Homestay

Homestay

Malaysia's friendly traditional communities have opened up their homes to foreign guests so they can have a taste of the kampung or village lifestyle to cherish for a lifetime. Experiencing a homestay in a traditional village is perhaps one of the fastest and easiest ways to get to know the real Malaysia.

You will discover that things here move at a slightly slower pace than in the city, and for those who relish the quiet calm of the rustic life, this is possibly as good as it gets.

Homestay guests will not just be immersed in the lifestyle of the locals; they will also quickly establish a bond with their warm and welcoming families who will treat them like family. Visitors will experience the full spectrum of village life.

Home-cooking lessons and meal times will surely be a memorable part of your stay. The wide variety and sumptuousness of painstakingly prepared dishes can sometimes be enough to confuse most people! Guests will learn how to prepare the food. This might include gathering, cooking and washing it as well.

The lucky few will also have the opportunity to harvest fruits that are in season or try their skill at plucking coconuts out of palm trees 30-40 ft. above the ground with a bamboo pole! Spend time with the children after they return from school and indulge in traditonal games that are still popular, such as kite flying, top-spinning, and congkak.

Or you can choose to explore your surroundings, spend some time at the local pond, trying your hand at riverside fishing or perhaps indulge in a spot of farming a la Malaysia. In the evenings, you'll enjoy cultural dances, musical performances and even a mock-wedding, all of which you will be encouraged to participate in.

Experience the charm of Malay traditions that have been preserved throughout the ages, which remain very much alive. Live with your hosts, eat with them, be a part of their family. And when you return home, take with you a memorable cultural experience, and the friendships of a family happy to welcome you whenever you return to Malaysia! The amenities in Malaysian villages offer basic comforts.

Electricity and running water are available all over Malaysia, while all these villages are connected to big cities via modern highways and public transport.

The kampungs, or villages, that are involved in the homestay programme are committed to ensuring that you experience village-style living first-hand. and are used to welcoming a variety of foreign guests from around the world. These kampungs have been carefully selected and conform with strict guidelines set by the Ministry of Tourism so as to bring out the best of Malaysia. For a cultural experience like no other, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.

Key Tips

Approach the homestay experience with an open heart and mind. This cultural experience is likely to be very different from anything you have experienced before. Malaysians remove their shoes before entering their homes.

Although your hosts eat with their hands, you are welcome to use cutlery if you do not know how to eat with your hands gracefully. In Malaysia, men and women who are not related do not hug and kiss each other.