Malaysia is one of those countries that people sometimes overlook properly because of its neighbors of Thailand and Bali. Malaysia is known for its capital city of Kuala Lumpur which is a powerhouse financial and business hub in Southeast Asia. There are other things to do in Malaysia.
Malaysia has amazing beaches, secluded islands, awesome scuba diving sites, Orangutans sanctuary, elephant sanctuaries, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and more. Visitors to Malaysia can choose from a wide variety of activities from hiking to diving, shopping, sightseeing, and eating the amazing local food.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Malaysia. Let’s get started!
Read More On Malaysia
- Things To Do In Kuching Malaysia
- Malaysia Travel Tips For First Time Visitors
- Penang or Malacca, Which is Better To Visit?
- Can You Drink Tap Water In Malaysia?
- Reasons To Visit Malaysia
- Fun Things To Do In Kota Kinabalu Malaysia
- Does It Snow In Malaysia?
Quick Information On Malaysia
- Currency: Ringgit (RM)
- Language: Malaysian
- Population: Over 32 million
- Capital City: Kuala Lumpur
- Best time to visit Malaysia: For visiting the east coast is from March to September since it is typically drier. The west coast is from November to August.
- How to get there: You can fly into Malaysia as there are flights to most major cities in Malaysia. Also, You can enter by land through Thailand or via sea.
Where To Stay In Malaysia
Malaysia is reasonably priced but this really depends on the standard of hotel or hostel and location. Basic hotel room prices can start from $12 per night. And a hostel sharing with others can be as low as $5 per night.
Best Things To Do In Malaysia
Malaysia has plenty of places to explore from islands, and temples, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. There are fun things to do in Malaysia that will keep you busy for a few weeks.
Here is our list of things to do in Malaysia.
Admire Petronas Towers
This is one of the most iconic sites in the world, the Petronas Towers. Also known as the Petronas Twin Towers due to the fact that they come in a pair.
The Petronas Towers are located in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and are the tallest twin towers in the world.
It seems like forever to get to the viewing point but you can get the elevator to the 41st floor and walk across the vertigo-inducing Skybridge.
The view from the foot of the towers is breathtaking with 452 meters of gleaming steel reaching up to the sky.
Explore Batu Caves
Batu Caves are situated thirteen km north of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. You can get to the Batu caves via the KTM Komuter line that stops at Batu Caves railway station.
This is a sacred place for the Hindus in Malaysia. The Batu Caves make you work for your glimpse of the gods with a punishing climb of almost 300 steps leading up to the famous Cathedral Caves entrance.
Visit The Perhentian Islands
The Perhentian Islands are known for their nightlife and with plenty of water sports like snorkeling and scuba diving to enjoy. And one can even try water sports like sea-kayaking.
The islands are fringed by a coral reef, and the underwater life is rich with sea turtles and many species of tropical fish.
For those who enjoy hiking, the islands also offer some great opportunities for jungle trekking and sighting big monitor lizards and large spiders between Long Beach and Coral Bay.
You can also self-invite to a beach party at Bubu Long Beach resort for enjoying hanging out with other travelers and watching the locals perform.
Hike in Taman Negara
This is Malaysia’s oldest national park and is over 4,000 square km in size. The national park of Taman Negara straddles three Malaysian states and is home to many species.
Including endangered animals, such as the Malayan tiger, the crab-eating macaque, and the Asian elephant.
The rainforest can also be viewed from above the treetops while trekking down the 530 meters long suspended Canopy Walkway.
See Cameron Highlands
Sitting 1500 meters above sea level, the Cameron Highlands is an extensive hill station named after William Cameron, the British surveyor.
He stumbled upon the soft, curvy sides of these picturesque green hills in 1885.
The area hosts the largest tea plantations in Malaysia, which gives it the characteristic, fuzzy appearance that attracts so many tourists here. Many also visit the hills and trek down the trails.
Visit Penang Island
Penang is an island off the west coast of Malaysia that has Georgetown as its capital. Named after British king, King George. Every building in the historic core of Georgetown.
From the houses to the markets to the colonial mansions, is an integral part of the area’s unique colonial history.
The island of Penang is known for its excellent food and colorful festivals. But it’s not generally considered a nature and food destination.
Read more on things to do in Penang here.
See Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Is located in Borneo and if you like to explore a tropical rainforest that is home to 3500 species of vascular plants and exceptional 109 species of palm.
The caves stretching 295 km with canyons, wild rivers, rainforest-covered mountains, and limestone pinnacles, all add to the mesmerizing beauty of this must-see national park.
Visit The Orangutans In Sepilok
This is a Rehabilitation Centre for orangutans in Sabah, East Malaysia, for orangutans. The aim of the center is to rescue orphaned orangutans who have been left to fend for themselves due to illegal poaching and logging.
Once they have recovered, they are able to reintegrate and survive in the wild. Visitors can observe the orangutans in the center.
Tours are timed to coincide with feeding times when the animals are usually present on the feeding platforms.
Explore Melaka / Malacca
Melaka is located on Malaysia’s southwestern coast. As a result of its position on the busy sea route, it was battled over for centuries between Indian, Portuguese, British, and Dutch.
As a result, has created a city that is full of cultural, historical, and colonial sites. It even was a World Heritage Site in 2008 by UNESCO.
Read more on things to do in Malacca here.
Relax On Langkawi
Langkawi is located off the northwest corner of Malaysia. With both an airport and ferries connecting it to the mainland, it is popular for both foreign tourists and Malaysians.
Known mostly for its pristine beaches, a relaxed ambiance, and a thick forest cover. It also has loads of tourist attractions such as Malaysia’s largest indoor aquarium.
Read more on things to do in Langkawi here.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, these are only a few things to do in Malaysia. It is definitely worth visiting Penang and visiting the beautiful island of Langkawi. To visit the other places on the list takes a bit of planning but it’s important to be prepared. Like any trip, you’ll get the most out of it by learning all you can before you arrive.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on the things to do in Malaysia has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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