Cool Places … In Hot Malaysia

By: Donald Jones

The pet monkey named Joyng bit through her leash and romped through the fronds of the palm trees, celebrating her freedom. She paused occasionally to heave a coconut down at the sweat-soaked baseball cap of her frantic owner, who was chasing wildly after her and, in the Terengganu dialect which Joyng knew, beseeching her to come down. Such is life in tropic Malaya's resorts--better known to Europeans (especially Germans) than Americans. Guests enjoy the sun, sandy beaches, swimming pools, eco-tourism, river cruising, ocean diving, jungle trekking, remainder-to-remnant massages and spacious villas in the architectural styles of the Malayan Archipelago.

They will also find crab-feeding monkeys, noisy hornbills and monitor lizards sunning them selves on the green lawns as their neighbors. Our press grouping's have was limited to impertinent local culinary art, sleeping in comfortable villas, snorkeling in warm seas and partaking in 3 health club treatments, which together created a perfect high gear-enjoyment refuge memory. We had first base flown into Kuala Lumpur, 's modern capital city, which everyone calls "KL." The cosmopolitan city and business center gained new public awareness when the Petronas Twin Towers topped out in 1996 and occupancy began in early 1997. Tower One is occupied by Petronas, the state-owned petroleum corporation. Tower Two houses Petronas' associate companies and multinationals. The towers are joined by the 192-foot-long sky bridge on levels 41 and 42.

Our final examination dinner was at the Fisherman's Cove Restaurant, which offered an Asian-fusion of Western grill, Taiwanese dishes, Italian specialties and impudent seafood. The open kitchen, views and state-of-the-art design made it the ultimate dining know at Pangkor Laut. Our drive back to KLIA for our flight home was notable because it was on Ching Ming, the day that people from the Formosan communities traditionally sojourn cemeteries to honor and show respect to their ancestors. The many final exam resting places that we passed, all senior high school on hillsides, were thick with devotees and there were no places left to park on the highway.

is a great place to inflict, but be prepared for heat, overwhelming humidity and thunder-showers every afternoon, depending on the time of year. Monsoon temper starts around the beginning of October and continues to January-February. A haunt arrest, with its breezes, is fresher than a check in KL, and dress is more casual. Airlines flies five times a week 'tween Los Angeles (LAX) and KL via Taipei and III times a week betwixt New York (JFK) and KL via Stockholm. Airlines' crown jewel, the Golden Lounge, is the world's largest business--and first gear-class airport passenger lounge, with good food plus corners in which to relax and check your e-mail. Pangkor Laut Recourse was included on the Circus tent Ten Overseas Hotel Spas-Asia and 100 Big top Spas Worldwide 2004 lists by Conde Nast Traveller.

Opened on March 1, 1979, the repair has been extensively refurbished under new management. It features 126 luxury villas and 22 resort hotel villas plus a watering place building and two swimming pools. It is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World mathematical group. Tanjong Jara Refuge won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for its updated interpretation of a 17th-century sultan's palace.

It was given the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences' 5-Star Diamond Award and the top award in the Malaysian National Landscaping Competition.

Article Tags: award, kl, petronas

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Malaysia: The Asian Beauty

By: Alex J Smith

The splendid country of Malaysia stores a rich stock of diversified heritage, traditions, and culture. The vivid mesh of different religious and racial backgrounds that feature the heritage of Asia in Malays, Chinese, and Indians and the cultural marks left by the Thai, Portuguese, Dutch, and English make Malaysia one of the most beautiful countries that celebrate plurality and diversity.

Despite the differences, the people of Malaysia are the most gentle and most tolerant in the world. Each Malaysian promotes a sense of harmony and peace that emanates not only from within. In every place that tourists travel in this country, they find peace everywhere.

Beach Resorts

As you travel to Malaysia, you should not miss the best beach resorts it has to offer. The Emerald Bay for example is listed as the top ten of the world’s beaches and definitely one of the best in Malaysia. The bay is crescent in shape and has the identity of most Malaysia’s beaches which have emerald waters. This beach is highly exclusive but travel agents can make sure that everything will be in order when you go there.

The Catai beach in Langkawi Island is another top beach. While most of the coves are privately owned, it still does not stop for tourists to enter this beach scene. The Datai beach is one of the best crescent beaches in Malaysia with excellent diving sites that rival the best beaches in Asia.

Tioman Island is one beach that has still its conservative beauty. It is a very avid tourist spot especially for golfers, nature lovers, and skin divers looking for the best diving spots. Its golden beach at the front and a deep forest backed by a tropical jungle is a paradise for the tourist. Travel agents in Malaysia will tell you that it is best to go there during March to September.

Sights in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur which is a city filled with skyscrapers houses the magnificent and modern Petronas Towers and other towers. However, much of Kuala Lumpur has its beauty in the old colonial building that symbolizes its rich heritage. The towers take the influence of Moorish, Islamic, and the Tudor tradition.

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is one of the largest bird parks in South East Asia. Tourists to Malaysia that go to its capital marvel at the different display of birds in such an urban place. The National Mosque shows off the Islamic tradition of Malaysia to its Asian neighbours. It houses a grand hall that can accommodate a lot of Muslim worshippers, which is also a main reason for the influx of tourists.

About the Author:

Alex J Smith writes for Datravelers.com It's a website where travelers can host their own travel blogs, upload photos and find unbiased travel information.

Article Tags: beach, malaysia, travel

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Malaysia - Land Of Festivals!

By: Alix Sunggin

Anyone visiting Malaysia for the first time would not cease to be amazed by the number of festivals and events that are happening the whole year around. Malaysia, with its mix of ethnic races which include Malays, descendants of the Bugis and Javanese, Chinese, Indian and others, features a colourful potpourri of cultural traditions. Many of these traditions are expressed through the festivals that take place the whole year round!

Major festivals of Malaysia include

* Hari Raya Aidilfitri

After a month of fasting during the month of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the first day of Syawal which is the tenth month of the Muslim calendar with joyous enthusiasm. This is a major festival for Muslims and they usher in the day with prayers in mosques and remembering their departed loved ones. It is also the time for family reunion when members of the family from different parts of the country get together. The festival mood is with joyous enthusiasm. Special festival dishes are served for festivals and friends during "open house". The festival mood is reflected is brightly decorated homes, government and commercial buildings. Homes are also lit with all lamps at the entrance in keeping with a long established tradition.

* Chinese New Year

This is the most important festival of the Chinese community and it lasts for a full two weeks! It begins with a reunion dinner which is traditional for every member of the family to attend. Chinese New Year is the time when spirits are appeared and offerings are made to Gods. It is a boisterous festival with the clang of cymbals accompanying lion dances and the thunder of fire crackles filling the air. Guests are entertained to a variety of sumptuous food and drinks and the unmarried youngsters are given Ang Pows - gifts of money enclosed in little red packets. Major hotels and shopping complexes celebrate the occasion by holding lion dances and special Chinese programmers to entertain their clients.

* Deepavali

This is a Hindu festival of light. Homes of Hindus are lit with little lights to signify the victory over darkness for the Hindus believe that this is the day when the forces of good overcame the forces of evil. Deepavali is a major festival of the Hindus and on the eve prayers are held both at home and in the temples.Hindus take a traditional oil bath in the early hours of the morning on Deepavali day and after prayers entertain their friends and guests to "open house.

* Christmas

The birth of Christ is celebrated by Christians in Malaysia in the true traditional style. Most Christians homes are decorated with festoon and coloured lights and the Christmas tree is a must! Young Christians go carolling days before Christmas day to usher in the Yuletide spirit. Churches hold midnight masses on the eve of Christmas. The festival is celebrated on a national scale in Malaysia and Christians hold "open house" to entertain their friends and colleagues.

* Thaiponggol

In Malaysia, Thaiponggol is a harvest festival celebrated out of season because it is fixed in the Hindu calendar. Tamils celebrate this festival around the second week of January. While it is still dark, farmers rise and cook some of the newly harvested grain. Ponggol is the presentation of the cooked harvested grain to the sun at dawn.

However, for urban families, this ritual has been adapted to their own living conditions. Here the family rises, bathes and gets dressed before dawn. This is done without the use of any form of light. When everyone is ready, wearing their best clothes, they assemble around a display of fruits and flowers. Only then are lamps lit.

* National Water Festival

Water resource plays an important role in the socio-cultural and economic development of the Malaysian society. Apart from functioning as a communication system, an economic, resource and determinant of early settlement pattern of the Malaysian society, it had also been a place where families carried out their recreational activities in the past. Therefore, water resource in whatever form should be protected, valued and utilized to the maximum.

The fun gets merrier with the drinking of the inevitable tapai which is an alcoholic drink made from rice wine. Apart from these, there are also organised agriculture shows, buffalo races, cultural performances and traditional games as part and parcel of the festive celebrations.

* Gawai Dayak

The Gawai Dayak festival is celebrated by the Dayaks of Sarawak who live in longhouses. Being one of the major festivals of the community, it is celebrated on a grand scale and lasts for a week. The Gawai Dayak festival marks the transitional period between the season of rice harvesting and the new planting season. Hence, it is a reason of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest and also a time to rest from work before the new planting season. The sound of boisterous laughter, convivial talk, drinking, dancing and merry-making will echo relentlessly all through the days of this exotic and colourful festival.

* Penang International Dragon Boat Festival

The Penang's first Dragon Boat Race was held in 1956 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Municipality of George Town. 10 years later the race was revived as part of the Pesta Pulau Pinang. The Pesta races was originally confined to participation from the local teams such as teams from Government Department, associations and commercial establishments. However, in 1979, the boat festival became an international tourism carnival with 2 participation from overseas, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The Penang International Dragon Boat Festival has participating teams all over the world include Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Macau, Thailand, Japan, Britain, West Germany, USA and others.

* Nine Emperor Gods Festival

The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods falls on the ninth day of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Devotees flock to the temples throughout the country for this religious festival. The Nine Emperor Gods are part of a spirit-medium cult known locally as ‘Jieu Hwang Yeh’. These Nine Deities are believed to dwell in the stars in heaven under the reign of ‘Thien Hou’ - the Queen of Heaven.

A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the nine-day festival. During this period of time, the constant tinkling of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most devotees stay at the temple, take vegetarian meals and recite continuous chanting of prayer. A procession to send the Nine Emperor Gods home then takes place to complete the rites of this religious festival.

More information about Festival in Malaysia just go to http://malaysia.tourism-asia.net/malaysia-festivals.html

About the Author:

Alix Sunggin is webmaster of Business Health Articles (http://www.businesshealtharticles.com) and Malaysia Travel Agent (http://www.malaysiatravelagent.com.my)

Article Tags: chinese, festival, malaysia

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Malaysia Truly Asia

By: Hanny Dsax

Endowed with a diversity of cultures, Malaysia offers a 'truly Asian experience'. Discover a delightful fusion of three of Asia's oldest civilisations - Malay, Chinese and Indian. A potpourri enriched with the indigenous traditions of the KadazanDusuns, Ibans and other ethnic communities of Sabah and Sarawak.

Experience the country's alluring wonders - colorful festivals, breathtaking skyscrapers, charming heritage buildings, enchanting islands and beaches as well as a million-year-old rainforest with fascinating flora and fauna.

Meet the warm and friendly people and enjoy world-class facilities. Marvel at the bewildering range of shopping delights and tempt your palate with mouth-watering delicacies. Bursting with color, pulsating with life, Malaysia awaits you.
Malaysia is a fascinating holiday destination offering something for everyone to enjoy. There are three distinct destinations in the country - Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. Visitors are often surprised to discover how developed the country is, yet rich and varied in cultural tradition.

The country's main gateway is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) near the capital. Other major international airports are Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
Kuala Lumpur or KL ia a modern cosmopolitan city boasting the world's tallest twin towers towering at a height of 452m. Its architecture is representative of the country's dominant cultures - the Malay, Chinese and Indian. Combined with the colonial legacy of the British and Moorish influences, KL has one of Asia's most dynamics cityscapes.

Malaysia's long coastline and many coral-fringed islands, with the Straits of Malacca to the west and the South China Sea to the east, give rise to a large number of fabulous beaches. Islands like Langkawi. Tioman and Pangkor are world-renowned resort destinations. Penang is another island famous for its history, relaxing beaches and cultural mix. Further south, Malacca is known for its history, museums and the unique Baba-Nyonya community. The charming east coast of the peninsula with its laid back lifestyle, is the country's cultural heartland.
The states of Sabah and Sarawak await nature lovers and adventurers. Discover the prolific marine life and dense rainforest while exploring the underwater world and wilderness of Borneo.

Malaysia has many exciting places of interest and during a holiday of just two weeks, visitors will get a mere glimpse. One thing's for certain; everyone wants to return to discover more of Malaysia.

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Learn About Malaysia

By: Josiah William

The Southeast Asian country Malaysia is a federation of 13 states, which was formed in 1963. Prior to 1963, the Federation of Malaya was known as Persekutuan Tanah Melayu in Malay. The name Malaysia was adopted in 1963 when Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaya. Singapore left the federation in 1965.

The capital city of Malayasia is Kuala Lumpur while Putrajaya is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government of Malaysia. The prime minister's office moved in 1999 and the move is expected to be completed in 2005. Kuala Lumpur remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial and financial capital of the country. Other major cities include George Town, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and Kuching.

The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape. In both West and East Malaysia coastal plains rise to densely forested hills and mountains. The highest peak of Malayasia is Mount Kinabalu at 4,095.2 metres (13,435.7 ft) on the island of Borneo. The southernmost tip of continental Asia is Tanjung Piai which is located in the southern state of Johor. The Strait of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and West Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.

Malaysia's population is comprised of many ethnic groups, with the politically dominant Malays making up the majority. About a quarter of the population are Chinese. These Chinese have been playing an important role in trade and business. Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 10% of the population. About 90% of the Indian community is Tamil but various other groups like Malayalis, Punjabis and Telugus are also present. Non-Malay indigenous groups make up more than half of the state of Sarawak's population, constitute about 66% of Sabah's population, and also exist in much smaller numbers on the Peninsula, where they are collectively called Orang Asli. There are dozens of non-Malay ethnic groups who share some general cultural similarities. Other Malaysians also include those of, inter alia, European, Middle Eastern, Cambodian, and Vietnamese descent.

The total population is 24,385,858. Population distribution in Malaysia is uneven, with some 20 million residents concentrated on the Malay Peninsula. The life expectancy of Malaysian population is 72.5.

Malaysia is a multi-religious society, and Islam is the country's official religion. The main religions are Islam (60.4%), Buddhism (19.2%), Hinduism (6.3%), and Christianity (9.1%mostly in East Malaysia, i.e. Borneo). The aforementioned figures may be skewed as they do not take into account the fact that all Malay persons are officially regarded and treated as Muslim, regardless of private belief.

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multilingual society, which consists 65% Malays and other indigenous tribes, 25% Chinese, 7% Indians. The native language of Malays is Malay (Bahasa Melayu). Bahasa Malaysia which is largely similar to Bahasa Melayu in most practical terms which is the national language of the country.

The local climate of Malaysia is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. Malaysia is well-endowed with natural resources in areas such as agriculture, forestry as well as minerals. Malaysia is the world's primary exporter of natural rubber and palm oil, which together with saw logs and sawn timber, cocoa, pepper, pineapple and tobacco dominate the growth of the sector. Palm oil is also a major foreign exchange earner.

The rapid expansion of the timber industry, particularly after the 1960s, has brought about a serious erosion problem in the country's forest resources. Today an estimated 59 percent of Malaysia remains forested. Substantial areas are being silviculturally treated and reforestation of degraded forest land is also being carried out. The Malaysian government provide plans for the enrichment of some 312.30 square kilometres (120.5 sq mi) of land with rattan under natural forest conditions and in rubber plantations as an intercrop. To further enrich forest resources, fast-growing timber species such as meranti tembaga, merawan and sesenduk are also being planted. At the same time, the government encouraged the cultivation of high-value trees like teak and other trees for pulp and paper. Rubber, once the mainstay of the Malaysian economy, has been largely replaced by oil palm as Malaysia's leading agricultural export. Today Malaysia has turnrd into modern industrialised nation rather than a tin and rubber exporter.

If you are planning a visit to Malaysia there are Several prepaid calling card and phone card companies available to call both to and from Malaysia.

About the Author:

Josiah William works in marketing for Cheap Phone Cards,Deal King, eCellular and Snapmobile.

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