Fascinating Facts that Make Malaysia an Amazing Holiday Destination

December 29, 2018
DUNIA Mag
Posted in Travel & Places

Malaysia is a wonderful country that brings together the best of Asian cultures. This multi-ethnic country has inhabitants that consist of an amalgam of Indians, Chinese, Malay, European and a sizeable population of international expats. This in turn has offered the country a rich blend of ethnicities that forms the present day Malaysian culture scene. This is the reason why the country’s tagline goes, “Malaysia, truly Asia”. You’ll never experience a dull moment in this vibrant country. Also, there are many facts about Malaysia that make the destination more interesting to visit. Here are some fascinating facts about Malaysia that are not well-known, but paint a wonderful picture of this great country in the minds of its visitors.

Malaysia is home to the World’s Tallest Twin Towers

The Petronas Towers once used to be the tallest skyscrapers in the world, but lost its title to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. However, they still remain the tallest twin towers in the world. The Petronas Towers’ grandeur makes it one of the popular places to visit in Malaysia and attracts millions of tourists every year. Come and take a walk on the Sky Bridge, which connects the two towers at level 41 and 42, to enjoy a breath-taking panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur city. No one should miss a photo–op with this iconic landmark on a Malaysia trip.

Malaysia has the world’s largest cave chamber

If you are looking for some hard-core adventure, check out the Sarawak Chamber for an intimidating adventure of your life. Discovered in 1981, the Sarawak Chamber is the world’s largest cave chamber. Cocooned within the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, this unnerving cavern is around 2,000 feet long, 377 feet high, and 1,427 feet wide. The site is popular for extreme caving expeditions as adventure enthusiasts find these caves exceptionally challenging.

The destination shares its borders with three tropical countries

Malaysia is surrounded by three fantastic Asian countries – Thailand, Singapore and Brunei. In fact Singapore was merged to Malaysia as one of its states for a brief period from 1963 to 1965. Due to its close proximity to Thailand and Singapore, getting to these countries through Malaysia is quite easy. Hence visitors can opt for a wider Asian experience as many tour operators offer tour packages with itineraries covering Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

The country has an extensive network of highways

Malaysia is not a big country and yet, it has an extensive highway network whose total length exceeds the circumference of the Earth. In total, Malaysia’s highway network is more than 65,000 kms, which beats the Earth’s circumference of 40,000 kms. In addition to this, the country also boasts of the largest roundabout in the world – The Persiaran Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Putrajaya. This is indeed a sign of advanced widespread infrastructural development in the country.

Its rain-forest has the world’s largest indigenous assortment of flora and fauna

Malaysian topography is dominated by dense rain-forests which are also some of the oldest thriving forests in the world. The forest covers more than 50% of the Malaysian landscapes making it a rich habitat for exotic wildlife and vegetation. Malaysia is the only place where you can find rare wildlife like Malayan Tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, Malayan tapirs, Oran-gutans and over 600 species of birds. Around 35% of its foliage can be found nowhere else in the world which includes the stinkiest fruit in the world – Durian, the largest undivided leaf plant – Alocasia Macrorrhiza, and the largest flower in the world – Rafflesia arnoldii.

Malaysia has its own set of weird superstitions

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. (Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas)

We all know that most countries have superstitions and taboos, and Malaysia isn’t any different. One of the most bizarre ones you will come across here is avoiding the number 4 as the word sounds very similar to word ‘death’ in Hokkien, Mandarin and Cantonese. For this reason, you will come across many buildings in Malaysia with 3A floor instead of 4th floor. Avoiding clocks as gifts, and sleeping in front of a mirror or feet pointing at a door are some other quirky superstitions you will witness during Malaysian travel.

Malaysia is a part owner of world’s third largest island

The island of Borneo located amid Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei ranks as the third largest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea. However, this colossal island is split into 3 sections and shared among the countries of Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Malaysian side of Borneo is divided into two states – Sabah and Sarawak. Its landscapes are teeming with gorgeous beaches and dense rainforests and are home to Mount Kinabalu – the highest peak in Malaysia. The surrounding clear waters are rich in marine life making it an idyllic diving spot for snorkelers and scuba divers.

Malaysian locals need a passport to enter Sabah and Sarawak

Even though Sabah and Sarawak are very much a part of Malaysian country, these two states have their own immigration laws. Hence, even if a citizen of Malaysia wants to travel from Peninsular Malaysia to visit the Eastern Malayan states, he or she must carry their passport to gain entry into these places. International visitors may require a special permit stamped on their passports to grant entry into Sabah and Sarawak. Get in touch with a Malaysian travel expert or go through Malaysia travel guides and information if you have doubts on the formalities needed to be completed to visit Sabah and Sarawak.

Malaysia is one of the most amazing places in the world and millions of tourists visit this great country to enjoy some of the most memorable moments of their lives. Plus, this fascinating collection of facts about Malaysia highlight the country’s uniqueness and make it an interesting place to visit. So, gear up for a fantastic Malaysian holiday. All you need to do is check your Malaysia visa application requirements, and book your dream vacation today.

Article provided by Travel World