Malaysia
Warnings and insurance
Download a more detailed map (PDF)
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
Eastern Sabah coastal islands
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to all islands and dive sites off the coast of eastern Sabah from Sandakan to Tawau, including Lankayan Island, due to the threat of kidnapping. This does not apply to the mainland of Sabah.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Follow
Get andtravel contact FCDO traveladvice on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.updates
Sign You can also sign up to to get email notifications when when this travel advice is updated.updated.
Follow FCDO:
Update history
2025-04-15 12:09
Updated information on illegal drugs penalties (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-09-11 16:46
This travel advice was reviewed for style and accuracy.
2023-12-15 11:38
Information on filling in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card to enter Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-11-28 16:04
FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to all islands and dive sites off the coast of eastern Sabah from Sandakan to Tawau, including Lankayan Island (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2023-11-23 15:25
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2023-11-03 14:04
Information about political situation and demonstrations (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-10-09 09:25
Information that there are no COVID-19 vaccination requirements for travellers entering Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-06-22 09:34
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-06-19 14:56
Information on risks associated with terrorism in Malaysia (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages).
2023-05-12 15:27
Updated information on drug screening on arrival when arriving from a country where possession and use of drugs is legal (‘Entry requirements’ page). Advice on pollution levels in major urban areas aggravating respiratory conditions and information on altitude sickness in Malaysian Borneo (‘Health’ page).
2023-04-14 12:49
Updated information for getting in touch with Malaysian state health authorities about COVID-19, previous security incidents, and UK Emergency Travel Documents (‘Coronavirus’, Terrorism’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2023-01-10 09:14
Updated information on customs and exchange control rules (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-01-06 16:35
Information on travelling to Sabah (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-01-03 10:21
Additional information on Covid-19 screening upon arrival and what to do if you test positive (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-12-30 11:15
Updated information on entry requirements (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-11-23 11:19
Updated information on Visas and ETDs and addition of information for travellers with limited mobility (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Local laws and Customs’ pages).
2022-10-20 14:56
Updated information on safety and security (‘Safety and security’ page).
2022-10-19 15:29
Updated information on customs and exchange control rules (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-09-21 12:05
Updated information on being required to go through immigration when transiting between the two Kuala Lumpur terminals (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-08-02 19:04
Updated information on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Coronavirus’ pages)
2022-07-05 10:56
Updated information on entry requirements for Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page)
2022-04-29 14:48
Update on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)
2022-03-31 14:00
Update on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
Eastern Sabah coastal islands
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to all islands and dive sites off the coast of eastern Sabah from Sandakan to Tawau, including Lankayan Island, due to the threat of kidnapping. This does not apply to the mainland of Sabah.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Follow
Get andtravel contact FCDO traveladvice on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.updates
Sign You can also sign up to to get email notifications when when this travel advice is updated.updated.
Follow FCDO:
Update history
2025-04-15 12:09
Updated information on illegal drugs penalties (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-09-11 16:46
This travel advice was reviewed for style and accuracy.
2023-12-15 11:38
Information on filling in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card to enter Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-11-28 16:04
FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to all islands and dive sites off the coast of eastern Sabah from Sandakan to Tawau, including Lankayan Island (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2023-11-23 15:25
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2023-11-03 14:04
Information about political situation and demonstrations (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-10-09 09:25
Information that there are no COVID-19 vaccination requirements for travellers entering Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-06-22 09:34
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-06-19 14:56
Information on risks associated with terrorism in Malaysia (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages).
2023-05-12 15:27
Updated information on drug screening on arrival when arriving from a country where possession and use of drugs is legal (‘Entry requirements’ page). Advice on pollution levels in major urban areas aggravating respiratory conditions and information on altitude sickness in Malaysian Borneo (‘Health’ page).
2023-04-14 12:49
Updated information for getting in touch with Malaysian state health authorities about COVID-19, previous security incidents, and UK Emergency Travel Documents (‘Coronavirus’, Terrorism’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2023-01-10 09:14
Updated information on customs and exchange control rules (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-01-06 16:35
Information on travelling to Sabah (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2023-01-03 10:21
Additional information on Covid-19 screening upon arrival and what to do if you test positive (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-12-30 11:15
Updated information on entry requirements (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-11-23 11:19
Updated information on Visas and ETDs and addition of information for travellers with limited mobility (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Local laws and Customs’ pages).
2022-10-20 14:56
Updated information on safety and security (‘Safety and security’ page).
2022-10-19 15:29
Updated information on customs and exchange control rules (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-09-21 12:05
Updated information on being required to go through immigration when transiting between the two Kuala Lumpur terminals (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-08-02 19:04
Updated information on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Coronavirus’ pages)
2022-07-05 10:56
Updated information on entry requirements for Malaysia (‘Entry requirements’ page)
2022-04-29 14:48
Update on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)
2022-03-31 14:00
Update on entry requirements and domestic COVID-19 restrictions (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)