Pangkor Island in Perak has empty beaches, a colonial fort and hundreds of hornbills. The small island in the Straits of Melaka is less than 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of Kuala Lumpur. Pangkor remains under the radar, and visitors feel like they have the place to themselves. And it’s close enough for a side …
Borneo is the planet’s third largest island (after Greenland and New Guinea). More than 15,000 species of plants live in the 130-million-year-old rainforests. Hundreds of mammals including both orangutans and proboscis monkeys thrive in the dense jungles. Add dozens of tropical islands, thousands of kilometers of beaches and Malaysia’s tallest mountain. Borneo splits between three …
Danum Valley is among the planet’s most biodiverse and ecologically important regions. The protected rainforest sprawls 438 square kilometers in eastern Sabah. Danum Valley Field Center sits in the heart of this jungle with a world-class research facility. Picture waking to the buzz of activity in the thick jungle air. Or imagine watching the orange …
Limestone cliffs dominate much of Perak giving rise to rugged landscapes and mysterious cave temples. During British colonial days, the region was a tin mining powerhouse. The legacy of this boom period remains in Ipoh and Taiping’s stunning architecture. Beach-lovers relish at the chance for a night on Pangkor Island. Wake to coastlines void of …
Taiping was the center of Perak’s lucrative mining industry for decades. British and Chinese miners extracted vast amounts of tin. Many became overnight millionaires transforming Taiping into a boom town. Increased wealth led to increased investment. The legacy is Taiping’s collection of British colonial buildings. But despite active tourist campaigns by Perak’s state government, the …
Little-known Miri in Sarawak played a crucial role in modern-day Malaysia. In the early 20th-century, geologists struck oil in Miri. The town boomed attracting migrant workers from China. Malaysia’s black gold fuels much of the economy today. But this small oil-rich city on the South China Sea isn’t just about petroleum. It has a thriving …
Sarawak is Malaysia’s largest state on Borneo Island. Dense rainforest covers most of the territory. A handful of cities line the South China Sea coast. Capital Kuching usually gets the highest number of international visitors. Step away from the cities and find nature spanning in all directions. Visit one of the state’s 25 national parks. …
Sabah combines protected jungles with tropical islands spread in the South China, Sulu and Celebes Sea. Jungle retreats, hundreds of kilometers of coastline and some of the world’s best diving spots feature in the East Malaysian state too. Throw in the chance to see wild orangutans, fireflies and carnivorous flowers. Sabah is the pearl of …