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.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Travel across Malaysia from Bangkok to Singapore
- Take part in a real Borneo adventure
- Visit the elephant conservation farm at Kuala Gandah
Last updated: 13-Feb-2012
Tips & articles
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The 11 best street foods worth blowing your diet over
27 April 2012
You’re on holiday abroad exploring a local market. Suddenly an enticing aroma encircles you and makes you turn your head...
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Novice diving off Sabah’s coast
27 March 2012
The state of Sabah, on the island of Borneo, is often promoted as an outdoorsman’s paradise. And Sabah’s Semporna archipelago...
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Borneo’s biological treasure trove
23 March 2012
The Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo is probably not what comes to mind when thinking of...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
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Hotels & Hostels
Top cities in Malaysia
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Hotel Grand Continental
Georgetown
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Malaysia
Things to do
- All things to do (1,525)
- Activities (244)
- Entertainment (158)
- Restaurants (536)
- Shopping (203)
- Sights (361)
- Tours (23)
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.
Our favourite Malaysia Blogs (beta)
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Photo of the Week: Petronas Towers from Kampung Baru
Blog: Never Ending Voyage - 13 May 2012
One of the things we liked most about Kuala Lumpur was the different neighbourhoods. We headed to Brickfields for cheap tasty Indian dosas and thalis; to Chinatown for the chaotic markets; and to Kampung Baru to see one of the city’s most traditional neighbourhoods. We walked from the Petronas Towers through the commercial business district [...]
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Legoland Malaysia Opening Date
Blog: Malaysia Asia - 11 May 2012
Legoland Malaysia Opening Date is set for the 15th September 2012 as announced in April this year.
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Adventures of Ngarayang - Sabah Fest 2012
Blog: Malaysia Asia - 7 May 2012
Adventures of Ngarayang was the official theater show for Sabah Fest 2012 and was held at the new JKKN complex along Jalan Penampang in Kota Kinabalu city. Having attended the end of the Kaamatan or Harvest Festival last year, this time around I was invited to catch this unique cultural theater show at the beginning of the Kaamatan.
