Malaysia Favorite Tips by gnh Top 5 Page for this destination

It's Still A Dirty Place !

Favorite thing: Expect lots of unwanted unsightly rubbish strewn all over the unlikely places. Roadside, villages, towns, cities.

Who's in charge ?

Don't ask me !

Friendly Bugs

Favorite thing: If you like to stay in the villages, there's a phenomenon that occurs usually during the rainy season.

It's the termites which fly out at night and be attracted to, where else, bright lights -- where you are.

You need not run, for they are harmless, being the males out searching for the queen.
They get into your nostrils, your mouth, your ears, your eyes, your hair etc.

Poor souls, they all die in a mass of wings which you notice the next morning.

Resistance is futile. Do the best thing - switch off the lights !

East And West Malaysia

Dress Modestly

Favorite thing: Malaysia is hot and humid, so you might want to dress lightly. Don't by flimsy though, as it might offend certain quarters.

You can safely wear your bikini by the hotel pools, but please don't do that in public beaches.

In spite of what the promotional brochures claim, there are many people here who do not welcome tourists, especially the extremists, though they are not obvious to the visitor.

You would definitely be asking for trouble in the Eastern states of Kelantan and Trengganu if you think you can just carry on as usual ( unless you're from the Islamic zone ).

Fondest memory: Places to have FUN FUN FUN ! = Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Melaka, Cameroh Highlands, Pulau Pangkor, Kota Kinabalu ( Sabah ), Kuching ( Sarawak ), Pulau Tioman, Pulau Perhentian = those places are made for tourists.

The bigger towns with mostly Chinese population are more exposed to your way of life, and you can just behave as yourself.

Places to be SERIOUS = East Coast states of Trengganu, Kelantan and all the smaller towns and villages. In those places, it's best to be unassuming, modest and most of all, give way to the locals.

That goes even for Malaysians ! Different races are distinctively different in behaviour, outlook and way of life !

Good Shopping In The Cities

Favorite thing: You can find most of the indigenous crafts in the city.

Kuala Lumpur has the famous Central Market. The stuff there is mostly well-sourced, though very commercialised and often not original.

For the real stuff, you have to take time and effort to seek them out in the remote places.