Some call cycling in Malaysia madness. This is because of the tropical heat. But is it really madness? Is cycling in Malaysia worth the effort or should you skip it? Most of my bike rides in the country were limited to the west coast.

In Malaysia, Saturday and Sunday are holidays which means the official offices and banks are in general closed. In major tourist areas as Penang, Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca the Tourist Information office are sometimes open on Saturday and Sunday but always closed for lunch.

Banks are closed in the weekend but there are plenty of ATM's available, I use Maybank, as I find it the most reliable of all banks.Malaysia is a Muslim country. For those who can not live without a beer, many restaurants and food courts server beer and other spirits, including during the Ramadan when the Malay restaurants will be closed at day time. Malaysia is a tropical country. Protect yourself from dehydration and keep drinking. Wear a hat to protect your head

Bicycle shops

Malaysia has several good bicycle shops. Kuala Lumpur and Penang are obvious choices while Langkawi's bicycle shop seems to have closed (sounds a little strange with Asia's major cycling race named after the island: Tour de Langkawi).

Outside the main cities cycling is usually fine. Many roads have little traffic and are very safe for cycling. I would not recommend to cycle in Kuala Lumpur or cycle to KLIA (done that, never more).

In some major cities, following the road signs might you direct to motorways (Klang was a serious problem for me). Be careful, get a provincial road map or use Google Maps to get the road numbers

Accommodation and food

Of all Asian countries I have traveled, Malaysia is relatively expensive. Still, you can find accommodation for as little as around $10-15, especially in Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Langkawi. Outside it might be harder. In general you can find hotels and home stays at at least every 50-70km distance

One of the pleasures of Malaysia is the food. With a mixed population of Malay, Chinese and Indians as the major groups (there are further Orang Asli, the original inhabitants of the Malaysian peninsula and people from all around the world).

Food seems a prime chat topic for all Malaysians. When you meet locals you will soon find yourself eating and drinking and talking about the local food. And not for nothing. The mix of cultures have produced an excellent cuisine. For those who want to explore the Malaysian cooking,