Malaysia does not have the
grand, ancient ruins of neighbouring
Thailand, but its rich cultural
heritage is apparent, both in its
traditional kampung (village) areas
and in its commitment to religious
plurality. The dominant cultural
force has undoubtedly been Islam,
but the country's diverse population
of indigenous Malays, Chinese and
Indians has spawned a fabulous
juxtaposition of mosques, temples
and churches, a panoply of festivals
and a wonderful mixture of cuisines.
In addition, Malaysia boasts fine
beaches, as well as some of the
world's oldest tropical rainforest
and most spectacular cave systems.
Your first impressions of
Malaysia's hi-tech, fast-growing
west-coast capital, Kuala Lumpur
(KL), are likely to be of a vibrant
and colourful, if crowded, place.
Traditionally, people have stayed
just long enough to think about
their next destination, but there
are good reasons to stay a little
longer: accommodation is plentiful
and cheap, the food is excellent and
its streets safe and friendly. Less
than three hours' journey south lies
the birthplace of Malay
civilization, Melaka , a must
on anybody's itinerary, while north
up the coast is the first British
settlement, the island of Penang
, and its very appealing capital,
Georgetown. For a taste of Old
England and lots of walks, head for
the hill station of the Cameron
Highlands.
North of Penang, the premier
tourist destination is Pulau
Langkawi , a popular duty-free
island. Routes down the Peninsula's
east coast are more relaxing, with
stops at the sleepy mainland kampung
like Cherating and the stunning
islands of Pulau Perhentian and
Pulau Tioman. The state capitals of Kota
Bharu , near the northeastern
Thai border, and Kuala Terengganu
, further south, are showcases for
the best of Malay crafts and
performing arts, while the unsullied
tropical rainforests of Taman
Negara National Park offer
trails, animal hides, a high canopy
walkway and waterfalls.
Across the sea from the Peninsula
are the Bornean states of Sarawak
and Sabah . For most
travellers, their first taste of
Sarawak is Kuching, the old colonial
capital, and then the Iban
longhouses of the Batang Ai and
Batang Lupar river systems, or the
Bidayuh communities closer to the
Kalimantan border. The best time to
visit is in late May-early June when
the Iban and the Bidayuh celebrate
their harvest festivals with ribald
parties to which everyone is
invited. Sibu, much further to the
north, is another starting point for
more visits to other Iban longhouses
and the idyllic Pelagus Rapids
region. In the north of the state, Gunung
Mulu National Park is the
principal destination, its
extraordinary razor-sharp limestone
needles providing demanding climbing
and its deep, cathedral-shaped caves
awe-inspiring.
The main reason for a trip to
Sabah is to conquer the 4101-metre
granite peak of Mount Kinabalu
, though the lively modern capital Kota
Kinabalu and its offshore
islands have their moments, too.
Beyond this, Sabah is worth a visit
for its wildlife, including turtles,
orang-utans, proboscis monkeys and
hornbills, while oceanic Pulau
Sipadan has a host of sharks,
fish and turtles, as well as one of
the world's top coral reef dives.
Temperatures in Malaysia
constantly hover around 30ฐC (22ฐC
in highland areas), and humidity is
high all year round. The major
distinction in the seasons is marked
by the arrival of the monsoon, which
brings heavy and prolonged downpours
to the east coast of Peninsular
Malaysia, the northeastern part of
Sabah, and the western end of
Sarawak from November to February;
boats to most of the islands do not
run during the height of the
monsoon. The Peninsula's west coast
experiences fewer major
thunderstorms during the months of
April and May. The ideal time to
visit is between April and October,
avoiding the worst of the rains.
