Malaysia. All the colors of Asia

Kilometers of beaches, warm sea, forests full of colorful birds and animals, cities at the intersection of the future and tradition - this is all Malaysia, a country that embodies the best of Asia.

Malaysia is the jewel of Southeast Asia. It owns a part of the Malacca Peninsula, a part of Borneo and 877 other large and small islands with remarkable natural resources. This country has a lot to offer to the exotic tourist.

The city of the future - Kuala Lumpur

Getting acquainted with Malaysia begins with the capital, Kuala Lumpur, located on the Malacca Peninsula. It is dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest double skyscraper in the world. Stunning views open from a two-story bridge 170 meters above the ground. On the 86th floor, there is another observation deck with a telescope, which can be seen at a distance of 7-8 km.

During a walk around the capital, visit the Royal Palace of Istana Negara, Wilayat Persekutan, or Mosque in the Garden, designed like the Blue Mosque, and Sri Maha Mariamman, the oldest Hindu temple in the city, decorated with a 22-meter tower with 228 figures of deities. Bright during the day, they look especially impressive at night. After sunset, you can't take your eyes off the LED-lit Saloma Link Bridge over the Klang River.

The capital is also very comfortable for families: parks, an oceanarium, a zoo, a botanical garden, and Kizania - you will have something to offer the kids.

Less than half an hour away are the Batu Caves with 272 colored staircases and a 100-meter-high temple cave.

"Multi-layered" Penang

The state of Penang is divided between the mainland and the island of the same name, which are connected by the Penang Bridge. People come here to get acquainted with the history, colonial architecture and traditions, including culinary ones, which were formed under the influence of Indonesians, Indians, Chinese, Japanese and Europeans. 

The influence of the British colonialists is best felt in Georgetown, a former colonial port and now the state's main city. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fort Cornwallis, the Queen Victoria Clock Tower, the Supreme Court, City Council, and Assembly buildings remind us of the days of British rule.

The sophistication and ingenuity of talented South Chinese craftsmen are embodied in the late 19th-century Blue Mansion, which belonged to an influential Chinese merchant and was the center of life in the city. Also take a look at the Khoo Kongsi estate-museum, where a powerful Chinese clan lived.

Religious buildings are also impressive: Penang's floating mosque, set above the sea and decorated with 7 minarets, as well as Kek Lok Si, one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in Southeast Asia, built in 1891.

To see the island and the sea from above, take the funicular to Penang Hill. At dawn, you will be greeted by a city shrouded in morning fog. At night - in the light of lanterns. And during the daytime tour, explore the temples, historic government buildings, parks and gardens within the complex.

Primeval forests of Malacca

A trip to Malaysia would be incomplete without a walk in the forests. The most famous of the mainland parks is Taman Negara. It is home to the oldest primary or virgin forest on the planet (more than 130 million years old) and Gunung Tahan (2187 m), the highest mountain in peninsular Malaysia. There is also a 530-meter-long suspension pedestrian bridge. It was intended for researchers, but it is perceived mainly as an attraction: it is more convenient to watch birds - there are 380 species here. Unforgettable adventures await you: hiking tours, river crossings, climbing to the top, descending into caves, and nighttime observations of deer, tapirs, and wild boars that come to taste the salt.

Also in Malacca, visit the Cameron Highlands, or Cameron Highlands. More than a century ago, colonialists loved to vacation here, and the atmosphere of respectability has been preserved to this day. At an altitude of 1500 meters, surrounded by mountains, tea plantations abound, inviting you to walk to your heart's content and then have a picnic on the hill. And that's not all: visit a tea production facility where you can enjoy a tasting on a terrace with a view, practice your swing on the local golf course, visit gardens and greenhouses, and relax in a colonial-style hotel.

Borneo's wildlife

East Malaysia, or the Malaysian part of Borneo, is famous for its parks and nature reserves. It is home to orangutans, rhesus monkeys, Javanese macaques, silver langurs, Borneo pygmy elephants, Müller's gibbons, Sumatran rhinos, smoky leopards, Malay bears (biruangs), marbled cats, fat lorises, and rhinoceros birds. Rehabilitation centers for orangutans and Malay bears have been opened.

Start with Bako National Park, the oldest in Sarawak. In Gunung Mulu National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will see a cluster of 45-meter-high cliffs and giant caves. You can explore them during the descents, climb to the top of Gunung Mulu and overcome obstacles in the rope park.

In Sabah, pay attention to the Kinabatangan Nature Reserve. The Kinabatangan River, the second longest (550 km) in Malaysia, is protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Bornean elephants feed on its banks, and orangutans and rhinos live there. It is one of two places on the planet where 10 species of monkeys live. The reserve is also home to all eight species of rhinoceros birds found in Borneo. Walking along the river at dawn and dusk gives you the opportunity to see them all.

The Danum Valley Nature Reserve is home to the tallest trees in the tropics, some of which are over 90 meters tall. This primary forest is home to gibbons, orangutans, red langurs, and rhinoceros birds. Here you can meet the sunrise on Atur Hill (Bukit Atur) and see the fog falling on the ancient forests.

Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Malaysia, rises above the island. Children from 10 years old can climb to its summit (4095.2 m).

Langkawi Islands of Impressions

The Langkawi archipelago consists of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. These lands are 550 million years old, and today they are protected by UNESCO as one of the global geoparks.

Spacious beaches with light sand, shade from dense spreading palm trees, calm sea off the coast create paradise conditions for swimming and sunbathing. There are both organized beaches with a wide range of water activities and a water park on the water, as well as corners for picnics and relaxation alone with nature. Renting a boat or yacht, you can go on a sea safari or a sunset cruise.

There is plenty of entertainment beyond the beach. You can climb to the mountain peaks, walk in the forest, looking at birds (there are 250 species) and monkeys with binoculars, swim in waterfalls, ride horses and bicycles. There is a SkyCab cable car with the steepest angle of ascent in the world and views as far away as Thailand, as well as a 125-meter SkyBridge pedestrian bridge connecting the mountain tops. In the zipline park, you will fly over the treetops, the Seven Wells waterfall, and see the sea and islands from a height.

A zoo, an oceanarium, a crocodile farm, golf courses, helicopter tours - all this is for you in Langkawi.

The unsurpassed Desaru

The family resort on the South China Sea coast is designed for discerning tourists. The 17 km of beaches include five-star hotels, Asia's first Chenot spa, water activities, open-air cinemas, a golf club with 45-hole courses designed by Ernie Els and a golf academy. The Adventure Waterpark features a water roller coaster, one of the largest wave pools in the world, a pirate rocking ship, a lazy river, Tornado - a total of more than 20 extreme and children's attractions on water and land.

And finally, Malaysia is great for yachtsmen, as hundreds of routes are possible, and for divers: the island of Sipadan, made famous by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, awaits them.