What should you pay attention to when traveling to Sabah, Malaysia?

Customs and customs in Sabah, Malaysia Sabah is a place where Islam is prevalent. Tourists traveling there should pay attention to their clothing, especially when visiting local mosques, they must enter barefoot.

The mosques there have stricter requirements for female tourists. Female tourists must cover their heads, knees and arms before entering.

After everyone enters the mosque, if you see tourists praying there, do not pass in front of them, and do not touch the Koran in the mosque. If you have any physical contact with local people in the mosque, remember to pass it with your right hand.

Notes on diving in Sabah, Malaysia. Sabah, Malaysia is a recognized diving resort in the world. Sipadan in it is also known as a diving paradise.

However, diving also has certain requirements for tourists. First of all, everyone must have a diving qualification certificate before they can go into the water. If not, they need to undergo local training and obtain it before they can experience the fun of diving.

Furthermore, not all tourists can enjoy diving. Because it also has certain requirements on tourists' health. If tourists have rhinitis or heart disease, they are not allowed to go into the water. Otherwise, too much underwater pressure may cause danger or even life-threatening.

First of all, Sabah Island is located in Malaysia, facing the South China Sea to the west. It is also located at the northern end of Borneo Island, the third largest island in the world, and is famous for its golden beaches.

This place is under the typhoon zone, and there are no typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters all year round, so it has the reputation of "the land under the wind". There are unspoiled small island groups, crystal clear waters, beautiful corals, and various flora and fauna that thrive in mountain parks.

Secondly, things you need to pay attention to when traveling to Sabah, Malaysia:

1. Sabah Island has a tropical maritime climate, with plenty of sunshine, hot and humid weather, from October every year to April and May of the following year. The breeze period of the month is the best time to travel;

2. Sabah is the second largest state in Malaysia. It is a multicultural society composed of more than 30 ethnic groups and many believe in Islam. Teaching in Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and English. Before going to Malaysia, it is best to understand the local folk customs to avoid embarrassment or taboos;

3. The currency of Malaysia cannot be directly used in RMB, so currency needs to be exchanged. 100 RMB is exchanged for 45.2 MYR, and 100 US dollars is exchanged for 378 MYR. The daily prices vary, and the exchange rate varies in each place. Nearly a hundred merchants in Malaysia can accept UnionPay cards;

4. The duty-free goods that can be brought into Malaysia according to the customs regulations are cameras, watches, pens, cassette players, perfume, lighters, 200 cigarettes, and alcohol. 1 bottle and cosmetics, souvenirs and films worth less than MYR 200. If tourists bring carpets, clothing, jewelry, liquor, and tobacco into the country, they must pay customs duties. They can also deposit them at the customs when entering the country and take them away when leaving the country;

5. Local calls can be made at any phone booth , coins or phone cards can be used. International calls can only be made from phone booths or telecommunications offices that accept calling cards.

General hotels have international direct dial IDD services, but some service fees are required. Malaysia has a strict drug ban, and carrying drugs is punishable by death.

Passengers especially need to take good care of their luggage when crossing the border to prevent drugs from being dropped into their luggage. Open entertainment programs and alcohol are prohibited;

6. In addition, things that are indispensable to Malaysia Including sunglasses, umbrellas, sunscreen and skin care products, swimsuits, gastrointestinal medicines, anti-mosquito bite medicines, etc. Things to note when traveling in Malaysia - Etiquette

1. Please take off your shoes before entering a Malaysian house.

2. The right hand is usually used for eating, picking up and delivering things, and shaking hands to show courtesy.

3. You must take off your shoes before entering any place of prayer such as churches and temples.

4. If you want to take photos in a mosque or other religious prayer place, you must obtain permission from the administrator in advance.

5. Toasting is not a custom among Malaysians, and the Malays in Malaysia do not drink alcohol.

Malaysia Travel Notes - Seasons

Malaysia has a tropical maritime climate. It is hot and rainy all year round.

The best time to travel is from May to September, which is the best "turtle watching" season on the east coast. But if there are business activities, it is best from March to November every year, because most Malaysian businessmen take vacation from December to February of the following year. It is not advisable to go during the week before and after Christmas and Easter, and you should also avoid the Muslim Ramadan and the Chinese New Year.

Malaysia Travel Notes - Others

Tipping: Tipping is not common in Malaysia. Because in hotels and restaurants, a 10% service charge is already added to the bill, you do not need to tip; if the bill indicates that an additional service charge (ServiceCharge) is required, you need to pay approximately 10% service charge

Currency exchange: When you arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia, you will find banks, currency exchange offices and ATM machines everywhere.

For tourists, the best place to exchange foreign currency cash is the "Money Changer". These foreign currency exchange offices are licensed and legal foreign currency operators in Malaysia.

Business hours: Malaysian working hours are generally 8 hours, with half a day on Saturdays and rest on Sundays. Government office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Half-day work is from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Bank office hours are from 10 am to 3 pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Saturday. Department stores and supermarkets are open from 10 am to 10 pm daily.

Voltage and socket: The voltage is 220-240V. The socket is a three-hole (ticket) British standard socket. You need to purchase a conversion plug.

Traffic: Cars in Malaysia drive on the left. Foreign visitors are required to have an international driving license. Tourists entering Sabah and Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia are required to present an international passport.

Extended information:

Sabah (Negeri? Sabah), referred to as Sabah, formerly known as North Borneo, is known as the "land under the wind" and is one of the thirteen states in Malaysia. 1. The capital, Kota Kinabalu (formerly known as Kota Kinabalu), is located in the northeast of Kalimantan Island, covering an area of ??74,500 square kilometers and a population of 3.8028 million (2016). It has a tropical rainforest climate?[1-2]?

Sabah consists of 5 provinces, namely West Coast Province, Interior Province, Kudat Province, Sandakan Province and Tawau Province. ?[3]?In 2016, Sabah's GDP reached 73.8 billion ringgit, and its per capita income was 21,081 ringgit, which was lower than Malaysia's per capita income of 38,887 ringgit. ?[4-5]?

Sabah was ruled by the British from 1881 to 1963. It was autonomous until August 31, 1963 (defence, foreign affairs, finance, internal affairs and other affairs were still managed by the British colonial government take charge).

On September 16, 1963, Sabah joined Malaysia. In 1984, the Sabah state government separated Labuan and established it as a federal territory. It is the only offshore financial center in Malaysia.

Origin of the name

The early history of Sabah is relatively vague. The Sabah Museum collects some foreign records and archaeological evidence discovered by archaeologists.

It is said that residents on the west coast of Sabah like to grow a kind of banana called "Pisang Saba", so people called this place "Sabah".

Another theory is that because Sabah is located south of the typhoon zone in the northern hemisphere and is not disturbed by typhoons, it is called the "Land Under the Wind", attracting Muslim businessmen who come to the Sulu Islands to do business. To avoid typhoons; in Arabic, "the land under the wind" is called Zir-e Bad, which is pronounced close to "Sabah". ?

As early as the 15th century, traders from Brunei and the southern Philippines had already called this place Sabah. However, after the British took over Sabah in 1881, they changed the name to North Borneo. It was not until 1963 that Sabah became a part of Malaysia and its original name was restored.

Sabah has had economic exchanges with China as early as the 6th century AD. You can see a variety of urns in the Sabah Museum, which proves that the relationship between Sabah and China has a long history.

At that time, Chinese businessmen mostly came here for spices, wood, bird's nests, etc.

There are records of Balni in ancient books and history books of various dynasties in China. It can be seen that the Chinese had already set foot in Borneo at that time, and even the tomb of King Balini of the Ming Dynasty is still preserved in Nanjing, China.

Reference materials:

Baidu Encyclopedia-Sabah