Malaysia: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
20 harbours · 2 bridges and locks
Malaysia: 20 harbours, 2 bridges and locks, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Malaysian ringgit
Clearing in: Clear in at a port with immigration, customs and the port authority (Marine Department): on Langkawi in Kuah (Jetty Point) or Telaga, in Penang (George Town) or in Lumut near Pangkor. Fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card for each person beforehand. Between the states with port clearance; Langkawi is a duty-free zone. On the Strait of Malacca south of Pangkor in Port Klang (Royal Selangor Yacht Club), Port Dickson, Malacca and Johor Bahru (Puteri Harbour), on the east coast in Mersing, on Tioman (Tekek, duty-free zone), in Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Tok Bali. The marine parks off Johor need a written permit from Mersing, Redang and the Perhentian Islands clearance in Kuala Terengganu.
Ausreise: Before leaving for abroad, clear out with immigration, customs and the port authority.
Documents: Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, clearance from the last port, Malaysia Digital Arrival Card.
Fees: Clearance free of charge during office hours; berthing fees in the marinas; marine park entry about 100 ringgit per yacht and 30 ringgit per person.
Fairway: In the Strait of Malacca heavy shipping in the traffic separation scheme, at night many fishing boats and nets without lights, flotsam. In the southwest monsoon Sumatras at night: thunderstorm squalls from the west at gale force. Tidal stream up to about 2 kn. The German Foreign Office warns of piracy in the Strait of Malacca and advises against single-handed passages. On the east coast the northeast monsoon brings strong winds, high seas and flooding from November to March; many island resorts close then. Buoyage IALA A.
Nature: Marine parks extend 2 nm around the islands (Pulau Payar off Langkawi, Pulau Sembilan near Pangkor, on the east coast Tioman, the islands off Mersing, Redang, the Perhentian Islands and Kapas): anchoring on coral and fishing prohibited, moor to the buoys; off Johor do not anchor at all within 2 nm.
Tropical storm season: Malaysia lies south of the tracks of tropical cyclones; in the southwest monsoon (May to October) thunderstorms and Sumatras. Vamei made landfall in Johor in December 2001, a rare exception; on the east coast the northeast monsoon prevails from November to March.
Emergency: 999; Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) via VHF channel 16.
Sources: Auswärtiges Amt: Malaysia, travel and safety advice, Marine Department Malaysia, Noonsite: Malaysia (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Malaysia: East coast of Johor (Desaru, Mersing)
Malaysia: Johor Bahru (Puteri Harbour, Danga Bay, Sebana Cove)
Malaysia: Kelantan (Tok Bali, Kota Bharu)
Malaysia: Langkawi and Perlis
Malaysia: Penang and Kedah
Malaysia: Perak (Pangkor)
Malaysia: Port Dickson and Malacca
Malaysia: Selangor (Port Klang)
Malaysia: Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu, Redang, Perhentian)
Malaysia: Tioman and Pahang (Kuantan)
Bridges and locks
Movable bridges
Fixed bridges (1)
Frequently asked questions
Malaysia: Do I need to clear in?
Clear in at a port with immigration, customs and the port authority (Marine Department): on Langkawi in Kuah (Jetty Point) or Telaga, in Penang (George Town) or in Lumut near Pangkor. Fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card for each person beforehand. Between the states with port clearance; Langkawi is a duty-free zone. On the Strait of Malacca south of Pangkor in Port Klang (Royal Selangor Yacht Club), Port Dickson, Malacca and Johor Bahru (Puteri Harbour), on the east coast in Mersing, on Tioman (Tekek, duty-free zone), in Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Tok Bali. The marine parks off Johor need a written permit from Mersing, Redang and the Perhentian Islands clearance in Kuala Terengganu.
Malaysia: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, clearance from the last port, Malaysia Digital Arrival Card.
Malaysia: What fees apply?
Clearance free of charge during office hours; berthing fees in the marinas; marine park entry about 100 ringgit per yacht and 30 ringgit per person.
Malaysia: What is the emergency number at sea?
999; Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) via VHF channel 16.
Malaysia: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 20 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 2 bridges and locks with opening times and clearances.