US · New York · 40.71°N 74.01°W

new york city

Skyline ferries, Broadway shows, bagels and whole neighbourhoods to eat your way through.

Best time
April–June and September–October have comfortable walking weather. July and August are hot and humid, December brings Christmas lights and crowds, and January–February can bring snow and a biting wind.
How long
5–7 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei or Hong Kong, about 21–25 hours all in. From JFK, the AirTrain and subway or train reach Manhattan in about an hour. New York is 12 hours behind KL, 13 from November to early March. Malaysians need a US B1/B2 visitor visa, usually with an interview at the embassy in KL; ESTA isn't open to Malaysian passports.
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US · New Yorknew york city40.71°N 74.01°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Skyline ferries, Broadway shows, bagels and whole neighbourhoods to eat your way through.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingNew York CityUS, New York
KLnew york city
≈ 15,120 km from KL, as the crow flies
View of the Empire State Building in New York City from the Top of the Rock at 30 Rockefeller Plaza during sunset. The tower was illuminated in green in honor of Climate Week NYC.[1]

Photo: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

New York is big, loud and familiar from a hundred films before you've even landed. Manhattan has the skyline, the museums and Broadway; Brooklyn and Queens are where a lot of the best eating happens.

Makan

  1. Chicken over riceChicken or lamb on yellow rice with white sauce and hot sauce, from the halal carts on Midtown street corners. A New York institution.Map ↗
  2. BagelsBoiled then baked, dense and chewy. Have one with cream cheese and smoked salmon for the full New York breakfast.Map ↗
  3. New York pizzaBig, thin, foldable slices sold by the piece. Pepperoni is usually pork, so go for cheese or vegetable.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Central ParkLakes, woods and lawns in the middle of Manhattan, best on foot or by hire bike between museums.Map ↗
  2. Metropolitan Museum of ArtOne of the world's great museums, on the edge of Central Park. Pick a few galleries rather than trying to see it all.Map ↗
  3. Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBOWalk across from Manhattan, then drop down to the DUMBO waterfront for the classic view of the bridge and skyline.Map ↗
  4. BroadwayA musical in one of the Times Square theatres is worth keeping an evening free for. Book the big shows ahead.Map ↗
  5. Staten Island FerryThe free commuter ferry sails past the Statue of Liberty, with Lower Manhattan's towers behind you.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Halal is easy: the carts are all over Midtown, and Astoria's Steinway Street, Jackson Heights in Queens and Bay Ridge in Brooklyn are full of Arab and South Asian restaurants.
  • Tap your bank card or phone at the subway gates. After 12 rides in seven days, the rest are free.
  • On the ferry out to Staten Island, stand on the right-hand side for the Statue of Liberty.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.