Reflections: Traveling in Malaysia – Part 4

If I could live anywhere in the world Malaysia could quite possibly be top of my list. That’s quite a statement, particularly as Malaysia is not even many people’s first choice for a holiday in South East Asia. That honour tends to go to Thailand or Singapore. Things are starting to change though and more people are beginning to see the wealth of possibilities Malaysia has to offer.

I have focused on five key areas to help justify my declaration of Malaysia’s splendour:

- The geography. With dazzling beaches, magical islands and lush, verdant jungles, few countries in the world can match the natural beauty of this captivating land.

- The people. I’ll give you an insight into what makes the people of Malaysia so endearing.

- The culture and way of life. Malaysia is steeped in history, but I’ll also give you a flavour of why the current lifestyle is something to savour and admire.

- The wildlife. Few countries on the planet can boast the diversity of life that exists in Malaysia’s jungles, rolling hills and tropical seas.

- Towns and cities. From the pulsating city of Kuala Lumpur to the charming historical delights of Melaka, the urban attractions of Malaysia should not be overlooked.

Geography

Malaysia is split into two parts. Peninsula Malaysia is positioned below Thailand on the Asian mainland, while there is also a large segment of the north western side of Borneo that is also part of the country. The land mass of the two areas put together is a little larger than the United Kingdom.

Malaysia is a tropical country and offers everything you might expect from such a climate. Hot and humid all year round, the only variable is whether it’s raining or not. The rainy season is from around November to the end of February. The landscape is slightly more varied than the weather, although most of the wilderness is dominated by a relentlessly diminishing jungle. However, there are still vast tracts of prime rainforest in Borneo and on Peninsula Malaysia in Taman Negara. Borneo boasts the oldest rainforest in the world as well as one of the highest mountains in South East Asia, Mount Kinabalu. The mountain rises fat and squat above the forest like a demented mole hill, plateauing off at over 4000m. It’s a gruelling, but rewarding two day climb if you feel like punishing your legs. And don’t forget some warm clothes, as the top of Kinabalu is one of the few cold places in Malaysia that’s not air conditioned.

It’s not all forbidding jungle

Thailand Rock Climbing

Mention Thailand and images of beaches, elephants and Bangkok come to mind. Less known is the fact Thailand rock climbing is some of the best in the world.

Thailand Rock Climbing

Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Burma and Laos in the north and Malaysia in the south. The shape of the country is somewhat similar to Italy, and you’ll find similar differences between northern and southern Thailand that you do in Italy. For rock climbing enthusiasts, the south of Thailand is where the action is.

The rock formations in Thailand are almost universally limestone. The level of climbing can be as simple as bouldering or as challenging as tackling over vertical cliffs. This makes Thailand a popular rock climbing destination since it has a little something for everyone.

Krabi

Located on the southern section of the “tail” of Thailand, Krabi has a wide variety of rock climbing challenges. Most of the climbs in this area are of the pre-bolted sport route variety. There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of climbs with difficulty levels from beginner to multi-pitch knuckle crushers.

The beauty of climbing in Krabi is…well, the beauty. While you might have visions of jungles and mosquitoes when thinking of Thailand, Krabi is an area of a different sort. Most of the climbs have been set up on cliff faces on the beach. Being natural capitalists, the Thai’s have built hotels, bars and so on at these locations. As a result, you can literally climb a multi-pitch route for five hours, cool off with a swim and then have a beer. If there is such a thing as a rock climbing heaven, many feel Krabi is it.

Before you cash in your savings, keep in mind that Thailand is a seasonal vacation spot. If you go during the wet season, there is a good chance you’ll just end up sitting around drinking beer. While that isn’t too bad, you’ll go crazy looking at the climbs that are so close, but oh so far away.

Generally, you want to head to Thailand from late November through maybe April. The summer months tend to be both incredibly hot and wet. Make sure you pull up forecasts for the area before booking a trip.

Flying to Thailand is inexpensive, but flights are incredibly long with stopovers. Still, it is all worth it once you experience Thailand rock climbing.

Your Travel Destination – Choosing Your Best Travel Destination Is Easy

It’s nice to ask yourself these questions before starting to plan your vacation:

Do you want to relax?

Do you want adventure or a learning experience?

Do you want to get away from your job?

Once you know the answers to these questions, then you are ready to plan your trip. Vacations are needed for your emotional, physical and mental balance.

Vacations give you a chance to relax, renew your energy and free you from your daily routine. Vacations could be far away or close to home. Wherever the vacation may be, it does the same thing. It is the satisfaction that is more important than the destination.

Generally, there are some different types of travel according to activities involved. Here are some of them:

1. Responsible Travel. Traveling doesn’t always have to be self-serving. With responsible travel, one could have enjoyment as much as respecting the local environment and the people.

2. Rediscovering nature. Rediscovering travel is all about nature and everything in it. It revitalizes the soul while smelling and feeling nature.

3. Tribal cultures. In today’s world of high technology, it is wise to experience the simpler life of the tribal people. These are people who live close to nature in the same way for the past thousands of years.

4. Responsible Diving. Diving not only let travelers appreciate what is down the sea but also making the traveler more aware of the conservation effort.

The country you are planning to travel to also leaves a great mark on the your life. Here are some of the most popular destinations today:

1. Thailand. Thailand used to be known as Siam. It is an Asian country bounded by Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

Behind the back draft of Thailand’s jungles of bamboo, rubber trees and vines are the Five-star hotels of modern conveniences. In some parts of the country, elephants are still being use to lift timbers and buffalos are still being use in farming.

2. China. China is now the second largest country and fastest growing economy in the world. Most parts of China are still unexplored by tourist.

However, the eastern portion is now popular to western tourist. First class hotels now offer highest class of amenities and dozens are still being built/

3. Italy. Italy is a boot-like shape country bounded by Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia. The main attraction of Italy is St. Peter’s Square where the Pope resides.

4. Caribbean. The Caribbean is an archipelago of islands, 2000 square miles across. Most of the islands are plateaus and eruptions of underlying mountain systems. It has nice beaches of crushed coral and white or pink sand and the water at the shore is a deep blue.

The success of any vacation will not depend by how much the traveler spent or its destination. It is how the traveler enjoyed it and how he was able to achieve his primary goal of “getting away from it all.”

Experience Blend of Traditional Hospitality in Modern Malacca Malaysia