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Destination / Malaysia

Malaysia

 Introduction

Fast Facts

Full Name: Federation of Malaysia
Capital City: Kuala Lumpur
Area: 329,750 sq km / 127,316 sq miles
Population: 25 millions
Time zone: GMT/UTC + 8
Language: Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects.
Religion: 52% Muslim, 17% Bouddhist, 12% Taoist, 8% Christian, 8% Hindu
Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (RM)
Electricity: 220V / 50HzHz
Country dialing code: 60

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, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, offers spectacular wildlife, longhouses and the awe-inspiring Mt Kinabalu.

Climate:
Malaysia is hot and humid all year. Temperatures are usually between 20-30°C (68-86°F); humidity is usually 90%. The region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia has a real rainy season. The wettest season on the west coast of the peninsula is between September and December; on the east coast and in Sabah and Sarawak it's between October and February. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts.


 How to get there

Malaysia'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.


 Places to See

Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 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.

It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local color that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.

Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands, in the center 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 heart of the plains. Attractions include jungle walks, waterfalls, tours of tea plantations and beautiful gardens. 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.

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.

Alongside Georgetown, the island's beaches are touted as the major draw card but they're somewhat overrated.

Taman Negara National Park
Taman Negara is billed, perhaps wrongly, as a wildlife park. Certainly this magnificent wilderness area is a haven for endangered species such as elephants, tigers, leopards and rhinos, but numbers are low and sightings of anything more exotic than snakes, lizards, monkeys, small deer, and perhaps tapir, are rare.

The birdlife is prolific, however, and chances are you'll see more insects than you've ever seen in your life. Traditionally, the park was only accessible by river. These days there's a road, but the boat trip is still recommended for the full Taman Negara experience.

Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre
One of only four orang-utan sanctuaries in the world, Sepilok is among Sabah's top tourist attractions - so much so that the atmosphere can be a bit like a circus or a zoo. Nonetheless, a visit to Sepilok can be a memorable experience. The orang-utans are impressive, young orang-utans particularly so, all ginger fur and intelligent eyes.

Tel: 089 531180 / Hours: Sat-Thu 9:00am-12:30pm & 2:00pm-4:30pm; Fri 9:00am-11:30am.

Kinabalu Park
The Kinabalu Park, covering an area of 754 sq. kilometres including Mt. Kinabalu, Mt Tambayukon and the foothills was gazetted to preserve the valuable natural environment. The mountains have a fascinating geological history, taking a million years to form. This granite massif was later thrust upwards through the crust of the surface.

The climb can normally be accomplished in two days but it is not easy. A more comfortable option is to take it slow and stretch the climb to three days, spending two nights in mountain huts along the trail.

Malaysia Hotels


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