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This was published 14 years ago

Your questions

I'm travelling to Malaysia in June and wonder what the appropriate dress is. I know it's a Muslim country and want to be respectful of the culture.

- R. Bellamy, Caulfield North.


Malaysia is hot and humid, so you need to dress comfortably. It's a modern nation with a mix of ethnic groups and religions — majority Muslim, with Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, Christian and Sikh — all of whom have their own acceptable dress standards for men and women.

There is no specific dress code for visitors in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

You'll see Malaysian women wearing a scarf or veil over their hair, some wearing loose clothing that covers them entirely, as well as women in shorter skirts, fitted tops and heels.

Wearing T-shirts or short-sleeve shirts with long pants, calf-length dresses that also cover your shoulders or skirts that drop below the knee will help you minimise sunburn, keep cool and feel culturally comfortable. Roll up a lightweight scarf or piece of fabric, pop it in your daypack and explore the city and regions. If visiting mosques and temples (Hindu and Sikh), you may be required to wear your scarf over your hair and wear a skirt instead of pants. Places of worship popular with tourists, such as the Putrajaya and Jamek mosques, may have scarves and "robes" to lend to visitors.

Given the humidity, wet your scarf and put it around your neck for an instant cool-down.

Remember, too, many places of worship require visitors to remove their footwear, so wear shoes that slip on and off easily.


If you have travel questions, we'd love to hear from you. Write to travelshd@fairfaxmedia .com.au. Personal correspondence cannot be entered into. Only questions appearing in print will be answered. If your question is published, you will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.

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