Malaysia

Malaysia is a fizzing, bubbling melting pot of a nation – from the diverse ethnic mix of its cities, to the steaming jungles stretching out from old colonial capitals on Borneo, to its menagerie of wildlife species.

Its capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a bustling transport hub as well as a vibrant example of 21st-century Asian modernity, typified by the thrusting Petronas Towers – until recently the world’s tallest buildings.

The rest of Peninsular Malaysia offers a slower pace of life via European colonial architecture, one of the world’s oldest rainforests in Taman Negara National Park, and dreamy island getaways.

Hop over to Borneo and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak offer an array of different experiences.

In Sarawak there’s the opportunity to meet indigenous people in traditional longhouses or trek into wild jungle pocked with deep cave systems.

Meanwhile in Sabah you can encounter the ‘father of the forest’, the orang-utan – most easily done at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre (home to TV series Orangutan Diary). Elsewhere proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants roam the immense flood plain of the Kinabatangan River.

Its geography may make travelling more challenging, but Malaysia’s highlights make it worth the effort.

 

LATEST MALAYSIA ARTICLES

Read our latest features written by Malaysia experts

Exploring the jungles of Sarawak, Borneo

A city guide to Kuching

Swimming with turtles at Sipadan, Borneo

Browse all of our Malaysia articles