Malaysia

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Why visit Malaysia?

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Malaysia is like two countries in one, cleaved in half by the South China Sea; the multicultural peninsula flaunts Malay, Chinese and Indian influence, while Borneo hosts a wild jungle of orangutans, granite peaks and remote tribes. Throughout these two regions is an impressive variety of microcosms ranging from the space-age high-rises of Kuala Lumpur to the smiling longhouse villages of Sarawak. Peninsular Malaysia is the long finger of land extending south from Asia as if pointing towards Indonesia and Australia. Much of the peninsula is covered by dense jungle, particularly its mountainous, thinly populated northern half.
And then there is the food: Malaysia has one of the best assortments of cuisines in the world. Start with Chinese-Malay ‘Nonya’ fare, move on to Indian curries, Chinese buffets, Malay food stalls and even impressive Western food. Yet despite all the pockets of ethnicities, religions, landscapes and the sometimes-great distances between them, the beauty of Malaysia lies in the fusion of it all, into a country that is one of the safest, most stable and manageable in Southeast Asia.

What does Malaysia bring in mind?

Sepilok Jungle Resort

One of only four orangutan sanctuaries in the world occupies a corner of the Kabili- Sepilok Forest Reserve about 25km north of Sandakan. The centre was established in 1964; it now has become one of Sabah's top tourist attractions, second only to Mount Kinabalu. Orphaned and injured orangutans are brought to Sepilok to be rehabilitated to return to forest life. On the bright side, there are two major feeding times a day, so if you miss them in the morning, you can always try again in the afternoon.
Feedings are at 10am and 3pm and last 30 to 50 minutes. Schedules are posted at the visitor reception center. It is especially important that you don't bring any containers of insect repellent into the reserve, as these are highly toxic to the apes and other wildlife. Spray yourself before entering.

Petronas Twin Towers Petronas Twin Towers were once the tallest buildings in the world. Now the world’s tallest twin structures, the 88-storey buildings were designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates, with both towers joined at the 41st and 42nd floors by a 58 meter-long, double-decker Sky Bridge. Standing 452 meters tall, the Petronas Twin Towers retained its world-title claim to fame until 2004 when Taipei's 101 was built, measuring 508 meters tall. Today, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai retains the spot as the world’s tallest building. The Petronas Twin Towers’ architecture is Islamic-inspired.

Malacca Historic City UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia, many years ago Malacca was one of Malaysia’s most sought-after destinations. Before Kuala Lumpur transformed from a malaria-infested jungle into a polished high-rise capital, Malacca was one of the greatest trading ports in Southeast Asia. Over time it changed from a thriving port into a sleepy backwater city and lost its spot as a must-visit destination to its high-rolling cousins. Yet in recent years, Malacca has been revived as a top-pick holiday getaway due to its many historic attractions. Home of the well-known Nyonya cuisine, it is a popular destination for tourists who want to catch a glimpse of Malaysia’s unique heritage.

Georgetown Historic City

A fascinating fusion of eastern and western influences, Penang is Malaysia’s most tourist-visited destination and its capital, Georgetown, has been listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Although Georgetown’s landscape is dominated by Chinese storefronts -most in need of a good paint job- there are also glamorous shopping complexes, refurbished Chinese manors, rowdy pubs and artsy boutiques, cafés and studios.

Redang Island The beautiful island of Pulau Redang lies about 45 km north-northeast of Kuala Terengganu, the closest point on the mainland. The Bugis people from Celebes, Indonesia were believed to be the first settlers on the island. Many of their descendants are now working the tourist trade in Redang while others have moved to the mainland. Over the years, Redang has grown to be one of the most popular destinations for tourists and divers due its pristine nature and rich marine environment.

Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower

Along with the Petronas Twin Towers, Menara Kuala Lumpur is easily Malaysia’s most recognizable and popular landmark. Constructed in 1994, standing at 421 meters and effortlessly trumps the Petronas Twin Towers with the highest and most spectacular view of the city. This gleaming tower’s spindle-like apex is visible from almost anywhere in Kuala Lumpur.The view is marvelous during the day and even better at night when you can see the entire sparkling city center.

Sky Bridge in Langkawi The Oriental Village in the upper northwest of Langkawi Island, near Pantai Kok, is the entrance for the cable- car ride, which takes visitors all the way up to Mount Mat Cincang, Langkawi’s second highest peak. Entering the village and passing through the pleasant oriental garden and souvenir shops, visitors make their payment at a counter before stepping onto an escalator which brings them to the cable-car pedestal. Look out at the side for a view of the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, which cascades down a grey rock face.

Penang Hill Penang Hill, or Flagstaff Hill (Bukit Bendera) as it is officially known, rises 821 meters above sea level, providing a welcome respite from the heat down below. One of the most popular attractions in Penang, a trip up Penang Hill is something that is not to be missed when visiting this island; breathtaking panoramic views of the whole island awaits you at the top, as far as the eyes can see.

Batu Caves

Consist of three main caves and a number of smaller ones. These limestone caves are 400 meters long and 100 meters high. They were discovered in 1892. It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill. The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia. Every year in January or February, millions of devotees parade through the chambers and perform ritual acts of self-mortification for the spectacular Thaipusam festival.

Gunung Mulu National Park A former haunt of headhunting tribes, Gunung Mulu National Park is a World Heritage site, thanks to the most extensive cave system in the world. Five caves are open to the general public, and many more can be explored by caving expeditions. You can also trek along a former headhunters’ trail and climb to the razor-sharp limestone outcrop known as the Pinnacles.

Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is the most popular of the highland retreats in Malaysia. Located at almost 2,000 meters at its highest point, Cameron offers visitors a moderate climate which makes the environment conducive for growing continental plants, fruits and vegetables while providing a cool escape for city-dwellers. The township of Cameron is itself divided into Tanah Rata, Brinchang and Ringlet.

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Spanning an area over 80 acres, Malaysia’s premier theme park in Bandar Sunway, Pedaling Jaya, has thrills and spills to offer people of all ages! Divided into three sections: the Wild West, World of Adventure and Waters of Africa, a day out in Sunway Lagoon is a fun-filled encounter to remember!

Mount Kinabalu

Climbing Southeast Asia's highest peak is one of the highlights of a trip to East Malaysia. Located in Kinabalu National Park, the soaring granite dome of Mount Kinabalu reaches 4094 meters, and the summit offers epic views over the island. Most people start the trek before dawn to catch sunrise at the summit. No technical skills are required, but a guide and a climbing permit (which can be bought on location) are compulsory.

Taman Negara Malaysia is covered in pristine jungles, but Taman Negara National Park offers the chance to get deep into the rainforest without having to cut a path through the lianas. Marked trails and boardwalks snake between the trees, offering the chance to spot monkeys, snakes, deer and tapir

Tasek Perdana Lake Gardens Southwest of Kuala Lumpur’s bustling Chinatown, the Lake Gardens are one of the capital’s top attractions. Highlights of this calm green space include the Kuala Lumpur’ Bird Park, with dozens of exotic species, and lush gardens devoted to orchids, hibiscus and butterflies. In the center is the National Monument, marking the defeat of Communist forces in 1950.

Tugu Negara

Walk in the delightful parkland surrounding Tugu Negara, Malaysia's National Monument in Kuala Lumpur, which commemorates the ultimately successful struggle against the occupying Japanese during World War II and communist insurgents in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Things you shouldn’t miss in Malaysia

• Shop on Kuala Lumpur’s most famous street “Petaling Street”, AKA China town.

• Have an exciting vibrant meal on Jalan Alor, and experience the heartbeat of Kuala Lumpur

• Have one of the best Chinese meals ever out by the Batu Caves at one of Malaysia’s legendary restaurants... Pan Heong.

• Visit Snake Temple For an unusual attraction, go to the Snake Temple in Penang, which swarms with poisonous snakes, their venomous threat countered by heavily drugging them with incense.

• Do unusual sports Play one of Malaysia's traditional, unusual sports, including gasing, or top spinning (called Main Gasing), which uses tops fashioned from hardwood and delicately balanced with lead, Wau-kite flying and Sepak Takraw, a game like volleyball, played with a ball made of rattan strips.

• Scuba Dive Malaysia is a famous scuba diving destination, with teeming reefs and sunken islands that attract plenty of megafauna, including schooling hammerheads and rare whale sharks. There are dive sites all over the country, but the finest lie around the islands of Sipadan and Layang Layang, offshore from Sabah in East Malaysia.

• Relax on Penang's sun-kissed beaches

• Go Jungle Trekking in the Taman Negara National Park. There are many clearly marked trails including a canopy walkway.

• Go for a Mulu Adventure Over millennia, the flow of water draining from the slopes of Mulu towards the sea has cut deep gorges through the Park’s limestone mountains and, within the rock itself, a complex network of vast caves has been formed. Mulu is basically, Malaysia’s adventure capital.

• Climb Mount Murud, the highest sandstone mountain in Sarawak.

• Climb the World’s Highest Via Feratta on Mount Kinabalu.

Best cities of Malaysia

Langkawi Island

Malaysia’s best-known holiday destination, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 Malaysian islands in the Andaman Sea. The islands are located close to the Thai border in the Andaman Sea. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of about 65,000, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. With its many diverse landscapes of beaches, mountains, rainforest and mangrove wetlands, Langkawi offers tourists the greatest variety of things to see and do. A popular activity here is to take a cable car ride up to Gunung Mat Chinchang and walk across the Sky Bridge to see incredible views across to Thailand. Nearby is Langkawi’s highest peak, Gunung Raya, which features a resort hotel, restaurant and splendid lookout tower at its summit. Many attractions abound here like the Laman Padi Rice Garden, the indoor aquarium at the Underwater World, and Oriental Village where visitors can enjoy cultural shows, watch snake charmers and ride elephants.

Kuala Lumpur

The capital of Malaysia with over 8 million people living in it which is clearly noticeable by the huge and vast amounts of traffic that goes into the city every morning and slowly leaves the city in the evening. Kuala Lumpur has many interesting attractions like Merdeka Square, Chinatown, Petronas Twin Towers and much more. Kuala Lumpur is also known as a shoppers’ paradise; there are numerous huge shopping malls where you can literally shop till you drop.

Penang

Historically regarded as the Pearl of the Orient because of its important location among the sea trade route, Penang is a large and colorful island shaped by its diverse culture, heritage and world- famous cuisine. A must-do here is a stroll or rickshaw ride around the historic Georgetown to see its colonial buildings, stately mansions, lovely temples and impressive hotels. Visitors will find plenty of activities that range from excellent shopping and culinary experiences to horse riding on the beach, photographing snakes in the Snake Temple, and cable car rides up to Penang Hill.

Kuching

The capital of Sarawak is a bustling metropolis by the standards of the tribal villages inland, but a sleepy backwater compared to the cities of Peninsular Malaysia. Highlights include temples and mosques, quirky museums, colonial relics and animated markets.

Kota Kinabalu

East Malaysia’s capital city doesn’t really personify Borneo – the capital is not a jumble of leafy greens and seaside shanties, but it is the place to go for a cache of Sabahan’s superlative sights. Home to the 4095-meter Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia’s highest peak, the Kinabalu National Park, located in northwest Sabah, is Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has one of the world’s largest collections of flora and fauna and the two-day journey across its landscape to get to the summit of the Borneo peak is a sure-fire adventure challenge for intrepid climbers.