Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
Planning Your Trip
to Malaysia
Compared with spic y Thailand t o the nor th and c osmopolitan
Singapore to the south, M alaysia is a r elative secret to many fr om the West, and many
travelers to Southeast Asia skip over it, opting for more heavily traversed routes.
Boy, are they missing out. Those who venture here wander through streets awash with
international influences from colonial times and trek through mysterious rainforests and
caves, sometimes without another tourist in sight. They relax peacefully under palms on
lazy white beaches that fade into blue, blue waters. They spy the bright colors of batik
sarongs
hanging to dry in the breeze. They hear the melodic drone of the Muslim call to
prayer seeping from exotic mosques. They taste culinar y masterpieces ser ved in modest
local shops—from Malay with its deep mellow spices to succulent seafood punctuated by
brilliant chili sauces. In Malaysia, I'm always thrilled to witness life without the distract-
ing glare of the tourism industr y, and I leave impressed by how accessible Malaysia is to
outsiders while remaining true to its heritage.
Chapter 13 covers the major destinations of peninsular M alaysia. We begin with the
country's capital, Kuala Lumpur (KL), then tour the peninsula's west coast—the cities of
Johor Bahru, Melaka (Malacca), the hill resorts at Cameron and Genting Highlands, plus
islands like the popular Penang, secluded Pangkor, and luxurious Langkawi. Chapter 14
takes you up the east coast of the peninsula, through resort areas in Kuantan, Cherating,
and Terengganu, plus the small and charming Tioman and Redang Islands. My coverage
also includes Taman Negara National Park, peninsular Malaysia's largest national forest.
Finally, in chapter 15, w e cross the South China Sea to the island of Borneo, wher e the
Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah feature Malaysia's most impressive forests as well
as unique and diverse cultures.
Malaysia is accessible to the rest of the world through its international airport in Kuala
Lumpur. R egular flights also connect cities in the r egion to M alaysia's many smaller
international airports. Domestic flights provide access to all parts of the country, and you
can also travel by car, bus, or train from Singapore or Thailand.
For additional help in planning y our trip and for mor e on-the-ground resources in
Malaysia, please turn to Appendix B on p. 296.
1
VISITOR INFORMATION
Tourism M alaysia
(www.tourismmalay-
sia.gov.my)
provides excellent information
by way of pamphlets and advice. The
information includes w ebsites, br ochures,
pamphlets, and other information that is
regularly updated. S pecific destinations
like islands, national parks, and cities may
also have brochures.
Within M alaysia, each state or tourist
destination has its own tourism board that
operates a w ebsite and local offices for
tourist information. These ar e also good
