Clothing & Etiquette
Malaysia is a Muslim country with a liberal interpretation — but there are a few etiquette rules you should know:
Clothing
- In mosques: Cover knees and shoulders. Women: Headscarf. Most large mosques provide free robes (Jubah) and headscarves.
- In temples (Hindu/Buddhist): Cover knees and shoulders, remove shoes.
- At the beach/in tourist areas: Normal swimwear is not a problem — Langkawi, Penang, and the islands are liberal.
- In conservative areas (Kelantan, Terengganu): Cover a bit more than on the west coast. No hot pants and spaghetti tops in the city.
Etiquette
- Left hand: Considered unclean — do not use for eating, giving, or receiving.
- Remove shoes: In Malay homes, mosques, and temples — and often in simple restaurants and shops.
- Do not touch the head: The head is considered the most sacred part of the body — do not touch children or adults there.
- Pointing fingers: Do not point at people with the index finger — instead, use the thumb of the right hand (fist with the thumb pointing upwards).
