Malaysia: There is always time
By Adriane Berg
Have you wanted to visit Asia but felt that you didn’t have enough vacation time? I have a solution for you. Visit Malaysia. It is promoted as “Truly Asia,” and it truly is. Malaysia is one stop visiting for all you ever hoped to see, taste, hear and love about an Asian vacation. By seeing Malaysia first, you satisfy your desire to see several countries at once.
Malaysia has a major Chinese population, with all the good food, fascinating Temples, art and culture you crave. But it also has a significant Indian population, with glorious shrines, active street markets and all the golden fabrics and smiles you could want. But wait. Malaysia has Borneo, where you can still meet witch doctors and learn to use a plow pipe. Or you may seek soft adventure in the exotic territory of the nomadic Orang Asli tribe, the Taman Negara Rain Forest, which is a national park. I walked the rain forest canopy and saw the rare white glowing moon snail, on a secret night jungle walk.
Malaysia is so diverse that my hotel, Shangri La in Kuala Lumpur, the best city hotel at which I have ever stayed, served fourteen different breakfasts to satisfy the taste of their guests.
Malaysia is also European. Dutch, English, Portuguese and Malay settled the sightseeing city of Melaka. I took a trikshaw (bicycle cart) for a three-hour stint, and found myself eating grilled sardines with Portuguese fisherman at the Straits Melaka one moment, and buying Baba Noya (Malaysian-Chinese) porcelain the next.
In Kuching, a city that marks the gateway to Borneo, you can browse the Main Market for tribal crafts or raise a glass of ale in the Irish pubs. Cat lovers will enjoy the only cat museum in the world.
Beach and resort life is everywhere. The pristine islands of the coast are vying for tourists against the over built Thai paradises. I stayed in a five star lake resort Batan Ai, in Borneo. But, you may prefer island retreats that come with spa experiences like Aruvedic body wrap, Thai massage and Chinese oil drips. Malaysia has its share of Philippine, Thai and Indonesian culture without the problematic political environment or the tourist crowds.
The Malaysians themselves are probably the country’s greatest assets. They are Muslims and important people to meet face to face, in these troubled times, just to renew our faith in a better world. They also have their own customs and cuisine, like sticky rice, banana leaf platters and colorful costumes and music.
Right now, Malaysia is the buy of the century at 3.7 ringgets to the dollar, almost 4 for 1. By 2020 Malaysia is slated to be a first world economy and I expect their currency to start strengthening soon, so go now.
If you go, remember that Malaysia is near the Equator and has no seasons. But avoid the rainy months. If you want to feel cooler, consider a side trip to Genting Highlands out side of Kuala Lumpur, where you find a casino, resort and amusement park in the cloud shrouded mountains. The flight is 21 hours, with a stop to stretch. Malaysian airlines make all classes comfortable, but take your guidebooks, and follow the rules for no jet lag (eat and drink lightly, use the exercise video on the plane, read, and watch movies, set your clock to Malaysian time.) Bon voyage.