Malaysia 🇲🇾
🇲🇾 From Thailand to Malaysia: Our First Week Exploring Kuala Lumpur As A Family
After falling head over heels for Thailand (hello mango sticky rice and smiles!), we knew Southeast Asia had more magic in store for our full-time travel family. Instead of extending our Thai visa, we decided to follow a few whispers we’d read online about another destination that’s quickly becoming a favourite among expat families: Malaysia.
We’d heard plenty of positive things—affordable cost of living, great infrastructure, and tons of family-friendly things to do, especially in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Joe was especially curious about Kuala Lumpur (KL), having read that it was a clean, modern, green city with great food and lots of attractions for families. So, we figured—why not?
✈️ Getting to Kuala Lumpur: Not Without a Hiccup!
We booked a direct flight from Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which took around 3 hours and cost us approximately £430 return for three people, including 20kg of luggage each.
To comply with entry requirements, we booked return flights (though no one actually asked us for proof of onward travel at immigration). Hindsight is a wonderful thing—we’d much rather keep our travel flexible and open-ended.
But our airport experience in KL didn’t exactly go smoothly either. As we approached immigration, we were asked for our arrival registration forms—something we should have completed online before arriving. Joe had actually set a reminder three days before to do it… but the alarm didn’t go off, and it completely slipped our minds. Classic travel moment, right?
So there we were—spending the first hour at the airport filling in forms on a painfully slow computer that felt like it needed a software update from 2003. The stress was real, but honestly? After 7 months of full-time travel, we’re getting used to the unpredictable nature of border crossings and immigration procedures.
It’s not that we don’t still feel the pressure—it’s just that we’ve learned to handle it better. We actually joked that we’re not sure we’ll ever have a plain-sailing arrival experience, and maybe that’s just part of the lifestyle, especially for full-time travel families.
Still, we push through with a smile on our faces—because we know the reward on the other side is worth it.
🇲🇾 Why Malaysia?
One big reason Malaysia caught our attention is the growing digital nomad and expat community, especially for families. Penang, in particular, is known for its laid-back vibe, cheap and delicious food, and affordable long-term accommodation—all huge pluses for travel families or those road-schooling kids.
We’d also read that KL had eco forests right in the centre, which was music to my ears. I’ll be honest—I’m not a city girl at all. Chiang Mai was about as "urban" as I like it, and even that felt calm for a city. But knowing that KL offered parks, nature, and green walking spaces made me feel OK about giving big-city life a shot—at least for a few months!
One good thing about KL is the view on a night…. dazzling!
🏨 Planning Our Stay in KL
I planned this leg of our journey about a week in advance, booking a longer-term Airbnb rental for a month. This was a bit of a change for us, as we usually move around more frequently, but with all the great reviews about Kuala Lumpur for families, we felt confident we’d settle in well and we really wanted to slow down more to get a feel for the place.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t quite go to plan.
😬 First Impressions of Kuala Lumpur: The Reality Check
Within the first six days of being in KL, we had multiple hotel issues.The first place we checked into didn’t live up to its listing, which forced us to search through countless other options—and it didn’t take long before we started noticing patterns of dishonesty and potential scams. There came a point where we had no hotel to go to—right in the middle of peak season, with most central places fully booked. It was our first time experiencing this kind of stress, and hopefully, it’ll be our last!
Each new booking seemed to bring new challenges. From miscommunications to misrepresented listings, it began to feel like more than just bad luck. Read more here 👇🏻
Welcome to the hotel!
We arrived to a notice of the government for funds… not the best start! Then the inside and the noise was much worse. Ratings were gleaming online which didn’t match…something was off 👀
And while Malaysia is undeniably rich in culture and beauty, the initial vibe in KL was a bit colder than what we’d become used to in Thailand. The fast-paced city energy, combined with a more reserved interaction style, took some getting used to—especially when you’re used to wide smiles and warm greetings on every corner.
Let’s just say... it was a rocky start.
But every day, we’re waking up with a fresh mindset, choosing gratitude, and holding on to the belief that things will get better. Travel isn’t always sunsets and smoothies—it’s real life, just in a different country. Everything felt like a lot more hard work—even simple things like popping to the shop for eggs or ordering food off a menu became frustrating challenges. Items weren’t available or they were uncooked, and we were already exhausted—especially all crammed into one room after our original plans didn’t work out.
Part of me started to wonder if there was a message in the madness… Maybe we’d already found the lifestyle and culture we were searching for back in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and perhaps we were just getting a bit too greedy by continuing the search. Who knows? But here we are, living it and telling the tale—warts and all!
🌏 Malaysia: Culture & Background
Despite the bumpy start, Malaysia is incredibly fascinating from a cultural standpoint. It’s a multicultural society, with three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, and Indian, which brings a beautiful mix of traditions, religions, languages, and, of course, food.
The official religion is Islam, and you’ll find beautiful mosques, prayer calls echoing in the evenings, and plenty of modesty and respect in how people dress and interact. Malaysia is also known for its religious tolerance—temples, churches, and mosques often sit within walking distance of each other, which is pretty unique and beautiful.
The blend of cultures here makes it a rich experience for families who want to expose their kids to different ways of life, values, and customs!
💰 Is Malaysia Affordable for Full-Time Travel Families?
Yes! Compared to Western countries—and even parts of Thailand—Malaysia offers excellent value for money, especially when it comes to:
Accommodation (especially longer-term)
Public transport (MRT and Grab rides are cheap and reliable)
Street food and local restaurants
Family-friendly activities
That said, KL is still a city, so prices for some things—like Western food, imported goods, activities and days out or luxury stays—can be on par with back in the UK.
👨👩👧 Our Plan for the Next 3 Months
So what now?
We’ve got return tickets for the end of October, which gives us three full months to explore Malaysia. We’re planning to head to Penang next, maybe even check out Langkawi or the Cameron Highlands—depending on how the next few weeks go.
Our ultimate goal is to build a better lifestyle than what we had in the UK—more freedom, more sunshine, more time together as a family. And slowly, we’re getting there. Our YouTube channel is growing, our income is building, and we're playing the long game which we are happy about!
Not every day is perfect, but every experience teaches us something.
💭 Final Thoughts
If you’re a travel family considering Malaysia, go in with an open mind and a flexible plan. Kuala Lumpur is modern, busy, loud, full of malls and attractions, but like any big city, it can take a minute or more for us to adjust. We have come to realise in 6 days that Kuala Lumpur is not somewhere we could see ourselves living, so now we know 🙂!
And remember—full-time travel isn’t all smooth sailing, especially with children in tow. But the growth, the lessons, and the memories you create along the way? Totally worth it.
Thanks for following along 💛
✈️ Have questions about traveling through Malaysia with kids or want to know more about digital nomad life in Southeast Asia? Drop us a comment on our socials or on our Youtube channel —we’re happy to share what we’ve learned (and still learning)!
