Does anyone know how it would be for a lone female to travel around Eastern Malaysia on the Peninsula? That side is Muslim. Someone said it could be unsafe, but someone else said it would just be inconvenient because local males wouldn’t want to talk to you. Anyone been there or heard about it from a lone female perspective?
Having lived in Malaysia for a few years I would generally regard it as safe, in particular if you are a foreigner (regardless if you are male or female).
However note that the Eastern part of peninsular Malaysia is more fundamentalist than the Western part (and Kuala Lumpur in particular), so take care that you don’t insult their culture or religion - and be prepared that things are a bit backward over there.
In the North-Eastern states (those that are ruled by the opposition party) you may have to expect some regulations based on Sharia law, i.e. separate lines for men & women, no uni-sex hair saloons etc.
I think it’s just Kelantan that PAS have control of. Many years since I was there, but a lovely part of the country from Kota Bharu down to Terranganu. Sadly The Beach of Passionate Love (PCB) has been renamed the Beach of Radical Fundamentalism, or something, but when I was there at the turn of the century, PAS was in power and you could still buy booze, smoke fags, and walk about in short trousers. I think as long as you don’t go about half-naked you should be OK.
I think the local males will be quite happy to talk to you unless the whole place has gone completely mad altogether, and I haven’t heard any reports of that.
Golok, on the Thai side, is a bit more risky. That’s where all the young muslim chaps go when the restrictions get too much, and it’s a bit of a mad town. Most of the shenannigans goes on indoors though.