Modern technology has made it very easy to travel. Here are some tips if you are coming to Malaysia.

Starling

We both opened Starling bank accounts and got a joint one too. This is an app-based bank that gives you a “perfect” exchange rate when taking cash out or spending abroad. The limits are very generous and far more than you would need. It’s way better than my previous choice of a Halifax credit card, which now looks prehistoric by comparison.

Starling currently have a Christmas campaign and will donate a pound to charity for every account opened before the end of the year. It takes about five minutes on your smartphone and you can use referral code A85WX7DZ or this link (not that we get anything for it).

Top tip: When getting cash out of an ATM always select the local currency. We saved £5 for just a single small withdrawal by using MYR with the Starling Mastercard rate.

One of the best things is you get instant push notifications to your smartphone showing you how much a transaction has cost. If you have data that is.

Local SIM

Having data for your smartphone away from WiFi is really helpful. We picked up a local SIM at the airport for about 45 MYR in cash that lasts a month and has a sufficient data allowance.

You can use WiFi hotspot mode to share this between all of your devices. Once you have data you can use ride hailing services such as Grab.

Grab

Grab is basically Uber but better and is ubiquitous in Malaysia. You can sign up in the app with Google, Facebook or a mobile number. You can pay in cash if you use a Facebook account or you can add a payment card (e.g. Starling Mastercard). You can get someone at a hotel to order one for you and then pay the driver in cash but it’s more convenient once you’ve set it up for yourself.

The fares are extremely reasonable. It’s cost us only a few pounds to get between accommodation and airports or sights. The drivers have all been really friendly, as has everyone in Malaysia.