I didn’t plan to fall in love during my travel to Malaysia.
That wasn’t the goal.
The goal was food.
And maybe not sweating through three shirts a day. (I failed at that second one.)
I live in Queens, NYC, where I like to think I’m prepared for anything. Noise? Got it. Weird smells? Please. Random conversations with strangers? Happens before breakfast. So when someone said, “You’d love Malaysia,” I nodded like I understood what that meant.
Reader, I did not understand.
Malaysia doesn’t gently invite you in. It grabs you by the wrist and says, “Eat this. Now walk and sweat. Now eat again.” And somehow, you’re grateful.
First Things First: Why Malaysia Even Happened
It started the way most questionable life decisions start—
late at night, scrolling, stomach growling, brain half asleep.
I was watching some street food video (algorithm knows me too well) and there was this guy eating char kway teow, oil popping everywhere, noodles flying, his eyes rolling back like he’d seen god.
I said out loud, to no one:
“Okay but where is this?”
Malaysia.
Not Thailand. Not Singapore. Malaysia.
And suddenly, travel to Malaysia lodged itself in my brain like a song you don’t even like but can’t stop humming.
A few weeks later, I was booking flights like, yeah sure, future me will figure this out.
Classic.
Kuala Lumpur: Where the City Never Apologizes
Kuala Lumpur feels like three cities stacked on top of each other, all arguing.
Glass skyscrapers.
Colonial buildings.
A guy selling grilled chicken hearts next to a Gucci store.
And somehow it works.
My first day, I tried to be productive. Museum. Coffee. Walk around.
By noon, I was drenched in sweat, eating something wrapped in banana leaf that I didn’t order but absolutely needed.
The woman handing it to me smiled and said,
“Spicy okay?”
I said yes like a fool.
(It was not okay. It was incredible. But not okay.)
This is where Malaysia street food hits you hard. Nasi lemak for breakfast, lunch, second lunch, emotional support dinner. Sambal that makes your nose run and your soul clear.
I texted my friend back in Queens:
“I think I’m eating better than I ever have and I might die doing it.”
Food Is the Religion Here (And I Convert Easily)
Malaysia doesn’t mess around with food. It’s not “Oh this is nice.” It’s WHY IS THIS SO GOOD AND WHY AM I STILL HUNGRY.
Malay, Chinese, Indian influences all piled together like a potluck where everyone actually knows how to cook.
One night, I sat at a plastic table—wobbly, obviously—and ordered roti canai. The guy next to me leaned over.
“You need curry with that.”
I already had curry.
He looked offended.
“No. More curry.”
He was right.
I ate until I couldn’t move. Then I walked five minutes. Then I ate again. This became a theme.
Honestly, if you travel to Malaysia and don’t gain weight, I have questions.
Nature Travel in Malaysia: Oh. Oh WOW.
I thought Malaysia was cities and food.
Turns out it’s also nature travel Malaysia on a level that feels fake.
Rainforests that predate basically everything.
Waterfalls that sound like static crashing down.
Monkeys that will absolutely steal your snacks if you blink.
I went hiking one day. Not hardcore hiking. More like… ambitious walking.
Halfway through, soaked in sweat, a local guy passed me wearing jeans and flip-flops. He smiled politely. Didn’t even breathe hard.
Humbling.
Cameron Highlands was cooler (temperature-wise and emotionally). Tea plantations rolling forever, like Windows XP wallpaper but real. I just stood there thinking, oh. So this is what calm feels like.
Penang: Where I Truly Lost Control
If Kuala Lumpur introduced me to Malaysia, Penang grabbed my face and said,
“Pay attention.”
George Town is street art, temples, old shophouses, and the best food I ate on the whole trip. Yes, I said it.
Char kway teow again. Assam laksa that made me emotional. Cendol in the heat that felt like a reward for surviving the day.
I followed food smells. That’s it. No map. No plan. Just vibes and hunger.
At one point, I sat on a curb eating noodles and thought, This is it. This is the moment I’ll romanticize forever.
Wildlife Encounters (AKA I Was Not Prepared)
Let’s talk about animals.
I like animals.
Animals do not necessarily like me.
In Malaysia, wildlife doesn’t stay politely in the background. It participates.
Monkeys tried to unzip my bag.
Geckos lived in my hotel room like unpaid roommates.
Birds screamed like car alarms at sunrise.
And honestly? I loved it.
It reminded me that nature here isn’t a postcard—it’s alive, loud, and slightly chaotic. Kind of my brand.
Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Travel to Malaysia
– You will sweat. Accept it. Stop fighting it.
– Eat where locals eat. If it looks questionable, it’s probably amazing.
– Grab rides are cheap and save your feet (and sanity).
– Don’t over-plan. Malaysia laughs at your itinerary.
– Bring stretchy pants. I’m serious.
Why Malaysia Hit Me Differently
I’ve traveled before. A lot. And usually there’s a moment when I think, Okay, I get it now.
Malaysia never gave me that moment.
Every day felt unfinished. Like there was always one more dish to try, one more street to wander, one more forest trail disappearing into green.
It reminded me why I started traveling in the first place. Not to check boxes. Not to post perfect photos. But to feel a little lost. A little full. A little changed.
(Also very full. Like… extremely.)
Random Tangent But Stay With Me
There was this moment—last night in Penang—sitting on a plastic stool, eating something fried I couldn’t pronounce, when I realized I hadn’t checked my phone in hours.
No doom scrolling.
No group chats blowing up.
Just me, food, noise, life.
That doesn’t happen often back home in Queens. Even when I try.
Malaysia did that without asking.
Final Thoughts (But Not a Conclusion, Relax)
If you’re thinking about travel to Malaysia, go.
Go hungry and curious.
Go okay with not knowing what’s next.
It’s not polished and predictable. It’s loud and quiet and spicy and green and messy in the best way.
And yeah, I came back with souvenirs and photos and stories I tell too often now.
But mostly, I came back missing it.
Which feels like the highest compliment I can give.
Suggested Outbound Links (because the internet is fun sometimes):
– A fun street food deep dive: https://migrationology.com
– Random travel chaos that cracks me up: https://theoatmeal.com (trust me)
