![\"malay.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.asianinny.com\/temp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/malay.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA flavoursome culture fusion – from high-tech to no-tech.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in southeast Asia. It’s buoyant and wealthy, and has moved towards a…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A flavoursome culture fusion – from high-tech to no-tech.Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in southeast Asia. It’s buoyant and wealthy, and has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant and interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous cultures and customs.<\/p>\n
Malaysia’s love of Western-style industrialisation is abundantly clear in its big cities. Aside from the gleaming glass towers of the 21st Century, though, Malaysia boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia.<\/p>\n
Malaysia: When to Go
\nYou’re going to have sunshine and sweat pretty much whenever you visit. It’s best to avoid the November to January rainy season on peninsular Malaysia’s east coast if you want to enjoy the beaches.<\/p>\n
Weather
\nIt’s hot and humid year-round in Malaysia with temperatures rarely dropping below 20\u00b0C (68\u00b0F), even at night, and usually climbing to 30\u00b0C (86\u00b0F) or more during the day. The tropics can take some adjusting to so take it easy when you first arrive and avoid running around in the heat of the midday sun. Throughout the region the humidity tends to hover around the 90% mark, but on the peninsula you can always escape from heat and humidity by retreating to the delightfully cool hill stations.<\/p>\n
The region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of peninsular Malaysia has a real rainy season. The wettest season on the west coast of the peninsula is between September and December; on the east coast and in Sabah and Sarawak it’s between October and February. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts. It rarely rains all day.<\/p>\n
Malaysia: Events
\nThe major Islamic events are connected with Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The major Malaysian festival is Hari Raya Puasa , which marks the end of Ramadan with three days of joyful celebrations. Hari Raya Haji marks the successful completion of the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) with a two-day feast of cakes and sweets. Chinese New Year , in January or February, is welcomed in with dances, parades and much good cheer. The festival of Thaipusam in late January is one of the most dramatic Hindu festivals during which devotees honour Lord Subramaniam with acts of amazing masochism – definitely not for the squeamish. In KL, devotees march to nearby Batu Caves; in Penang, the event is celebrated at the Waterfall Temple.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian Grand Prix revs up in March.<\/p>\n
The Kota Belud Tamu Besar is a huge tribal gathering held in May at Kota Belud near Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. It includes a massive market, traditional ceremonies, ornately decorated horsemen, medicine men and tribal handicrafts. A smaller tamu is held in Kota Belud every Sunday if you’re not visiting during May.<\/p>\n
The Rainforest World Music Festival is held in Kuching in July or August, and Malaysia’s National Day s on 31 Aug; it will be huge in 2007 when the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence.<\/p>\n
Malaysia: Sights<\/p>\n
Batu Caves
\nAddress Ipoh Road Transport bus: Intrakota bus 11D, Cityliner bus 69 Hours 08:00 – 21:00 Keyword religious\/spiritual, cave, wildlife Just north of Kuala Lumpur a towering limestone outcrop is home to the impressive Batu Caves. The caves were ‘officially’ discovered around 120 years ago by American naturalist William Hornaday. A short time later a small Hindu shrine was built in the vast open space, later known as Temple Cave.<\/p>\n
A flight of 272 steps leads up to Temple Cave. Beyond the towering main cavern, the space opens to an atrium-like cave at the rear. Many visitors are more spellbound by the monkeys that scale the vertical cliff faces than by the shrines which are dwarfed by the scale of the cave. The whole spectacle has been enhanced of late by an enormous golden statue of Muruga, also known as Lord Subramaniam, to whom the caves are dedicated.<\/p>\n
Each year in late January or early February up to a million pilgrims visit here during the three days of Thaipusam. Lord Muruga’s silver chariot takes pride of place as it makes its way from the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in KL’s Chinatown to the caves.<\/p>\n
Lake Gardens
\nAddress JIn Parlimen, Lake Gardens district, Kuala Lumpur Transport bus: 21B, 22, 48C, F3 from Chinatown
\ntrain: Kuala Lumpur Keyword garden These 92ha (227ac) of manicured gardens lie west of Merdeka Sq and were once home to the ranking British official. There’s plenty to keep you amused, including a butterfly park, planetarium, insect museum, walk-in aviary, orchid garden and hibiscus garden. You can also hire boats on Tasik Perdana (Premier Lake).<\/p>\n
Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre
\nAddress Sepilok Phone tel: (089) 531180 (info) Hours 09:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 16:00
\nfeeding time 10:00 & 15:00 Keyword zoo One of only four orang-utan sanctuaries in the world, Sepilok is among Sabah’s top tourist attractions – so much so that the atmosphere can be a bit like a circus or a zoo. Nonetheless, a visit to Sepilok can be a memorable experience. The orang-utans are impressive, young orang-utans particularly so, all ginger fur and intelligent eyes.<\/p>\n
Stadthuys
\nAddress Jalan Kota, Melaka Phone tel: (06) 282 6526 (info) Hours Sat-Thu 09:00 – 17:00 , Fri 09:00 – 12:15 & 14:45 – 17:30 Keyword museum, significant house, architectural highlight The most imposing relic of the Dutch period in Melaka is the massive red town hall and governors’ residence, built between 1641 and 1660 and believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East. It displays all the typical features of Dutch colonial architecture. Today the Stadthuys houses the musty but informative History and Ethnography Museum.<\/p>\n
Taman Negara National Park
\nTransport boat: three boats daily from Kuala Tembeling to Kuala Tahan
\nbus: to Jerantut, then to Kuala Tembeling Keyword national park, wildlife Taman Negara is billed, perhaps wrongly, as a wildlife park. Certainly this magnificent wilderness area is a haven for endangered species such as elephants, tigers, leopards and rhinos, but numbers are low and sightings of anything more exotic than snakes, lizards, monkeys, small deer, and perhaps tapir, are rare.<\/p>\n
The birdlife is prolific, however, and chances are you’ll see more insects than you’ve ever seen in your life. Traditionally, the park was only accessible by river. These days there’s a road, but the boat trip is still recommended for the full Taman Negara experience.<\/p>\n
The jungle at Taman Negara is so dense that you could pass within metres of an animal and never know it. The probability of spotting wildlife increases the further you trek from the heavily trafficked park headquarters, but sightings are never guaranteed. Some travellers are subsequently disappointed, but that is perhaps to miss the point: the greatest reward of a visit to Taman Negara is to be present in one of the world’s most pristine extant primary rainforests. The jungle here is claimed to be the oldest in the world: none of the Ice Ages had any effect here, and Taman Negara has eluded volcanic activity and other geological upheavals.<\/p>\n
If you’re travelling on a budget, you can get by in Peninsular Malaysia on about US$20-25 a day. This involves staying in cheaper Chinese hotels, eating in local restaurants or street stalls and travelling mainly by bus. If you’re travelling with a partner, your accommodation expenses will be significantly reduced.<\/p>\n
If you want to stay in comfortable hotels with private bathrooms, eat out at mid-range restaurants and catch taxis to get about locally, expect to spend around US$65 a day. Those more interested in creature comforts than their credit card limit can live in relative luxury on US$100 a day. Note that Sabah is more expensive than Peninsular Malaysia, so add about 30% to your budget when spending time there.<\/p>\n
Malaysian banks are efficient and typically charge around US$2-3 for foreign exchange transactions. Moneychangers do not charge a commission but their rates vary, so make sure you know the current rate before approaching one. For cash, you’ll generally get a better rate at a moneychanger than a bank. Moneychangers are also generally quicker to deal with.<\/p>\n
All major credit cards are accepted at upmarket hotels, shops and restaurants. If you have a credit card with a personal identification number (PIN) attached, you can obtain cash advances from ATMs. Banks in Malaysia are linking to international banking networks, which allow you to withdraw money from overseas savings accounts through ATMs. Check with your bank at home to see if you can withdraw money from your home account while in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Currency
\nName Malaysian Ringgit
\nSymbol RM Sample Price Guide
\nsmall bottle of beer RM 11.00 small bottle of water RM 0.95 litre of petrol RM 1.90 internet access RM 4.00 cheap restaurant meal RM 11.00 short taxi ride RM 15.00 Average Room Prices
\nLow Mid High Deluxe
\nRM30-75 RM75-200 RM200-300 RM300+
\nAverage Meal Prices
\nLow Mid High Deluxe
\nRM11-15 RM15-35 RM35-55 RM55+<\/p>\n
Malaysia: Getting there & around<\/p>\n
Getting There
\nMalaysia’s main international airport is at Sepang, 75km (47mi) south of KL. Most tourists either fly into Sepang or arrive overland from Thailand or Singapore. However, Penang also has international flights, and Kuching in Sarawak and Tawau in Sabah have flights to\/from Kalimantan. Departure tax (around US$40.00 ) will be included in the ticket price.<\/p>\n
You can cross the border by road into Thailand at Padang Besar, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Rantau Panjang (Sungai Golok on the Thai side) and Pengkalan Kubor. There is also a west-coast rail link. To get to\/from Singapore, you can cross the causeway at Johor Bahru, catch a ferry or take the train. There are three ferry services between Malaysia and Indonesia (Penang-Medan, Melaka-Dumai and, in East Malaysia, Tawau-Tarakan). There’s also a difficult road link between Sarawak and Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Getting Around
\nMalaysian Airline System (MAS) and Air Asia are the main domestic airlines, servicing both the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak. Fares are reasonable but it’s unlikely that you’ll need to fly in Peninsular Malaysia unless you’re in a real hurry. It’s cheaper to fly to East Malaysia from Johor Bahru than from KL. In East Malaysia, flying is often the only quick way to get around. Note that flights in East Malaysia are frequently fully booked during school holidays and are prone to delays due to the vagaries of the weather.<\/p>\n
Peninsular Malaysia has a fast, economical and widespread bus system, and this is generally the best way to get around. Sabah has excellent roads, and minibuses ply the main routes. Buses ply Sarawak’s major trunk road, but hardly anywhere else. Peninsular Malaysia has a comfortable and sensibly priced railway system, but there are basically only two lines: one linking Singapore to Thailand via KL and Butterworth, and the other branching off this at Gemas and heading northeast to Kota Bharu. In Sabah, there’s a narrow-gauge line through the Pegas River gorge from Tenom to Kota Kinabalu that is well worth catching.<\/p>\n
In Peninsular Malaysia, long-distance taxis are twice the price of buses but they’re a comparatively luxurious and efficient way to travel. If you want to get around by car, all major car-rental firms have KL offices. There are no boat services between Peninsular and East Malaysia, but fast boats ply the rivers of both Sabah and Sarawak.<\/p>\n
Local taxis in Malaysia are metered. Rickshaws have all but disappeared in KL, but they are still a viable form of local transport in provincial areas. KL has a notoriously bad public transport system, and peak-hour travel in the city should be avoided at all costs.<\/p>\n
Malaysia: History
\nPre-20th-Century History
\nAboriginal Malays (Orang Asli) began moving down the Malay peninsula from southwestern China about 10,000 years ago. The peninsula came under the rule of the Cambodian-based Funan, the Sumatran-based Srivijaya and the Java-based Majapahit empires, before the Chinese arrived in Melaka in 1405. Islam arrived in Melaka at about the same time and spread rapidly. Melaka’s wealth soon attracted European powers, and the Portuguese took control in 1511, followed by the Dutch in 1641. The British established a thriving port in Penang in 1786 and took over Melaka in 1795.<\/p>\n
The British traded for spices and colonised the interior of the peninsula when tin was discovered. East Malaysia came into British hands via the adventurer Sir James Brooke (who was made Rajah of Sarawak in 1841 after suppressing a revolt against the Sultan of Brunei) and the North Borneo Company (which administered Sabah from 1882). Gradually, the Federated Malay States were created in piecemeal fashion over the course of the 19th century.<\/p>\n
Modern History
\nThe final pieces of the Malaysian mosaic fell into place when Britain took formal control of both Sabah and Sarawak after WWII. The indigenous labour supply was insufficient for the needs of the developing rubber and tin industries, so the British brought large numbers of Indians into the country, altering the peninsula’s racial mix.<\/p>\n
The Japanese overran Malaya in WWII. Communist guerrillas who fought the Japanese throughout the occupation began an armed struggle against British rule in 1948 and Malaya achieved independence in 1957. Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore combined with Malaya to establish Malaysia in 1963, but two years later Singapore withdrew from the confederation. The formation of Malaysia was opposed by both the Philippines and Indonesia, as each had territorial claims on East Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Tension rose in 1963 during the ‘Confrontation’ with Indonesia. Indonesian troops crossed Malaysia’s borders but were repelled by Malaysian and Commonwealth forces. In 1969, violent riots broke out between Malays and Chinese, though the country’s racial groups have since lived in relative peace together. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been in power since 1974. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is keen to exert his influence on the world stage as a pan-Asian leader, presided over a booming economy until 1997, when tumbling Asian currencies dragged the ringgit down with them.<\/p>\n
In September 1998 the country hosted the Commonwealth Games, but the public relations aspect of the competition came apart when students and citizens protested against the unfair sacking and later imprisonment of deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim. Continuing street protests calling for the resignation of Dr Mahatir Mohamad have unsettled Malaysia’s reputation as one of the most politically stable of southeast Asian countries. By the time the 21st century rolled around, social upheavals had faded to a distant rumble and the Malaysian economy had clawed its way back into the black. Dr Mahathir Mohamad remained a controversial figure until the end. Just before his resignation in October 2003, after 20 years at the helm, the PM addressed a meeting of Islamic countries hosted by Malaysia, and exhorted them to collectivise against an alleged world Jewish conspiracy. His replacement, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, won a March 2004 election in a landslide. In August 2004 the country’s highest court upheld Anwar Ibrahim’s appeal against his sentence and he was released from jail.<\/p>\n
Recent History
\nSheltered by the island of Sumatra, Malaysia was hit by the December 2004 tsunami’s secondary ‘shadow’ wave, which travelled at 160km\/h (compared to the primary wave speed of 800km\/h). The impact resulted in 68 deaths and US$25 million in property damage. Areas affected included the island of Penang and Langkawi, and parts of the mainland in the states of Kedah, Perlis and Perak. In the resort areas of Penang and Langkawi, clean-up efforts were quick and efficient and all beachfront hotels were at full operating capacity within two weeks of the event.<\/p>\n
In March 2006 Abdullah unveiled a new five-year plan for Malaysia, the ninth such economic and social agenda in the country’s independent history, and thus known by the shorthand ‘9MP’. Unlike Mahathir’s previous plans – sometimes referred to as Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020) which focussed on major construction and industry projects- the 9MP seeks to tackle Malaysia’s crisis in education. Since his release from prison Anwar has been steadily rebuilding his political platform. However he is barred from running for political office until 2008 and for this reason – as well as to capitalise on the inevitable feel-good factor following the 50th anniversary celebrations of Malaysia’s Independence (Merdeka) in August 2007 – it’s widely suspected that Abdullah will call an election towards the end of 2007, even though he doesn’t actually have to until 2009.<\/p>\n