Tourism Facts About Malaysia

  Malaysia is made up of two major regions, Peninsular Malaysia and  Malaysian Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia is connected to the Asian mainland and bordered by Thailand to the north and Singapore to the south. Malaysian Borneo is across the South China Sea on the                               northern part of the island of Borneo; border countries are Brunei and Indonesia. The peninsular side includes 11 states, and Malaysian Borneo comprises two states. There are also three federal territories, one of which is Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur.

Destinations and Attractions

Tourism is one of the major sources of income for Malaysia. Visitors come for the beaches, the city sites and the nature reserves. One of the more popular islands for snorkeling or scuba diving off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is Pulau Perhentian, which means "stop-over island." For those seeking other outdoor adventure, the Sedim River Recreation Park in Kedah has the world’s longest rain forest canopy walkway. The Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin towers, are also located in the capital.

Airports and Public Transportation

Malaysia has seven international airports; five of them are in Peninsular Malaysia, including the main hub, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The other two are located in the two states of Malaysian Borneo: Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, and Kuching in Sarawak. Besides these, there are 37 commercial airports for local flights in the various states. The capital has a commuter railway system. The Express Rail Link is the line connecting KLIA to the central station for access to all the other railway lines. The city also has taxi and bus services for travel within Malaysia and the neighboring areas.

Hotels

Malaysia's primary commercial and business district is called Kuala Lumpur City Centre. This is where most of the city’s five-star hotels, as well as entertainment and shopping venues, are found, including the Mandarin Oriental, the Ascott, and Hotel Maya. All are within walking distance from the Petronas Twin Towers. Notab

le hotels in other states include Mahkota Hotel in Malacca city, and Le Meridien in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah, Malaysian Borneo). The city has hotel resorts in the beach and island destinations. Two of the most successful hotels are Berjaya Tioman Resort on Tioman Island (Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia) and Berjaya Redang Resort on Redang Island (Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia).

People

The country is an Asian melting pot; a little more than half the population are Malays, about a quarter are Chinese, 10 percent are Indians and the remaining are a mix of indigenous peoples. The national language is Bahasa Melayu, but given the population mix, Cantonese and Tamil are also commonly spoken. English is a prevailing second language in this country. It is taught in schools and is the language for business. The official religion is Islam, practiced by the Malayan segment and Indian Muslims. Other religions are Buddhism and Hinduism, widespread in the Chinese and Indian population segments, respectively.

RESOURCES

• travel guide Malaysia