Destination Malaysia

Destinations in Malaysia

Malaysia is located partly on a peninsula of the Asian mainland and partly on the northern third of the island of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia shares a border with Thailand; is connected by a causeway and a bridge (the “second link”) to the island state of Singapore; and has coastlines on the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. East Malaysia (Borneo) shares borders with Brunei and Indonesia. This geographical diversity greatly enhances the tourism experience as it offers a wide variety of land and seas activities and different social, cultural and culinary experiences.

The country is a wonderland of diverse terrain, including mountainous forests, lowland woods, dense tropical rainforests; mangroves and stunning tropical islands. On Peninsular Malaysia there are three prominent national forests worth visiting: Taman Negara (known as the “National Forest”); and Kenong Rimba Park, both of which are inland; and Endau Rompin National Park, which is located towards the south eastern end of the peninsula. These are the easiest forests to reach, especially Taman Negara, which is a half-day trip from the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Fauna and flora

Malaysia is home to a rich diversity of fauna and flora and Destination Asia Malaysia has a wide variety of organised tours that take clients off the beaten track and into the heart of this untouched natural wonderland. Tourists can view a plethora of plants and animals such as the world’s largest flower found on Borneo, the rafflesia, which can grow to over 90-cm in diameter. Another interesting species of Borneo flora is the pitcher plant which survives in poor soil conditions by drawing nutrients from insects and small mammals it captures in its pitcher.

Besides the exotic plant life, tourists can also go on our tours in search of native animals. Malaysia is estimated to contain 20 per cent of the world’s animal species and a vast area of protected primary rainforest in Malaysian Borneo is home to rare creatures including the Sumatran rhinoceros, the Malaysian sun bear and the clouded leopard. A number of rehabilitation facilities on the island provide sanctuary for the famed orang-utan and off the coast many species of sea turtles that use Malaysia’s beaches for nesting grounds are protected.

The country’s ancient rainforests are among the most bio-diverse on the planet and endowed with an estimated 8,000 species of flowering plants, including the world’s tallest tropical tree species, the tualang. There are also approximately 210 mammal species, including 620 birds; 250 reptiles; and 150 frog species. Wildlife includes elephants, rhinos, tapirs, tigers, leopards, honey bears, gibbons and monkeys, orang-utans and pangolins. Bird species include pheasants, sacred hornbills, kingfishers, sunbirds and woodpeckers. Snakes include cobras, vipers and pythons.

Malaysia’s maritime territory is located in the centre of the Indo-Pacific Basin, which contains one of the richest marine habitats in the world. This is at the heart of the genetic wealth of the entire Indo-Pacific and has been subject to the same tropical climate for over 100 million years; with ideal conditions of light and temperature which has nurtured multiple life forms, including over 3,000 species of fish; hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles; dugongs; whale, hammerhead and reef sharks; game fish, such as blue marlin and tuna; and reef fish such as garupas and manta rays.

Regions of Malaysia

Borneo

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is divided between three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam. Approximately 73 per cent of the island is Indonesian territory; the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak in the north occupy about 26 per cent of the island; and the sovereign state of Brunei Darussalam, located on the north coast, comprises one per cent of Borneo’s land area.

Borneo is the destination of choice for those with adventure in their hearts. The island is home to a rain forest older than the Amazon; rivers that meander through dense jungles; idyllic beaches that stretch for miles; and some of the world’s largest caves. Clearwater Cave, for example, has one of the world’s longest underground rivers. Creatures great and small can be found, including deer the size of a domestic cat that are less than six inches tall; the endangered orang-utan, whose only other natural home is Sumatra; and the large-nosed proboscis monkey.

Peninsular East Coast

Compared to the Peninsular West Coast, this region remains more true to its Malay heritage, with small fishing villages in the south, and strong Islamic communities in the north. Two of the main attractions are the islands of Redang and Tioman. These destinations attract divers from across the world because of their clear waters and abundant marine life and are easily accessible, with daily flights from Kuala Lumpur.

Peninsular West Coast

The Peninsular West Coast is home to the most popular destinations in Malaysia, including the cultural, financial and economic capital of the country, Kuala Lumpur. The capital city is a monument to Malaysian ingenuity and has grown from humble beginnings as a tin-mining shanty town into a 21st-century metropolis, dominated by soaring skyscrapers alongside remnants of colonial rule and historic temples and mosques.