Despite the equatorial climate and favorable location – in close proximity to Thailand, Malaysia, of course, loses to its northern neighbor in popularity. Many simply do not consider this country as a tourist destination due to a lack of information and only know about it because of the capital Kuala Lumpur: it is home to the largest transport hub in Asia and hosts the Formula 1 Grand Prix. In this article we will not touch on the capital, but will talk about other places that deserve to be visited.
Langkawi Island
Of all the resort areas in Malaysia, the most popular place is the island of Langkawi and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, there are quite good beaches here – there are some well-groomed and very crowded ones, and, on the contrary, wild ones, not particularly clean, but practically deserted.
The beach that is considered the most attractive for relaxation is Chenang; it stretches for almost 2 kilometers along the southwestern tip of the island. Life on it boils during the day and calms down in the evening, but there is practically no night activity. If you want an even more relaxing holiday, then go to Kok Beach, which is located in the western part of the island, but be prepared for the fact that you will have to move around the island by taxi or rented transport (car, scooter or bicycle) – public transport in Langkawi very poorly developed.
Another factor that makes Langkawi a priority destination in Malaysia is that the island is a Duty Free zone. If you can’t imagine a vacation without cigarettes and/or alcohol, then you can save a lot here, since in the rest of the country these categories of goods are subject to significant duties and are quite expensive.
There is practically nothing to do in Langkawi other than a beach holiday, but there are still several attractions that are worth seeing.
The most popular place where all tourists come without fail (and therefore it can be very crowded, especially on weekends, so it’s better to go as early as possible) is the cable car and the Air Bridge (Langkawi Cable Car and Sky Bridge). You can take a gondola (SkyCab) to the top of Mount Mat Chinchang, at an altitude of 708 meters. The length of the cable car is 1200 meters and the ascent process is interesting in itself – the views are simply incredible! However, there are two observation decks at the top, so you can enjoy views of the sea and the jungle from there too.
Just below is the Sky Bridge, a 125-meter-long suspension bridge that hangs over a hundred-meter abyss, so if you’re looking for a thrill, this is the place for you!
Another interesting thing is that the island has the “7 Wells” waterfall, a crocodile and snake farm, Asia’s largest aquarium “Underwater World” and a rice museum.
Penang Island
Despite the fact that the islands of Penang and Langkawi are located in the same Andaman Sea (to be precise, in the Strait of Malacca connecting the Andaman and South China Seas) and relatively close to each other, they differ quite significantly.
If Langkawi can be called a large village, then Penang is a more developed place, with modern infrastructure, high-rise buildings, good roads and convenient public transport. Penang is a busier island than Langkawi, there are many cafes and restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment venues, shopping centers, souvenir shops, etc.
But Penang cannot boast of beaches – there are some on the island, but they are inferior in quality to the beaches of Langkawi. In fact, there are only three beaches here – the most developed, Batu Ferrighi, and two smaller ones – Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong. All of them are located in the north of the island.
Penang is more attractive for its historical component; the capital of the island, Georgetown, is a very atmospheric and pleasant colonial town, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can walk along it just like that, and if you want, see the sights – temples, churches, museums, ancient houses, such as Fort Cornwallis, the Blue House, the national quarters of Chinatown and Little India, the Penang State Museum, the Glass Museum and much more.
In addition to walking around Georgetown, there are also interesting places in other parts of the island. The Kek Lok Si Temple is definitely worth a visit, as well as Penang Hill, with its observation deck, which is accessed by a cable car.
We also recommend paying attention to Penang National Park, Botanical Garden, Spice Garden, Butterfly Park, Snake Temple, Floating Mosque and Tropical Fruit Farm.
Penang does not make sense to consider as the only vacation destination, but it’s definitely worth a look here if you want to see Malaysia and plan to actively travel around the country.
Perhentian Islands
The Perhentians are a group of small islands located on the other side of the Malaysian mainland in the South China Sea. Among tourists from Russia, they are even less popular than Langkawi, most likely because, firstly, it is more difficult to get there, and secondly, there are no attractions there and there is practically no infrastructure. But precisely because of this, this is one of those places where nature has been preserved almost in its original form.
It is in the Perhentians that the best beaches in Malaysia are located, those same “bounties” from postcards and advertising booklets – blue sky, fine white sand, clear and warm azure sea, lush and rich vegetation, a rich underwater world.
The group of Perhentian Islands includes two main ones – a larger one, with decent hotels, Besar Island, and a smaller one, with simpler hotels – Kechil Island, a favorite place for backpackers. The remaining three islands are very small and completely uninhabited.
There is no transport on the islands, there are not even roads as such, only paths – most of the islands are covered with dense tropical vegetation, with rocky plateaus, and you can only move between beaches by boats.
It’s easy to lose track of time on the Perhentian Islands – the only entertainment here is beach holidays, mixed with snorkeling and diving, but all this is at the highest level. This is one of the best places in Malaysia to explore the underwater world – crabs, turtles, clown and parrot fish, barracudas, stingrays, and moray eels live here. But you shouldn’t come into close contact with representatives of both underwater fauna and flora – the archipelago is a protected area and part of the National Park, so fishing and collecting corals and shells are very strict here.
If you need a more peaceful holiday, choose Besar, but if you want more activity, go to Kecil – it can’t be said that life is in full swing there, but on Long Beach you can sit in a bar and play billiards.
Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands is Malaysia’s largest mountain resort. It is not located on the coast, but in the interior of the country, so, of course, there are no beaches here, but foreign travelers, just like the Malays, do not come here for this. The fact is that the Cameron Highlands are located at an altitude of 1300 – 1800 meters above sea level and due to this the climate here is much milder than on the coast or in Kuala Lumpur.
People come to Cameron Highlands to, firstly, relax in nature – there are many wonderful treks through the jungle and to waterfalls. You can walk through beautiful places and take day trips to the mountains. Many come here for the second highest mountain in Malaysia – Gunung Brinchang (2,000 meters above sea level),
from the top of which there is a magnificent view of the city and surrounding area.
Secondly, this is an opportunity to see how tea grows and walk through tea plantations. They here, of course, are not as large as in India or Sri Lanka, but in any case, they look very impressive, especially if you have never seen them before.
Thirdly, strawberry farms. Thanks to its temperate climate, this region is ideal for growing strawberries, and there are a great many plantations here. Many of them have shops and cafes where you can taste berry dessert, ice cream, fruit juice, aromatic coffee or tea, and also buy freshly picked strawberries.
Malacca
Malacca is one of the oldest surviving colonial cities in Southeast Asia. Despite the fact that a significant part of the city was destroyed during numerous military interventions, the city still retained its charm and attractiveness, and today it is one of the most interesting places in Malaysia.
It is located in the southern part of the country, halfway from the capital to the southern border, so it is loved by those traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
The colonial buildings in the city center, along with George Town on the island of Penang, are included in the UNESCO list of World Historical Heritage. In the middle of the last millennium, the city of Malacca was the largest trading port in Southeast Asia and one of the most important points of the Portuguese Empire, and today all that remains of its former greatness are the ruins of the Famosa fortress, or rather its gates, but they are one of the main attractions of the city .
In general, due to its favorable geographical location, Malacca regularly changed hands – after the Portuguese it was owned by the Dutch, and then by the British, so today the city is a multinational and multicultural mix of medieval Europe and modern Asia . The traditions and cultures of several countries have taken root here, and representatives of different nationalities, religions and faiths get along peacefully with each other.
In addition to the Famosa Fortress, another visiting card of Malacca is Dutch Square, with the Queen Victoria Fountain, a clock tower and the remarkable Stadthuys building with red walls. The square is located in the historical center of the city and is a favorite place among tourists and local residents.
In the evening, you should definitely go to the Chinatown area – after 5 o’clock on the main street of Chinatown, Jonker Street, traffic is blocked and it is filled to capacity with trays of food – this is a real paradise for street food lovers!
