Introducing Malaysia
Malaysia is like two countries in one, cleaved in half by the South China Sea. The multicultural peninsula flaunts Malay, Chinese and Indian influences, while Borneo hosts a wild jungle of orang-utans, granite peaks and remote tribes. Throughout these two regions is an impressive variety of microcosms ranging from the space-age high-rises of Kuala Lumpur to the smiling longhouse villages of Sarawak.
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Peninsular Malaysia is the long finger of land extending south from Asia as if pointing towards Indonesia and Australia. Much of the peninsula is covered by dense jungle, particularly its mountainous, thinly populated northern half. On the western side of the peninsula there is a long, fertile plain running down to the sea, while on the eastern side the mountains descend more steeply and the coast is fringed with sandy beaches. The other part of the country, comprising more than 50% of its area, is Malaysian Borneo – the northern part of the island of Borneo (the larger, southern part is the Indonesian state of Kalimantan). Malaysian Borneo is divided into the states of Sarawak and Sabah, with Brunei a small enclave between them. Both states are covered by dense jungle, with many large river systems, particularly in Sarawak. Mt Kinabalu (4101m) in Sabah is Malaysia’s highest mountain.
And then there’s the food. Malaysia (particularly along the peninsular west coast) has one of the best assortments of cuisines in the world. Start with Chinese-Malay ‘Nonya’ fare, move on to Indian curries, Chinese buffets, Malay food stalls and even 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 manageable in Southeast Asia.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Travel across Malaysia from Bangkok to Singapore
- Take part in a real Borneo adventure
- See Southeast Asia on a shoestring
- Visit the elephant conversation farm at Kuala Gandah
Last updated: Jan 10, 2013
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Malaysia
Things to do
- All things to do (1,569)
- Activities (258)
- Entertainment (160)
- Restaurants (538)
- Shopping (211)
- Sights (363)
- Tours (39)
Make it happen
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.