Malaysia

Overview

Malaysia is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation. With its investment in high technology industries and moderate oil wealth, it has become a rich nation in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy mix: there is high-tech infrastructure and things generally work well and more or less on schedule, but prices remain more reasonable than in, say, Singapore . The demographics between the rich and poor can also be quite apparent: for example, a high rise luxury condominium building built right across the street from old, rundown shop lots or flats. However, you will not find extreme rural poverty or gigantic urban slums as in most other countries of Southeast Asia.

Places to explore

Malaysia is administratively divided into 13 states and 3 federal territories. These can be divided into two main geographical regions, commonly known as Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. See Geography for more information.

Sights and landscapes

Malaysia is a fascinating country with many faces. It's multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, and its attractions vary from the iconic Petronas Towers in bustling Kuala Lumpur to perfect sandy beaches lined with palm trees and dense jungles with orangutans and tigers.

There are various impressive national parks . Expeditions range from those where you hardly lose sight of the hotel to those where you are fully immersed in the jungle for weeks, with only the guide and yourself. To spot a tiger or wild elephant in its natural habitat you might have to spend more than a few days in the wild, but you'll have no trouble seeing smaller wildlife. Bako National Park is the oldest national park in Malaysia and one of the best places to see proboscis monkeys. The vast jungles of Taman Negara have become a popular destination for nature travellers , just like the remote but gorgeous Gunung Mulu National Park , a World Heritage Site famous for its limestone karst formations, stone pinnacles and huge caves. To escape from the muggy tropics, do as the English did and head up to the cool tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands , the quaint Tudor-style village on Fraser's Hill or climb Mount Kinabalu in Sabah .

For many people, Malaysia brings pictures of pristine beaches with great diving opportunities to mind – and for good reason. Sipadan off the coast of Sabah, and the beautiful Perhentian Islands are among the best (and most popular) places. Coastlines in the less industrialized parts of the country, in general, are well worth driving through for their natural beauty and relaxing seaside kampung (villages). Follow the crowds to the postcard perfect sands of the Langkawi Islands, where you can have a cocktail on the beach and stay in one of the many resorts.

If you're most interested in taking the pulse of a city, don't miss Kuala Lumpur ' s crazy quilt ultra-modern skyline, including the famous Petronas Twin Towers. George Town , the capital city of Penang , is known for its great food, colonial architecture, and relatively long-standing and institutionalized Chinese, Peranakan and Indian communities, who share the city with ethnic Malays, Thais and Eurasians. Ipoh is a good choice if you enjoy a somewhat slower paced city that features elegant colonial-era buildings from about 100 years ago, and Malacca is for those who want to trace the colonial and imperial history of Malaysia several hundred years further back. For a completely different experience, head to Kota Bharu to discover a unique conservative Islamic regional culture influenced by Thailand , only a few kilometres away, or visit the diverse cities of East Malaysia , like Kuching and Kota Kinabalu . Especially when travelling with children, consider visiting one of the country's excellent zoos, such as Taiping Zoo, Kuala Lumpur 's Zoo Negara, Johor Zoo and Malacca 's Zoo.

Experiences

Malaysia has excellent scuba diving . Some of the more popular spots are the islands off the East Coast of peninsular Malaysia ( Perhentian , Redang , Tioman and many more), although the dive season is limited to March to October. However, the most famous dive site — often ranked among the best in the world — is Sipadan , off the easternmost tip of Malaysian Borneo . There are many other less well known sites, like Layang Layang .

Malaysia is home to a uniquely Malay style of martial arts known as silat . Silat tournaments are held between different schools in the country, and the Southeast Asian Games is the premier international tournament in silat, with competitors from the neighbouring countries as well. There is also an equally traditional stylised dance version of silat called silat gayung , which is quite worth seeing if you have the chance.

Malaysia is home to a uniquely Malay form of singing called dikir barat . Dikir barat is typically sung by a choir, though there may also be solo parts, and is also either sung a capella , or accompanied only by percussion instruments. Dikir barat competitions are fairly popular among the Malay community, and are frequently broadcast on Malaysian national television.

Culture and food

The crossroads of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine , Malaysia is an excellent place to eat ( makan in Malay). Look out for regional specialities and Nyonya (Peranakan) cuisine, the fusion between Malay and Chinese cooking . There is even unique Eurasian cooking to be found in the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca, the heartland of the Portuguese Eurasian community.

Malaysians are very proud of their cooking and most towns or even villages have their own delicious specialities such as Penang char kway teow , Kajang satay, Ipoh bean sprout chicken, Sarawak laksa , Kelantanese nasi dagang and Sabahan hinava . Most eateries rely on word of mouth for advertising and are frequently located in the most inconvenient, out-of-the-way places, so you might want to try asking the locals for their personal recommendations.

Planning your route

Immigration controls are in place for travel between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, as well as between the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysian citizens need to present their ID cards, while foreign citizens are required to present their passports in order to travel.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.