Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sabah & Sarawak
PHONE CODES
» Malaysia's country code is 60. When calling Malaysia from overseas, dial the interna-
tional access code followed by 60, then the area code or mobile-phone access code (minus
the initial zero) and the local number (six to eight digits).
» Within Malaysia, the access code for making international calls is 00.
MOBILE PHONES
Sabah and Sarawak have three networks on which various companies buy air time:
Cel-
com
(
www.celcom.com.my
)
,
DiGi
(
www.digi.com.my
)
, and
Hotlink
(
www.hotlink.com.my
)
.
Celcom generally has the best coverage, making it possible to phone home from places
like Bario (in the Kelabit Highlands) and the slopes of Mt Kinabalu.
A prepaid SIM card, available at shops and kiosks in all but the tiniest villages (as well
as at Miri airport and on the Departure level of Kuching airport), costs just RM8.50, the
equivalent of a minute or two of international roaming charges. It takes about 10 minutes
to activate; you'll have to show your passport.
Recharge cardlets come in denominations ranging from RM5 to RM50. Calls cost just
pennies per minute whether they're local or to landline phones around the world (calling
mobile phones usually costs a bit more).
The best way to pay for 3G internet access, available mainly in the cities, is per day
(Celcom charges RM5 for 500MB) or per week (RM18 for 1GB). Without a plan, you'll
be charged a whopping RM10 per MB.
Brunei
PHONE CODES
» Brunei's country code is 673. There are no area codes.
» Within Brunei, the access code for making international calls is 00.
MOBILE PHONES
Bruneian prepaid SIM cards cost B$30 (including B$5 of credit) and must be registered
within a week of activation (after that the number will be blocked). The cheapest and easi-
est way to buy one is to go to the office of
DST Communications
(
www.dst-group.com
)
in central BSB; bring your passport.
Various shops also sell DST 'Easi' SIM cards but they often charge a premium and neg-
lect to handle registration.
