Malaysia Truly Asia

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADiscover Why Malaysia Is Truly Asia

Home to prehistoric forest Malaysia is considered to be the melting pot of Asia. No wonder this country carries the slogan Malaysia, Truly Asia. Petronas Towers is an impressive twin tower that place Malaysia in the world map. Walk across these twin towers while admiring Kuala Lumpur 170 meters above the ground. On level 86 sits the observation deck. This tower also has a gift shop to keep the memories of this trip alive. To visit the towers purchase a ticket on the Concourse level and buy a ticket which sells for $25.81 for adults and about $10 for kids. Visiting hours are from Tuesdays to Sundays since they are closed on Mondays. Visiting hours are from 9am to 9pm.

Malaysia offers hiking trails. For adventurous hikers they can take a 2 day hiking trip to Mount Kinabalu in the Island of Borneo. This is protected by the World Heritage Site. According to regulations climbers can only hike if they come with expert guides with them. This is actually more practical and a safe way to climb this mountain. Private lodgings are cheaper than staying inside the park. For tourists the fees impose by Sabah Parks for climbers is $81.

At the coast of Kedah stands a cluster of 99 islands offering beautiful beaches, awesome collections of both flora and fauna. While visiting Langkawi one can see local fisher folks harvesting and drying sea cucumbers into balsamic oil which are believed to be a good cure for all sorts of ailments. Many visitors go to Langkawi for duty free shopping. This is in the Oriental Village which is coincidentally where the cable car station is located. It is best to purchase these wines prior to departure at shops in town or at the beaches like in Oriental Village. The airport duty free shops sell these at a higher price. Cable car rides for adults are $10 and $6.50 for kids.

Langkawi also offers Underwater World. The entrance fee for adults is $12.50 and $6 for kids. Underwater World Langkawi offers one of the largest collections of marine and fresh water inhabitants in South East Asia. It started its operation in 1995. What is unique about this place is that it has a gigantic 15 meter long walk through tunnel. This tunnel houses 500,000 liters of seawater and houses assorted amount of fishes and sea creatures.

The other attractions that this Underwater World boast of is the Freshwater Fish section, Seashell display, Koi Pond, Reptilian section and the Coral Reef section. A shopping center stands adjacent to his place which offers visitors a good place to eat and shop after they have finish their tour of the Underwater World. There are plans of starting a Tropical rain-forest and Sub-Antarctic ecosystem. The Sub Antarctic ecosystem will display penguinarium which visitors can view swimming penguins. Parents can take advantage of the nappy changing and nursing facilities located in the new wing. This is a great convenience for nursing mothers and those who want a quick diaper change for their kids.

Still in Langkawi, Makam Mahsuri is the tomb where the legendary Princess Mahsuri lies. The entrance fee is $5 for adults and $3.50 for kids. Langkawi is equally famous for its Bird Paradise. The entrance fee for adults is just $9 while kids are charge $6. There are plenty of exotic birds and other animals. This place is said to be Asia’s first fully covered Wildlife Park to prevent the birds from flying away.

For travelers who love diving head towards SipadanIsland. This is one of the top 5 diving destinations in the world due to the beauty of the surroundings and the aquatic inhabitants. Better get in touch with Pulau Sipadan Resort and Tours Sdn Bhd since these are the two diving operatorsd that are allowed to bring divers to SipadanIsland. Snorkeling packages are offered from $104 to $210. These include snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel and fins), budget accommodations, meals, snacks and Boat transfers.

For animal lovers visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabitation Center. This 4,300 hectares center is under the Wildlife Department of Sabah. This gives tourists and locals a chance to watch the orangutan up close in their natural habitat. Visitors can use the viewing gallery and feeding platform to see these apes being fed with milk and bananas. Touching these apes is prohibited and visitors are encouraged to stay in the walkways. Trekking is also offered along the mangrove forest near this facility. Entrance fee to the Orangutan Center is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Tour buses are offered from Sandakan town. For those who want to take a bus ride they can do so by riding aboard the Labuk Road Bus company which starts to leave Sandakan from 6am onwards. This is the cheapest way to get there but a visitor must walk half kilometer to get to the Center. Taxi rides are offered from Sandakan for $33 but these prices can still be negotiable.

Kinabatangan river and wildlife cruises are offered. This Safari trip to Borneo can give visitors a chance to see the rest of what Malaysia has to offer in terms of nature. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Kinabatangan river is one of the two places where 10 species of primates live. Visitors can expect to catch a glimpse of crocodiles, hawks, eagles, hornbills, Bornean Pygmy elephant and more.

Penang is famous for its hawker food and heritage trails. Assam Laksa is a noodle dish for those who want to eat something hot and tangy sour fish broth served with fresh vegetables. It has been nominated as one of the top 7 must try food in the world. Another popular dish is Hokkien Mee which has spicy broth made from prawn shells. There are some of must try Penang hawker food like the Barbecued Chick from Ong Cheng Huat Seafood. This dish has earned good reviews from food bloggers. Still Penang’s George Town is a remarkable historical colonial town. There are still more interesting places to see and things to do in Malaysia but there is always a next time to go back and visit.