Malaysia offers two very distinct experiences:
the peninsula and Borneo (an island shared with Indonesia and Brunei). The
peninsula is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavors with an efficient and
modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Borneo features some of the most
interesting places in Malaysia with a wild jungle, orangutans, granite peaks
and remote tribes. Combined with some beautiful islands, luxury resorts and
colonials towns, Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy mix.
Almost 2 million foreign tourists traveled to
Malaysia in 2010. Most of them were citizens from neighboring countries such as
Singapore and Indonesia but a growing number of other foreign tourists are
discovering this country as well.
Camerons highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive
hill stations, first developed by the British in the 1920s. It has a population
of more than 34,000 people consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians and other
ethnic groups. The Cameron Highlands is renowned for its trails. They lead
visitors through the forest to waterfalls and other tranquil spots. Apart from
its jungle walks, the sanctuary is also known for its tea plantations and
visitors can book several “tea factory” tours
Georgetown inner city
Named after Britain’s King George III, Georgetown is located
on the north-east corner of Penang Island. Most of George Town’s population is
of Chinese origin. Due to strict controls, George Town retains many of its
colonial-era shophouses to this day. It is officially recognized as having a
unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in
Southeast Asia. The town truly springs to life in the evenings, when most of
the locals head to the nearby street hawkers to have their meals and drinks
Taman negara
Taman Negara, which literally means “national park” in
Malay, is one of the oldest tropical rain forest in the world. It features
massive trees, waterfalls, jungle treks of various duration and the world’s
longest canopy walkways. Several trails enable the visitor to explore the
forest without a guide. Taman Negara is a haven for endangered species such as
the Asian elephant, tigers, leopards and rhinos, but numbers are low and
sightings are very rare. It’s unlikely that you will see anything more than
birds, small deer, lizards, snakes and perhaps a tapir
Tioman island
Tioman is a small island located off the east coast of
peninsular Malaysia. In the 1970s, Time Magazine selected Tioman as one of the
world’s most beautiful islands. Tourists have surged to the island ever since,
seeking a taste of paradises. The island is surrounded by numerous white coral
reefs, making it a haven for scuba divers while the interior is densely
forested. Visitors outnumber villagers outside the monsoon (November to
February), but Tioman can be virtually deserted at other times.
Mount kinabalu
With a summit height at 4,095 meters (13,435 ft), Mount
Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Borneo. The mountain is known worldwide for
its tremendous botanical and biological species biodiversity. Over 600 species
of ferns, 326 species of birds, and 100 mammalian species have been identified
at Mount Kinabalu and its surrounding. The main peak of the mountain can be
climbed easily by a person with a good physical condition, and requires no
mountaineering equipment although climbers must be accompanied by guides at all
times
Petronas twin towers
The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur were the world’s
tallest buildings before being surpassed in 2004 by Taipei 101. However, the
towers are still the tallest twin buildings in the world. The 88-floor towers
are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade
designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia’s
Muslim religion. The Petronas Twin Towers feature a sky bridge between the two
towers on the 41st and 42nd floors
Langkawi islands
Malaysia’s best-known holiday destination, Langkawi is an
archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. The islands are a part of the
state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. 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. Fringed with long, white
beaches and with an interior of jungle covered hills and craggy mountain peaks,
it’s easy to see why this is Malaysia’s most heavily promoted tourist
destination. The most popular beaches can be found on the west coast with a
wide choice of restaurants and eateries and some of the best resorts in Langkawi.
Perhentian islands
Located off the coast of northeastern Malaysia not far from
the Thai border. The Perhentian Islands are the must-go place in Malaysia for
budget travelers. They have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and
great diving with plenty of cheap accommodation. The two main islands are
Perhentian Besar (“Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (“Small Perhentian”).
Both the islands have palm-fringed white sandy beaches and turquoise blue sea
Sepilok Rehabilition Centre
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation opened in 1964 for rescued
orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations and illegal hunting.
The orphaned orangutans are trained to survive again in the wild and are
released as soon as they are ready. The Orang Utan sanctuary is located within
the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, much of which is virgin rainforest. About 60
to 80 orangutans are living free in the reserve. It is one of Sabah’s top
tourist attractions and a great stopover on any Malaysia itinerary
mulu caves
The Mulu Caves are located in the Gunung Mulu
National Park in Malaysian Borneo. The park encompasses incredible caves and
karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The Sarawak chamber
found in one of the underground caves is the largest cave chamber in the world.
It has been said that the chamber is so big that it could accommodate about 40
Boeing 747s, without overlapping their wings. The enormous colony of
Wrinkle-lipped bats in the nearby Deer Cave exit almost every evening in search
of food in a spectacular exodus.
