Exploring Malaysia

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Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur (8 February, 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Exploring Malaysia is created for you to explore Malaysia from the comfort of your computer. Now you can visit every single state, every city and town, get to know all its attractions without ever leaving your desk.

Exploring Malaysia is not a travelogue. I am not writing it to document my travels in Malaysia. Rather, I am writing it to share everything that I know about Malaysia, and to share my discovery of Malaysia with like-minded enthusiasts. I hope this website gives you many hours of pleasure browsing from state to state. If you explore every single page, you would have seen more about Malaysia than most vacationers.

Christchurch, the earliest Dutch Reformed church in the country (9 July 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

About Malaysia

Malaysia is a country at the heart of Southeast Asia. It covers an area of 329,847 sq km (127,350 sq mi). The country comprises two regions, Peninsular Malaysia, and Malaysian Borneo. There are all together thirteen states to the country, all but two in Peninsular Malaysia. There are also three federal territories, two on Peninsular Malaysia and one on Malaysian Borneo.

Malaysia shares a land border with Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei. It is connected to Singapore by the Johor Causeway and the Second Link. It is separated from the Philippines by the Sulu Sea and from Vietnam by the South China Sea, which also separates the two regions of Malaysia.

Crystal-clear waters off Pulau Rawa on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (9 April, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

The southernmost point on mainland Asia is located at Tanjung Piai in Johor, on Peninsular Malaysia. The tallest mountain in Malaysia is Mount Kinabalu, at 4,095 m (13,436 ft) while the tallest mountain on Peninsular Malaysia is Gunung Tahan, at 2,187 m (7,175 ft). The longest river in Malaysia is the 563-km Rajang River (also written as Rejang) while the longest on Peninsular Malaysia is the 459-km Pahang River.

The population of Malaysia, as of 2011, is estimated to be around 29 million people. Slightly over half the population comprises Malays, about 22% are Chinese, 7% are Indians, 12% are other indigenous ethnic groups and 7% other races.

The lowlands of Malaysia experiences a tropical climate with temperatures that are quite uniform throughout the year. Seasonal rains accompanied by occasional flooding in various parts of the country occur during the north-east monsoon, which is from October to February. The milder south-west monsoon from April to October also brings about some rain to the country. The driest months are January and February. Daytime temperatures hover between 26°C and 32°C.

Perak Tong, one of the cave temples in Ipoh (31 January, 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Going to Malaysia

Most visitors from Western countries can enter Malaysia without a visa. Some nationalities are issued a tourist visa on arrival. Check with the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nationals of Asean countries may enter Malaysia without a visa for up to a month. You can compare hotel rates through Expedia.

By Plane
Most international visitors to Malaysia arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), also known as KLIA. The airport has a main terminal, a satellite terminal and a low-cost terminal located 20 km away by road. From KLIA, one can easily transit to another destination in Malaysia.

Apart from KLIA, the other international airports in Malaysia are located in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang, and Langkawi.

By Train
There are train services connecting Peninsular Malaysia with Singapore and Thailand. You can take a train from Tanjong Pagar in Singapore to any of the main towns on the west coast of Malaysia, or change trains at Gemas for the service to the east coast. Similarly, you can take the train from Bangkok or Hatyat to Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur.

Istana Kenangan, a former palace and today a royal museum in Kuala Kangsar (31 January, 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Getting around in Malaysia

By Road
Peninsular Malaysia has an excellent network of highways connecting all the major cities. The main expressway on the west coast is the North South Expressway.

By Plane
There are domestic flights provided by Malaysia Airlines and low-cost carrier AirAsia to many of the domestic airports in the country. Tickets may be purchased online at their respective websites.

Suria KLCC, one of the most luxurious malls in Kuala Lumpur (1 January, 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo Malaysia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. As the main ethnic group forms only slightly over half the population, a sizable proportion of Malaysians are one of many minority groups.

The forefathers of many Malaysians originated from various places, including China, India, Sumatra, today they co-exist as Malaysians. Click here to learn more about the people of Malaysia.

Sellers at the Siti Khadijah Market in Kota Bharu (12 February 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Languages spoken in Malaysia

The following are the main languages spoken in Malaysia. In addition the those mentioned below, each ethnic group speaks its own dialect.

Bahasa Malaysia
Official language of the country.
Mandarin
Written form of Chinese taught in school, based on the Mandarin spoken in mainland China, but often diluted with local-based choice of words and vocabulary.
Malaysian English / Manglish
Malaysianized form of English, with inclusion of many local words, and often conforming to a Hokkien or Malay syntax.
Penang Hokkien
Lingua franca of the Chinese people in Penang, based on the Zhangzhou strand of Min-nan dialect.

Lanterns at Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, the most ornate Chinese ancestral temple, in George Town, Penang (28 February 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Flora & Fauna of Malaysia

Malaysia is regarded as a megadiverse country. It is home to many species of wildlife and plants, many of which are endemic to the country. Over half the land is still forested, the majority being lowland forest.

Marine Parks of Malaysia
List of marine parks in the country.
National Parks of Malaysia
List of national parks throughout the country.
Zoos in Malaysia
List of zoos in the country.

Sungai Sedim in Kedah, one of numerous recreational forest parks in the country (2 May 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Travel Insurance for Malaysia

Be sure to get yourself covered for your trip: Travel Insurance Malaysia.

States of Malaysia

Federal Territory
The three centrally administered territories of the country.
Johor
The southernmost state on Peninsula Malaysia.
Kedah
The traditional west-coast rice producing state of Peninsula Malaysia.
Kelantan
Predominantly Muslim rice-producing state on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
Malacca
One of the oldest states and richest in history in Malaysia.
Negri Sembilan
State established by settlers from Minangkabau in Sumatra.
Pahang
Biggest state in Peninsula Malaysia.
Penang
State established by the British as the first British colonial trading port, today one of the smallest and most developed in the country.
Perak
Former tin-mining state on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
Perlis
Smallest and northernmost state of Malaysia.
Sabah
The second largest state in Malaysia, with a wealth in timber and commodity crops.
Sarawak
Biggest state in Malaysia, historically associated with head hunter tribes.
Selangor
The most developed and industrialized state, formerly a leading producer of tin in the country.
Terengganu
State facing the South China Sea with a good number of island resorts.

Towns and Cities of Malaysia

Preparing for Malaysia

Arriving in Malaysia
Explanation on the various gateways into Malaysia, whether you are arriving by flight, by road or by sea.
Getting around in Malaysia
Information on driving in Malaysia as well as taking public transport in the country.
Expressways and Highways of Malaysia
Detailed explanation of selection major expressways and highways in Malaysia.

Malaysian Culture & History

History of Malaysia
My own retelling of Malaysian history.
Malaysian Costumes
Get to know the various traditional Malaysian costumes, attires and their accompanying accessories.
Festivals of Malaysia
As a multi-racial country, Malaysia celebrates a wide spectrum of festivals, often taking place concurrently in different styles.
Foods of Malaysia
Get acquainted with Malaysian cuisine and the name of the different dishes you can find in the country.
Malaysian Fruits
As a tropical country, Malaysia has a lot of local fruits which are seasonal and year-round.
Malaysian Handicrafts
What form of traditional crafts can buy view, and perhaps buy home? Get to know what's available in Malaysia.
Musical Instruments of Malaysia
The rich ensemble of Malaysian traditional music troupes bring together musical instruments with various origins. Get to know them here.
Performing Arts of Malaysia
From shadow plays to tribal dances, Malaysia is rich in performing arts drawn from its multi-racial society.
Traditional Games of Malaysia
Games that originated as post-harvest recreation in rural communities are still being kept alive.

Site Updates

Updates in Exploring Malaysia: Latest pages added to this site.
Exploring Malaysia Sitemap: HTML overview of all the pages

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