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| Courtesy Sabah Tourism |
| Orangutans in Sabah and Sarawak’s
rehabilitation centers are taught to return
to the wild. |
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| Photo by Greg Cope |
| Wooden carvings beckon shoppers
on Melaka’s Jonker Street. |
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| Photo by Greg Cope |
| Malaysian dancers don regional
costumes during a cultural extravaganza. |
 |
| Courtesy Michael AW, Underwater
Jungles |
| The waters of Malaysia’s
coastlines have been ranked among the top diving
spots in the world. |
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| Courtesy Melaka Tourism |
| Porta De Santiago greets
visitors to Melaka’s A’Famosa, a Portuguese
fortress built in 1522. |
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| Photo by Greg Cope |
| Shoppers at Suria KLCC, Kuala
Lumpur, can browse on six floors. |
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| Courtesy Melaka Tourism |
| Malaysia’s cuisine is
both colorful and tasty. |
It’s no wonder that thousands of the 13.3
million tourists who visited Malaysia in 2002 were
repeat visitors. One visit will be enough to hook
anyone for a lifetime. With beaches, mountains,
caves, rapids, preserved forests full of exotic
animals and plant species, world-class events, stunning
architecture, genuine hospitality, and an array
of cuisine unmatched worldwide, Malaysia’s
tourists will want for nothing.
“See the whole of Asia, in all its brilliance
and culture,” says Dato’ Paduka Abdul Kadir
bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, Malaysia’s Minister of
Culture, Arts, and Tourism. “We are a melting
pot of all of Asia’s ancient civilization.”
Head for the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and it will be
impossible to miss Malaysia’s national landmark
the Petronas Twin Towers. At 1,483 feet, they are
currently the tallest buildings in the world, standing
as a testament to Malaysia’s amazing developmental
feats.
At 1,381 feet, Menara Kuala Lumpur is the fourth highest
communications tower in the world and is the best
spot to take in a breathtaking cityscape complete
with a view of the magnificent Twin Towers. The revolving
restaurant atop the tower provides the perfect excuse
to enjoy a spectacular sunset view while feasting.
Kuala Lumpur’s orchid gardens have over 800 varieties
of orchids within a one hectare area. You’ll
have to explore the rest of the country to see the
over 3,000 species found in Malaysia.
Datuk Haji Mohmad Shaid bin Mohd. Taufek, the mayor
of Kuala Lumpur, is planning the creation of cycling
and jogging paths around the city, to connect major
parks and green spaces together, “so that citizens
and visitors can enjoy life without spending money.”
Outside of Kuala Lumpur, an inexhaustible number of
daytrips (each worth spending more than just a day!)
await.
Putrajaya, Malaysia’s new, awe-inspiring administrative
capital blends European, Malay, and modern Islamic
architecture into a futuristic “intelligent city.”
With the latest infrastructure and high-tech facilities
“Putrajaya will symbolize the nation’s aspirations,”
says Prime Minister Mahathir. The Putra Mosque, with
its distinct pink tiling, is one of the most modern
mosques in the world. Visitors can complete their
visit with a stroll through the Putrajaya Wetlands,
an eco-friendly nature reserve.
The Batu Caves, estimated to be over 400 million years
old, just 30 minutes outside of downtown Kuala Lumpur,
house a spectacular Hindu temple often frequented
by adorable monkeys.
Sunway Lagoon is 80 acres of water-filled fun, with
the world’s largest surf pool and a full day’s
worth of thrilling rides. Once you’ve got your
fill of sun, you can even cool off by ice skating
in the theme park’s adjacent shopping complex.
Another escape from the tropical climate is available
in the Cameroon Highlands. Cozy inns and spectacular
views of tea plantations and lush greenery will convince
you that you’ve wandered into the European mountainside.
The nearby Genting Highlands, accessible by a cable
car that delivers you 6,000 feet above sea level,
are another popular attraction for their theme park
and extensive gaming facilities.
Malaysia’s abundance of golf courses are amazingly
popular with Japanese tourists who have found that
a weekend escape to Malaysia with all accommodations,
food, and green fees can cost less than a single game
of golf back home.
Melaka’s close proximity to Kuala Lumpur makes
it an ideal daytrip, although the antique browsing
and shopping along Jonker Street could consume several
days, so it’s best to plan at least a long weekend.
The state’s rich and varied cultural history
dates back over 600 years. Founded in 1400 by a Sumatran
prince, Melaka’s port evolved into a trading
empire. Arab traders, lured by Chinese silk and opium
and Indian spices, came by camel and distributed Melaka’s
bounties throughout Europe.
Its rule having passed through many hands, Melaka
retains charming Portuguese, Dutch, English, Chinese,
and Indian influence. “Malaysia’s cultural
blend started here,” says Datuk Seri Mohd Ali
bin Mohd Rustam, Chief Minister of Melaka.
Penang Island, with its beautiful beaches and charming
British colonial past, has been an enormously popular
tourist destination for many years. A leisurely stroll
along the Heritage Trail through the historical district
in George Town will delight anyone with a penchant
for architectural preservation.
“Penang is a melting pot of cultures with beautiful
natural surroundings, a microcosm of Malaysia, a microcosm
of Asia,” says YAB Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon,
the state’s Chief Minister.
Penang food is revered as some of the best in Malaysia.
Langkawi, a favorite haunt of Prime Minister Mahathir
and Pangkor Laut, a favorite of Luciano Pavarotti,
are just two of Malaysia’s hundreds of island
paradises offering a chance for sun-seekers to relax
on picturesque beaches or enjoy carefree water sports.
On peninsular Malaysia, the East Coast states of Kelantan,
Terengganu, and Pahang make for easy white-sand beach
getaways. “Malaysia has some of the prettiest
beaches I’ve ever seen,” says Marie T. Huhtala,
U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.
Borneo’s pleasures and treasures are bountiful
in the two states of Sabah and Sarawak. With miles
of unspoiled coastlines, and countless islands and
nature preserves, eco-travelers could spend a lifetime
exploring Malaysian Borneo.
Sabah boasts Southeast Asia’s highest mountain
peak, Mt. Kinabalu, and one of the world’s most
revered diving spots, Sipadan Island. “Eco-tourism
is our forte,” says Tengku Datuk Dr. Zainal Adlin,
chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board.
No trip to Sabah or Sarawak would be complete without
a visit to one of the world’s few orangutan sanctuaries.
A short drive from Kuching, Sarawak’s capital,
or just a half hour flight from Kota Kinablu, the
capital of Sabah, you’ll find yourself immersed
in the orangutans’ jungle habitat. The two states’
rehabilitation centers are designed to acclimatize
orphaned and homeless orangutans back to live in the
wild.
During their daily feedings some orangutans will exercise
– scurrying back and forth across the “vines”
that have been erected to connect the feeding platforms.
Others will saunter down the same wooden walkway that
you’ve used to come visit them, just another
reminder of how closely related humans and orangutans
are. A showing of the documentary film offered to
visitors features the delightful images of the baby
orangutans that are still too young to venture out
into the jungle alone.
Malaysia is becoming an ever-more popular destination
for visitors hoping to combine medical procedures
with rest and relaxation. Several state-of-the-art
medical facilities on both peninsular Malaysia and
Borneo offer procedures such as cardiac bypass and
cosmetic surgery at a fraction of what a comparable
procedure would cost in the U.S. To accommodate the
growing demand “four brand new hospitals are
under construction this year alone,” says Azhar
Hussain, managing director of Pharmaniaga Berhad.
Bypass surgery runs around $6,000-7,000 in Malaysia,
compared to $30,000 in the U.S. “Seventy percent
of medical specialists are trained abroad, in the
U.S., the United Kingdom, and Australia, but salary
costs are much lower here so pricing can be competitive,”
explains Datuk Dr. Ridzwan Bakar, chairman of Pantai
Holdings. Complete check-ups and dental services are
also available for the globetrotting executive at
amazingly low rates.
Because the cost-of-living is one of the lowest in
Asia, Malaysia is actively promoting itself as the
perfect destination for a second home. Citizens of
all countries are eligible to remain in Malaysia on
social visit passes with multiple entry visas.
Malaysian cuisine borrows from the best of everything
one has ever tasted, while retaining its uniqueness.
Paradoxically, it’s unlike anything one has
ever eaten, not Chinese, Thai, or Indian, but akin
to a blend of the best of each of the three.
One needn’t spend more than $4 to eat like a
sultan. And that $4 will get you the likes of fresh
prawns, spicy noodles, fried rice, and sautéed
vegetables, and not just one from that list - all
of them!
For a jaunt into a quaint Japanese village, complete
with sumptuous sushi, be sure to visit the Komura
restaurant in Kuala Lumpur’s Corus Hotel. Lovers
of intoxicating Indian spices will be delighted to
visit Bombay Palace, a sister to the popular Washington,
D.C. establishment.
The only people who may not be pleased with the vast
array of fare found here are dieters, who will face
eye-catching temptation with every step.
Luxury goods, imported from all over the world, are
relatively low in price. Suria Kuala Lumpur City Center
(KLCC), the shopping complex just below Kuala Lumpur’s
Petronas Twin Towers, is a shopping paradise, an affordable
Rodeo Drive.
Those seeking locally crafted goods will be overwhelmed
with the quality and low prices of handicrafts. Malaysia’s
pewter collectibles are among the most stunning in
the world. Colorful and intricate, hand-painted batiks
display a wide variety of motifs and patterns. Distinctive
ceramics often feature designs inspired by Malaysia’s
natural surroundings. Mysterious wood carvings and
instruments will beg to be taken home. To get a taste
of where the locals bargain for their goods, be sure
to frequent some of the country’s wet markets,
which sell everything from fresh vegetables to treasured
antiques.
Malaysia has no shortage of world class events either.
The most exciting surprise may be that Sepang, an
area just outside of Kuala Lumpur, is home to the
world’s most advanced Formula One racing venue.
Malaysia’s weather is pleasant and balmy
year-round though, making any time a good time for
a visit! “We truly have everything for everybody,”
says Kadir.
For more information on tourism
in Malaysia, visit www.tourism.gov.my.
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