ZOOM MALAYSIA - VISIT MALAYSIA

TERENGGANU - PERHENTIAN ISLAND

The Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian in Malay) lie approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km) offshore the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu, approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of the Thai border. The two main islands are Perhentian Besar ("Big Perhentian") and Perhentian Kecil ("Small Perhentian"). The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara (Virgin Milk), Seringgi and Rawa lie off Kecil. The Perhentians belong to Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited.

The name "perhentian" means "stopping point" in Malay, referring to their longstanding role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia. The islands were sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries, although tourism now accounts for most economic activity.

The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as 'The Station Islands'. This arises from the British colonial period, as an English translation from the Malay "point to stop".

The Perhentian Islands were also used as a refuge in the late 1900s..

Perhentian Island also has a very beautiful beach call "Pasir Panjang" (Long Beach). It is located at Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian). It is a very beautiful white sandy beach, crystal clear water and it is the best place for picnic.

Both islands are fringed by white sand beach, and the reefs and crystalline water are host to a wide variety of coral, sea-turtles, jellyfish, small sharks and reef-fish. The islands' maximum elevation is approximately 100 m and they are uniformly covered in coastal tropical jungle, with few interior foot-trails and no roads.

Other than the owners and staff of the numerous cabin-style resorts that dot the islands (many of whom depart for the monsoon season), the islands' only permanent inhabitants live in a small fishing village on Kecil. With the exception of a single mainland-communications tower, there are no structures taller than two storeys.

In the absence of tourism, economic activity on the Perhentian Islands would be limited to small-scale fishing.

Owing to the Islands' protected status, the main tourist activities are minimal in environmental impact: sunbathing, snorkeling, scuba diving, turtle and shark-watching.

The island's electrical power is provided by 2 wind turbines supplemented by diesel generators. A third turbine is being built. Electricity is 24-hour during high season. Fresh water is provided by springs. In this respect, the Perhentian Islands are prized by tourists as an 'escape' from the modern world.

The only access to the Islands is by boat from the fishing villages of Kuala Besut and Tok Bali. Local tourist operators run fishing boats and speed boats several times a day.

TERENGGANU - REDANG ISLAND

Redang Island, locally known as Pulau Redang or just "Redang" is one of the largest islands off the east coast of Malaysia. It is a popular holiday island for Malaysians, most of whom come on package deals to one of the resorts. Redang is one of nine islands, which form a marine park, and which offer snorkeling and diving opportunities. Access is from Merang or Kuala Terengganu on boats operated by the resorts; there is also a small airport with services operated by Berjaya Air from Singapore (Seletar Airport) and Kuala Lumpur (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport).

The island is also an important conservation site for sea turtles. Previously, the indiscriminate economic exploitation of turtle eggs had caused fewer turtles returning to nest on the island. This has led the Terengganu state government to set up the Koperasi Setiajaya Pulau Redang in 1989, a cooperative aiming to develop and manage socio-economic programmes that could improve the livelihood of Pulau Redang locals without endangering its natural resources.[citation needed]

The waters around Pulau Redang also contain two historic shipwrecks: HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. The ships were sunk here at the start of World War II, setting the stage for the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

The Pulau Redang archipelago comprises Pulau Redang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Paku Besar, Pulau Paku Kecil, Pulau Kerengga Kecil, Pulau Kerengga Besar, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Ling and Pulau Pinang. Pulau Redang is the biggest of all the islands in the Marine Park, measuring about 7 km long and 6 km wide. Its highest peak is Bukit Besar at 359 metres above sea level. The boundary of the Pulau Redang Marine Park is established by a line linking all points 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) from the shores of Pulau Redang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Ekor Tebu and Pulau Pinang. The other nearby islands of Pulau Perhentian Besar, Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Lang Tengah, Pulau Kapas and Pulau Susu Dara are also gazetted and protected as Marine Parks. Today, only the bigger islands like Redang, Lang Tengah, Perhentian and Kapas have resort facilities for visitors. The management of Marine Parks primarily involves protection of the sensitive marine and terrestrial ecosystems by controlling the impact from human activities. These include waste & pollution management and conservation of coral reefs and terrestrial habitats.

The 2000 film, Summer Holiday was filmed on the Laguna Redang resort, and a replica of the tea house now serves as the resort's gift shop.

TERENGGANU - KAPAS ISLAND

Kapas Island or Pulau Kapas is an island 6 kilometers off the coast of Terengganu, Malaysia. "Kapas" is the malay word for cotton. It features crystal clear seawater, pristine powdery white beaches and untouched tropical jungle. It is promoted as a "snorkeling paradise", with several dive resorts and coral reefs. It is reached by ferry from Marang Terengganu

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA

Kuala Lumpur is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.

Kuala Lumpur , or simply KL, is the capital of Malaysia. Literally meaning "muddy estuary" in Malay, KL has grown from a small sleepy village to a bustling metropolis (metro population 6.9 million) in just 150 years. With the world's cheapest five-star hotels, great shopping and even better food, increasing numbers of travelers are discovering this little gem of a city.



The view of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is a fairly sprawling city and its residential suburbs seem to go on forever. The city also merges with the adjacent towns of Petaling Jaya (originally developed as KL’s dormitory suburb), Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Klang and Port Klang, creating a huge metropolis called the Klang Valley.

The city can be divided up into the following areas, each of which offers a particular attraction or activity.

City Center – This is the traditional core of Kuala Lumpur where you’ll find former colonial administrative center with the Merdeka Square, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Selangor Club. This district also includes Kuala Lumpur’s old Chinese commercial center which everyone refers to now as Chinatown.

Golden Triangle – The area of Kuala Lumpur located to the northeast of the city center, the Golden Triangle is where you’ll find the city’s shopping malls, five-star hotels, Petronas Twin Towers and party spots.

Tuanku Abdul Rahman – This is the traditional colourful shopping district of Kuala Lumpur north of the city center and moves into high gear when the festivals of Hari Raya Puasa (Eid ul-Fitr) and Deepavali approach. Located just beside the Golden Triangle (northern neighbour) with many popular budget accommodations. The gigantic Putra World Trade Centre & the traditional Kampung Baru food haven are among the most important landmarks.

Brickfields – This area, located south of the city center, is Kuala Lumpur’s Little India filled with saree shops and banana leaf rice restaurants. Kuala Lumpur’s main railway station – KL Sentral – is located here.

Bangsar and Midvalley – Located south of the city, Bangsar is a popular restaurant and clubbing district while Midvalley, with its Megamall, is one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations.

Damansara and Hartamas – Largely suburban, this two districts to the west of the city houses some interesting pockets of restaurant and drinking areas. This district virtually merges into the northern part of Petaling Jaya.

Ampang – Located east of the city, Ampang is home to Kuala Lumpur’s Little Korea and most foreign embassies.

Northern suburbs – This huge area to the north of the city is home to several attractions, such as Batu Caves, the National Zoo and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.

Southern suburbs – This district may not interest travellers although Kuala Lumpur’s main stadium at Bukit Jalil and The Mines theme park is located here.



Kuala Lumpur Skyline

Founded only in 1857 as a tin mining outpost, Kuala Lumpur is fairly new as far as Malaysian cities go and lacks the rich history of George Town or Malacca. After rough early years marked by gang fighting, Kuala Lumpur started to prosper and was made capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. Malaysia's independence was declared in 1957 in front of huge crowds at what was later named Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), and Kuala Lumpur continued as the new nation's capital. The economic boom of the 1990s brought KL the standard trappings of a modern city, bristling with skyscrapers and modern transportation systems. Like most of Malaysia's big cities, about 55% of Kuala Lumpur's population is of Malaysian Chinese descent.



By plane
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
All scheduled jet flights, whether domestic or international, arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport located about 50km to the southwest of Kuala Lumpur, in the Sepang district of Selangor. The US$2.5bil modern structure of glass and steel was inaugurated in 1998 and has been ranked as one of the top airports of the world. It replaced the former Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport in Subang, which is now used for chartered and turboprop flights. Over 50 airlines call at KLIA.

A new Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) opened in March 2006, and is currently used by AirAsia . Though the LCC Terminal is across the runway tarmac from the Main Terminal Building, it is nearly 20km away by road. Frequent shuttle buses connect the two terminals, costing RM1.50 per trip. At the Main Terminal Building, catch the shuttles at the Bus Terminal on the Ground Floor of the Car Park C building, while at the LCCT, wait for the buses at the bus bays right in front of the terminal.



Transfers - Main Terminal

By train:

The high-speed KLIA Ekspres links the airport directly with the KL Sentral transportation hub in Kuala Lumpur in 28mins. Trains run from 5am to 12 midnight. There is one train every 15mins between 5am and 9am, and between 4pm and 10pm; while trains run every 20mins outside those hours. The cost of a one-way ticket is RM35. There is no discount on return tickets. Those using this service to get to KLIA can check in their baggage at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal in KL Sentral. The city check-in service however is only available to those flying Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Royal Brunei Airlines although on 13 July 2007, KLIA Ekspres' operator Express Rail Link said passengers flying on all 43 airlines which call at KLIA will be able to check in their luggage at KL Sentral from 23 July 2007. As of then only Emirates has started operating. See "Get around" section below on how to get to/away from KL Sentral.

The KLIA Transit , like the KLIA Ekspres, also links the airport with KL Sentral except that it stops at three intermediate stations - Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, and Bandar Tasik Selatan. The journey takes 36mins. The fare from end to end is the same as for the KLIA Ekspres, which is RM35. Different fares apply for journeys to the intermediate stations. From KL Sentral, trains run every half hour from 5.33am to 0.03am, while from KLIA, trains run every half hour from 5.52am to 1am. You may use of KLIA Ekspres' check-in services even when holding a KLIA Transit ticket.

You can also catch KTM Komuter trains to Nilai station and take a connecting bus to KLIA. The frequent Nilai-KLIA buses are operated by Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus. The entire journey may take about two hours, but the cost is considerably cheaper than the above two options. For example, the fare from KL Sentral to Nilai is RM4.70 while the bus fare from Nilai to KLIA is about RM2.50. You can also use the KTM Komuter to go to other destinations, such as Seremban in Negeri Sembilan. For other KTM Komuter destinations, see "Get around" section below.



By bus:

Airport Coach runs a one hourly express bus between KL Sentral and KLIA from 5am to 10.30pm from Sentral, and 6.30am to 12.30am from KLIA. RM10 one way, or RM18 return.

Star Shuttle bus runs from KLIA to Chinatown (Kota Raya and Pudu Raya), RM10 one way.

Sepang Omnibus runs local bus services directly to Seremban in Negeri Sembilan, Banting in Selangor and Sepang town where you can get connecting buses to/from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The buses may be a little basic and uncomfortable, and do not follow a timetable (at least, not one that is publicly known).

Both Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus run frequent buses between KLIA and Nilai where you continue your journey on the KTM Komuter. See the "Get around" section below for details on the KTM Komuter.



Alternatively, you can take the bus to the LCCT then connect to KLIA.

From KLIA: Only Airport Limo limousines and budget taxis are allowed to pick up passengers at the airport. You buy coupons from Airport Limo counters just before you exit the international arrivals gate, or just outside the domestic arrivals gate. Ask for a budget taxi, which is perfectly fine and costs a fixed RM67.40 to get to Kuala Lumpur; otherwise you'll be given a misnamed "limousine" that costs an extra RM20.

To KLIA: Any taxi can bring passengers to KLIA, including Kuala Lumpur's metered red-and-white taxis, although you will find it very difficult to get drivers to use the meters. Make sure you agree on a price before getting into the taxi. Fares should be between RM60 and RM90.



By road:

If you have your own wheels, KLIA is well connected to Peninsular Malaysia's expressway network. The airport is directly linked with the North South Expressway Central Link (known by its Malay abbreviation "Elite") about 70km or nearly one hour away from Kuala Lumpur city centre. Exit the expressway at KLIA interchange for both the Main Terminal and LCCT.



Transfers - Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)

By train:

There are no direct train connections to the LCCT (although the government has agreed to build one). However, you can take either train from KL Sentral to the Main Terminal, then catch the shuttle bus to the LCCT.



By bus:

SkyBus runs direct services every half hour or so from KL Sentral to the LCCT. RM9 one-way.

Aerobus also runs direct bus services every half hour from KL Sentral to the LCC Terminal. RM9 one-way, free return journey.

Star Shuttle (Tel:+60-3-40438811), newly launched in January 2007, has direct buses to the Pekeliling Bus Terminal and Batu 3 (3rd Mile) Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur, as well as direct connections to the Subang Jaya KTM Komuter station and the PKNS Building in Shah Alam. Check its website for schedules. Fares are RM9 per trip.



By taxi:

Any taxi can bring passengers to the LCCT, including Kuala Lumpur's metered red-and-white taxis, although you will find it very difficult to get drivers to use the meters. Make sure you agree on a price before getting into the taxi. Fares should be between RM60 and RM90.

By road:

The LCCT is about 20km from the Main Terminal and can be accessed via the KLIA circular or airport cargo road.

Subang Airport
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (IATA: SZB) (ICAO: WMSA), more commonly referred to as the Subang Airport, was the country's main international airport until KLIA was opened in 1998. It was designated for turboprop aircraft and since 19 October 2007, Malaysia Airlines subsidiary "community airline" Firefly [10] began operating from Subang, flying to Penang twice daily at 08:20 and 20:50. From Penang, flights depart at 07:00 and 19:30. Journey time one hour. Berjaya Air [11] flies daily to/from Tioman Island, five times a week to/from Pangkor Island, and special flights to Redang Island. It also has two flights weekly to/from Ko Samui in Thailand.

Getting there/away: The airport is 25 km from the city center and the best way to get there is by taxi. Rapid KL bus U81 (destination Mah Sing and Pekan Subang) from the Sultan Mohd Bus Hub next to the Pasar Seni LRT station goes past the airport. Fare is RM2 and the ticket is valid for the whole day for all RapidKL routes with "U" prefix.

By road
Most important roads in Peninsular Malaysia lead to/from Kuala Lumpur. The city lies about midway along the North-South Expressway (NSE; route numbers E1 and E2) which runs from the Malaysia-Thailand border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru in the south, on the Malaysian side of the Causeway to Singapore. The main expressway exits for Kuala Lumpur on the NSE are Jalan Duta (from the north) and Sungai Besi (from the south).

The Karak Highway (E8), which later turns into the East Coast Expressway, links Kuala Lumpur with the East Coast states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

For those who do not want to pay toll, Kuala Lumpur is on Federal Route One (the "Trunk Road") which, like the NSE, runs through all West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia from Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru.

Those travelling along the West Coast Road (Federal Route Five) should leave the road at Klang and get to Kuala Lumpur via the Federal Highway.

By bus
Kuala Lumpur has several bus terminals (Malay: stesen bas or hentian) which handle long distance express bus services; many destinations are served by more than one terminal.

Puduraya
The biggest (and invariably most crowded) terminal, located in the city centre near Chinatown. Beware of pickpockets, ticket touts and other undesirables, especially late at night.

Access: Plaza Rakyat station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) is within walking distance; many local bus stops nearby.

To/from Hat Yai, in Thailand:

Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung (KBES) (Counter 73. Tel:+60-3-20313036) has departures at 10:30 & 23:00 - RM45 one-way.

SABAH - SIPADAN ISLAND

Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 2,000 feet or 600m from the seabed. It is located in the Celebes Sea east of the major town of Tawau and off the coast of East Malaysia on the Island of Borneo. It was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop. Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem.

Normally rare diving scenes are frequently seen in the waters around Sipadan: schools of greenback turtles and hawksbill turtles nesting and mating, schools of barracuda & big-eye trevally in tornado-like formations, pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks.

A mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the island, formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that have become lost and drown before finding the surface.

The Malaysian military protecting tourists against possible terrorist attacks.

In the past, the island was at the centre of a territorial dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia. The matter was brought for adjudication before the International Court of Justice and, at the end of 2002, the Court awarded the island along with the island of Ligitan to Malaysia, on the basis of the "effective occupation" displayed by the latter's predecessor (Malaysia's former colonial power, Great Britain) and the absence of any other superior title. The Philippines had applied to intervene in the proceedings on the basis of its claim to Northern Borneo, but its request was turned down by the Court early in 2001.

In April 2000, 21 people were kidnapped by the Philippine terrorist group Abu Sayyaf. The armed terrorists arrived by boat and forced 10 tourists and 11 resort workers at gun point to board the vessels and brought the victims to Mindanao. All victims were eventually released.

In year 2004, the Government of Malaysia ordered all on-site dive and resort operators of Sipadan to move their structures out of the island by 31 December 2004. This move is mainly to conserve a balanced eco-system for Sipadan and its surrounding. Diving will continue to be allowed in Sipadan for divers who are ferried in and out by dive and resort operators from the mainland and surrounding islands.

On May 15, 2006, a barge carrying thousands of tonnes of building material beached on the island, destroying a significant portion of reef between the old pier and Barracuda Point, said to be about 372sq metres

The purpose of the building supplies (mainly concrete and gravel) was apparently for a USD1.3 million tourist facility including resthouse, toilets and scuba shop, said the State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat but denied by the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. Later, it was reported that it was a Federal Government funded project.

KEDAH - LANGKAWI ISLAND

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands (an extra 5 temporary islands are revealed at low tide in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 45,000, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.

On June 1, 2007, Langkawi Island has been given a World Geopark status by UNESCO. Three of its main Geopark components are Mount Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Geoforest Park and Pulau Tasik Dayang Bunting (Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake).

Sheltered by the mountainous backbone of Peninsular Malaysia, Langkawi escapes the northeastern winter monsoon entirely and enjoys sunny skies when the eastern provinces are flooded. Coupled with natural white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage and craggy mountain peaks—but hampered by inaccessibility—the island was at one time touted as "Malaysia's best-kept secret".

Langkawi remained a sleepy backwater until 1987, when the island was granted tax-free status with the intention of promoting tourism. Subsequently the island's airport was upgraded and ferry links were increased.

Beginning 1990s, Langkawi competes with nearby Penang for the title of Malaysia's largest tourist draw. Resorts and 5-star hotels line the beaches and in the winter high season, direct flights land from as far as Europe and Japan.

Besides being tax-free, the beach and eagle, another attraction in Langkawi is the Cable Car to the tops of Gunung Mat Cincang at 705 m above sea level. Galeria Perdana a collection of over 2500 gift to the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad.

Langkawi is affected by the milder western monsoon (May-September), and while diving is possible at Pulau Payar, water clarity tends to be poor.

Langkawi used to be the starting point of the annual international cycling race Tour de Langkawi cycling event, however after 2000, Langkawi was omitted from the race itinerary. Langkawi also hosts the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Air Show (LIMA).

Langkawi has played host to the Malaysian Ironman triathlon since 2000.

The name Langkawi is a combination of "Lang" and "Kawi". "Lang" comes from the Malay word helang which means eagle. In the past, the land was a home to innumerable eagles. "Kawi" is Sanskrit for marble, which is found in excess in this part of Malaysia. Both words are joined to form the word "Helangkawi" which ultimately became Langkawi.

Another reference found in the book by Tun Mohamed Zahir titled The Legends of Langkawi which says that the name is a mix of two Sanskrit words—"Langka" (beauty) and "Wi" (innumerable).

The name "Langkawi" also is believed to be related to the kingdom of Langkasuka, centred in modern-day Kedah. The historical record is sparse, but a Chinese Liang Dynasty record (c. 500 AD) refers to the kingdom of "Langgasu" as being founded in the 1st century AD. 'Langkawi' mean's Eagle Island, it may be noted, and indeed there is a great abundance of eagles in the area. In Kuah, there is an eagle monument in Eagle Square which commemorates the origin of Langkawi's name.

Langkawi is also the site of the Mahsuri legend. The legend speaks of a young woman who was accused of adultery and was executed by the public despite her pleading innocence. Mahsuri, before her death, made a curse on the island for seven generations of bad luck. Langkawi eventually came under the influence of the Sultanate of Kedah, but Kedah was conquered in 1821 by Siam and Langkawi along with it. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred power to the British, who held the state until independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain visible in the culture and food of Langkawi, while Thai language is still understood by many on the island.

Langkawi was the site of the Langkawi Declaration, issued by the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations and making environmental sustainability one of the priorities of the Commonwealth.

Langkawi lies north of the Strait of Malacca in the southern Andaman Sea near the border between Malaysia and Thailand. A few kilometres to the north lies the neighbouring Thai island of Ko Tarutao. The island group's main town, on the main island, is Kuah.

Langkawi's highest point is Gunung Raya, rising to 890 m above sea level in the main island's central-eastern area.[2]

The archipelago consists of 99 islands with a total land area of 528 km2 (204 sq mi).