Malaysia: Get around By car

Malaysia has an excellent highway network, culminating in the North-South Expressway from Singapore all the way to the Thai border. Petrol slightly cheaper than market prices at RM1.80/litre (in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak), but tolls are payable on expressways. Traffic drives on the left.

Beware of reckless motorcyclists, especially at night, and especially if you are a pedestrian: they typically disregard a red light for left turns, putting you at risk even though you cross the road with a green walk sign. As a motorist, at traffic lights, they will accumulate in front of you - let them drive away first to avoid accidents.

In general, cars and motorcycles rarely indicate line changes and often change from the far right to the far left at the very last minute, so always pay attention to what the cars ahead are doing or what they possibly could do!

Care is needed when driving in larger cities, such as Kuala Lumpur. Problems include apparently suicidal motorcyclists, massive traffic jams throughout the day, and bewildering roads especially in the older parts of the city where planning is virtually nonexistent. Out of town however, cars and motorcycles are the best and sometimes the only way to explore the country. Some of the more rural areas have motorcycles and scooters to rent for as little as RM25/day, a great way to explore the local area or larger islands like Langkawi. Most rental agencies will require a valid car drivers licence to be presented upon rental (or at least be told that it is at your hotel) - this is because the police make random checks, and the rental agency does not wish to be held responsible for renting out a vehicle to an unlicenced driver. Fuel levels are often compared before and after rental, as well as for damage, so make sure everything is documented, and request a refund of any excess fuel if possible.

Taxis are available in all cities and larger towns, although in smaller places you may have to call one (ask any shopkeeper). You will generally need to negotiate the fare in advance, even in notionally metered Kuala Lumpur, although prepaid coupon taxis are usually available at airports. RM5 should suffice for a short cross-town trip, while RM100 is enough to hire a taxi for a full day.