Malaysia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 409

a year. Avis, Budget, Hertz and National
have o ces in major towns and at the
airports; rates start at RM170 per day
or RM800 per week. Motorbike and
scooter rental is offered by guesthouses
and shops in touristy areas (around
RM30 per day). You may need to leave
a deposit, but it's unlikely you'll have to
show any proof of eligibility - o cially,
you must be over 21 and have an
appropriate driving licence. Wearing
helmets is compulsory. Bicycles can be
rented for about RM10 per day.

of tours. he most atmospheric
accommodation in Malaysia is in stilted
longhouses , found on the rivers of
Sarawak and Sabah. hese can house
dozens of families, and usually consist of
three elevated sections reached by a simple
ladder. he snag is that it's di cult to
stay in them as an independent traveller
as you need to have contacts within the
community, but it is possible to stay at
longhouses as part of an organized tour or
with the help of a local guide.
Electricity in Malaysia is supplied at
220 volts, and plugs have three prongs
like British ones.

6

ACCOMMODATION
Malaysia offers inexpensive
accommodation to suit all budgets.
Besides high season and low season
prices, many lodgings have three tariffs:
weekday, weekend and holiday, the
former being the cheapest and the last the
most expensive. Many places offer special
deals, particularly in the off-season. Fans
of colonial-era architecture will find an
abundance of mid-range options with all
the amenities but without the shockingly
high tariffs.
Room rates rise dramatically during the
major holiday periods - Christmas,
Easter, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya
Haji - but as a general rule it's always
worth bargaining.
he mainstays of the travellers' scene in
Malaysia are guesthouses , located in
popular tourist areas. hey can range
from simple beachside A-frame huts and
simple chalets to modern multistorey
apartment buildings. Most offer
dormitory beds (from RM20) and basic
double rooms (from RM50, depending
on area). At the budget end of the
market, you're likely to get a choice of
rooms; the cheaper ones will be
fan-equipped and share bathrooms,
whereas the pricier ones will be en suite
with air conditioning.
he larger, more popular city
destinations such as KL and Georgetown
in Penang will have international-standard
youth hostels with all the amenities that
globetrotters on a budget have come to
expect: clean dorms with lockers and
air conditioning, free wi-fi and a plethora

FOOD AND DRINK
he cuisine in Peninsular Malaysia is
inspired by the three main communities:
Malay, Chinese and Indian, whereas in
Borneo, you'll also find many delicious
indigenous dishes. Food everywhere is
remarkably good value - basic noodle or
rice-based meals at a street stall can be
had from around RM5, and a full meal
with drinks in a decent restaurant will
seldom cost more than RM55 a head.
Food hygiene standards are generally
quite high; if you're eating from street
stalls, it's best to go for the ones with the
most customers.

THE CUISINES
Malay cuisine is based on rice, often
enriched with santan (coconut milk),
which is served with a dazzling variety
of curries, vegetable stir-fries and sambals,
a condiment of chillies and belacan
(shrimp paste).
he most famous dish is satay - which
comprises skewers of barbecued meat
dipped in spicy peanut sauce. he classic
way to sample Malay curries is to eat
nasi campur , a buffet (usually served at
lunchtime) of steamed rice -
supplemented by up to two dozen
accompanying dishes, including lembu
(beef ), kangkong (greens), fried chicken,
fish steaks and curry sauce, and various
vegetables. Another popular dish is nasi
goreng (mixed fried rice with meat,
seafood and vegetables). For breakfast,
the most popular dishes are nasi lemak