Tropical Southeast Asian country with dynamic multicultural metropolises, lovely beaches and dense jungles, Malaysia is a varied travel destination offering you anything from a busy Asian city holiday to an adventurous hike through the rainforests of Borneo or a relaxing stay in a comfortable beach resort on some of the beautiful islands off the Malaysian coast.
The culture of Malaysia is based on Malay tradition mixed with Chinese and Indian influences, and spiced with the many original features of minor local cultures found in this diverse Southeast Asian country. Chinese and Indian influences on Malaysian culture arise from Malaysia's ancient position as a trading arena important in the trading relations between these two countries. A former British colony independent since 1957, Malaysia is also familiar with British influence.
Destinations. The first and foremost of Malaysia's many treasures is its capital, Kuala Lumpur. This charming city with 1.5 million inhabitants is a growing metropolis filled with color, cultural traditions and high technology. Kuala Lumpur is the standing ground to Petronas Towers, one of the highest buildings of the world, and a home of many interesting leisure parks and gardens. Offering a different kind of Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu in Borneo introduces you not only the wonders of tropical jungle, but also the highest mountain in Malaysia in an altitude of 4100 meters.
For the lovers of beach life and water sports, there is also Langkawi, a grouping of several small islands located in the Indian Ocean, and offering ideal surroundings for an enjoyable beach holiday in the middle of white-sand beaches. The island of Penang along the western coast of Malaysia also has beaches, but it is better known for its historical sights, shopping opportunities and excellent cuisine. The historical town of Melaka and the colonial hill stations of Western Malaysia are also well worth your visit.
Diving and nature destinations. The East coast islands such as Tioman or Perhentian Islands offer excellent diving and snorkeling as well as rainforests for trekking. If your main purpose of visiting Malaysia is diving, also Sipadan off the coast of Borneo is absolutely worth a try, whereas Taman Negara National Park hosts fascinating rain forests filled with exotic tropical flora and fauna, and is a good choice if you want to see the full glory of tropical Malaysian nature.
Malaysia, land of jungles, big cities and colorful culture
Malaysia is a country with many faces. It is a place where you can enjoy the dynamics of colorful cities and shop high technology in luxury malls. Or you can lay on a quiet beach as well as hike on the slopes of a snow-capped mountain. Yet, there are also dense tropical jungles hiding nature wonders and forms of culture that belong to a totally different world. In Malaysia you are greeted not only by friendly people, but also by the extreme contrasts rising from the natural and human built surroundings of this interesting multicultural country.The culture of Malaysia is based on Malay tradition mixed with Chinese and Indian influences, and spiced with the many original features of minor local cultures found in this diverse Southeast Asian country. Chinese and Indian influences on Malaysian culture arise from Malaysia's ancient position as a trading arena important in the trading relations between these two countries. A former British colony independent since 1957, Malaysia is also familiar with British influence.
Destinations. The first and foremost of Malaysia's many treasures is its capital, Kuala Lumpur. This charming city with 1.5 million inhabitants is a growing metropolis filled with color, cultural traditions and high technology. Kuala Lumpur is the standing ground to Petronas Towers, one of the highest buildings of the world, and a home of many interesting leisure parks and gardens. Offering a different kind of Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu in Borneo introduces you not only the wonders of tropical jungle, but also the highest mountain in Malaysia in an altitude of 4100 meters.
For the lovers of beach life and water sports, there is also Langkawi, a grouping of several small islands located in the Indian Ocean, and offering ideal surroundings for an enjoyable beach holiday in the middle of white-sand beaches. The island of Penang along the western coast of Malaysia also has beaches, but it is better known for its historical sights, shopping opportunities and excellent cuisine. The historical town of Melaka and the colonial hill stations of Western Malaysia are also well worth your visit.
Diving and nature destinations. The East coast islands such as Tioman or Perhentian Islands offer excellent diving and snorkeling as well as rainforests for trekking. If your main purpose of visiting Malaysia is diving, also Sipadan off the coast of Borneo is absolutely worth a try, whereas Taman Negara National Park hosts fascinating rain forests filled with exotic tropical flora and fauna, and is a good choice if you want to see the full glory of tropical Malaysian nature.
Photo: Timparkinson, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Practical information for your trip to Malaysia
Whatever the season, the charm of Malaysia never disappears. Weather in Malaysia is enjoyably warm all year round, with temperatures rarely dropping below 20 degrees of Celsius, and often reaching 30 degrees at midday. There is however a rainy season which depending on location lasts from either November to January or from October to November, and another one from April to May. It might be wise to avoid these periods if you are planning to concentrate on sun bathing during your visit to Malaysia.Traveling to Malaysia is easiest via Kuala Lumpur, where the main international airport in Malaysia is located. From there on you can get to some other locations such as Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu using internal flight connections, or travel throughout the Malaysian Peninsula by bus or train. You can also easily enter Malaysia by train, bus or ferry from many neighboring countries.
Visitor services. Malaysia is a popular travel destination with high class tourist services and with a large variety of hotels and restaurants. What adds the charm of Malaysia even more is that local food is known to be delicious, and prepared with passion.
Safety. Malaysia is generally quite safe destination, although some crime such as pickpocketing exists. It is good to remember that illegal activities such as possession of drugs can lead to severe punishment such as death penalty. Some areas in Malaysia such as the east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia are more strictly Islamic than the others, so it is important to dress respectfully. English is commonly spoken in Malaysia.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Taman Negara, Kuala Lumpur
