Malaysia

Is Malaysia safe to visit?

Yes. Malaysia is one of the safer countries in Southeast Asia, with 0.73 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023 (UNODC) and 12th place on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, well ahead of its neighbours. The US rates it Level 1. The main risk is the road: 6,537 people died in crashes in 2025, about 19 per 100,000, roughly eight times the UK rate. We score Malaysia 76, below Singapore and above Thailand and Indonesia.

Roads: where the real danger is

Malaysia's roads are good by regional standards, with fast highways down the west coast, but the death toll is not. WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 13.9 road deaths per 100,000 for 2021, a year of Covid lockdowns, and the national count has since risen. Transport Minister Anthony Loke told parliament that road deaths reached 6,537 in 2025, slightly up on 2024, and that crashes kept rising. About two thirds of those killed are motorcyclists.

For visitors, three points matter most. First, if you rent a scooter on Langkawi or Penang, you need a licence valid for motorbikes, a helmet (it is the law) and insurance that covers riding. Second, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says there have been several fatal bus crashes, mostly overnight; take day buses with a known operator, or the ETS train between Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth, across the water from Penang. Third, if you drive, you need the 1949 international driving permit, and you must not leave the scene of an accident before police arrive. If a crowd gathers and you feel unsafe, go straight to the nearest police station.

As a pedestrian, expect motorbikes to run red lights and ignore zebra crossings, as our Kuala Lumpur page explains.

Bag snatching and card fraud

Petty crime in Malaysia has one signature: the snatch theft. A rider, sometimes with a passenger, comes up behind a pedestrian and grabs a bag or phone, cutting the strap if needed. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says victims have been pulled to the ground and injured or killed when they held on. Walk facing traffic, carry your bag on the side away from the road, and let go if someone grabs it.

Card and ATM fraud is widespread, according to the FCDO. Use ATMs inside banks or malls, cover your PIN and keep your card in sight when paying. At airports, buy a fixed-price taxi coupon at the counter or use Grab. Elsewhere, insist on the meter.

The FCDO also reports assaults and robberies around bars and drink spiking, sometimes in reputable venues. The FCDO also notes a rise in methanol poisoning in popular destinations worldwide, so be wary of cheap spirits.

Eastern Sabah and the terror risk

The one area to treat seriously is the coast of eastern Sabah. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advises against all but essential travel to all islands and dive sites from Sandakan to Tawau, including Lankayan and the Semporna islands near Sipadan, because the Abu Sayyaf Group and similar groups from the nearby Sulu islands of the Philippines have kidnapped foreigners there and murdered several hostages. The mainland of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu and Mount Kinabalu are not covered.

Elsewhere, the FCDO says attacks cannot be ruled out but there is no pattern of terrorism against tourists. Foreigners are banned by law from joining protests, and police can use tear gas and water cannon on protests.

Floods, haze and health

Malaysia sits outside the typhoon belt, and earthquakes are rare. The main hazards are water and smoke. Floods and landslides are common in the monsoon seasons, especially on the east coast of the peninsula from about November to March, and flash floods hit Kuala Lumpur after afternoon storms. From June to October, smoke from fires in Indonesia can bring haze that closes schools and delays flights.

Dengue is common in cities, malaria is present in parts of Borneo and remote forest, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists rabies in Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Sarawak. Mount Kinabalu (4,095 m) can cause altitude sickness. Public and private hospitals both charge foreigners, and private care is expensive, so travel insurance matters.

Laws that surprise visitors

Drug penalties include long sentences, whipping and the death penalty for trafficking, and airports scan transit bags. Same-sex acts are illegal under federal law. You must carry your passport. Muslims, including foreign Muslims, may be subject to Sharia law, and dress codes are stricter at mosques and on the conservative east coast.

How we scored it

Road safety (55) is the weakest factor: WHO's 2021 estimate of 13.9 per 100,000 puts it mid-band, and we score it at the bottom of that band because national deaths have risen to about 19 per 100,000. Violent crime (95) and conflict (85) are the strongest, with the eastern Sabah kidnapping risk the main reason conflict is not higher. Petty crime (65) reflects common snatch thefts and card fraud in the cities.