1. No knife at the table

Malaysia is known for its culinary diversity. The food is delicious and varied. Take advantage of your stay to sample Malay cuisine as well as Indian, Chinese and Thai.

In local restaurants, you will be surprised by the assortment of cutlery. In Chinese restaurants, of course, they will give chopsticks, and in other local restaurants (Indian or Malay) a fork and a tablespoon, but not a knife!

The lack of a knife at the table is the first of 5 amazing things about Malaysia. You will have to learn how to use a tablespoon as a knife, for example, for sorting meat.

It will certainly take time to adapt to acquire the necessary dexterity, especially since in this country meat is served with bones. It’s best to know this and watch out for the bones when eating chicken, the most common meat in restaurants!

2. Spicy food

Even if the culinary offer in Malaysia is extensive, Malaysians love to eat spicy food.

  • Malay and Indian typical dishes have a degree of spiciness that you are probably not used to. This is the second of 5 amazing things for a newcomer tourist.
  • Get in the habit of telling the waiter you’re looking for «soft» dishes so you don’t end up with a burning mouth.
  • If you want to sample local food, consider ordering a drink to accompany your meal. Local drinks such as lattes or fruit juices are very sweet, which can help put out chili fires.

Also, if you don’t like too sweet drinks and prefer natural fruit juice, don’t forget to specify «no sugar» when ordering.

3. Lack of paper in toilets

The third of the 5 amazing things in Malaysia will appear when you go to the toilet. Often there is no paper roll in the toilet stall, except in tourist spots.

  • Sometimes there is no paper at all, and sometimes before entering the cabin you have to take it from the machine near the sink.
  • When there is no paper at all, it is replaced by a kind of water jet (small hand shower) that is used for rinsing. If you don’t know how to do this and you’re afraid of getting your clothes wet, don’t forget to bring tissues with you!

They also come in handy when you wash your hands, because sometimes there is no paper near the sink to wipe off.

Even though most of the toilets in Kuala Lumpur are «Western style» toilets, be aware that there are plenty of squat toilets in Malaysia. They are called «sit-down toilet».

Fortunately, department stores have a choice between two types of toilet. If you find it difficult to use the squat toilet, ask to use the disabled toilet.

Some places, such as small Asian restaurants, will require you to squat down to use the toilet, so be prepared!

More about bathrooms: be aware that hot water is not always available in the faucet or in the shower. In order to have hot water, as a rule, first activate the switch located outside the bathroom.

4. Subway bans

  • Although the metro lines in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia are not very developed, the prohibition signs posted on the glass are surprising.
  • Food and drink, as well as pets and dangerous goods, are prohibited on public transport.
  • Do not throw garbage on the ground or carry bad-smelling things with you! This prohibition is surprising and funny, especially since it is illustrated with a drawing of durian, the famous bad-smelling fruit.

But first of all, one of the 5 amazing things about Malaysia when traveling as a couple is the ban on kissing in public places, on the street and on public transport.

In this Muslim country, such a display of affection is considered obscene behavior. Therefore, you will have to avoid kissing if you do not want to shock people.

In the same vein, travelers should avoid wearing overly revealing outfits such as miniskirts and plunging necklines.

5. Attractive prices

The cost of living in this country is half that of Europe.

Therefore, the prices will pleasantly surprise you, especially since the exchange for local currency is beneficial for European travelers. To easily convert prices, remember that 1 euro is equivalent to 5 ringgits.

  • When you arrive, you will probably be surprised that you can have a hearty meal in a restaurant for less than 10 euros per person and pay less than 3 euros for freshly squeezed juice. You can also find a double room in a good hotel for 40 €.

As you already understood, this direction in Southeast Asia has prepared for you many surprises and a guaranteed change of scenery!