25 Life-Changing Experiences You Can Only Have in Malaysia

The average Malaysian speaks three languages and whenever possible would combine all three in a single conversation or sentence. And they would be more than happy to teach bits of it to anyone who wants to know. Engage enough with Malaysians and you may come out knowing a mixed bag of Cantonese, Malay, Hindi and/or a dialect or two. It would not make much sense anywhere else, but it would allow you to order food like a local in Malaysia.

The elephant sanctuary in Kuala Gandah, Pahang invites guests to bathe and feed the elephants. More often than not, these elephants have been relocated to the sanctuary due to deforestation threats to their natural habitat. Experience these majestic and gentle creatures up close as you feed them fruit and pet them.

Being a predominantly Muslim country, Malaysia is one of the best places to go for halal tourism, where the appropriate Islamic way of doing things is taken into consideration. In malls, prayer rooms are often provided for Muslim patrons to ensure that the daily prayer times aren’t missed (if guests can’t make it to a mosque). Most restaurants — even popular franchises — are required to display certification bearing halal regulations, assuring diners that food and products used are in line with Islamic religious preferences (generally meaning pork and alcohol free). Segregation by gender remains quite lenient in Malaysia, as many Malaysians of all religions move about in family units. Recommended by Sarah Anne Lee

At 1,483 feet and with 88 floors, the Petronas Twin Towers is a major feature of the Kuala Lumpur skyline and one of the world’s tallest buildings. It makes perfect sense then that it’s one of the most popular base-jumping spots in the world. Thrill-seekers will be jumping off from the area just below the antenna. So they will be taking off at the highest possible point and getting the best view of the city while they’re at it. You can obviously just visit the towers with regular tickets too!

Admire the marine life that lives on the corals off the shores of Malaysia. If coral reefs in shallow waters aren’t your thing, go off on your own diving adventure. Islands, like the Perhentian Islands and Tioman, offer diving courses and packages at relatively cheap prices, as well as resorts to relax in after a day in the sea.

Kuala Lumpur isn’t as expensive as its world-class services and attractions may lead one to believe. Many activities are cheap, or even free of charge. Food is very affordable, with roti canai as low as RM1 (US$0.25), a bowl of curry mee available for RM6 (US$1.40) and the national dish, nasi lemak, also generally available for RM1. Higher-class restaurants and add-ons may bring the prices up, but rest assured that you will always be able to find something affordable and good quality in Malaysia. Recommended by Sarah Anne Lee.

In the Kek Lok Si temple complex in George Town, Penang stands a bronze statue of Guan Yin (‘Goddess of Mercy’) that measures 120-feet high. An astounding feature on its own, Kek Lok Si also boasts the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas filled with alabaster and bronze Buddhas. One the largest temple complexes in Malaysia, it was built over the course of 40 years, beginning 1830, and is a testament to what awe-inspiring structures devotion and skill can create.

Mt. Kinabalu is the highest peak in the Crocker mountain range running across Borneo and is a must-visit for those who love hiking. The climbing trails are closed in on either side by the dense and diverse flora that gave the Kinabalu Park the Heritage Site stamp from UNESCO. Watch out for the more exotic plants like the Rafflesia, the world’s largest (and smelliest) flower, and pace yourself for the peak (ironically named Low’s Peak). Leave the rest house before dawn if you want to catch the sunrise at the top.

Carved into the tall 400-year old limestone cliffs in Selangor is a complex of Hindu shrines and temples collectively known at the Batu Caves. A popular tourist spot, Batu Caves has both the natural beauty of the limestone hills and an air of religious awe, compounded by the giant golden statue of Lord Muruga standing at the foot of the hill. Bats naturally inhabit the limestone caves and cheeky monkeys are known to come up to tourists, more often than not to pilfer snacks and shiny things, so keep those cameras secure!

Even better than enjoying Malaysia’s famously scrumptious cuisine is learning how to recreate it for friends and loved ones back home. Classes, like Lazat Cooking, will even guide you in buying ingredients in the wet market. Learn how to cook everything from classic dishes like nasi lemak and char kuey teow, to family-favourite desserts like kueh koci.

Cooking class at Lazat Cooking | Courtesy of Lazat Cooking

James Cameron’s alien paradise in Avatar might be based on a national forest in China, but the karst formation at the Gunung Mulu National Park has a beauty that’s alien in quality themselves. Surrounded by acres of wild rainforest that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, discover your inner botanist or dive back into that fantasy of being Indiana Jones on the trail for an ancient relic.

The durian might be the most notorious of the Malaysian fruit bunch, but the crop of Malaysian fruit extends much further than its sharp green spikes. There is the purple mangosteen – sometimes hailed as the Queen of Fruits, hairy red rambutans, bright green cempedak, sunny yellow starfruits and mangoes, and lime green guavas. It doesn’t stop there. There are honey apples, ciku, pomelos, duku langsat, lychees, soursops, snakefruits, etc. It’s a veritable feast.

Due to its colourful history, buildings in Malaysian tend to run a gamut of styles influenced by different cultures. This is especially evident in the mosques. The National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, dubbed the most beautiful in the country, has a history twined with the country’s independence and features a bright blue roof that looks like an umbrella. The Tanquerah Mosque in Malacca is the only one in the country to have a pagoda instead of a minaret and features an interior with Chinese, Malay, and Javanese influences. While the royal Ubudiah mosque in Perak can be seen from a distance due to its golden dome and minarets, reflecting a neo-Mughal style.

The Semenggoh Nature Reserve in Sarawak rehabilitates and feeds orangutans, both in their care and wild ones. Due to constant exposure to humans, the orangutans in the reserve are quite friendly and are even known to preen in front of tourists. Come watch them preen, monkey around, or teach their young how to climb.

From water attractions to a mini zoo with exotic animals, the Sunway Lagoon theme park has something for the entire family. It features over 80 attractions, which belong to a water theme park, an amusement park, and an ‘extreme park’. Shoot down water slides, soar up in roller coasters, and go bungee jumping all in the same place. The Vuvuzela, the world’s largest water ride, is a must-try.

Whilst the Twin Towers offer you a look of the city from a bird’s eye point of view, the KL tower differentiates itself in that it offers dining as well. The revolving restaurant ensures that you do not have to leave your seat in order to experience the city. Ideal for those who enjoy night landscapes.

Paddy fields, rainforested hills, island beaches and mangroves, cool breezy highlands, tea plantations, cacti and palm oil and rubber plantations, strawberry greenhouses, limestone formations, city valleys, rural ‘kampung‘ villages… Malaysia’s landscape is very diverse. From underground caverns to the high peaks of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah and the modern towers of KL, cross-country travel is full of interesting differences. Recommended by Sarah Anne Lee.

A unique approach to animal viewing. Look out for elephants, monkeys and everything in between from the comfort of a boat sailing down the longest river in Sarawak, the Kinabatangan River.

A trishaw is one of the best ways to take in Penang and all its romantic colonial architecture, UNESCO Heritage sites, and seaside. The canny trishaw cyclist will be able to cut through traffic quickly and recommend some good places to try out the famous Penang cuisine. Or you can check out our list here.

George Town, Penang | © LMspencer / Shutterstock.com

Legend has it that in the 18th century, a young woman, Mahsuri, was wrongfully accused of adultery and killed. The blood shed during her execution was white, proof of her innocence, and in revenge she cursed the island for seven generations. While the existence of a curse is debatable, the myth of Mahsuri has brought many tourists to Langkawi to visit her tomb. Myth and mysteries aside, Langkawi is famous for being a duty-free island (cheap booze and chocolates!) with wonderful sandy beaches.

Want to try loads of different foods in one place? Head down to Jalan Alor in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, grab a table near the many hawker stalls, each serving a different dish from a different cuisine. Bring your loose jogging pants because no one leaves Jalan Alor without a food baby. For starters, try the BBQ chicken and char kuey teow.

Many days of the year are dedicated to religious and cultural celebrations in Malaysia. Hindu celebrations like Thaipusam; boisterous and lively Chinese New Year festivals; the nationally observed month of Ramadan, where breaking the fast at food markets is a favourite activity; the elaborate Christmas decorations in the malls: all of these are celebrated vivaciously in Malaysia. Recommended by Sarah Anne Lee.

Longhouses are the traditional domicile of the local tribes in Sarawak, like the Iban and Bidayuh. These structures are long and rectangular with a pitched roof and are built on stilts to withstand flood waters in the past. Now, the space underneath the house provides a working space with cool shade away from the sun. Spend time in these longhouses and observe the traditions that open a window into the way of life of hunter-gatherer tribes that still rely on the forest for food and medicine. These longhouses only have one room, meant to accommodate several families, so check personal space at the door.

When Malaysians have a free weekend and an itch for the poker tables, the casino in Genting Highlands is where they first go. Located in the Titiwangsa Mountains in Pahang, the Genting Highlands resort also boasts an indoor and outdoor amusement park, cable car lifts and many plush hotels to relax in.

While banked on either side by the sea, Malaysia does not see many surfers visiting its beaches. Until monsoon season arrives, that is. The waves come large and fierce in October/November and February/March. When everyone retreats indoors, the surfers go out to play. You have to admire the rebellion inherent in such a set-up.