Backpacking Malaysia - Welcome
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Sandakan

Sandakan is a starting point for ecotourism destinations such as the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary,Turtle Islands Park, Kinabatangan River and Gomantong Caves.

Kuching

Kuching is the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo. Kuching is the most populous city in the state of Sarawak and the fourth largest city in Malaysia. Kuching means “cat” in Malay.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia. Being a young city (founded only in 1857) it developed fast into a bustling metropolis of 1.5 million people (6 million including the satellite cities in the Klang Valley). Kuala Lumpur, or simply KL (as it is it called by Malaysians), literally means “muddy estuary” in Bahasa Malaysia. With good and cheap accommodation, great shopping and even better food in this multi-cultural melting pot, increasing numbers of travellers are discovering this little gem of a city.
Having been in the shadow of other big cities in the region like Bangkok and Singapore, KL was put back on the map for good with the opening the Petronas Twin Towers in 1997, until 2004 the highest and still one of the most impressive buildings in the world. Though, the sights are not what makes this city unique, it’s KL itself and it’s mixture of people and visitors.

Tioman

Largest island of Malaysias east coast. It’s located 32km off the coast and is some 20km long and 12km wide and the highest peak is Gunung Kajang with 1038m. In the 70ies TIME magazine selected Tioman as one the world’s most beautiful islands but lost some flair in recent years due to do development. The island has eight main villages, many beaches and is densely forested and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a scuba diving haven.

Kampung Life
Selamat Datang! Welcome to BackpackingMalaysia.com!

   
Kuala Terengganu the floating mosque
   
Perhentian Islands Lily's chalets


The Responsible Tourist and Traveller

This is practical 8-step guide based on the "Global Code of Ethics" for Tourism of the World Tourism Organization. It promotes traveling with an open mind and respect for people, culture, animals and environment. ... more

Puduraya Bus Terminal temporarily closed

The Puduraya Bus Terminal was closed on April 13 for at least four months due to renovation works in the terminal. Long-distance buses will meanwhile operate from Bukit Jalil. ... more

Malaysian F1 GP 2010 (Formula 1 in Sepang)

It is time again for the Grand Prix in Malaysia on April 2-4. The Malaysian GP will take place for the 12th time already from at the Sepang track, about 1h south of Kuala Lumpur. It will be the third race of the season after Bahrain and Melbourne.aaa ... more

Hiking at Bukit Tabur

It is hardly noticeable from the city centre - especially on hazy days - but Kuala Lumpur is surrounded by lush hills, rock formations and water reservoirs. Escaping the the huzzle and buzzle of the city is a mere 30min drive away. One the most spectacular hikes is up on Bukit Tabur, part of a quarz ridge in the north-east of the city at Taman Melawati. ... more

Exploring Cameron Highlands

There are 13 different paths to discover the Highlands on your own. To fully experience the nature, culture and economy of the area it is recommended to join one of the various tours. ... more

Buses from and to Cameron Highlands
Dangers and Scams in Kuala Lumpur
(1 comment)
Thaipusam Festival
Malacca: the city that best gives a sense of Malaysia’s past
Famous Jalan Alor
... read more stories

Things to Do & See
Colonia District / Fort Cornwallis,Penang
Penang was the first british settlement in Malaya so many colonial building can be found like the remains of Fort Cornwallis where Captain Francis Light stepped ashore in 1786 ... more
Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple & Wat Chayamangkalaram,Penang
Penangs first Buddhist temple. Construction started in 1905. Opposite of it is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha with a 33m-long reclining Buddha ... more
Sunway Lagoon,Kuala Lumpur
Sunway Lagoon is a major amusement park in Petaling Jaya (PJ), just south of KL. It is known for its thrilling rides in both the water park and the adjacent dry park. ... more
Little India,Kuala Lumpur
Downtown area with street markets, many indian fabric shops and food. ... more
Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre,Kuching
centre to rehabilitate orang-utans and other animals that have been injured, orphaned or illegally cages. ... more
Teregganu State Museum,Kuala Terengganu
Acclaimed as the largest museum in South East Asia, the Terengganu State Museum Complex houses century old artefacts and artworks of rich and colourful heritage ... more
The Curve / Ikea / Ikano Power Center,Kuala Lumpur
Another huge shopping complex in suburbia PJ (Mutiara Damansara). It houses the malls The Curve and Ikano Power Center plus Ikea and Tesco that are all interconnected. ... more
Sungei Palas Tea Centre,Cameron Highlands
The tea center by BOH Plantations at the Sungei Palas tea garden is located just above Brinchang. Located on a hilltop, amidst rows of tea bushes and close to Gunung Brinchang, it offers spectacular views from a 20 foot overhanging platform and tours through the tea factory ... more
Blue Mosque in Shah Alam,Kuala Lumpur
The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque is the state mosque of Selangor. It is the country′s biggest mosque and also the second biggest mosque in Southeast Asia after Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. ... more
Batu Ferringhi,Penang
Along this famous beach area, there are numerous large hotels, budget guest houses, restaurants, transport rental services, and souvenir stores. ... more
Chinatown,Penang
Georgetowns large Chinatown, dotted with temples, mosques, markets and traditional shop houses, is interesting to walk around at any time of the day. It is centered on Lebuh Chulia ... more
Boh Tea Garden,Cameron Highlands
Visitors center of the Boh tea estate south-east of Tanah Rata with impressive views over the tea estate, a cafe area and free tours of the tea factory every 30min until about 4pm. ... more
Tanah Rata,Cameron Highlands
Main town in the Cameron Highlands (with Brinchang to the north and Ringlet to the south). Most budget guesthouses are here and it is the starting point for many jungle trails. ... more

... view all things to do & see

HOSTELS
Red Palm, Kuala Lumpur
Hostel, Kuala Lumpur
Red Palm was voted the best hostel in Asia in 2006. It′s a small, relaxed and cozy place and this website wouldn′t exist without Red Palm. ... more
Rainforest Bed & Breakfast, Kuala Lumpur
Guesthouse, Kuala Lumpur
Guest house in Bukit Bintang ... more
Watercolours Paradise Resort, Perhentian Islands
Chalets, Perhentian Islands
affordable chalets on the big island (Pulau Perhentian Besar) with a dive centre ... more
The InnCrowd, Singapore
Hostel, Singapore
Hostel in the heart of Little India ... more
Kapas Turtle Valley Beach Resort, Pulau Kapas
Resort, Pulau Kapas
dutch-run romantic boutique resort with 6 private bungalows and 2 family rooms. ... more
Equator Hostel, Kuala Lumpur
Hostel, Kuala Lumpur
Equator Hostel is located right next to Times Square shopping mall in a 3-storey post-colonial in Bukit Bintang. ... more
Coral View Island Resort, Perhentian Islands
Resort, Perhentian Islands
Resort on the big island strategically located between 2 beaches ... more
The Hive, Singapore
Hostel, Singapore
Hostel close to Lavender Bus Terminal ... more

... view all hostels

LINKS

WikiTravel.org
excellent community edited website based on Wikipedia technology
Wikipedia:History of Malaysia
Wikipedia article about the history of Malaysia
Destinations Guide
tips for some nature distinations
New Straight Times
english Newspaper
DiscoverMalaysia.biz
Discover Malaysia - the backpacker's trail (documentary)
Malaysian Nature Society
study, appreciation, conservation and protection of Malaysia's natural heritage
Encyclopedia.com.my
Encyclopedia of Malaysia is the largest Malaysian collaboration in the history of reference publishing
Kuala Lumpur Warnings or Dangers
on virtualtourist.com
AsiaExplorers.com
Penang Offshore Islands
world66.com: Kuala Lumpur
User administrated travel guide


see all links



Food & Drinks
Kopi Tiam

food style
Chinese coffee shops in Malaysia and Singapore
... more
Satay

side dish, snack
marinated dices of meat on bamboo skewers grilled over charcoal fire, served with a spicy peanut sauce
... more

» Food & Drink Database Malaysia & South-East Asia

STORIES
Long-Distance buses from Kuala Lumpur
As in any Asian country, travelling by bus is the most popular option. They are many bus operators competing to take you anywhere within the peninsula and to Singapore and Hatyai, Thailand. Most bus leave from Puduraya Bus Station and a few other bus stations...
DID YOU KNOW?
Language

English is widely spoken so it’s very easy to get by. Though a few words of malay (Bahasa Malaysia) are always handy and will impress people. Malay is the official language but due to the multiracial character of the country you’ll find many languages spoken like Chinese (mandarin, cantonese, hokkien,...), Tamil among the Indians and several more languages on Borneo.

BOOK HOSTELS
RANDOM LINKS
betelbox.com/travel_malaysia.htm
excellent quick overview page about Malaysia by Betelbox Hostel Singapore (www.betelbox.com)
Juiceonline.com
parties & events in Malaysia
Berjaya-Air.com
flights to Tioman, Redang, Pangkor, Koh Samui
AirAsia.com
Malaysian budget airline for south-east Asia
thebookaholic.blogspot.com/
literature blog by a british living in Malaysia for more than 20 years

see all links
RANDOM GALLERY PHOTO
Perhentian Islands
Cempaka Chalets
Things to do & see
Melaka, Jonker Walk

A street in Chinatown with many antiques stores. On weekend nights the whole street is closed for traffic and turns into a lively night market ... more
Penang, Colonia District / Fort Cornwallis

Penang was the first british settlement in Malaya so many colonial building can be found like the remains of Fort Cornwallis where Captain Francis Light stepped ashore in 1786 ... more
PRESS ARTICLES
Traditional geomantic designs (The Star)

Story about ancient Malay building principles, the ancient art of Malay geomancy, a parallel to Chinese feng shui and Indian vasthu sastra.