Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of
Borneo. It’s known for its beaches, rainforests and mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European
cultural influences. The capital, Kuala Lumpur, is home to colonial buildings, busy shopping
districts such as Bukit Bintang and skyscrapers such as the iconic, 451m-tall Petronas Twin
Towers.
Peninsular Malaysia’s west coast is home to Malacca, a former colonial port known as a center
of Chinese-Malay Peranakan culture, and to Langkawi island, famous for beach resorts. Penang
Island’s capital, George Town, is full of temples and street-food stalls. Peninsular Malaysia’s east
coast is known for beach resorts, plus diving and snorkeling at Tioman, Redang and the
Perhentian islands. Malaysian Borneo is covered largely in tropical rainforest with diverse wildlife
(including orangutans), and offers many beaches, scuba diving off Sipadan Island and the city of
Kota Kinabalu, gateway to Mount Kinabalu