Become a digital nomad in Malaysia
Stretching from mainland Asia to the island of Borneo, Malaysia is far from one of the most popular tourist destinations. Most of the travelers who stop there are in transit between Indonesia and Thailand. On the other hand, the country has been attracting more and more interest from digital nomads in recent years, attracted by the many facilities and opportunities offered by the country.
Wherever you may be in Malaysia, Cafes are a real culture. They seem to be springing up like mushrooms on every street corner, especially in big cities. Of course, most of them offer free Wi-Fi. You will therefore have no trouble finding a quiet little place to work if you prefer to do it outside your home.
Malaysia's astonishing blend of tradition and modernity, along with a thriving digital revolution in urban centers, numerous professional opportunities, and attractive leisure activities, make Malaysia a prized destination for digital nomads from all four corners of the world.
The best cities in Malaysia for digital nomads
Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia's former administrative capital and largest city. As such it naturally has all the urban conveniences of a dynamic metropolis, with some 1.76 million inhabitants. You will undoubtedly be surprised by its modern skyscrapers, its huge residential buildings, not to mention its architectural marvels. Kuala Lumpur has everything it takes to appeal to digital nomads: housing is generally very affordable, Wi-Fi is accessible almost everywhere, and the city is home to many local and international cafes where you can work remotely as you may wish, and in peace. In addition, the city contains more and more inexpensive coworking spaces. The competition is such that some of these spaces offer workers very advantageous deals, such as paying nothing during the first 18 months of rental.
Penang is an emerging destination among the digital nomad community. It is actually an island-state that comprises the island of Penang, with capital Georgetown, and Seberang Perai, located on the Malaysian peninsula. Penang is a very popular destination for travelers, especially for its very colorful architecture, its great natural diversity, as well as its unrivaled street food. Many startups have developed there in recent years, and a number of them were launched by expats. Consequently, Penang nowadays is home to a thriving community of young digital nomads seeking a balance between work and play. In addition, the cost of living is very affordable, although rents are constantly rising due to the growing demand for decent housing in Penang.
Internet in Malaysia
With its trending digital revolution, Malaysia has more than adequate internet speeds compared to other countries in the region. Nevertheless, the download speed in Malaysia is still much lower than that of neighbor and great rival Singapore, which dominates the region in terms of internet connectivity with a download speed of 191.89 Mbps.
However, Malaysia has made great progress in recent years, in particular thanks to the Malaysian Digital Economy Blueprint plan, launched by the government in 2021. Through this national strategy, the Malaysian authorities hope to make the country an essential platform for new technologies and the digital age in Southeast Asia.
This desire is particularly obvious with the continuous improvement in internet connectivity and the upgrading of the local internet network. Thus, in the third and fourth quarters of 2019, Malaysia was in third place among Southeast Asian countries in terms of connectivity, with a download speed of 76.69 Mbps. In 2016, it did not exceed 8.2 Mbps. This is proof of the gigantic progress made in just a few years.
The best-connected state in the country is Selangor, just ahead of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Knowing that the former administrative capital (the new one is Putrajaya) is landlocked within Selangor and that this very urbanized state can be considered the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, it is quite normal that the connection is better there than in the rest of Malaysia. The least connected states, Kelantan and Kedah, are the most rural. It should be noted that West Malaysia, which is more urban, is naturally much better connected than East Malaysia.
4G is the most widespread mobile technology all over Malaysia. Thanks to the digitization efforts made by successive governments of the country in recent years, it has been ahead of 3G for several years. The launch of 5G in Malaysia was planned for 2020, but it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The official launch of 5G was therefore carried out in December 2021 by the Digital National Berhad (DNG). The new network, built by Ericsson, was initially only available in Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur. The network will gradually extend to other cities in the country. The authorities hope to reach at least 40% of the most populated areas before the end of 2022, and 80% by the end of 2024.
Coworking spaces in Malaysia
In recent years, young professionals operating in Malaysia have become extremely demanding of coworking spaces. Consequently, there are now a large number of such spaces, distributed mainly in the most developed and populated urban centers of the country. There are now dozens of them in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, and other major cities in Malaysia.
Coworking platforms in Malaysia offer different options to professionals like daily or monthly rentals, permanent rentals, hot-desking… The choice is vast and can suit all budgets. Obviously, it is essential to visit the premises of several coworking spaces before making a choice. Some are less well connected and equipped than others, while the nicest ones are sometimes not the best located. The most popular, finally, are overwhelmed with requests and do not necessarily have room for everyone. Researching on the Internet beforehand will allow you to sort and select the best coworking spaces before starting your visits.
If coworking does not appeal to you, you will easily find cafes whose relaxed and pleasant working atmosphere appeals to many young professionals. Moreover, they are quite numerous to have created their business in Malaysia while sipping a beverage under the terrace of one of the many cafes in the country, and some continue to operate their business therefrom every day.
And in case you prefer to work from the comfort of your home, you will have the choice between several reliable Internet operators that will ensure you an excellent connection such as Celcom, DiGI, Maxis Mobile, U Mobile, Unifi and Yes 4G.
Coworking spaces in Kuala Lumpur
Regus is a global chain of coworking spaces with around 15 premises scattered across Kuala Lumpur, as well as a unique space in Johor Bahru. These spaces have been designed to promote teamwork and are very popular in Malaysia.
Co-Labs Coworking, located within the very modern Naza Tower KL, has an ideal workspace for entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-ups, and small and medium enterprises. The workplaces there have the particularity of offering spaces made from recycled wood.
Servcorp is located on the 23rd floor of the NU Tower, Sentral KL, and therefore has a breathtaking view, not to mention the many nearby facilities (transport, restaurants, bars, and others). Resolutely modern and user-friendly, these coworking spaces are among the most dedicated to the comfort and well-being of their tenants that can be found in Malaysia.
WSPACE is the very first company in Asia to operate 100% through Mobile Application Management (MAM). A true spearhead of the digital and coworking industry in Malaysia, WSPACE has a friendly staff and premises that are both spacious and welcoming while being equipped with all the technological tools necessary to work in complete peace of mind.
Coworking spaces in Penang
Common Ground, located in Pulau Tikas within Georgetown, sits smack in the middle of one of the region's major commercial districts. It offers three types of coworking spaces: Hot Desk, Fixed Desk, or Private Offices, all available between RM499-899 per month.
Masco Co-working Space in Georgetown has over 20,000 square meters of office space, spread over three floors of the Prangin Mall. With more than 100 teams working there, leisure areas to relax and state-of-the-art equipment, Masco is the ideal place to develop a social network in Malaysia and to combine pleasure and work in a friendly atmosphere.
Leisure in Malaysia
Whether you've decided to lay your hat down in the heart of the dynamic city of Kuala Lumpur, or in the quieter Penang, you will always find something to do during your free time in Malaysia. You could perhaps start with a tasting of kopi, the traditional coffee, or discover the local gastronomy, rich in flavors. For the rest, the famous Batu Caves and the Petronas Towers are must-sees in Malaysia. And if you prefer to get close to nature, Mount Kinabalu, the ancient rainforest of Taman Negara, as well as Gunung Mulu National Park, among many other locations, are just there to be explored.
Things to know before traveling to Malaysia
Nationals of most countries are exempt from the visa requirement for a stay ranging from 14 to 90 days in Malaysia, depending on their country of origin. However, if you require a visa for Malaysia, the application should be submitted to the Malaysian Embassy or Consulate in your home country.
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