Why You Should Come To Malaysia

Choosing the right destination is an important factor in traveling. Most people choose their destination based on what they want to get out of the place. You may want to experience other cultures, taste exotic food, see different places and meet friendly people. For all or a combination of these, travel to Malaysia. As a Malaysian, I can tell you a lot about Malaysia tourism.

Malaysia, situated just above the Equator, is a country in South-East Asia.

It is divided into West and East Malaysia with the South China Sea in between them.

Malaysia is very tourist-friendly with delicious food and exciting places to visit all over the country. Malaysians are among the warmest people you will find anywhere. In Malaysia, you can experience different cultures of the various people groups. The main ethnic groups are Malays, Chinese and Indians in West Malaysia and Kadazans and Ibans in East Malaysia.

For example, it is a custom for Malays to point at someone with the thumb instead of the index finger. Pointing with the index finger is considered rude.

As far as food is concerned, Malaysia is a haven. All sorts of dishes are easily found. Rice is the staple diet for Malaysians but each people group has its own styles of cooking. The Malays and Indians love spicy food so much of their cooking has curry and chilli. Some examples of fine Malay dishes are Nasi Lemak and Satay. The Indians are famous for their Nasi Bryani and Roti Canai. On the other hand, the Chinese like their soup and noodles besides rice so their cooking is more bland compared to the Malays and Indians. Some of the favorite Chinese dishes include Koay Teow soup and Bak Kut Teh.

Malaysia has many interesting places to visit. If you love the city attractions, big Malaysian cities like Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching offer shopping and food comparative to any other city in the world. Kuala Lumpur is famous for the Petronas Towers, the tallest building in the world up to 2002. Attached to the Petronas Towers is the elegant Suria KLCC shopping mall, one of the many top-class malls in Kuala Lumpur. Petaling Jaya, another city just 7 miles away from Kuala Lumpur, has many shopping destinations, too. Among the most well-known is Sunway Pyramid that houses Malaysia’s only ice skating ring and the popular Sunway Lagoon Theme Park.

For recreation, you can head up to the cool atmosphere of Genting Highlands.

This is the site of Malaysia’s only casino and another large theme park. The Genting City of Entertainment hosts many international artistes. Among those that have performed there recently include Celine Dion, Tony Orlando and The Osmonds. Kuala Lumpur is home to the world’s biggest free-flight walk-in aviary at the KL Bird Park. The Park has over 3,000 of the most spectacular birds. You will also find the Aquaria and Petrosains Center in Suria KLCC.

As the names suggest, these are Kuala Lumpur’s aquarium and science center respectively.

For those who like to rough it out under more rugged conditions, try Sarawak’s homestay program where you can spend 2 or 3 days living in a tribal longhouse.

Alternatively, try climbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah which is the highest mountain in South-East Asia. Wildlife enthusiasts can head up to Sabah’s Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary to see the endangered Oran Utans in their natural environment. If you wish to stay in 5-star conditions in the middle of the tropical rainforest, then go to Sabah’s Sukau Lodge and take a river cruise down the Kinabatangan River. You get to see live monkeys and other small mammals living in the most fascinating flora of the jungle. The experience is simply fascinating.

These are just some of the many reasons why Malaysia should be your destination of choice on your next vacation.

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