VISA REQUIREMENTS

South Africans are exempt from requiring a visa and will receive a 90 day permit. There are no longer arrival cards to complete.  The immigration officer will issue a permit to stay depending on your passport / nationality, after taking your fingerprint. Remember that you need to have a passport that is valid for 6 months after your departure date, so if you arrive on the 1st of the month and leave on the 30th of the month, the passport should be valid for 6 months from the 30th of the month.  If your passport is not fully valid your airline may not allow you to board, and the immigration authority will not permit you to land in Malaysia.

Visa Cost: N/A

Compulsory Vaccinations Required: No.

Please note: Visa and vaccination information is correct at time of publish and are subject to change

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

We recommend that March – June is the best time to visit Malaysia as it is mostly sunny and not so humid during these months. These are the low season months for the hotels. It is not recommended for sporting groups to travel during the Muslim fasting month (the fasting months vary every year). Travelling for Winter sport, we recommend the beginning of April or Sept.

AREAS TO VISIT AND THEIR MAIN ATTRACTIONS

KUALA LUMPUR

A fantastic place to admire modern architecture found in Malaysia, and in particular the contemporary skyscrapers that create one of Asia’s most iconic skylines. If possible, take time to see the Petronas Twin Towers in the district known as the Golden Triangle. Once the tallest buildings in the world, and now connected by a skybridge, the Petronas Twin Towers are just a short walk from other incredible structures like the KL Tower and its viewing deck.

The colourful Chinatown is a well-known bargain hunter’s paradise that seemingly never sleeps. Deeply immersed in Oriental culture, heritage and history, it is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia, and holds its own against its more glamorous neighbours, KLCC & Bukit Bintang

Batu Caves is a 400 million-year old limestone hill (with a 100-year old temple incorporated within it), best known as the focal point of the annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam. The celebration attracts thousands of visitors who come to see the colourful spectacle of devotees who pay homage by carrying ornately-decorated ‘kavadis’ (frameworks) combined with various metal hooks and skewers which are used to pierce the skin, cheeks and tongue.

Water slides that whirl and twirl, a manmade ‘river’ ride, surf beach, wave pool and 360° revolving pirate ship… the list of fun attractions at the 323,749sqm Sunway Lagoon Theme Park is extensive. Located in Petaling Jaya, the park encompasses a total of five different zones – the water park, Scream Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park and Wildlife Park

PENANG

A world renowned exotic holiday destination – was known, once upon a time, as Pulau Pinang or the “Isle of the Betel Nut”. Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008, this virgin paradise has no shortage of cultural sights and natural scenery.

Penang Hill, or Flagstaff Hill (Bukit Bendera) as it is officially known, rises 821 metres above sea level, One of Penang’s most popular attractions, a trip up is a not-to-be-missed experience, providing visitors with breath-taking views of the whole island all the way to the top.

Amongst the largest Buddhist temple complex in Southeast Asia, Kek Lok Si Temple stands on top of a hill in the little town of Air Itam. Founded more than a hundred years ago, the complex is filled with beautifully-landscaped gardens and sacred temples.

IPOH

Ipoh is a city in north-western Malaysia, known as a gateway to the Cameron Highlands hill station. Visit The Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple is one of the jewels in Ipoh’s crown and sprawls across a large complex that covers 12 acres of land. Inside the stunning cave you will find an amazing altar which is surrounded by Buddhist and Chinese deities and you will find some pretty trails that take you past two glassy lakes.

Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple is perhaps the most famous temple of its kind both in Ipoh and in wider Malaysia.

The reason for this is that the temple is thought to be the biggest in the country and you will find a range of Buddha statues here as well as other famous deities associated with Chinese folklore.

Gua Tempurung is a cave that is one of the best places to visit if you want to explore beneath the surface of Ipoh. The cave has a central chamber that stretches for 4.5 kilometres which means that it is one of the longest of its kind in Malaysia and you will find a pretty collection of stalagmite and stalactites here.

ADD ON DESTINATIONS

SINGAPORE

A melting pot of culture and history, and an extravaganza of culinary delights. Officially known as the Republic of Singapore, it is both a city and a country located in Southeast Asia. One of Asia’s most visited destinations, Singapore is best described as an amalgam of a fast-paced life and an off-the-back-street inheritance.

The national pastime of Singaporeans is eating, followed closely by shopping. This ‘City in a Garden’ is a blend of cultures, combining different ideas, cuisines, new architectures going well with the gleaming hint of the old school. The incredible shopping malls, classy boutiques, departmental stores on Orchard Road, the exotic elements of Chinatown and Little India.