Traveling to Malaysia - Tips on Cash and Best Hawkers!

postform on 24/02/2020 - 10:44

Hi guys,

I'm traveling to Malaysia in two weeks and I'm not sure about how to withdraw cash from ATMs?

Which account should I open up (28? Citi?)

What would be the best course of action when it comes to exchanging/getting cash out in Malaysia.

I'm currently in Melbourne so if you guys suggest exchanging like 500 bucks where would be best?

My situation - I have a macquarie CC (which apparently provides no forex fees and such but not sure about vendor fees?)

Lastly, which are the MUST GO hawker centres?

Cheers!!

Travel

Comments

  • Porker on 24/02/2020 - 10:48
    +4

    My asian travel advice, change your AUD in the country you're visiting. Exchange rates here in Melbourne are not as good, and even horrible at Tullamarine.

    So, and if you're comfortable doing so, withdraw the AUD$500 and carry into Malaysia and change as you need at their local exchange shops. Change $100 at a time or as much as you need.

    In terms of non-cash transactions, I have 28 Degrees which doesn't charge for foreign exchange transactions and often has an even better exchange rate than the cash rate that even the visiting country offers. Their exchange is listed on the Mastercard website, so I always know how much things generally cost.

    So I use 28 degrees for all transactions where I feel card is safe-ish, cash for everything else which I've changed locally. This way, I also come back with minimal, if any, other-country currency. You lose transaction fees again (or exchange rates which have this fee built in) if you have to change money back to AUD.

    As for hawker centres… well there's tonnes… Just google/youtube which food you want - there's plenty to eat around the place.

    EDIT: Oh, I just noticed you're going in two weeks - unlikely that 28 Degrees or Citi will be completed by then, but not sure.

    • postform on 24/02/2020 - 11:27

      Thanks mate. I'll look into it. :)

  • CyberMurning on 24/02/2020 - 11:09
    +9

    i never changed actual money anymore when travelling overseas (at the forex shops), not here or in the destination. how? why?

    because: i carry 28 degree for CC and ING card for ATM withdrawal.
    arrive at destination: go to ATM at airport, withdraw local currency worth around AUD 100/200
    going out/eating: when CC accepted, use 28 degree otherwise pay cash. when low in cash go to ATM again.

    • postform on 24/02/2020 - 11:26

      Would this be any ATM? Or specific ATMs?

      • CyberMurning on 24/02/2020 - 12:07

        any…. and the rate sometimes better than those shops on the street. you dont have to queue, no need to compare and later feeling regret, just you and the ATM, any amount you wish as small as local currency allows. cant be better than this!

        • arkie0 on 24/02/2020 - 13:11
          +1

          These accounts are the absolute worst. When you go overseas with mates who don't have them, they're always asking you to take out money for them / pay for them.

          This is after they try to convince you it's a scam since it's cheaper than exchanging.

          Avoid!

      • Caped Baldy on 24/02/2020 - 15:19

        Do you have ING?

        They use VISA branded ATMs.

  • CyberMurning on 24/02/2020 - 11:10

    by the way, just cancel the trip man… there are corona there…. seriously….

    • orangetrain on 24/02/2020 - 11:24
      +1

      Fosters too!

    • postform on 24/02/2020 - 11:27

      Doesn't seem too bad

    • ausdday on 24/02/2020 - 11:31
      +1

      Malaysian likes their Tiger

      • wiipantz on 24/02/2020 - 11:58

        I like Singha or San Miguel over Tiger especially over Corona :)

  • Archi on 24/02/2020 - 11:34

    a buffet called jagoya

    • tsunamisurfer on 24/02/2020 - 12:06

      One of the best buffets I have ever been to.

      • Archi on 24/02/2020 - 12:08

        same, considered going to KL for a few days just to have that buffet

  • pupdog on 24/02/2020 - 11:44

    As previously indicated, you may not have enough time to get a card but I think the best way to go would be to take a Citibank Debit card and withdraw Malaysian Ringgit from the ATMs there. The exchange rate from the card is competitive with what you'll find at the money changers. Read this Whirlpool entry for details.

    To be safe I would change a small amount of Aussie cash into Ringgit before I left, just to cover meals and taxi, and I would also carry some Aussie cash into the country in case of emergencies such as ATM failures or theft.

    Given that you probably won't be able to get a card in time, I would change a small amount, say $50 before I left and then change the rest at one of the KL money-changers (but not at the airport).

    As for food, check out Mark Wien's Youtube videos on Malaysia - you are in for a treat. Note that if you are eating at street stalls, and you should because the food is so good - you may not be able to use a credit card. That's why I think cash is more useful in Malaysia.

  • maxmadthecurse on 24/02/2020 - 12:29
    +3

    Hi

    I'm originally from Malaysia and a frequent international traveller so here's my tips.

    For cash withdrawals, when i'm out of customs i usually just go to any major ATM eg. RHB bank, Maybank, Public Bank and make a withdrawal at the airport itself. My last trip after withdrawing about 1500ish AUD i only paid about $50 in atm fees. You could save abit of money with a Citibank card but i do not like the hassle of transferring money.

    If you wanna exchange for ringgit in Melbourne you could go to United currency exchange in QV but the lines are usually long and more times than not usually they actually run out of currency i want in my experience.

    If there's an opportunity to pay by credit in Malaysia i'd use my 28 degrees card, though some places and even budget hotels can only take payment by local credit card so there will be instances where the 28 degrees card wont work. Also be careful when paying by card there will be an option if you want to pay in RM or convert from AUD, always choose to pay in RM or you'd end up paying 10%-20% more!

    For hawker food there are plenty of choices, but personally i'd always return to these places, look em up.

    Chilli Pan noodles at Kin Kin, KL
    Hokkien Noodles at Lim Kian Kee, in Chinatown (there are two spots, one with a charcoal stove and one with gas, only go to the charcoal stove one)
    Indian Banana leaf rice curry at Devi's Corner 2nd floor, in Bangsar
    Kak Som (Malay), and other Malay restaurants in Kampung Baru
    Itik Salai Masthar (extremely spicy smoked duck curry, superb) in Kajang.

    and many more but id go on for hours haha.

    • matt3 on 24/02/2020 - 18:44

      Keep going mate - food is the international language of love. Got a few spots down at Malacca you'd recommend?

      • maxmadthecurse on 25/02/2020 - 09:39
        +2

        Yeah i do know a few spots in Malacca …. haha

        For chicken rice balls which is a local specialty, check out Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball as i think they are ones who created it. I'd say to avoid most other chicken rice ball places in the city centre as the quality is inconsistent and its usually for tourists who dont know better.

        Also unique to Malacca are the Peranakan/Nyonya cuisine. A good restaurant is Nancy's Kitchen which also sells alot of homemade snacks/cakes/dumplings and traditional dishes. Malacca also does their own version on laksa and i'm sure the locals have their own preferred places, the better ones are in the spots away from the tourist area Joncker St. I liked the laksa at Bess Kopitiam, Nancy's Kitchen does it well too but id go there for the dishes and hakka dumplings.

        For Malay food, everyone goes to Malacca for Asam Pedas, which is typically seafood cooked in a spicy tamarind broth, there are many places to eat Asam Pedas in Malacca but a local Malay taxi driver recommended Asam Pedas Jr to me so i usually just go there.

        Most of the local coffee beans are also actually processed in Malacca too which arent like what we usually have here, liberica beans, and of course eat cendol, drink local coffee, and nyonya cakes, and spike em all with gula melaka syrup haha.

      • brih on 25/02/2020 - 16:00

        was in Malacca a couple of weeks ago! Can recommend:
        - Low Yong Moh Restaurant (yum cha)
        - Bikini toppings (excellent coconut icecream)
        - The Old Merchant as an AMAZING hidden cocktail bar
        - The Portuguese settlement area has a collection of interesting seafood restaurants.
        - the night market is worth a visit for some snacking

        Was hoping to get to Nancy's, but ran out of time. Was also hoping to try Mori tea house which looked lovely, but it was closed (Chinese new year made things a little unpredictable!)

        We ate more local stuff in Penang.

  • tsunamisurfer on 24/02/2020 - 13:03

    In Malaysia cash is better so I bring cash and exchange it at Money Changers.

    If you want Hawkers, many Hawkers don't take card.

    If you are carrying around cash, be careful, keep some in another pocket just in case you get pick pocketed.

    Keep Wallet in the front pocket, don't wear jewellery.

    There are many many hawkers around and the food is cheap and fantastic….Roti, Nasi Lemak, Mee Goreng, Longtong, Nasi Briyani, Soup Kambing, Teh Tarik, insanely cheap Durians. I just want to cry I ate bread for breakfast…FML.

  • CyberMurning on 24/02/2020 - 13:16

    seriously, people dont have ING at this time of the century? who still searching those small foreign currency exchanges, spending time queuing and thinking hard how much to exchange, and then on the next street the next shop have better rate and you regret, blame your partner, etc?

    come on! get ING, use those thousand local ATM. withdraw small notes, hundred times a day, doesnt matter! all free…

    • crentist on 24/02/2020 - 17:09

      Except that for some reason, some of those little stores in KL give better rates than ING/28deg/Google

      The difference is never gonna be much, so I'd just go for whatever is convenient. It just means that cash is also good option, unlike other countries.

  • suti on 24/02/2020 - 13:24

    hawker centers and markets in Malaysia:

    https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81070979

    Jason’s Market Trails
    Host Jason Yeoh explores food markets and street stalls around Malaysia and delves into the human tales and history behind each tasty bite.

  • crentist on 24/02/2020 - 17:23

    Local money changers in KL can match or even beat the Google rate, which means that if you can't get a card you can still get good value for cash.
    There is some variation, and hard to say where you should go for the best, but I'd suggest just finding something fairly convenient and just making sure the rate isn't too bad.

    I spent a few months in KL and my local place was decent, but when I was curious about others to change a larger sum I basically just found something on Google with a good rating.
    I think I ended up going to this place in a large mall, which would apparently turn $1000AUD into 2797 MYR, vs the Google amount of 2786

    Negligible difference, just go for the most convenient thing that isn't a ripoff.

    As for hawkers, the ones in the central city are good but aimed at tourists and a bit pricey. You could also catch an Uber/Grab into the suburbs and hang out with the locals. They're basically everywhere

  • Myone888 on 25/02/2020 - 11:28

    I spend my time equally in KL and Melb. For A$500, just bring over in a concealed waist belt tucked behind your shirt. Better still have RM100 for any eventualities.
    You can then change RM in money changers in Mid Valley. They are many of them and exchange rates are very good without any charges. In Mid Valley there are many food courts on both 2nd(got pork) and.3rd floor. There is also a very budget food court on Lower Ground.
    In KLCC there are also A/C food courts on 2nd and 4th floor. Try them as they are in iconic Petronas Twin Towers.

    Have fun and enjoy yourself in KL :p

  • brih on 25/02/2020 - 16:01

    "Lastly, which are the MUST GO hawker centres?"

    Which city/region? It's not a small country ;)

    • postform on 27/02/2020 - 15:44

      I'll be in KL

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