Introduction:
Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries
to visit in southeast Asia. It's buoyant and wealthy, and
has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant and
interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous
cultures and customs.
Most visitors to Malaysia stick to the insane headlong rush
of Kuala Lumpur, the colonially soothing Cameron Highlands
Hill Station or the hedonistic torpor of Langkawi. However,
the island of East Malaysia offers spectacular wildlife, longhouses
and the awe-inspiring Mt Kinabalu.
Malaysia's love of Western-style industrialisation is abundantly
clear in its big cities. Aside from the gleaming glass of
the 21st Century, though, Malaysia boasts some of the most
superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia.
When to Visit Malaysia:
Malaysia is hot and humid all year so you're going to have
sunshine and sweat pretty much whenever you visit. It is,
however, best to avoid the November to January rainy season
on Peninsula Malaysia's east coast if you want to enjoy the
beaches. The time to see turtles on the east coast is between
May and September.
Attraction in Malaysia:
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in 130 years, it
has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city of almost
two million people. Take in its high-flying triumphs from
the viewing deck of the world's tallest building, then dive
down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes
of Chinatown.
 KL's boom periods have produced an intriguing mix of architecture
throughout the city; elegant colonial buildings contrast with
soaring modern edifices such as the twin Petronas Towers.
Add the ground level bustle of the numerous street markets,
and you have a city that rewards exploration.
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands, in the centre of Peninsular Malaysia,
comprise a series of hill stations at altitudes between 1500-1800m
(4920-5904ft). This fertile area is the centre of Malaysia's
tea industry and it's the place where locals and visitors
come to escape the heat of the plains. Attractions include
jungle walks, waterfalls, tours of tea plantations, beautiful
gardens and plenty of wild flowers. The cool weather tempts
visitors to exertions like golf, tennis, and long walks, normally
forgotten at sea level - but this is really Malaysia's R 'n'
R capital par excellence for those who don't like the beach
and enjoy a bout of colonial nostalgia.
Georgetown - Penang Island
The 285 sq km (177 sq mi) island of Penang, off Peninsula
Malaysia's northwestern coast, is the oldest British settlement
in Malaysia and one of the country's premier resort areas.
The island's beaches are touted as the major drawcard but
they're somewhat overrated.
What makes Penang Island really tick is the vibrant city of
Georgetown on the island's northeastern coast. This city has
more Chinese flavour than either Singapore or Hong Kong, and
in its older neighbourhoods you could be forgiven for thinking
that the clock stopped at least 50 years ago.
Melaka
Melaka is an interesting blend of Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch
and British influences and is considered Malaysia's most historic
city. It was once the most important trading port in the region,
but is now little more than a sleepy backwater.
Ancient-looking junks still sail up the river, imbuing the
waterfront with a timeless charm, and the city remains full
of intriguing Chinese streets, antique shops, temples and
nostalgic reminders of the now-departed European colonial
powers.
Tioman Island
This picture-postcard island lies off the eastern coast of
Peninsula Malaysia in the South China Sea. It boasts beautiful
beaches, clear, coral-filled water, technicolour marine life,
virtually unpopulated jungle highlands and the dramatic peaks
of Batu Sirau and Nenek Semukut.
Tioman has been blessed with exotic place names like 'Palm-Frond
Hill' and 'Village of Doubt' and is generally quoted as the
setting for the mythical Bali Hai in the film South Pacific.
The permanent population on Tioman is low, and locals are
usually outnumbered by tourists. June and August are the peak
tourist months, but during the heavy November to January monsoon
the island is almost deserted.
The island's west coast is dotted with villages and is home
to a classy resort. Pulau Tioman is the most popular travellers'
destination, while Kampung Nipah is the place to go if you
really want to get away from it all.
TrackPeninsular
Malaysia
Just off the coast of Perlis are the 104 islands of the Langkawi
group. The islands are little visited, despite their good
beaches and Langkawi's direct boat connections with Thailand.
Low-key Taiping has beautiful lake gardens, well-preserved
Anglo-Malay buildings and hardly any tourists.
In Perak, you will find the historic royal town of Kuala Kangsar,
which has an abundance of fine mosques and palaces, and was
the birthplace of Malaysia's rubber industry. Ipoh, Perak's
capital, has some swellegant mansions and impressive cave
temples.
Sabah
Scenic grandeur and fascinating wildlife are the main attractions
in (expensive) Sabah. Just offshore from the capital, Kota
Kinabalu, the huge Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park is made
up of the islands of Gaya, Mamutik, Manukan, Sapi and Sulug.
The islands have some of the best beaches in Borneo and wildlife
varies from monkeys and bearded pigs to corals and tropical
marine life.
Not far from the Kalimantan border, Batu Punggul has an adventure-camp
resort, jungle walks, canoeing and cave visits.
Sarawak
Sarawak offers ever-shrinking areas of untouched jungle, the
chance to visit longhouse-dwelling Dayak tribes and a good
system of national parks. The area around the capital city,
Kuching, has remote coastal villages and unspoilt tropical
rainforest, beaches and walking trails in Bako National Park.
Longhouses are found along the Rejang River and its tributaries
- central and southern Sarawak's 'highway'. The areas downriver
from Kanowit and Song are generally less frequented. In the
northeast, the Niah Caves, accessible only by longboat and
a 3km (1.86mi) hike, are unforgettable for their rock paintings,
forest wildlife, jungle trails and night walks to see the
luminous mushrooms. Visitors to Sarawak cannot fail to notice
the extent to which logging is affecting the environment and
the habitat of the Dayak tribes. Acquainting yourself with
the issues surrounding Malaysia's logging practices is recommended
before visiting the province.
Reaching Malaysia 
Malysia's main international airport is at Sepang, 50km (31mi)
south of KL. Most tourists either fly into Sepang or arrive
overland from Thailand or Singapore. However, Penang also
has international flights, and Kuching in Sarawak and Tawau
in Sabah have flights to/from Kalimantan. There is a departure
tax of 40.00 on international flights, but if you buy your
ticket in Malaysia the tax is already included in the ticket
price. Departure tax for flights to Singapore and Brunei is
only 5.00.
There are five road border crossings between Malaysia and
Thailand (two on the west coast, one in the centre and two
on the east coast). There is also a west-coast rail link.
To get to/from Singapore, you can cross the causeway at Johor
Bahru, catch a ferry or take the train. There are three ferry
services between Malaysia and Indonesia (Penang-Medan, Melaka-Dumai
and, in East Malaysia, Tawau-Tarakan). There's also a difficult
road link between Sarawak and Kalimantan. |
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