Backpacking Malaysia - Welcome
Backpacking-Asia.com - Your travel source for South-East Asia
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.

Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the state of Sabah on Borneo. With an estimated population of 532,129 in the city and 700,000 in the urban area, it is the largest urban centre in Sabah and the sixth largest in Malaysia. It is located close to Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South-East Asia.

Langkawi

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of Malaysia’s Kedah state, but are adjacent to the Thai border. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 45,000. The island is a declared duty-free zone.

Boats on Langkawi
Selamat Datang! Welcome to BackpackingMalaysia.com!

   
Perhentian Islands Cempaka Chalets
   
Georgetown, Penang Buddhist Temple


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

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

There are 2 bus companies bringing travellers to and from Cameron Highlands, Penang and Kuala Lumpur. From Cameron Highlands, you also have the option to travel to Taman Negara and Pulau Perhentian via mini bus. ... more

Dangers and Scams in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is a safe place for travellers in general. However, there a few scams and dangers but if you are aware of them you should be having a pleasant stay in this vibrant city. ... more

Malaysian GP 2009 (Formula 1 in Sepang)
Thaipusam Festival
Malacca: the city that best gives a sense of Malaysia’s past
Famous Jalan Alor
Keropok Lekor
... read more stories

Things to Do & See
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
The Gardens / Midvalley Megamall,Kuala Lumpur
The new Gardens (opened in 2007) and Midvalley Megamall are shopping Malls under the same management in a mixed development called Midvalley City a few km south of downtown. ... more
Orchard Road,Singapore
is a road in Singapore that is the shopping and entertainment hub of the city-state. Often the surrounding area is known as Orchard and associated with the road. ... more
Kuching Waterfront (Kuching Esplanade),Kuching
Once a trading area in Kuching, the waterfront area at Sungai Sarawak has now been transformed into a landscaped esplanade. ... more
Sky Bar,Kuala Lumpur
Another roof-top bar in the Traders Hotel (33rd floor) with a breath-taking view of the Twin Towers. Located just across from KLCC. ... more
Masjid Jamek,Kuala Lumpur
Masjid Jamek is the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback. ... more
Wats around Kota Bharu,Kota Bharu
There are a few impressive thai buddhist temple between Kota Bahru and near thai border in the north ... more
Khoo Kongsi,Penang
The most impressive of Penangs many kongsis. A kongsi is a clan house that is partly temple, partly meeting hall ... more
Old Railway Station,Kuala Lumpur
Moorish-style structure built in 1910 is no longer the jumping-off point for long-distance destinations, but its charms remain. ... more
Gunung Brinchang,Cameron Highlands
highest mountain in the Cameron Highlands, accessible with 4-wheel drive on the highest road in Peninsular Malaysia ... more
Zoo Negara,Kuala Lumpur
Zoo Negara (National Zoo) is major zoological park in the north-east of Kuala Lumpur. The park is managed by a non-governmental organization known as the Malaysian Zoological Society. Zoo BY Night tours are popular. ... more
Central Market (Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah),Kota Bharu
very colourful dry and wet market in the city center ... more
Jalan P. Ramlee,Kuala Lumpur
Jalan P. Ramlee, just south of KLCC, is Kuala Lumpur′s central clubbing district ... 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
AB Motel, Langkawi
Chalets, Langkawi
Accommodation on Cenang Beach with Travel Agency and Bike Rental, RM50 - RM150 ... more
Bedz KL, Kuala Lumpur
Hostel, Kuala Lumpur
dorm-only hostel in in a 2-story shop house in Bukit Bintang ... more
The InnCrowd 2, Singapore
Hostel, Singapore
Hostel in Little India, the big brother of the first InnCrowd Hostel (just around the corner) ... more
YMCA International Hostel, Penang
Hostel, Penang
YMCA Youth Hostel in Georgetown ... more
The Reef Chalets, Perhentian Islands
Chalets, Perhentian Islands
chalets on the big island, next to Coral View ... more
Number Eight Guesthouse, Kuala Lumpur
Guesthouse, Kuala Lumpur
Number Eight Guesthouse is located in Bukit Bintang and considered a boutiqe guesthouse, somewhere between a hostel and a hotel. ... more
Sankris Lodge, Kuala Terengganu
Hostel, Kuala Terengganu
hostel in the city center ... more

... view all hostels

LINKS

VisionKL.com
city lifestyle magazine
AsiaExplorers.com
Penang Temples
Rimba.um.edu.my
Rimba Ilmu is a tropical botanical garden, set up in the University of Malaya campus in Kuala Lumpur
Tung Shin Hospital
hospital near Puduraya bus terminal with wing for western medicine and wing for traditional medicin
Transnasional
journey planer by the national bus company Transnasional
Monorail.com.my
public transportation system in Kuala Lumpur
KTMB.com.my
National Railway Company
Seat61.com
how to travel by train in Singapore & Malaysia
AsiaExplorers.com
Penang Clan Temples
TheCicak.com/
socio-political youth magazine


see all links



Food & Drinks
Asam Laksa

main dish
sour-spicy fish-based soup with noodels
... more
Cendol

dessert, snack
traditional Javanese dessert with shaved ice, coconut milk and starched noodles
... more

» Food & Drink Database Malaysia & South-East Asia

BOOK HOSTELS
Things to do & see
Melaka, Harmony Street

Jalan Tokong Besi in Chinatown is also called Harmony Street because Temples and Mosques of the three main religions of Malaysia are located peacefully in the same small street. ... more
Kuala Lumpur, Blue Mosque in Shah Alam

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
PRESS ARTICLES
Health care attracts visitors to Malaysia (canada.com)

Malaysia is becoming a major attraction for health care tourists due to it’s reasonable prices and state-of-the-art equipment.

STORIES
Malaysian GP 2009 (Formula 1 in Sepang)
The countdown is on for the Grand Prix in Malaysia on April 3-5. The Malaysian GP will take place for the 11th time already from at the Sepang track, about 1h south of Kuala Lumpur. It will be the second race of the season after season opener in Melbourne the week before.
RANDOM GALLERY PHOTO
Mosques and Temples
Harmony Street
DID YOU KNOW?
Alcohol

Being a majority muslim country, alcohol is rather expensive compared to other Asian countries because of the so-called sin taxes. But alcohol is served in most convenience stores and Chinese restaurants. It’s also cheap in Langkawi because it is the status of a duty-free zone.

RANDOM LINKS
Travelling by bus
bus schedules and routes by journeymalaysia.com
tourism.gov.my
government tourism website
malaysiasite.nl
dutch/english guide
hmetro.com.my/
malay newspaper
Encyclopedia.com.my
Encyclopedia of Malaysia is the largest Malaysian collaboration in the history of reference publishing

see all links