Is Malaysia Good for Family Travel? A Parent’s Perspective

The first time we mentioned to our friends that we were going to take a family vacation to Malaysia, we raised a lot of eyebrows. They wondered why not go to Thailand. Or Is it safe with kids? And the best one of them all, “Will the food be too spicy to them?”

However, having traveled to Malaysia with a toddler and an 8-year-old during three unforgettable weeks, I can state the following: Malaysia is one of the most family-friendly destinations we have ever visited.

From the moment we began our journey starting with the convenience of Cheap Stansted Airport Parking, we knew we had made a good call.

Here is the truth, the real deal about what made Malaysia such an amazing place to visit with our family.

Big Cities: Kuala Lumpur and Penang

We started in Kuala Lumpur, which impressed us pleasantly. The city is green, urban and clean. KLCC Park with its splash fountains and playgrounds beside the popular Petronas Towers was a favorite of our kids.

There is even a covered walkway that links most of the major attractions and malls so it is easy to push a stroller even when there is an occasional tropical downpour.

George Town and Penang in general were a living museum. We strolled through painted murals, ate through street food markets, and took a funicular up Penang Hill to get breezes and city views. It was both entertaining to adults and children, a hard feat.

Islands Living Easy

When we went island hopping to Langkawi we did not know how the kids would cope with life on an island. It happens that Langkawi is a family dream.

The waters are mostly calm and shallow in most of the beaches and the sunsets were something we all had to slow down and appreciate, even the toddler.

We rode a cable car up to Gunung Mat Cincang and visited Langkawi Sky Bridge, where our older child enjoyed the slight adventure (and the ice cream at the top did not hurt either).

Note: Don’t forget to check Heathrow airport cheap parking**** and book accordingly.

Food that even picky eaters will adore

Will the kids eat anything here? This is one of our biggest concerns.

The reply: Yes, definitely. Malaysian food is very rich in taste, yet there are also enough mild, comforting ones which suit every taste.

Our youngest actually subsisted on roti canai (flaky flatbread with a tiny bit of dhal) and nasi ayam (chicken rice). And fresh mangoes, papaya and watermelon stalls were a refreshing and healthy addition.

Most of the restaurants and food courts provided high chairs, kid-sized meals, and helpful waiters who did not make us feel bad by being there with our kids in hand.

Travelling With Children

The journey in Malaysia was extremely painless. Flights within the country are cheap and short- Langkawi to KL took less than one hour. There were air-conditioned buses with bathroom breaks and Grab (which is Southeast Asia Uber) made travelling in the city easy.

And the roads in Malaysia are in good condition and signs are written in English, so we also thought about renting a car (we did not, but it would have been easy to do so).

It is People That Make the Difference

So what was so special about Malaysia? The people.

The locals would go an extra mile to smile, assist and talk to our children.

Whether it was the street vendor handing our son an additional piece of fruit or the woman on the train, who helped us fold the stroller, we were always assisted, not simply tolerated.

It was a warmness in the everyday activities which made us feel relaxed. That ease of the emotions is invaluable as parents.