connections run through Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Doha and Dubai. KLIA sits about 28 miles south of the city. The KLIA Ekspres train is the fastest way into KL Sentral.
Inside the country, short flights save whole days. Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Batik Air link Kuala Lumpur with Penang, Langkawi, Kota Bharu (for the Perhentians) and Kota Kinabalu. The ETS electric trains run up the west coast toward Ipoh and Butterworth, with the ferry or a short drive across to Penang.
Grab is the default for rides in towns. On Langkawi there is almost no public transport, so rent a car or use Grab. Driving is on the left. Carry an International Driving Permit with your US license if you plan to drive. Expect fast highways but slow mountain roads.
Culture and Etiquette
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country with large Chinese and Indian communities. Manners shift with the setting. In cities and resorts, beachwear by the pool is normal. Cover shoulders and knees for mosques, temples and conservative states such as Kelantan and Terengganu. Mosques usually lend robes at the door.
Take your shoes off before entering homes and many temples. Use your right hand to pass money or food. Point with your thumb rather than a finger. Public displays of affection beyond hand holding draw looks outside tourist zones.
During Ramadan, many Malay restaurants close in daylight, then the evening bazaars come alive. Alcohol is easy to find in Chinese restaurants, hotels and bars but not in halal eateries.
Tipping is not expected, since most hotel and restaurant bills include a service charge. Rounding up for a good driver or guide is appreciated.
Quick tips
- Book east coast island stays only between about April and September; most resorts there close for the northeast monsoon.
- Carry your passports on domestic flights to Sabah or Sarawak, where they are checked again on arrival.
- Install Grab before you land for fixed-price rides and food delivery in every major town.
