Destination Malaysia

Most visitors to Malaysia stick to the insane headlong rush of Kuala Lumpur, the colonially soothing Cameron Highlands Hill Station or the hedonistic torpor of Langkawi. However, East Malaysia, on Sabah and Sarawak, offers spectacular wildlife, longhouses and the awe-inspiring Mt Kinabalu.

• Malaysia at-a-glance A-Z

» Johor

In addition to a wealth of attractions, Johor is also noted for its national parks. Johor currently has five national parks, with a combined area of more than 700 km2 and several smaller recreational forest. Almost all recreational parks are based around a mountain. Johor also has the third largest mangrove forest reserve in Peninsular Malaysia …

» Kedah

Archaeological evidence found in Bujang Valley reveals that a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom ruled ancient Kedah possibly as early as 110 A.D. The discovery of temples, jetty remains, iron smelting sites, and clay brick monuments dating back to 110 A.D shows that a maritime trading route with south Indian Tamil kingdoms was already established since that time. The discoveries in Bujang Valley also made the ancient Kedah as the oldest civilization of Southeast Asia …

» Kelantan

Kelantan has a chiefly agrarian economy dominated by rice, rubber and tobacco. Fishing along its 96-kilometre coastline is also an important economic activity. Cottage industries which employ traditional skills in handicraft production such as batik, woodcarving and songket weaving are also evident. Logging activities are active given the vast remaining area of forest …

» Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The city has played host to many international sporting, political and cultural events including the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the Formula One World Championship. Kuala Lumpur is home to the tallest twin buildings in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers …

» Langkawi

Langkawi lies north of the Strait of Malacca in the southern Andaman Sea near the border between Malaysia and Thailand. A few kilometres to the north lies the neighbouring Thai island of Ko Tarutao. The island group's main town, on the main island, is Kuah. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border …

» Malacca

The historic centre of Malacca was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008 together with George Town, the capital of Penang. Two of the most important museums in Malacca are the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum and the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum. Belacan, a Malay variety of shrimp paste, is prepared from fresh shrimp of a species known as keragu in Malay …

» Negeri Sembilan

The capital of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban. The royal capital is Seri Menanti in the district of Kuala Pilah. Other important towns are Port Dickson and Nilai. The Minangkabaus from Sumatra settled in Negeri Sembilan in the 15th century under the protection of the Malacca Sultanate, and later under the protection of its successor, the Sultanate of Johor …

» Pahang

Pahang can be broken into roughly three sections: the highlands, the rainforest, and the coastal areas. The north of the state is home to the country's largest national park, Taman Negara. This large primary rainforest is extensive, and is home to many rare or endangered animals, such as the tapir, kancil, tigers and leopards …

» Penang

Being one of the earliest, most established urban centres in Malaysia, Penang has often prided herself on her progress while at the same time relishing her traditional and enduring values, way of life and mannerism. Old Penang evoked images of the slow-paced lifestyle of merchants and planters in the Far East …

» Perak

There are several places of interests in Perak, such as its state capital, Ipoh, legendary for their silky noodles in soup called 'Sar Hor Fun' and Hainanese chicken rice. Tambun pomelos are another attraction to locals from other states. Kuala Kangsar, just 48 km north of Ipoh on the Perak River, is the royal town of Perak …

» Perlis

Perlis was originally part of Kedah, although it occasionally came under rule by Siam or Aceh. After the Siamese conquered Kedah in 1821, the British felt their interests in Perak to be threatened. This resulted in the 1826 Burney and Low Treaties formalising relations between the two Malay states and Siam, their nominal overlord …

» Sabah

Sabah or North Borneo was part of the Sultanate of Brunei around the early 16th century. Tourism, particularly eco-tourism, is a major contributor to the economy of Sabah. Sabah currently has 6 national parks. One of these, the Kinabalu National Park, was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2000 …

» Sarawak

The Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Award is held each year to appreciate the best in the tourism sector of the state. Some of the most popular tourist attractions are Kuching city, Gunung Mulu National Park, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) and many more. The RWMF is the region's premier "world music" event, attracting more than 20,000 music fans …

» Selangor

Selangor is the richest state in Malaysia in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. This state is also the most developed in Malaysia with good infrastructure such as highways and transport. The state also has the largest population in Malaysia, with a high standard of living and the state's poverty rate is the lowest in the country …

» Terengganu

Terengganu did not receive many Indian or Chinese migrants, and therefore Malay cultural influences predominate. Traditional pursuits such as kite-flying contests, top-spinning contests, and traditional arts & crafts, such as batik and songket are still very much alive. The people of Terengganu have always had a reputation for being socially conservative and devout Muslims …