Share The Short article
Obviously, something was lost in the mix with all the talk of Thailand’s White Lotus-driven tourist.
To much surprise, another spectacular nation has actually overtaken them as Southeast Asia’s the majority of visited location this year.
Over the past couple of months, any Google search about Thailand has led to regurgitated short articles about Koh Samui’s grand resorts or Walton Goggins’ hairline.
< img width="1200"height=" 800 "src="% 23e3e3e3'/ % 3E % 3C/svg % 3E"alt ="Female going to Sultan Abdul Samad Structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia" data-src="https://www.traveloffpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Move-Over-Thailand-Surprising-Country-Is-Southeast-Asias-Most-Visited-Destination-This-Year.jpg.webp"/ > What’s much more fascinating than Rick Hatchett, Child Billy, or any star chatter is how a worldwide icon has actually been surpassed by a lesser-known nation
that, like Thailand, has no direct flights to the U.S. Teeming with variety as a multi-religious nation, price across the board, marvelous landmarks, exhilarating expeditions, and alluring culture, lies Malaysia.
Far more known of late as a digital nomad haven, the driving force of remote employees can’t entirely be credited to Malaysia’s increase, can it?
Malaysia Has Invited Over 10 Million Visitors This Year
The first quarter of 2025 is long gone, so the question is, can Malaysia maintain the surge of travelers?
< img width ="1200 "height="1200" src ="https://www.traveloffpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kuala-Lumpur-skyline-at-dusk.jpg.webp"alt="Kuala Lumpur skyline at dusk"/ > 10.1 million tourists crossed Malaysia’s border in the
first 3 months, which is literally a key distinction.I occur to live 10 minutes from the Mexico border. Am I counted as an official visitor if
I make an inexpensive taco run? I ‘d envision so. Malaysia is similar because people from surrounding nations, such as notoriously strict Singapore cross borders for low-cost products and lax laws compared to in comparison to their ritzy island. Thai people themselves frequently cross too, simply enjoying different cultural elements and astonishing attractions.
In fact, keep an eye out for a historic brand-new train route set to link Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur quickly.
Obviously, not all of Malaysia’s visitors cross at the border. Capital city Kuala Lumpur is a major hub for Asia, however like I said, there’s unfortunately no direct flights from the U.S. But you can quickly reach Malaysia with just one connection. As you may understand, nations such as South Korea, Singapore, and Turkiye offer totally free stopovers (with small print, of course).
Is There Anything Fun To Do Here? Or Is It Simply Cheap?
On a recent podcast of This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, guest and Malaysian born comic Nigel Ng were discussing life in Malaysia, where Ng captured my attention basically declaring ‘there’s nothing to do in Malaysia’.
Circling back to digital wanderers, Malaysia has ended up being a hotspot for low-cost living for those people fortunate sufficient to get away with that freeing lifestyle of waking up anywhere you please with your laptop computer, whether it be Kuala Lumpur’s trendy cafes, roofs, and co-working spaces or the rise of Penang for those really factors also, plus gorgeous shores.
Beyond savings, is there really anything to do in this country?
A definite YES!
Let’s start with what has drawn travelers to the previously mentioned Penang, or more specifically, UNESCO-recognized George Town.
Here you’ll find a selection of street food suppliers, vibrant markets, and the Penang Hill outlook, reachable by tram for unmatched views. Like Thailand, Malaysia is full of jaw-dropping temples. A lot of significant in Penang is Kek Lok Si, and of course, as guaranteed, there are gorgeous beaches, such as Pantai Pasir Panjang on the opposite side of George Town.
How’s that for ‘absolutely nothing to do’? We’re just starting!
When It Comes To Kuala Lumpur, a location you’re nearly guaranteed to go to, is illuminated with shocking architecture, luxe rooftop swimming pools, and most notably the Batu Caves, a huge limestone cavern system real estate an excellent Hindu temple and a famous golden statue.
The city is the textbook definition of a metropolitan area and one of Asia’s most diverse cities, where you can experience a mix of cultures, beliefs, and traditions through even
more temples and limitless markets. For Malaysia’s true surprise gems, though, you might wish to venture off to lesser-known islands, such as Borneo, which feels genuinely unblemished and gets far less tourist, or maybe Malaysia’s trendiest island of its 800+ paradises, Sabah.
Don’t Worry The Crowds! Thailand Will Undoubtedly Make A Comeback
Malaysia may be having a moment, but it’s not like Thailand is far behind with 9.55 million visitors.
Of course, another essential factor in Malaysia’s edge over Thailand is its shift in visa policies, which have actually been even more relaxed than in previous years. Thailand has actually drastically decreased the window during which travelers are enabled to stay.
With Thailand’s “high season”at the end of the year, it will be better to compare apples to apples,
or should we say Pad see ew to Nasi lemak? Sam Sears Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has checked out 36 countries and edited 1000 short articles with a concentrate on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.
↓ Raise Your Travel ↓
Register Now For Travel Off Course Premium! No ads, VIP Material, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Cost Savings, Daily Offers, Members Online Forum & More!
< img width="1024" height="481" src="https://www.traveloffpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Premium-Footer-JPG-1024x481.jpg.webp" alt =""/ > Sign Up To Receive Our Twice Weekly Newsletter With Free Travel Hacks: The Upgrade!
Join Our Travel Off Path Community Online forum: Where tourists join, ask concerns, share experiences and even discover like-minded travel buddies!
REGISTER FOR OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your e-mail address to sign up for Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This post originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Viewpoints expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, charge card company, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been evaluated, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.