The key dates

• 1 May: Labour Day.

• 1st Saturday in June: King’s birthday.

• As in Singapore, Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji, Hungry Ghost, Mid-Autumn and Dumpling Festivals, Thaipusam, Deepavali and Vesak are all celebrated.

The hotspots

Popular destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and the Cameron Highlands. There are four World Heritage Sites, including the historic towns of Melaka and George Town.

The health advice

Malaria and dengue fever are prevalent, so see your health practitioner before travelling. If you’re planning on conquering Mount Kinabalu, watch out for acute mountain sickness (nausea, headaches, fatigue), and take precautionary measures, taking time to acclimatise, rest and take on board fluids.

While you’re there, please don’t…

• Be embarrassed if you burp – in Malay etiquette burping or belching after a meal is acceptable.

• Ever get involved in illegal drugs – there is a mandatory death penalty for trafficking.

Before you go, read…

The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka – the story of Lakshmi, a Ceylonese girl brought to Malaya in 1930, as the young bride of an older man.

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute – a tale of love and war, which follows an English heroine’s journey from Malaya during World War II to the Australian outback.

Before you go, watch…

The Sleeping Dictionary – a story of forbidden love set in Sarawak during British colonial rule during the 1930s.

Entrapment – the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur get a star turn in this movie, featuring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Before heading home, eat...

Nasi lemak. Sure, it’s readily available in Singapore, but you still shouldn’t miss the real deal, with rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, fried anchovies, cucumber slices, roasted peanuts, hardboiled egg and sambal chilli paste.

Before heading home, buy...

Some Royal Selangor pewter or batik materials.