Malaysia is rated as one of the best countries to live, and is already a popular touring destination for travellers all over the world. It is a multi-cultural country though with Islam as its majority religion followed by Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and others. In terms of travel, tourist attractions in Malaysia are aplenty, irrespective of travel budget and fun activities, travellers may want to enjoy the country. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, is an enterprising cosmopolitan city with excellent infrastructure, amazing architecture and endless shopping options.
Take a short drive from Kuala Lumpur, and you’ll find plenty of tourist attractions in Malaysia adding to your bucket list of to-do’s from islands, mesmerizing caves, mountains to a number of temples, and there’s a great way to unravel the fauna-laden jungles that Borneo is blessed with.
Malaysia is considered a happening destination for sporting activities including scuba diving and snorkelling. Not to mention the awesomely soft sandy beaches and deep coral reefs featured in the list of the top tourist attractions in Malaysia. For more tips on how to make the best use of your time in Malaysia, read this blog that deals with the best places to visit in Malaysia.
1. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur:
The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur is a signature landmark of Malaysia. This ultra-modern tower is considered to be a marvel of modern architecture, in addition to numerous stately colonial palaces and government buildings in the country. Think of Malaysia, the twin set of skyscrapers comes to the mind like a flash. The Suria KLCC shopping malls, located at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, is the most happening shopping destination in the region. This imposing tower measures 452m in height. Comprising 88 floors tall, the Petronas has 76 elevators in total. Although the record was broken by Taipie (at 1671 ft.) in 2006, the Petronas Towers still stands tall as the world’s tallest twin tower. The architecture is a blend of two cultures: Malaysian and Islamic. Though there are many tourist attractions in Malaysia (which we will see below), the Petronas Twin Towers still remains one of the best places to visit in Malaysia hosting a gamut of entertainment, restaurants, hotels and providing a scintillating nightlife in the purlieu of this amazing landmark.
2. Batu Caves
Batu Caves, a 400 million-year-old hill, is incorporated with limestone formations within it. It is separated by a distance of 13km from the city of Kuala Lumpur. There are many local buses and taxis plying to the touring destination from all over the city. It is popular the world over, especially among the native Tamil Hindus and diaspora for Thaipusam, the annual Hindu festival celebrated with great fanfare and fervour. The main deity is Lord Muruga, the supreme Tamil god.
The Thaipusam celebration draws millions of visitors who travel from far and wide just to witness the vibrant display of Hindu devotees fulfilling their vows by carrying “kavadi” (framework), decorated with a string of palm leaves, peacock feathers, flowers and milk pots, carrying it on their shoulders. But that’s not everything to it. The fervent devotees carry “kavadi” with metal hooks and skewers piercing their cheeks, skin and tongue!
3. Mount Kinabalu, Sabah
The highlight of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah is located at Kinabalu Park, a famous World Heritage Site. If you’re a lover of nature, you’ll be thrilled to be able to enjoy the abundant flora-and fauna-capped mountains at various altitudes. Mount Kinabalu, in addition to several other upland regions of the Crocker Range, is popular all over for its wide biodiversity of biological and botanical species comprising Australian, Himalayan and Indo-Malayan origin. With over 6000 exotic plant species, which is greater than all of North America and Europe combined, this is therefore one of the world’s most significant biological hubs.
Standing tall at 4,095m, Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak between New Guinea and the Himalayan ranges. Mount Kinabalu comes from ‘Aki Nabalu’, the Kadazan word which roughly translates into ‘the honoured place of the dead’. Mount Kinabalu is far more scalable than other peaks in the world–providing you’re reasonably fit and healthy for the expedition.
4. Perhentian Islands:
The Perhentian Islands provide tropical beaches that are mostly tourist-free, impressive snorkelling conditions and cost-effective scuba diving schools. Whilst the tourist trail might direct you to Langkawi or Penang, these islands are amazingly uncommercial. Instead of motorbikes and cars, you’ll be able to find more water taxis and jungle trails. But remember you’ll have to pay a premium for the schlepp to get to the island. You need to spend the full day in travel including flights, a two-hour journey by bus, and a jarring half-hour ride by boat.
5. Sipadan Islands:
Sipadan Islands, known for its cornucopia of marine life diversity, boasts incredible natural beauty and awesome landscape and is one of the best places to visit in Malaysia with family. It is rated as the top diving spot in the country, and not surprisingly listed as the best 10 diving spots in the world on a par with the world-famous Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. The biological ecosystem is rich with varied species of coral reefs, fishes and aquatic animals. Although Sipadan attracts a lot of visitors, it isn’t that easily accessible for all. Only if you obtain a diving permit will you be allowed to enjoy this enthralling world. In the event of your failing to visit Sipadan, there are alternate destinations, Mabul and Kapalai. Take a 45-50 minutes’ boat ride from Sipadan to these two fabulous islands.
6. Gunung Mulu National Park:
Gunung Mulu National Park holds a lot of significance in terms of its rich biodiversity. Located on Borneo island in the State of Sarawak, the Gunung Mulu is the world’s most visited tropical karst area. The park, spread at an expanse of 52,864 hectares, comprises 17 vegetation zones displaying nearly 3,500 varieties of vascular plants. The palm species of the Gunung Mulu are highly rich, with 109 different species in 20 genera documented. The park is dotted by Gunung Mulu, which is 2,377m in height, made of sandstone pinnacle. Walk into at least 295km of uninhibited raw nature providing a fantastic sight, as the Gunung Mulu is an abode to millions of cave bats and swiftlets. The Sarawak Chamber, one of the must visit places in Malaysia, is the world’ biggest known cave chamber, and measures 600 m by 415 m and 80 m in height.
We’ve listed only the top Malaysia tourist attractions failing to visit them would render sightseeing in Malaysia useless. Though there are more Malaysia tourist places to explore, a lot of course depends on your planned budget and travel itinerary.
