Travelling Around Malaysia – More About The Different States (And Some Awesome Facts)

The earliest Malaysian inhabitants are believed to have made their way to the land mass from China.

Malaysia is made up of various parts and depending on your points of interest (and time availability), you can travel around some or all of these. Of course, there is the capital of Kuala Lumpur but there are also several additional distinct states and islands that fall under Malaysian rule – indeed, if you’re looking forward to sampling some of the incredible beaches within Malaysia, you’ll probably want to taste some of these. These include:

Selangor – Largely industrial state which enjoys some interesting points of interest (notably the Batu caves)

Perak – The state that share’s it’s border with Thailand has some interesting Mangrove Forest Reserves and impressive royal palaces.

Penang – A heavily visited corner of Malaysia, Penang is known as “the pearl of the Orient” – the most visited places here tend to be the exciting Penang National Park and Georgetown.

Kedah – Home to one of the most popular & scenic holiday destinations within Malaysia (Langkawi)

Negeri Sembilan – A small and sleepy state that is home to the Cape Rachado Forest Reserve.

Melaka – This culturally rich state has a wonderful town centre and offers visitors some wonderful shopping.

Johor – The economically rich state of Johor also has something to interest tourists, notably Endau Rompin National Park.

Pahang – Malaysia’s largest state in terms of geography, here you find Taman Negara (one of the world’s oldest rainforests).

Terengganu – Offers some very good beaches such as Pulau Perhentian as well as some interesting nature points (like the turtle sanctuary).

Kelantan – Aside from being a good place to buy traditional Malay handicrafts, this is the place of the astounding Jungle Railway where you can ride through some spectacular scenery.

Sarawak – Offers some wonderful national parks such as Bako and Gunung Mulu.

Sabah – Home to the popular Kinabalu.

Clearly, unless you have several weeks (and possibly months) of time available, it’s impossible to do more than one or two of these places. The most popular places for tourists seeking an incredible holiday tends to be Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi – which is where we will focus on too.

Some Interesting Facts About Malaysia For The Sophisticated Traveller

Want to impress the locals with your knowledge on Malaysia? Check out these interesting facts…

The Largest Cave Chamber In The World – happens to be the Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu national park.

Above - The Largest Cave Chamber In The World, Gunung Mulu

Feb 20^th, 1956 – The date Malaysia gained independence, now celebrated as a national holiday.

Rafflesia – found in Sabah, this is the largest flower in the world. Malaysia also is proudly home to the largest leaf in the world (over 3 metres long).

Malaysia has more km of highway than the total circumference of the earth.

Minangkabu – The settlers to the Malaysia state of Negeri Sembilan, who came to Malaysia sometime in the 15^th century.

Dining Etiquette – In some top end Malay restaurants do not be surprised if the waiter comes with a pot of water – it’s expected for guests to wash their hands before starting their meals.

The Smelliest Fruit In The World – Durians are found in Malaysia, and aside from being an aphrodisiac they also hold the less impressive mantle of smelliest fruit in the world.

Home Of The Turtle – Several species of turtles were discovered first, and believed to have originated, from Malaysia. Malaysia is also home to the Monitor Lizard, which can be several feet in length.

40,000 Years – The age of the oldest human remains to be found in Malaysia. This indicates that the origins of Malay culture may have started during this time, or even have preceded it.