Malaysia Report
Malaysia has something for everyone to enjoy; from the wonderfully romantic destination of Langkawi with its beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters and idyllic outlying islands to the exciting, thriving city of Kuala Lumpur which boasts the tallest building in the World. David Slack, Groups Division Manager at Broads Travel, recently spent a week in Malaysia as part of our ongoing training programme to help us assist customers in selecting the perfect holiday. He reports below on his experiences in Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur. To book your holiday to Malaysia, call us now on 0121 250 2211 or 0845 086 9710.
Flight
After a comfortable 14 hour flight from Heathrow to Langkawi with Malaysian Airlines my week-long trip to Malaysia began with three days on the island of Langkawi.
Langkawi
Here I visited five hotels, many of which are designed on a Malaysian village theme or “Kampung”; a mixture of single and double story wooden chalets scattered around colourful, and well tended tropical gardens.
My personal favourites by far were the Datai and the Andaman, both 5 star resorts situated in Datai Bay on the North West of the island.
From the Datai, a footpath through the jungle takes you to a perfect stretch of white sandy beach, and all the bedrooms have spectacular veranda views of the natural landscape, be it lush jungle foliage or the shimmering Andaman sea. If relaxing on the beach or in the hotel’s health club gets too much to bear, you can always go jungle trekking or mountain biking, and there’s an 18 hole championship golf course just a 3 minute drive from the hotel. The Datai’s neighbouring hotel, the Andaman, offers the same high standards though this hotel is perhaps more child friendly. Both hotels allow you a really close look at the natural wildlife, with monkeys, hornbills and a profusion of colourful birds making for an unforgettable trip. A photographer’s paradise.
Tour around Langkawi
While in Langkawi I enjoyed a half day tour of the island by bus, which took us through both urban and rural areas. I watched traditional batik painters using wax and dyes at Atma Alam, then continued onto the Makram Mahsuri where the legendary Mahsuri is laid to rest in a garden of a traditional Malay House “Rumah Kedah”. I also visited the Al-Hana Moswue and Eagle Square, where a 12 metre high eagle presides over the scenic view of Kuah Town Bay. After three days in Langkawi I took the short hour’s flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur
Despite rapid development, Kuala Lumpur is still a charming city, with a skyline that blends the old world with the new – there’s a fascinating contrast between the distinctive Indo-Moorish architecture and the ultra-modern edifices like the Petronas Twin Towers – the tallest in the world! Of the five hotels visited in Kuala Lumpur the Sheraton imperial was in my opinion definitely the best – although it is slightly out of the centre on the Julan Sultan Ismail, the city’s monorail means it’s easy and cheap to get around.
My tour of the city included a look at the Jamek Mosque, which occupies the symbolic birthplace of Kuala Lumpur and the bustling Chinatown, plus a photo stop at the majestic Royal Palace. For shoppers, many a bargain can be found at the Sungei Wang Plaza and if you’re into gadgets, why not try out Imbi Plaza for the latest technology. A Sony PSP with all sorts of accessories and two games was just over £170 in June 2005.
Batu Caves
Outside Kuala Lumpur, we took a tour to the Batu Caves. This massive limestone outcrop and its cavernous interior, home to the Hindu deities, is reached by 272 steps; it’s well worth the climb, but one word of warning, beware of the monkeys that roam freely on the steps and inside the caves. I saw various people having things snatched out of their hands!
Summary
I would definitely recommend Malaysia as an ideal two-centre destination for a fascinating holiday. You have fantastic island locations for relaxation, combined with the vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur for the ideal mixture of shopping and sightseeing, or even a bit of business! It’s also a great destination for families. The current rate of exchange with the Malaysian Ringgit makes the pound stretch a long way, so it is far more appealing than the traditional Far Eastern destinations such as Hong Kong or Singapore. Why not give it a try and experience all that is Malaysia. You won’t be disappointed!
Customs & Visas
Passports valid for at least 6 months are required. A social single-entry visa is valid for 3 months. Sabah and Sarawak are treated like separate countries, so visitors will have to go through customs again, travelling from peninsular Malaysia or between the two states. Citizens of Commonwealth countries (except India) the USA and Ireland do not need visas.
Import duties seldom affect the average traveller (except from Singapore), who may bring in 250g of tobacco, 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes, and a 1-litre bottle of duty-free alcohol, as well as personal cameras, watches, cassette players etc. illegal drugs, weapons and walkie talkies are prohibited, as well as possession of narcotics and illegal drugs, which can carry the death sentence.
Non-residents also have to declare how much cash they are bringing into the country. Only RM1,000 is allowed to be taken in and out. Visitors are also not allowed to bring out more foreign currency than they take in.
Climate
Malaysia's weather is generally warm and sunny all year round, with temperatures ranging between 32°C during the day and 24°C at night. Humidity is high at 80 percent. The temperature in the highlands is a little lower.
The onset of the monsoon season from May to September brings with it rain to the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The east coast of the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak experience their monsoon season between November and February. The inter-monsoon periods experience the heaviest rainfalls. Otherwise, light showers come and go, helping to relieve the heat.
Money Matters
The unit of currency is the Ringgit Malaysia (RM). Carry a combination of cash, travellers' cheques and credit cards, as cash will be the only currency accepted in rural areas. Most currencies can be exchanged for ringgit. Licensed moneychangers offer better rates than banks. Automated teller machines, from which you can withdraw cash through a credit card, are widespread in towns. Travellers' cheques can also be exchanged in larger towns in department stores, shops, first class restaurants and hotels. Be sure to have your passport ready. Dos and Don'ts
Malaysians smile a lot, and are more often than not polite and helpful. Visitors behaving courteously stand little chance of unintentionally giving offence. Cities and entrenched tourist areas have a more liberal atmosphere, but if visiting rural areas, and especially someone's private home, it helps to know something of local norms.
Hugging and kissing are foreign among non-family members, so except for children, refrain from doing so, no matter how fond you become of someone, especially someone of the opposite sex. Necking or fondling each other in public is a no-no, too, particularly in rural areas. In traditional homes, it is rude to cross your legs when you sit down in front of the host, particularly for women.
Drinks and snacks are always served to guests. Never refuse. At the very least, take a nominal sip or one biscuit. Use the right hand to pass or accept anything. The left is traditionally "dirty" because of its washroom connections. Pointing with the finger is considered very rude and a whole hand is used to indicate a direction, but never a person. To point to a person, close the right hand into a fist with the thumb on top and then aim it at the subject.
Malaysians remove their shoes at the door to keep the house free from dirt. You can always tell if there is some kind of get-together at someone's house by the number of shoes and sandals scattered around the front door.
10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Malaysia
1. Kuala Lumpur lays claim to the world's highest flagpole and currently has the world's tallest pair of buildings. Petronas Twin Towers, completed in 1998, stand at nearly 452 metres tall.
2. Orangutans in the wild are unique to Borneo. The ginger-haired primates reportedly share 96 percent of its genes with humans, and its intelligence levels can reach those of a six-year old child.
3. Among its many economic achievements, Malaysia is the largest producer of condoms and surgical rubber gloves in the world.
4. The world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, can be found in forests on the Main Range in Peninsular Malaysia, measuring up to 1 metre in diameter when in full bloom. Rafflesia is a parasitic plant and when it starts to die it emits a foul odour likened to rotten meat.
5. Although the custom has now died out, tribal people in Sabah and Sarawak used to place long weights in the ears of children in order to stretch the lobe. This was, and still is considered to be a sign of great beauty. Women wore the heaviest weights so that their lobes eventually stretched down to the chest.
6. Satay is probably the world's most popular Malay dish. For adventurous diners in Malaysia, there are satay variations using tripe, intestines and crispy chicken skin.
7. There is so much rain in Taiping that its residents place bets on what time it will fall. The bookie's office is a downtown hawker centre with a zinc roof and a digital clock put in by the punters.
8. Business in 16th-century Melaka was conducted in 84 languages. Small wonder that modern Malay contains words adopted from Arabic, Chinese, Sanskrit, Persian, Portuguese, Dutch and English.
9. Borneo has been known as a land of head-hunters. Today, however, the practice is outlawed and the skulls seen hanging in longhouses are those that have been inherited by families.
10. Today, piracy has been largely eradicated in the waters of Malaysia...although there are still sporadic episodes, especially in the seas off Sabah.
