How to watch American Netflix in Malaysia

Malaysia is a fascinating place to visit with a real mix of cultures and influences. Set south of Thailand and north of Singapore, it’s in the heart of Asia and full of the sights and sounds you would expect of the region. If you’re working or traveling in Malaysia, you’re going to notice that you don’t have the same selection of Netflix content you do at home. There is a way to watch American Netflix in Malaysia and this tutorial will show you how.

According to Finder.com, the America Netflix catalog has 4,052 movies and 1,580 TV Shows. Malaysia has 2,577 movies and 1,123 TV shows. That’s not quite the same level of content you’re going to be used to but it is much better than some other Asian countries in the region.

To watch American Netflix in Malaysia, you need to use a VPN or Virtual Private Network.

Malaysia and VPNs

Malaysia has a fairly open internet but recently passed the Fake News Act of 2018. This will curb some online activities in the hope of controlling the spread of disinformation. Otherwise the country’s internet is quite open and contains few, if any censors.

Availability is good too, with around 75% of properties having internet and mobile coverage of around 98% in towns and cities.

There are no known activities to block VPN access in the country and the state has not published any plans to do so in the future. It’s main fight is with internet extremism and fake news, not with general users.

How VPNs let you watch American Netflix in Malaysia

A VPN offers two features that I think are important for travelers. One, it lets you view the Netflix catalog you’re used to at home from anywhere. Two, it securely encrypts all your internet data and keeps it safe from hackers. If you’re traveling, you’re going to be using public WiFi a lot so a VPN is going to be vital to protecting it.

When you sign up to a VPN provider, you download their app for your device(s). This app creates a secure virtual tunnel between your device and the VPN server. Your traffic transits the provider network and exits at your chosen VPN exit node. If you select a US exit node, your data is decrypted and sent onto the internet from there. As far as Netflix, or anyone is concerned, you’re in the same location as that exit node.

Each of the following providers tries its best to maintain access to Netflix. As Netflix tries to stop VPN access, nothing is guaranteed but these providers have a track record of keeping Netflix accessible. They also offer 256-bit encryption, an app that works on most devices and either a free trial or money back guarantee.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of our go-to providers. The network is easily fast enough for streaming, has thousands of VPN servers in 94 countries, the app is easy to use and connects in seconds, there are dozens of American VPN exit nodes to choose from and offers competitive pricing.

NordVPN

NordVPN is equally good, with over 5,200 servers in 60 countries, it has a similar reach and reliability. The network is known for its speed and for keeping Netflix available as much as possible. It also offers a double hop facility, where you hop to another VPN server before exiting the network. Ideal if privacy and security are more important than usual.

Private internet Access

Private internet Access is another regular. With 3,321 VPN servers in 32 countries, it has the speed and the reach to ensure secure internet access from anywhere in the world. It also lets you watch American Netflix in Malaysia which is why it’s in this list. The network is fast, secure and the app is simple and fast to connect. All things you look for in a VPN provider.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is also a credible VPN provider. It has a fast network with over 2,500 servers in 25 countries, including lots in the US. It has a decent reputation, is large enough for streaming and has a neat app that will work on most device types. Connection is fast and stable and there is nothing to complain about with its use.

VyprVPN

VyprVPN is a smaller network than these others with ‘only’ 700 servers but is located in 70 countries. The network is still fast enough for HD streaming and secure and the app is easy to use too. I like VyprVPN for its Chameleon technology that hides the fact it is a VPN so escapes most of the blocking attempts by Netflix or nation states.

If you want to watch American Netflix in Malaysia, these and like other VPN providers will let you do just that. As long as the provider keeps no logs, has US exit nodes and uses 256-bit encryption you should be fine.