Wait! The ringgit is stronger against some currencies? Time to get your suitcases and passports out! 

You must have surely heard about the ringgit being weak now. Constant news from your family and friends all complain about how you can’t travel anywhere with the weak ringgit.

That is not definitely not true. Most of the news is about the weaker ringgit against the U.S. and Singapore dollar without any mention of the other currencies like the Thai Baht, the Philippines Peso, and even the Turkish Lira.

You might actually be surprised how cheap is it to travel to Turkey. Find out below which countries might be worth traveling to because of the stronger ringgit performance against the respective currencies.

Our Data

This article will be utilising exchange rate data from Investing.com. Basically, the exchange rates will be in the form of foreign currency per ringgit. Think of how much foreign currency you get from 1 ringgit. For example, 1 ringgit can get you 8.1 Thai Baht or 6.8 Taiwan dollar.

The article will look at the exchange rate at 31 December 2021 and compare it to the level now (19 October 2022). If the exchange rate for Thai Baht was 7.97 and 8.10 per ringgit on 31 December 2021 and 19 October respectively, the Thai Baht is now 1.6% cheaper or you can 1.6% more Thai Baht for every ringgit. This makes it cheaper for a Malaysian to travel to Thailand.

About 6 country’s currencies will be investigated here such as:

  1. Korea: Won
  2. Philippines: Pesos
  3. Japan: Yen
  4. Turkey: Lira
  5. United Kingdom: Pound
  6. New Zealand: New Zealand dollar

#1: Turkey

Surprise, Turkey is first on this list for the best countries to travel to with the ringgit. It is now 23.1% cheaper for you to buy the Turkish lira, with the exchange rate of 3.2 and 3.9 per ringgit for 31 December 2021 and 17 October respectively.

Turkey is a Muslim-majority country, so you don’t have to worry about getting halal food if you are a Muslim. Oh, and you must try the Turkish coffee there. One sip of it will get you awake and energised for the whole day.

When one goes to Turkey, Hagia Sophia is just THE place to go to admire its Byzantine architecture. It was built in the year of 537 AD and has survived until now. For the foodies out there, the kebab and pita are just to die for!

#2: Japan

For the big fans of Japan out there, rejoice! The Japanese yen is now 14.8% cheaper for you to exchange. You can get about 31.7 yen for every ringgit that you have compared to 27.6 yen per ringgit on 31 December 2021.

Japan is such a unique place to visit and live that even Pewdiepie, the biggest Youtube star, is now living there. For history buffs, take a trip down to Kyoto where you can visit the world-famous UNESCO sites of Kamigomo Shrine, Shimogama Shrine, Nijo Castle and many others more.

The food! The food is what you go to Japan for. Sushi, ramen, gyudon, fresh sashimi, the possibilities are endless … and mouth-watering. Better lose some pounds first before visiting Japan!

#3: South Korea

BTS? Blackpink? K-pop fans! South Korea is third on the list. The won is now 6.5% cheaper for Malaysians to exchange their ringgit for at 303.5 won for one ringgit compared to 285 won per ringgit on 31 December 2021.

Who doesn’t want to go to South Korea? From K-pop to the many variety shows that made it so popular, Malaysians will surely have a great time travelling there.

Similar to Japan, the food is to die for too! From the bibimbaps to soft tofu soup, there is just endless amounts of variety in South Korea to go for.

#4: United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (UK) is 4th on the list as it is now 6.0% cheaper for Malaysians to travel there. Malaysians can get 0.19 pounds per ringgit now compared to only 0.18 pounds per ringgit in 31 December 2021.

UK is one of Malaysians’ favourite travelling destination, boasting one of the biggest population of Malaysians living overseas. From the UK, you can even travel to other countries in Europe without much hassle through the Eurostar train.

Some of the places you might want to visit in UK includes the London bridge, Buckingham palace, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey and many others more.

#5: New Zealand

The land of the Kiwi comes in at number 5, with the New Zealand dollar 5.9% cheaper to exchange for at 0.37 dollar per ringgit compared to 0.35 dollar per ringgit on 31 December 2021.

Famous for being the filming place for Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Zealand’s natural wonders are sights to behold even to the most nature-loving person. Head over to Milford Sound, Champagne Pools, Waitomo, Blue Pools and so many others more.

If you are a big fan of rugby, New Zealand is the home of the All-Blacks, famous for their haka dance before every rugby matches. In terms of food, you must of course try their lamb meat and if you are feeling a bit dessert-ish, head over for some pavlova and hokey pokey ice-cream.

#6: Philippines

Rounding off this list is the Philippines. Malaysians will find that it is 2.1% cheaper to exchange their ringgit for pesos at 12.2 pesos per ringgit currently compared to 12.5 pesos per ringgit on 31 December 2021.

Home to about 7,000 islands, adventurers that love the sea will find Philippines an irresistible place to travel to. From Boracay to Palawan, Philippines offer a wide variety of beaches and diving spots for travelers.

When it comes to food, Philippines have one of the most interesting mix of flavours and varieties. Sink your teeth into their world-famous adobo, or the mouth-watering lechon. A journey to Philippines will not be complete without a taste of their sweet mango.

Conclusion

You might be worried that the ringgit is getting weaker and that you can’t travel much overseas. However, that is only true when it is compared against the U.S. dollar. Unless you are travelling to the U.S., there are many more countries out there where the ringgit has become stronger and is beneficial for Malaysians to take advantage of.

 

You May Also Like