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Hi looking to go to Malaysia in late September this year, any recommendations of what to do and see, have we picked the best time of year? We have three weeks, and last two long trips have been Japan and then South Korea.
All advice welcome.
Google the destination for things to see including Borneo (North and South) as there are many things to see.
Peninsular Malaysia - on arrival you will be in KL city so spend a few days there in the city and like all cities in the world it is busy. Plenty to see and eat.
Enjoy the meaning of traffic jam during the peak hour. Look at the people riding 70cc to 125CC motorbikes ... Look at the culture and people ...
To the North of Malaysia is the Penang island which is a popular destination. Penang has plenty of good food but portion is getting smaller and getting a bit expensive for the locals but will be reasonable to tourists ... most tourists love this place. I think they are trying to rob me hard earn money by selling me food at tourist price.
You can also go to Langkawi go get fleeced but a nice island and eastern part of Malaysia as well. East coast of peninsula Malaysia is also nice but I only passed by that area only ... you can look at the padi fields if that is your thing.
Then we have South and North Borneo in East Malaysia separated by South China Sea.
You can visit Kuching the capital of south Borneo and visit one of the largest cave (Niah Cave) in the world in the Niah National Park, then look at the mountain of bat droppings ... then look at the devastation of the virgin forest due to logging and palm oil plantation. Then understand that nearly half the land in Sarawak is owned by their white hair chief minister. Then you can visit the Long House where the head hunters used to live ... they are now slowly being "educated" to become modern dwellers.
Then travel to North Borneo ... my hometown ... there you can visit the highest mountain in S.E.Asia but try not to pose for nakid photos or you will be cursed or arrested ... the curse is worst because your balls might shrink and you might turn a bit feminine.
The capital of North Borneo is Kota Kinabalu so have a Sunday walk at Gaya Street where the locals sell the stuff on the street. Plenty to see ... You can also visit some of the nearby islands. Tourists like to do that. If you want to see multiculturalism Sabah is the place to be as majority of the people you see are probably from Suluk island of the Philippines. They come and go as they wish between the two countries ... border check? You are having a laugh. They are Not the original locals but now seen as "locals". The true locals are living inland near Mount Kinabalu. Oh ya ... you can visit Mount Kinabalu or climb it if you wish. If you wish to see our ape man (Orangutan) then go to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
Do Not go to islands east of Borneo island (tourists like to snorkel in those beautiful islands) away from the mainland no matter how attractive they are, coz you might be kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf (IS aligned terrorist group) if you are unlucky.
Then see the forest or whatever is left of it or see the devastation of palm oil plantation ...
Food ... Eat satay (this is the last meal most prisoners demand before being executed) or local food. If you are allergic to peanut don't eat satay as you will die from allergic reaction because the sauce is full of peanuts.
Make sure you eat at the locations where plenty of locals eat.
Eat durian then immediately eat mangosteen. If you eat durian Do Not drink strong alcohol stuff or eat fried food ... you will suffer and worst case scenario you will die. If you have high blood pressure avoid durian altogether as you might simply die according to the locals.
Be prepared for food poisoning as that's what happened to me every time I went home to eat the local food ...
Do Not traffic drugs as you will be executed, regardless.
If you visit Borneo you might as well visit the Kingdom of Brunei but try not be "gay" coz that is prohibited. Elton John, George Clooney and the like better stay away please ...
That's the quick summary.
Enjoy your trip ... 😀
p/s: if you see people being cruel to animal just tell them to piss off ... If you happen to be in Thailand and see elephants being use for tourists attraction tell the owner you will pay him double just to sit on him instead of the elephant.
😂
A thorough review there. Feel like I've experienced Malaysia by just reading that and will now take it off the list!
what chewkw says
except
dont waste your time in KL. Go see the orangutans by the kinabatangan, dive sipadan, enjoy KK,Kinabalu, the islands too, go to Mulu 3 days in the park, fly out from Miri to bario or Long Sepidan or somewhere, youll see all the palm plantations and logging before you get to the virgin rainforest
Stay with the Penan
If its still there
if you can do most of that in 2 weeks I'd be amazed
Or if you stay on the mainland,some lovely islands off the East coast, depending on time of year.
What do you like to do?
Eat durian
So thing late Sept and early October.
What we like doing - history stuff/ temples/ walking/ cycling/ art gallery/ aimless wandering
What we do not like doing - beaches with loungers and beach towels/ all night ravesand drinking/gap year tick off the lists spots/mosquitos/ cultural visits with traditional dancing/
Looking to fly into Singapore, train to KL, Batu caves, George town. Definitely walk MT kinabula, borneo .
However reconsidering after reading chewwk post.
Eat durian
NOOOOO!
That aside, will watch with interest, as am about to book some time in KL for work. Will be after restaurant/bar recommendations! (Flying via HKG though, as I prefer Cathay!)
Oh don't get me wrong ... just visit the place.
I am all for people visiting but just be aware that some information you don't get from tourist brochures like all places in the world.
Sept & early October is fine coz that's the time I used to go home for a visit. You might meet me but doubt it as I only visit places for the locals and since I don't look tanned any more I tend to get fleeced by the locals unless I am with me mates.
Just go and see place for yourself rather than just listening to me etc after all it is a life experience. Generally people are very friendly but avoid questioning the religion ...
Put it this way if you don't go the Chinese tourists will and next time you go the place will probably be owned by Chinese multinationals ... so go while you still can.
Whatever you do just remember not to post nakid photos of yourself on Mt Kinabalu ... they locals and the media got really angry over this.
Other than that what I have described is about the same for the tourist destinations in SE Asia.
Even I get fleeced let alone you ...
What we like doing – history stuff/ temples/ walking/ cycling/ art gallery/ aimless wandering
Yes, plenty of these so go enjoy yourself ... we hardly visit our own historical stuff (few times in life) as we take them for granted. Plenty of temples to visit but respect the place and avoid behaving like the Chinese tourists. As for Walking we don't do that coz it is too hot and only meant for tourists. Cycling ... me mates cycle a lot but I avoid coz it's too hot ... Art gallery only "street arts" for me. Aimless wandering is what I do but then I am a local.
What we do not like doing – beaches with loungers and beach towels/ all night ravesand drinking/gap year tick off the lists spots/mosquitos/ cultural visits with traditional dancing/
We have plenty of beaches so try to choose the ones locals go to and you will not see beach towels. Drinking is only for me and me mates at night at the pubs. You will hardly see drunk people but then if you are in Penang avoid the drinking night spot, coz the local Asia could be too rowdy and that's where trouble starts. Cultural visits ... just look at the people and the way they go about their life, that's the true culture.
p/s: eating durian is a must if you can stomach it. We all love it. 😅
Have a look for what walking there is in the Cameron Highlands,I really enjoyed it up in those hills.
I think I got the bus from Penang to get there.
Cheers chewkw!
I end up in Melaka almost every year for work and I'd say its definitely worth a visit for the history and atmosphere. Get to the weekend Jonker Street Market if you can, always interesting..! I haven't done any touristy stuff apart from that though, so can't be of more help!
I end up in Melaka almost every year for work and I’d say its definitely worth a visit for the history and atmosphere. Get to the weekend Jonker Street Market if you can, always interesting..! I haven’t done any touristy stuff apart from that though, so can’t be of more help!
Ah yes Melaka ... the historical landing ground of most colonial masters ...from the escaping Hindu Sultan from Indonesia (think he converted to Islam later due to the influence of the Chinese eunuch admiral) to the protectorate of Ming Dynasty (otherwise he had to pay ransom to Thai empire) to the landing of the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch was also there ... then finally they all got kicked out by the British (last colonial master). Most Chinese migrants landed there in Melaka 5 or 6 generations ago following the Ming admiral.
p/s: eating durian is a must if you can stomach it.
Tastes like sweaty arseholes. And yet, still moreish
I've been with work a couple of times to parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Although not to places you'd want to visit as a tourist! If you're comparing it to Korea or Japan the things that struck me were:
- Parts of the country are actually really quite poor. So expect variable services and mad driving
- The country, and it varies state by state, take religion seriously or fanatically. Not unlike some Gulf countries, with less sand. Be considerate and be aware.
- When it rains, it doesn't mess about
- The flora and fauna is something to behold. Just don't watch what crawls/slithers out of the ground when it rains.
- The food can be brilliant. It combines loads of influences from India and the rest of asia. The local rates for type 2 diabetes indicate some of the downsides of the food. Folk add sugar / condensed milk to everything.
Great place and somewhere I would like to explore further.
Tastes like sweaty arseholes.
Umm .. not asking the obvious question.
A good friend visited last December and went to more or less all the places mentioned by chewy and really enjoyed it. The "fleeceing" aspect probably applies if you remember what stuff used to cost in Malaysia, and not if you think what the equivalent would cost in a UK restaurant!