During our RTW we were to Malaysia several times. Not only because we got to like the country, but because Kuala Lumpur became our hub for visiting other countries thanks to AirAsia. We were surprised by Malaysia – the prices were lower as we expected, the people were very friendly and food was just yuuum.
Malaysia has two parts – one is Peninsular Malaysia and the other Malaysian Borneo. We enjoyed both, but because of Jure’s online work, we couldn’t explore Borneo’s jungle as we wanted.
Here are our favorites:
- Kuala Lumpur
If you like big cities, you’ll like KL. It is a perfect mix of Asia and Europe and has something interesting for everyone. It is also a shopping mecca with numerous shopping centres, you can find different food, interesting museums and lush parks.
- Meeting the orangutans
This was one of my favorite animal encounters on my trips. These gentle orange apes are such lovely creatures, my heart almost melted. We visited them in Semenggoh Wildlife Center, which is very near Kuching. The animals there are semiwild, which means they get food every day but it’s up to them if they come to eat. They roam freely and you are of course not allowed to touch them.
- Bako National Park
This national Park was a real surprise – we saw many wild animals, also the famous proboscis monkey, but the highlight for me was definitely the night safari. The guides showed us different animals, among them also a green wiper.
- Perhentian islands
The 2 small islands near the Thai border are a diver’s paradise. We have our diving licenses from here and we are super happy we chose these islands for this. The smaller Kecil is more a party island, the bigger Besar is more calm and quiet. Oh, the beaches there are amazing as well 😉
- Cameron highlands
Tea. Do I have to say anything more? The tea here is different than in Japan or Sri Lanka, the bushes look different and it tastes different. But we looooveeed the landscape here sooo much. It was a lot cooler than in other parts on the peninsula. We had cake every day at least once (usually for breakfast), sometimes also with an afternoon tea.
- Penang
The vibe in Penang is trully special. The coffee scene was interesting, the wall paintings aka murals define the city. If you go outside, you’ll find beautiful temples and also some decent beaches.
- Melacca
This UNESCO word heritage city is a true gem. The old town is truly beautiful, the Jonker street night market is to remember and the trickshaws are decorated like nowhere else. Strolling on the river bank and passing all the colonial buildings from the Dutch, Portuguese or English era is a true travel back in time.
