Introducing Malaysia
Malaysia is really like two countries in one, cleaved in half by the South China Sea. The peninsula is a multicultural buffet of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavours while Borneo hosts a wild jungle smorgasbord of orang-utans, granite peaks and remote tribes. Within and throughout these two very different regions are an impressive variety of microcosms ranging from the space-age high-rises of Kuala Lumpur to the smiling longhouse villages of Sarawak and the calm, powdery beaches of the Perhentian Islands. And did we mention the food? Malaysia (particularly along the peninsular west coast) has one of the best assortments of delicious cuisines in the world.
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Start with Chinese–Malay 'Nonya' fare, move on to Indian banana leaf curries, Chinese buffets, spicy Malay food stalls and even some impressive Western food. Yet despite all the pockets of ethnicities, religions, landscapes and the sometimes-great distances between them, the beauty of Malaysia lies in the fusion of it all, into a country that is one of the safest, most stable and easiest to manage in Southeast Asia.
Last updated: Dec 31, 2009
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Malaysia
Our Top Picks For Malaysia
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1 Pulau Langkawi
Splash out on the luxury resorts of this gorgeous island group
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2 Penang
Relive the colonial days in Georgetown taking tiffin at the E&O
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3 Kota Bharu
Meet traditional kite and shadow puppet makers and feast at Malaysia's best night market
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4 Cameron Highlands
Visit tea plantations and take pleasant walks in the cool highlands
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5 Pulau Perhentian
Relax and revive on these two blissful white-sand fringed islands
Fast Facts about Malaysia
- Capital Kuala Lumpur
- International telephone code 60
- Languages Bahasa Melayu (official), Chinese (Hakka and Hokkien dialects), Tamil, English
- Currency Malaysian ringgit (RM)
- Phrases selamat pagi (good morning), terima kasi (thank you)
- Population 24,821,300
- Malaysian heroes: Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. Father of Malaysian independence and first Prime Minister in 1957.
Related Groups
Our favourite Malaysia Blogs (beta)
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Key Kuala Lumpur Landmarks
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 30 August 2010
Malaysia’s intrinsic colourful contrasts climax in spectacular Kuala Lumpur. The vast capital city is a zenith of culture and a dynamic urban metropolis. KL pulsates with shiny skyscrapers, feverish wet markets, lively pedestrian malls, venerable mosques and a wonderful, chaotic array of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
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Bayan Indah – a Malaysian culinary retreat
Blog: velvet escape's blog - 30 August 2010
Bayan Indah is a gorgeous villa tucked away in the small Malay community of Sungai Penchala near the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Damansara. Backed by dense, rainforest-covered hills and surrounded by gurgling streams, a large fish pond and aromatic herb gardens, the villa is a serene oasis just 30 minutes outside the centre of Kuala [...]
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6 Signs That Say You’re a Long Way from Home
Blog: Travels with a Nine Year Old - 29 August 2010
1: Instructions on how to use the toilet. Makassar airport, Indonesia, caters both to Westerners and locals on, perhaps, their first flight ever. Which is why the Western-style thrones have these handy instructions on the side of the cubicle. 2: Weapons? Just leave them with the cabin crew. Thanks to Balikpapan airport, Indonesia, for this [...]
