Malaysia Food Tips

The tips on Malaysia food and drinks below are to help you avoid food poisoning and other nasty food-related stuffs happenning to you:

Malaysia Drinks:

1.)Do boil tap water before drinking.
Do not drink water straight from the tap. If the tap water looks murky (brown, greyish, rust-like, black), do not drink it, even if you've boiled it. If it smells weird, do not drink it. Drinking bottled mineral water will save you the expense of going to the doctors. Most tap waters in Malaysia are fine ut you must boil it before drinking.

2.)Bring bottled mineral water if you're travelling far.
Though local eateries and stalls in rural areas provide drinks, it's best to stick to bottled drinks.
If you need to drink something else other than plain water, buy drinks in cans, packets or bottles. Check that the caps of bottled drinks have not been damaged or tampered with. Check expiry dates of drinks.

3.)If you want to drink 'home-made' drinks in the stalls, it's better to take hot beverages like hot tea or coffee.
Most stalls will offer iced tea, iced coffee, iced fruit drinks and other cold drinks with added ice. They do look tempting but please use your common sense. If the stall looks unclean or is located in an unclean area, better avoid it. If you want to drink coconut juice at the stalls, ask for a fresh coconut, without ice and still contained inside the coconut.

4.)If you're in Sarawak or Sabah and want to try out the local alcoholic beverages (for example, tuak), think first before you do it. Some of these drinks are home-made and the health and hygiene factor in their production is questionable. Drink at your peril.

Malaysia Food:

1.)Some local Malaysia food can be very hot and spicy. Do ask for a less spicier version of the dish. Some restaurants and eateries will be happy to accommodate your needs.

2.)If you intend to eat anything that you're not familiar with, even if it's a pastry, try a little bit first. If you like it, you can buy some more.

3.)Do check the expiration dates of goods and products you buy, especially from small shops and grocers.

4.)If you're buying pastries, cakes and sweet treats from outdoor stalls, do be careful. Don't buy if you see flies flying around and landing on the food.

Malaysia Fruits:

Durian

1.)If you want to try out the durian fruit, do not buy the whole fruit but try out a little portion first.
If you like it, get the whole thing. This will save you money and aggravation if you find that you hate the taste.
Do note that most hotels and resorts bann durians on their premises because of the strong odour.
Most rented cars and taxis will not allow you to carry durians on them. If you love it so much, buy some, then eat it on the beach. Take heed, however, that durians and alcohol do not mix. You can get very bloated and indigestion.
Eating durians can sometimes cause 'heatiness' and make you feel uncomfortable.
One tip to prevent this is to take the shell of the durian fruit and filling the shell with plain water. Drink the water straight from the shell after you've had your fill of the fruit.

Other Fruits

1.)Most local fruits like the rambutan, mangga, jambu, mata kucing and so forth are great to eat, but do so in moderation.

LATEST NEWS:
As you've probably read in the news, there's been an outbreak of bird flu in Asia. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy your holiday trips and Malaysia food by avoiding poultry-based food.
So far, the situation in Malaysia is under control and it's safe to travel to this area. If in doubt, don't eat anything poultry-base. You can try out the many Malaysia seafood dishes on offer. Generally, Malaysia food and drinks are safe to consume.