WHY VISIT MALAYSIA

Split between two pieces of land, Malaysia will first surprise you with its unusual geography. The capital Kuala Lumpur, on its peninsula, is an effervescent city undergoing full economic development that has animated streets and a great Chinese market, a huge mosque, and a Hindu temple – all worth a visit. Visit Malacca too with its houses built in a Dutch architectural style and Kota Bahru with its central glass-covered market letting light in to play with the shadows on the stalls. Do try the delicious local specialties sold on the market and street stalls. From there, take a boat trip to visit the Perhentian Islands with their incredible beaches lapped by gentle turquoise waves.

Opposite, on the island of Borneo, Sarawak is well known for its National Parks, sheltering a jungle with an incredible number of spectacular and diverse forms of wildlife and plant life together with its tribes who will welcome you in an unforgettable manner. The other state, Sabah, is very poor despite its rich natural resources; you can visit the Orang-utan rehabilitation park at Sepilok where you can approach them while they are eating. You can also see the 4,000 meters high Mount Kinabalu.

Malaysia could be said to be a contrasting and contradictory mosaic of impressions where legends and exoticism are to be found at every turn next to incredibly fearsome modernism.

WHAT TO SEE IN MALAYSIA

Top destinations in Malaysia are:

• Gunung Mulu National Park
• Langkawi
• Taman Negara
• Kuala Lumpur
• Penang
• Kuching
• Kota Kinabalu
• Cameron Highlands
• Melaka
• Kota Bharu

WHEN TO GO TO MALAYSIA

The best period to visit Malaysia is from April to August.

The climate is equatorial in type, lightly tempered by the sea breeze. The temperature is high throughout the year with almost permanently high humidity. The seawater temperature is generally higher than 25°C.

The winter monsoon period is dominant between November and February with heavy rain, especially in the areas to the east. The summer monsoon period is from August to November and brings rain to the west accompanied by strong winds.

Take these differences into account when planning your visit by avoiding the east of the country between the months of October to February. With regards to the rest of the country, any time is a good time to visit apart from the month of Ramadan when everything goes slower than usual.

Following a list of typical festivals and celebrations of Malaysia.

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Ponggal (mid-Jan) A Tamil harvest and New Year festival held at the start of the Tamil month of Thai. Ponggal translates as “overflow”, and the festival is celebrated by boiling sugar, rice, and milk together in a new clay pot over a wood fire till the mixture spills over, symbolizing plenty.

Thaipusam (late Jan/early Feb) Entranced Hindu penitents carry elaborate steel arches (kavadi), attached to their skin by hooks and skewers, to honor Lord Subramaniam. The biggest procession is at Kuala Lumpur’s Batu Caves.

Chinese New Year (late Jan/early to mid-Feb) At which Chinese communities settle debts, visit friends and relatives and give children red envelopes (hong bao/ang pao) containing money; Chinese operas and lion- and dragon-dance troupes perform in the streets, while markets sell sausages and waxed ducks, pussy willow, chrysanthemums, and mandarin oranges. The major towns of west-coast Malaysia see Chingay parades, featuring stilt-walkers, lion dancers, and floats.

Chap Goh Mei (Feb) The fifteenth and climactic night of the Chinese New Year period (known as Guan Hsiao Chieh in Sarawak), and a time for more feasting and firecrackers; women who throw an orange into the sea at this time are supposed to be granted a good husband.

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Easter (March/April) Candlelit processions are held on Good Friday at churches such as St Peter’s in Melaka.

Qing Ming (April) Ancestral graves are cleaned and restored, and offerings made by Chinese families at the beginning of the third lunar month, signifying the start of spring and a new farming year.

Vesak Day (May) Saffron-robed monks chant prayers at packed Buddhist temples, and devotees release caged birds to commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and attainment of Nirvana.

Sabah Fest (late May) A week of events in Kota Kinabalu, offering a chance to experience Sabah’s food, handicrafts, dance, and music; right at the end comes Rumah Terbuka Malaysia Tadau Kaamatan, a harvest festival in Kota Kinabalu.

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Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday (June) Festivities in KL to celebrate the birthday of Malaysia’s king, elected every five years by the country’s nine sultans or rajahs from among their number.

Gawai Dayak (June) Sarawak’s people, especially the Iban and Bidayuh celebrate the end of rice harvesting with extravagant longhouse feasts. Aim to be in a longhouse on the Rejang or Batang Ai rivers, or around Bau.

Feast of St Peter (June 24) Melaka’s Eurasian community decorate their boats to honor the patron saint of fishermen.

Dragon Boat Festival (June/July) Rowing boats, bearing a dragon’s head and tail, race in Penang, Melaka, and Kota Kinabalu, to commemorate a Chinese scholar who drowned himself in protest against political corruption.

Sarawak Extravaganza (Aug) Kuching hosts a month of arts and crafts shows, street parades, food fairs, and traditional games, all celebrating the culture of Sarawak.

Festival of the Hungry Ghosts (late Aug) Held to appease the souls of the dead released from purgatory during the seventh lunar month. Chinese street operas are staged, and joss sticks, red candles, and paper money are burnt outside Chinese homes.

Ramadan (starts the second week of July in 2013) Muslims spend the ninth month of the Islamic calendar fasting in the daytime and breaking their fasts nightly with delicious Malay sweetmeats served at stalls outside mosques.

Hari Raya Puasa/Aidilfitri (falls in July or August) Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan by feasting, and visiting family and friends; this is the only time the region’s royal palaces are open to the public.

Malaysia National Day (Aug 31) Parades in KL’s Merdeka Square and other cities mark the formation of the state of Malaysia.

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Moon Cake Festival (Sept) Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, this is when Chinese people eat and exchange moon cakes, made from sesame and lotus seeds, and sometimes stuffed with a duck egg. Essentially a harvest festival.

Navarathri (Sept-Oct) Hindu temples devote nine nights to classical dance and music in honor of the consorts of the Hindu gods, Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahman.

Thimithi (Oct/Nov) Hindu firewalking ceremony in which devotees prove the strength of their faith by running across a pit of hot coals.

Deepavali (Oct/Nov) Also known as Diwali, this Hindu festival celebrates the victory of Light over Dark: oil lamps are lit outside homes to attract Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and prayers are offered at all temples.

Hari Raya Haji/Aidiladha (late Oct) Muslims gather at mosques to honor those who have completed the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca; goats are sacrificed and their meat is given to the needy.

Christmas (Dec 25) Shopping centers in major cities compete to create the most spectacular Christmas decorations.

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HOW TO REACH AND TRAVEL THROUGH MALAYSIA

by plane, the main airports are

• Kuala Lumpur (International)
• Kuala Lumpur (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah)
• Kota Kinabalu
• Penang
• Kuching
• Johor Bahru
• Langkawi
• Miri
• Kota Bharu
• Sibu
• Tawau

by train

by car

GENERAL INFORMATION ON MALAYSIA

health tips & vaccination: drink only bottled water and avoid ice

local currency: Malaysian Ringgit

local time zone: GMT+8

electricity: [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/A_plug.png”]type A[/su_lightbox], [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/C_plug.png”]type C[/su_lightbox], [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/G_plug.png”]type G[/su_lightbox] and [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/M_plug.png”]type M[/su_lightbox] (240 V, 50 Hz)

mobile phone operators:

• Maxis
• Digi
• Celcom
• U Mobile
• Yes

WHAT TO DO IN MALAYSIA

typical food in Malaysia

• Nasi lemak: Rice steamed with coconut milk, served with dried anchovies, sambal, peanuts and eggs, the national dish
• Char KwayTeow: Thick rice noodles stir-fried with soy sauce and meat or fish
• Nasi goreng: Malay-style fried rice, a favorite at street stalls and night markets; it’s a popular takeaway for long bus journeys
• Roti canai: Fried flat bread with curry sauce, a delicious and cheap snack served everywhere
• Tehtarik: “Pulled” tea, made with sweetened condensed milk and poured between two jugs to aerate the mix
• Rendang daging: Slow-cooked beef with lemongrass and coconut; often served at festivals
• Rojak: A spicy fruit or vegetable salad, plus other ingredients such as fried tofu and youtiao (Chinese cruellers)
• Laksa: A hot and sour seafood soup with coconut milk
• Nasi kandar: Mamak-style steamed rice with curries and vegetable side dishes
• Aiskacang: A Malay dessert of shaved ice, fruits, beans, sweetcorn, grass jelly, condensed or evaporated milk and fruit syrups

souvenirs from Malaysia

• batik clothes (shirts, skirts, bags, and hats)
• sarong
• Pua Kumbu, dyed threads are usually used to make this kind of cotton fabric.
• Baju Kebaya, the traditional Malay attire for women
• songket, gold-threaded brocade cloths
• Sarawak pua kumbu, a textile whose complex designs are created using the ikat method of weaving
• woodcarvings
• Kerongsang, a type of brooch
• Wau, a traditional Malaysian kite
• Dodol, a local toffee-like sweet
• Sabah natural Pearls, usually of cream, pink, white or bluish-grey hues
• silverware
• Cucuk Sanggul, a traditional Malay hairpin made of gold, silver or some other material. It is usually long and thin, with a decorative end.
• Congkak, a traditional Malay board game
• Labu Sayong, gourd-shaped clay jar, usually black in color. Water, that is kept inside remains cool in spite of the hot weather.
• pewter goods such as Selangor pewter, a blend of tin, antimony, and copper, which can result in some elegant vases, tankards, and ornaments
• Rattan, cane, bamboo and mengkuang baskets, birdcages, mats, hats, and shoulder bags
• pottery: Malay labu, a gourd-like slender-necked water jug (it’s made in, among other places, Perak) and Sarawak pots and jars bearing tribal motifs
• beadwork: from pricey Peranakan beaded slippers to Kelabit jackets from the northern highlands of Sarawak

SIMPLE DICTIONARY

Hello: Hello

Goodbye: Selamat tinggal

How are you?: Apa khabar?

Thank you: Terima kasih

What is your name?: Apa nama awak?

How much is it?: Berapa banyaknya?

Sorry: Maaf