Malaysia Malaysia

Malaysia, in every sense of the word is truly 'cosmopolitan’. Strategically located at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, it held an irresistible attraction for adventurers and explorers, traders and raiders, missionaries and evangelists. Seafaring Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Portuguese, Dutch, British, Japanese- all found their way to Malaysia.

Many settled here and are now more 'native’ than the Malays; some came, made their fortunes and left; others caused so much trouble that they were evicted. But all added in one way or the other to the rich and fascinating multi-hued cultural tapestry that is Malaysia.

Sightseeing in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur , the capital city is a cosmopolitan, modern city boasting a thriving business and commercial centre with an old world charm of its own. The city also lays claim to the world’s tallest buildings, a Formula I Grand Prix track and glittering shops and malls.

Penang , the ‘Pearl of the Orient" is the best known of all Malaysian tourist destination. Ships and cruisers loaded with holidaymakers on an oriental tour must stopover at its mystical temples and palm-fringed beaches. George Town , the capital of the island of Penang was established by Capt Francis Light in 1786. Just off the northwest coast of the Malay Peninsula, Penang is the oldest British settlement in Malaysia.  

Langkawi , an archipelago of more than 104 islands of which Langkawi is the only habited one, makes it the centre piece of an ocean paradise.Its priceless treasures are the sea, golden beaches, thick green forests and calm blue lakes that entice and permanently enrapture the visitor. It is the 'Island of Legends’ with a myth and story hidden in each curve and contour of the island.

The island of Sipadan is world famous for its spectacular diving locales and its awesome marine life. Sipadan lies in the Sulawesi Sea or the Celebes Sea, off the coast of Sabah on mainland Borneo. The Phuket of Malaysia, the Tioman Island is the largest island in an archipelago of 64 volcanic islands lying in the South China Sea, just off the east coast of Malaysia. Tioman is perfection with soft white beaches, azure blue waters, emerald green peaks and iridescent coral reefs.

Genting Highlands is a perfect weekend getaway from the fumes and stress of life in a metropolis like KL. Nothing to do but relax and unwind, walk away the blues and let the highland breeze soothe the nerves and blow away the city hangover. Another great escape route is the one that leads up to the Cameron Highlands, a little bit of England/Scotland in the mist shrouded hills of Malaysia.

The very name of Melaka (Malacca) conjures up, for most people, images of an exotic land, spice gardens and tropical rainforests. And with good reason too - for Malacca, coveted during the colonial period, was a major trading centre, dealing especially in spices.

Malacca is one of Malaysia’s most quaintly historical and interesting towns, with many reminders of past, a Eurasian community, a Dutch Town Hall, old churches like the Christ Church with its deep red façade.      

Equally famous are Melacca's forts, St John’s Fort (a Dutch fortress) and the A Famosa Fortress (a Portuguese one).The Malacca Museum, the Malacca Cultural Museum, the Malacca Maritime Museum, have some good collections relating to the history of the island. There are also a number of temples and mausoleums, including the Cheng Hoon Teng (the Temple of Bright Clouds), Malaysia’s oldest Chinese temple. Malacca’s local society is very mixed- there are Indians, there are Chinese; there are Nonyas (also called the Straits Chinese- of mixed Chinese-Malay blood), and there are Eurasians. The result is a culturally rich state, which, combined with the natural beauty of the place, make it an attractive tourist destination.

Terangganu, on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia, has its capital at Kuala Terangganu and has a population, which is predominantly Malay. Terangganu has made it big through offshore oil drilling- and there’s evidence of this. But there is also lots to see for the interested tourist. Among the most famous sights to be seen in Terangganu is at a place called Rantau Abang, 55 km south of Kuala Terangganu. Here, once a year, giant leatherback turtles (among the largest reptiles on earth) come ashore from the sea to lay their eggs. Terangganu has more to offer, though: the Sekayu Waterfall is quite a lovely sight, as are the coral reefs at the island of Redang, 28 km from Kuala Terangganu.

Sarawak lies on the island of Borneo, separated from mainland Malaysia by 650 km of sea. It’s a densely forested area, with few roads - traffic moves mainly along the rivers.‘White Rajahs’ ruled Sarawak for a long time - James Brooke was the first of these, and the English influence of the white rulers can still be seen in Kuching and elsewhere.

Sarawak is also great for nature-lovers: wildlife preserves include the Bako National Park, the Batang Ai National Park, an orangutan sanctuary at Semmongok, a turtle sanctuary at Pulau Satang - and miles of thick forest where you can have your fill of natural beauty.

Further a field from Kuching are another well-known feature of Sarawak’s jungles- limestone caves, the most well known of which are in Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak’s largest park), and include the `Sarawak Chamber’, believed to be the largest cave in the world.

Whether you visit Sarawak to trek through the forests, or laze on the beaches- whether it’s history you’re interested in, or the living culture of the traditional Sarawak `longhouse’ (a community dwelling place; a longhouse is usually a large building in which more than 50 families may be living under one roof)- whatever it is that you want out of your vacation- there’s a good chance you’ll get it in Sarawak.

Miri is located in the extreme northeast of Sarawak, off the South China Sea. It is the largest town in Sarawak and the neighbour to the oil rich kingdom of Brunei.

Splendid scenery on a truly grand scale, impregnable rainforests inhabited with fascinating wildlife, soaring mountain peaks, beautiful beaches, coral islands and a plethora of marine creatures - that is just a glimpse of all that is on offer in Sabah, the ‘Land Below the Wind’. Sabah is a veritable treasure house of delightful offerings - it embodies every travel aspiration with tropical islands, indigenous people, fantastic landscape of mountains, rivers, seas and rainforests that are more than 125 million years old. Kota Kinabalu, capital city of Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) is the international gateway to the treasures of Sabah.

Best Time to Visit Malaysia

Malaysia is good to visit year round. Weather wise the best time to visit Malaysia is between the months of May till September when the average temperature remains around 28 degrees Celsius.

Malaysia receives heavy rains from mid-October till January therefore if you want to enjoy the beach then try and avoid these months. If not water sports these months are the ideal time to enjoy the Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival and year-end festivities like Christmas, New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Puasa.

Climate

Malaysia is the classic example of a wet tropical zone- hot and humid all through the year, with the temperature ranging between 21º C and 33ºC, and the humidity usually touching around 90%. As in all of South East Asia, the monsoons are an important feature of the climate- Malaysia has two monsoons, one in August-September and the other between November and February. The annual precipitation is pretty high (200 to 250 cm), and daily rainfall in the afternoon is a normal occurrence. Rain, however, falls generally in the form of a short, heavy shower, after which the sun starts shining again.

How to Get to Malaysia

How to get to Malaysia by Air

Malaysia is pretty well connected to the rest of the world by air. Most major airlines regularly fly to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 70 km south of the city. Besides this, travellers can fly from some of Malaysia’s neighbouring countries – including Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia- either directly or through a connecting flight to some cities other than Kuala Lumpur.

How to get to Malaysia by Rail

Malaysia is well connected to the neighbouring countries of Singapore and Thailand. There are daily train connections from both countries to Malaysia. The train takes 2 days to Bangkok and 7 – 10 hours to Singapore.

How to get to Malaysia by Road

There are regular bus services to Malaysia from Both Singapore and Thailand. Taxis can be hired or cars rented to do the trip. Either way, its an extremely comfortable and pleasant way to arrive in Malaysia, as the roads are good and the scenery spectacular.