Malaysia Track: Serenity Malaysia

My top 5 dream experiences on my bucket list for Malaysia (By Getsetandgo)

"Malaysia" - just the mention of this name is enough to conjure images of a country with a mix of everything – from a multitude of cultures to landscapes to experiences and as a tourist / traveler you are definitely spoilt for choices. Malaysia or “Truly Asia”, as its campaign says, has been on my bucket list for a while, but somehow a trip here has never materialized. Hence when MalaysiaJao Blogathon Contest was announced by Blogadda, I saw a chance to finally visit this exotic destination and hence jumped on the participation bandwagon.

For this contest, we need to write a blog post about 5 things we would want to experience in Malaysia. Tough isn’t it? More so for me since I am a budget off-beat traveler and Malaysia has numerous things for me to see and do. But I somehow managed to prioritize and create a mix of every thing i.e. art, culture, nature, kiddy, etc to be a part of 5 dream experiences on my bucket list for Malaysia.

1. Heritage trails in George Town, Penang – This heritage walk (or rather my aimless wandering) through George Town in Penang is for the Art and Culture buff in me. George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has a 200 year history with well-preserved colonial buildings and historical architecture.It is said that the architecture here is unparalleled anywhere in East or South East Asia. I have seen numerous pics of other fellow bloggers and feel that this should be on the travel list of every off beat traveler to Malaysia.

2. Scale the Kinabalu Park in Sabah – A visit here is a must for the Adventure Traveler in me and a way for me to train and challenge myself. This park is again a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to Mount Kinabalu (Malaysia’s highest mountain and one of Southeast Asia’s highest peaks) and one of the most important biological sites in the world, with between 5000 and 6000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species identified. One of the most famous species found here is the gigantic Rafflesia (large parasitic plant).

3. Walking through the Mangrove swamps and meeting the orangutans in Kabili-Sepilok Nature Reserve, Sabah – I recently saw a travel documentary made on a walk through the mangrove swamps & meeting with orangutans in this nature reserve and the animal lover in me was completely sold on it. This Reserve has been named after two rivers that flow through it and has interesting and diverse array of wildlife and vegetation, various nature trails and the world-famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre opened in 1964 as the first official orangutan rehabilitation project for rescued orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, illegal hunting or kept as pets. The orphaned orangutans are treated for injuries and then trained to survive in the wild and are released as soon as they are ready. On many occasions I have even considered volunteering here.

4. Relaxing on the beaches of Tioman Island, Pahang – I recently heard from a friend about the beautiful beaches of Tioman Island and decided that these beautiful beaches would be an ideal place to relax and rewind after scaling Mount Kinabalu. The beaches here are picturesque with twin volcanic peaks, golden sands, lush tropical rainforest and clear waters with some amazing dive sites. There is also a local legend according which Tioman Island is the resting place of a beautiful dragon princess. While flying from China to meet her Prince Charming in Singapore, she stopped to seek solace in the crystal-clear waters of the South China Sea, was enraptured by the charms of the place and decided to discontinue her journey. She then took the form of an island and pledged to offer shelter and comfort to passing travelers.

5. Legoland and Hello Kitty Town, Johor

For the kid in me who’s grown up with Lego blocks (smaller version) a chance to visit Legoland is like a kiddy dream come true. This international park is an out of world experience with thrilling rides, interactive displays, themed areas and Lego stores :). As a kid I used to ask my dad to always get me Hello Kitty stuff on every visit to Hong Kong and now a chance to see a world of Hello Kitty is just too good to resist.

Since I havent been to any of these places myself, detailed information about the locales is courtesy Malaysia Tourism and Wikipedia and the pictures are courtesy Wikipedia.

Now that the wish list is complete, day dreams are on and fingers are crossed. Hope to be one of the three lucky winners who get a chance to be in Malaysia this year :)

Getsetandgo

http://getsetandgo.wordpress.com

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10 Islands You Want to Visit in Malaysia (by Eileen Fong)

Contents

10. Tioman Island
9. Tiga Island a.k.a Survivor Island
8. Rawa Island
7. Tinggi Island
6. Tenggol Island
5. Perhentian Islands
4. Pangkor Island
3. Redang Island
2. Layang-Layang Island
1. Mabul Island – (Sipadan)

I love island life. I love the sea, the sand and the sun. Ironically, I live in Singapore (which is technically an island) but I just don’t get the satisfaction of what I expect from an island escapade/adventure. I always dream of island hopping in the Caribbean and I absolutely miss my time in Greece 2 summers back. Out of desperation, I sought out islands next door (Malaysia). I’ve been to some on the list and there are others that I’m dying to visit. Totally random but seeing this picture makes me want to scream “wheeeeeee……..”

* I will be using the term Island and Pulau interchangeably in this article. Pulau means island in Malay Language.

10. Tioman Island

Tioman is situated in Pahang within the Mersing Marine Park and being in Johor, it’s one of the closest island getaways for Singaporeans. In particular, Tioman Island created memories for my first dive trip and it is a fantastic starting point for all of you who are interested in getting your scuba diving certification. (Read 5 Reasons to Make You Want to Dive) Time magazine has also selected Tioman Island as one of the most beautiful islands.

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9. Tiga Island a.k.a Survivor Island

Pulau Tiga is the first location for the popular reality tv show “Survivor”. The island is situated off the West Coast of Sabah in Borneo. There are trails, plenty of trails on the island (including one that leads to a mud bath). It may not be your typical luxury island getaway but this uninhabited place will certainly let you escape from reality – or perhaps bring out the Chuck Noland in you?

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8. Rawa Island

Rawa Island is another option close to Singapore (even closer than Tioman!) To only way to get there is by a 1 hour ferry ride (or 30mins speed boat) from Mersing Jetty. There are lesser tourist on this small island compared to Tioman so it may be a better choice for those of you who prefer less crowd. Rawa is known for its soft white sand and coral reefs rich with marine life (as it is mostly untouched).

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7. Tinggi Island

Also accessible from Mersing Jetty, Pulau Tinggi is bigger than Rawa but smaller than Tioman. Not only does Pulau Tinggi offer a tranquil island life, it is also populated with lush jungles. This island can be a great family adventure offering both water activities in the deep blue, as well as rock climbing or trekking leading up to waterfalls amidst the rainforest.

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6. Tenggol Island

Pulau Tenggol is part of a string of islands including Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang, off the coast of Terrengganu. This island is more well-known amongst the divers as it offers abundant marine life compared to other commercialised islands like Tioman. Sightings here include sharks, rays and nudibranch. For the interest of non-divers, I will quit rambling on and introduce you to Pulau Perhentian – #5

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5. Perhentian Islands

The Perhentian Islands have been dubbed ‘paradise’ by some. It is made up of a big island (Perhentian Bersar) and small island (Perhentian Kecil). Both islands are fringed by sandy white beaches, and the reefs and crystal clear water are host to a wide variety of coral, sea-turtles, jellyfish, small sharks and reef-fish. Expect yourself to be part of a scene in the Beach and the Perhentian Islands are certainly not a shabby alternative to Ko Phi Phi.

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4. Pangkor Island

Pangkor Island is situated off the coast of the Perak state, somewhere between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. It was previously reported that celebrities such as Kiera Knightley, Sting and Anna Friel are fans of the island (or more accurately the privately owned sister island Pangkor Laut). Having said that the main Pangkor Island offers a more affordable getaway with beautiful beaches like Coral Bay and Teluk Nipah.

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3. Redang Island

I don’t think I need to introduce Redang Island. It is a haven for all islanders. There are plenty of accommodations to choose from; budget to the ones you can splurge on. Period.

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2. Layang-Layang Island

Layang Layang Island is also commonly known as Swallow Reef Island. It is one of the most population dive destinations for enthusiast and for the rest, it is a serene island to basically chillax. Bird watching is also a popular activity on Layang Layang. For the wanderers, do be careful because there is a naval base and trespassing will result in detention! Otherwise, just stay underwater, there’s so much to see, or bask in your deck chairs. Either way, this is a blissful island retreat.

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1. Mabul Island – (Sipadan)

Just look at that accommodation! I want to jump into the waters right there and then. Who needs Maldives when you have Malaysia?! (Haha okay I’m kidding, I want to go Maldives too). But this place is heaven – friends who have been there swear by it. I’ve included Sipandan as part of Mabul Island as it is a beautiful dive destination but I’ve been told by Malaysian friends that you need a dive permit to head there. If you don’t have one, stay on Mabul Island, which is equally deserving. Though, being number 1 comes with a price, be prepared to burn a hole in your pocket!