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My trip to Malaysia and Singapore lasted 17 days, starting in late July 2026. I traveled alone and used public transportation, as shown on the map.

I had only been to Kuala Lumpur once before, during a 24-hour layover on my way backfrom Australia exactly 10 years earlier, in July 2016. So for some time, I’d been eager to return—to be able to say I’d seen enough of a country that inspired me so much, and to visit a new one like Singapore, which I imagined would be quite unique.

After my trip to Thailand in 2015, I thought that traveling around those areas would be ideal for a backpacking trip—with a variety of destinations and plenty of adventures and encounters. I have to say, however, that when it comes to adventures and encounters, I had to change my mind—or perhaps realize that the way we travel has changed for good.

Another change was doing without a paper guidebook, which used to be a must-have for all travelers. As I’ve found on other trips, they’re no longer necessary. I planned the itinerary by researching online, evaluating multiple sources, and printing out a few pages of notes. Logistically, everything went smoothly; these were the main destinations:

• Singapore
• Kuching (Malaysian Borneo) and Bako National Park
• Georgetown
• Kecil Island (which I saw practically nothing of)
• Taman Negara National Park
• Kuala Lumpur
• Malacca

I got around using domestic flights, buses, boats, and minivans, booking almost everything from home.

Problems with Traveling to Malaysia

In the months leading up to the trip, my concern—including the possibility that the trip might be canceled—obviously stemmed from the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. In fact, I flew with Emirates, with a layover in Dubai. Everything went smoothly; in fact, that was one of the most positive aspects of the trip. Since the airline had long layovers, they even provided me with transportation, an overnight stay, and breakfast (and a light dinner on the return trip) at a luxury hotel. It’s much better to sleep for four hours in a fantastic room than to try to get eight hours of sleep in an airport chair.

Speaking of flights, the domestic ones with Air Asia allowed only carry-on luggage weighing up to 7 kg. After several attempts, I hadn’t managed to stay within that weight limit, so the plan was to leave a couple of T-shirts behind and, most importantly, board the plane while wearing some of my clothes. From Singapore, my backpack weighed 6 kg and 900 grams, but among other things, I had a T-shirt tucked under my hat on my head.

Something that weighed heavily on my mind—and made me break a sweat just looking at it—was my brand-new knee brace. Shortly before leaving, I had an injury to my knee. I didn’t receive the rather grim diagnosis until I got back, but I knew I’d have to take it easy and give up the marathons I was used to running. So I was a little worried about being somewhat limping. Instead, the health issue turned out to be something else entirely, and it kept me in bed for three days with a fever on the Perhentian Islands.

Real problem

An unexpected problem—one I’d also encountered on my previous trip to the Caucasus—was with the virtual SIM card I’d paid a hefty sum for from a well-known company. The convenience of these e-SIMs—especially if you arrive at night—is that you have an immediate connection, whether to find your lodging, make reservations, or look for a taxi.

I arrived in Singapore around 11:00 p.m. and found myself without an internet connection. I had already looked up how to get to my lodging and managed to reach the hotel without any problems, even without the internet. I was in Chinatown, 50 meters from the subway station. The next morning, using the hotel’s Wi-Fi, I tried to contact the call center. In Armenia, I’d wasted half an afternoon on this, and this time, too, it seemed like it was going to be a long process. After an hour, growing impatient and eager to start exploring the city, I gave up on the service—even though I’d already paid for it—and opted for a simpler SIM card instead, one that was more than sufficient for my needs with my carrier.

Unfortunately, these days it’s impossible to get around without an internet connection.

The first videos from the trip to Malaysia and Singapore

The riverfront in Kuching, the capital of Borneo

Merdeka 118, the world's second-tallest skyscraper, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur

Next stop: Visit Singapore and sleep in a capsule—definitely worth a try!

Trips taken, travel stories divided by continent

Countries visited in my travel stories

Anecdotes, divided by type in travel narratives

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Fabio Viroli

Ho sempre avuto tante passioni, ma da sempre più o meno latenti, le principali sono viaggiare e scrivere. Tra le altre cose ho una laurea in psicologia; ho fatto per più di 30 anni l’allenatore di basket; leggo tanti libri; sono stato molto appassionato di sport e di musica rock; e faccio improvvisazione teatrale. IL mio primo romanzo, che non parla di viaggi, si chiama LE TUE GAMBE SONO BELLE COME LE TAGLIATELLE

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