The crossroads of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine, Malaysia is an excellent place to makan (eat in Malay). Look out for regional specialities and Nyonya (Peranakan) cuisine, the fusion between Malay and Chinese cooking. There is even unique Eurasian cooking to be found in the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca, the heartland of the Eurasian community of Portuguese descent.
Malaysians are very proud of their cooking and most towns or even villages have their own delicious specialities such as Penang char kway teow, Kajang satay, Ipoh bean sprout chicken, Sarawak laksa, Kelantanese nasi dagang, Sabahan hinava, and many, many more. Most of them rely on word of mouth for advertising and are frequently located in the most inconvenient, out-of-the-way places so you might want to try asking the locals for their personal recommendations.
Generally, you can eat pretty much anywhere in Malaysia. Food outlets are comparatively clean - the only thing you should avoid is ice for your drinks, when you frequent the street or hawker stalls since the blocks of ice used there might not be up to your hygienic standards. In actual restaurants this is not a problem. Also you might want to avoid ordering water from hawker stalls or the mamak restaurants as they are usually unboiled tap water.
Eating habits run the gamut, but most foods are eaten by fork and spoon: push and cut with the fork in the left hand, and eat with the spoon in the right. Noodles and Chinese dishes typically come with chopsticks, while Malay and Indian food can be eaten by hand, but nobody will blink an eye if you ask for a fork and spoon instead. If eating by hand, always use your right hand to pick your food as Malays and Indians traditionally use their left hand for dirty things like washing up after using the restroom. If eating in a group, serving dishes are always shared, but you'll get your own bowl of rice and soup.
Local Delicacies: View the Singapore Blog for more details
Malay Cuisine
Peranakan/Nonya cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Indian cuisine
Accommodations
Accommodations in Malaysia
Budget
Available widely in all town in form of hostel or budget hotel. In major town, usually budget accommodation is in form of hostel with shared bathroom and toilet. Price range from RM 20 to RM 50
One noticeable no frills or budget hotels chains operated under brand TuneHotel claims to offer a 5-star sleeping experience at a 1-star price.
Mid-range
Usually only available at district level town
Splurge
Only available at the city, Kuala Lumpur , Penang & Johor and most of the island
Serviced-Apartments
Popular in Malaysia is also the option to rent a Serviced Apartment. Serviced apartments are a good option for groups or families that like to stay together instate of renting several hotel rooms. Prices are usually around RM400 to RM600 depending on the size. Most Serviced Apartments are 1 or 2 bedroom and vary in quality and cleanliness. Some serviced apartment operators enforces a European standard and also offers large 3 and 4 bedroom apartments. Many Serviced Apartments operate like a hotel and many have all services including daily cleaning, etc.. Often operators require a minimum of a week but some allow rentals on a per day basis.
