Malaysia is a tourist hub in Southeast Asia with a tag line – Malaysia, Truly Asia. Not many Americans and Europeans drop by the place. In fact, Asians are the frequent visitors of the country because they know what they can experience in this small but far-reaching vacation spot. This Malaysia travel guide from Wanderlust15 will assist you on which places to go and things to do in Malaysia. Spread your wings a little bit more and take a chance on this lively country.
1. Petronas Towers
The most famous landmark in all of Malaysia is the Petronas Towers. They also call it the Petronas Twin Towers and to date, it is the tallest twin towers in the whole world. From its erection until 2004, it was the tallest building in the planet until Taipei 101. Still, it is an iconic piece of architectural design and is part of world history. All in all, the tower has 88 floors with forty elevators on each tower. One of the things to do in Malaysia is to visit this tower and marvel at its grandness.
2. Mount Kinabalu
Are you a mountain climber? Do you love to trek the base of a peak? Are you a backpacking traveler and into hiking? If you said yes to all these questions, then, go to Mount Kinabalu. It is 4,096 meters high and one of the most famous natural tourist spots in Malaysia. A climbing permit must be secured before going up the summit and a maximum of 130 climbers are allowed a permit to climb each day. So if you are up for it, then, reserve for your slot beforehand.
3. Bukit Bintang
Now, Malaysia is a shopping hub for Asians and when shopping is concerned, the best place to be is Bukit Bintang. The shopping district starts in Raja Chulan Road and stretches up to Pudu Road. There are many major malls within the area like the Berjaya Times Square which is the 13th largest mall in the whole world. The Starhill Gallery is also there and it is the more luxurious mall in the whole country with well-known fashion houses, lavish boutiques and more.
4. Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
One of the things to do in Malaysia is to visit the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. If you are a bird lover, then, this will be like a tour in heaven for you. Majority of the birds living in the park are local and from Malaysia. About 10% of the birds were imported from other countries. The park has over 3,000 birds living happily within their walls and that’s about 200 bird species in there. You will find Rainbow lorikeets, Milky storks, Red lorry and Egret and Peacock in the park, among others.
5. Kek Lok Si
Kek Lok Si means the Temple of Supreme Bliss or Temple of Ultimate Happiness in Chinese. It is a temple for Buddhist believers and is part of the pilgrimage by worshippers of Buddha. The temple was constructed for forty years from 1890 to 1930. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Malaysia and to think, the whole temple is a combination of architectural styles. The “pagoda” consists of Chinese, Thai and Burmese designs. You will see the distinctive variation when you get there.
6. Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is the biggest Islamic arts museum in Southeast Asia with more or less seven thousand Islamic relics. The Kuala Lumpur Mayor’s Tourism Award Organization recognized the museum as a Platinum Award-Tourist Attraction (Culture, Arts and Heritage) Category awardee. It was established in 1998 and the interior has 12 different galleries. Everything about Islam can be found here like the Qur’an and olden day’s manuscripts, Islamic glassware, gold jewelry, important textile and cloths, weapons and more.
7. Langkawi Cable Car
One of the things to do in Malaysia is to ride the Langkawi Cable Car. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is a must to do when in the country. They also call it the Langkawi Skycab and it is one of the most famous attractions in Kedah, Malaysia. If you are up for an aerial adventure, you have to ride this skycab from Oriental Village to Gunung Machinchang. It takes about 15 minutes to arrive to the destination; so for those with queasy stomachs, this is the exhilarating challenge for you!
8. KLCC Park
KLCC Park is an open park in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was founded by KLCC Properties and the purpose of the park is to provide an attractive landscape near the most famous tourist attraction in Malaysia, the Petronas Towers. The park was revealed to the public in 1998 and all in all, it is 20 hectares big and it has no entrance fee. It has a mosque, a jogging track, a kid’s playground, man-made waterfalls, fountains and pools, and an artificial lake called Symphony.
9. Taman Negara
Teman Negara is a park which used to be called the King George V National Park back in the late 1930’s. The term Teman Negara means National Park in Malay dialect and it is home to the one of the world’s most ancient tropical rainforest. It is believed that the rainforest in the park is at least 130 million years old. If you are up for an ecotourism tour, Taman Negara is one of the parks to go to in the country.
10. Genting Highlands
Genting Highlands is also known as the Resorts World Genting. It is a casino type hill resort which was founded in 1965. It has survived this long which makes it an important and thriving tourist attraction in Pahang. The resort is on top of the Titiwangsa Mountains which has an elevation of 1,740 meters. You can drive up the hill from Kuala Lumpur which takes about 60 minutes or you can ride the Genting Skyway, a gondola lift up to the resort.
11. Putra Mosque
Putra Mosque or the Masjid Putra is a Sunni-affiliated mosque in Putrajaya. It was established in1997 and it was reported that this beautiful mosque incurred 80M US dollars in construction expenses. It is massive and can hold 15,000 worshippers at a time. Even if you’re not a Muslim, one of the things to do in Malaysia is to visit the Putra Mosque. Everyone is welcome to explore it. The mosque is a very important landmark and tourist attraction in the country.
12. Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and it was inscribed with criteria of vii, viii, ix and x. It means that the National Park has encompassed the following – (vii) means that the beauty of the park is unique; (viii) means that the park represents evolution of planet Earth in an excellent manner; (ix) means that the area is a biological home to many water and land plants and animals; and (x) means that endangered species live within the park because of its natural habitat.
13. Batu Caves
Batu Caves is another tourist spot in the country and it is a landmark as well. The caves are filled with limestone within and even if it is a challenge to climb up the cave, Hindu believers do it without reservation because this is also their place of worship. The shrine on the hill was created by K. Thamboosamy Pillay in 1891 and it was designed according to Dravidian Architecture. The stairs is almost 100 years old and all in all, one must climb 272 steps just to get on top.
14. Kuala Lumpur Tower
One of the things to do in Malaysia is to visit the Kuala Lumpur Tower. It is a famous landmark in the country and the tower itself offers a lot more than a 360-degree view of Kuala Lumpur. Every year, there is a race in the tower – the fastest person to climb the tower wins. It has six floors and it is the 7th highest free-standing tower in the whole world. What things does the tower offer? For one, you can arrange for a base jumping experience. There is also an Islamic observatory inside the tower.
15. Penang Hill
Penang Hill is one of the most attractive tourist attractions in Malaysia. Actually, the whole hill is a resort with many activities and things to be busy with. In Malay tongue, they call it Bukit Bendera and it is 833 meters above the ground. The climate up there is very cool for a tropical country especially during the months of June to October. If ever you want to go up the hill, just ride the Penang Hill Railway since it’s the most accessible transportation to the place.
