Malaysia is a divided country with half of the country on the Malay Peninsula in the middle of Thailand and Singapore with the other half sharing the island of Borneo with Indonesia and Brunei. It is famous for the Petronas Twin Towers but the tallest building in the country is the Warisan Merdeka Tower which is the second tallest building in the world.

Malaysia’s rapidly growing cities are filled with modern skyscrapers but the architecture of Moghul, Malay and Victorian still remains. Coexisting with the modern lifestyle are various cultures with hawker stalls selling enticing food, unique festivals, colorful markets and historical sites.

Away from the cities, Malaysia has beautiful white-sand beaches on the islands of Langkawi and Redang that are speckled with swaying coconut trees and lush rainforests teeming with wildlife can be enjoyed on the island of Borneo.

Amid the busy modern cities, vivid cultures and enchanting nature, Malaysia is a place with a wide range of exotic experiences

Must See Attractions

The must see attractions in Malaysia are a mix of modern city attractions and nature sites. All of the modern city attractions are located in the greater Kuala Lumpur area and some of the nature sites are near Kuala Lumpur but others are located throughout the country with some of the best wildlife viewing in the Malaysian portion of island of Borneo.

Kuala Lumpur’s main hub is called the Golden Triangle that includes the Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC park, Lake Gardens, Chinatown and the shopping malls of the Pavilion KL and Suria KLCC. Other notable sites in Kuala Lumpur are Petaling Street flea market and the Batu Caves.

My two standout experiences in Malaysia are as completely different as they as can possibly be but that seems to be perfectly appropriate for being in Malaysia. The city of Kuala Lumpur is modern with innovative towering skyscrapers but the country of Indonesia is still rich in natural resources and pristine wildlife environments. Therefore, it seems normal that my two standout experiences in Malaysia were visiting the Petronas Twin Towers and going on the Kilia Mangrove tour in Borneo.

The Petronas Twin Towers are a symbol of Malaysia and were the world’s tallest structure when they were built in 1988, holding the title until 2004. They are still the world’s tallest twin towers and have a sky bridge connecting them with an observation deck. The towers are accessible to visitors although there are a limited number of passes issued each day so the easiest way to enjoy them is from KLCC Park.

I have always enjoyed observing wildlife in their natural environment and I am especially passionate about seeing wildlife that can only be seen in a small portion of the world. Consequently, I make an effort to see local wildlife during all of my travels.

My primary interest in going on the Kilia Mangrove tour was to see the Proboscis Monkey (aka the long nose monkey). The Proboscis Monkey is an endangered species that is only found on the island of Borneo. They live mostly on the coastal areas of the island in the mangrove forests. Seeing free roaming wildlife in their natural habitat is always difficult and even harder when I know that I will only have one chance for just a few hours but that never stops me from trying.

I was fortunate to see two different troop of monkeys on my once in a lifetime chance to see this endangered species. The tour used a small boat to navigate through the mangrove forest and the monkeys that we saw were not threatened by our presence. Each troop allowed us to watch them forage on tree leave before moving through the trees to a new location. Observing these monkeys rates among my top wildlife encounters.

The world always amazes me! Sometimes it is the most modern human achievement and other times it is nature and wildlife that have existed throughout time. In Malaysia, it was both!

Places to See

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