Cameron Highlands is a hill resort at the northernmost tip of Pahang state. The main towns in the Cameron Highlands are Tanah Rata and Brinchang. The Highlands are the centre of the Malayan tea industry and offer the traveler a mountain Eden resplendent with rose, vegetable, butterfly and strawberry farms. Temperatures never rise above 25˚C becoming a tranquil retreat from the heat and bustle of modern Kuala Lumpur.

From Kuala Lumpur buses to Tanah Rata can be caught at Puduraya Central Bus Station and take about 4 1/2 hours to reach Tanah Rata. Buses leave from early in the 8 o’clock in the morning to mid afternoon everything is easily reached by local buses, taxis or foot during your stay. Hiking is simple and not too exhausting with local maps easily picked up and delicious English afternoon teas available almost everywhere.

Accommodation is varied and suitable to all budgets from guest houses with dorm room to colonial style hotels.

Food is delightful with European breakfast both continental as well as greasy English and of course terrific Malayan fare all at reasonable prices.

Must sees include Robertsons Waterfall just a short walk from Tanah Rata or take a tour that uses 4WD vehicles to see the Rafflesia, the world’s largest flower.

Visit the Cloud Forest a short walk up the new boardwalk at Gunung Brinchang

You can see how roses are grown and buy cheap roses at the Rose Centre and Rose Valley at Kea Farm and Rose Valley. A must for any romantic.

Melaka is simply bursting with interesting sights reflecting a long, rich history or maritime trade and Portuguese and Dutch occupation. Here are just a few of the top attractions.

A Famosa:
The remains of this mighty fortress are is the oldest surviving European architecture in Malaysia and consists of a small gate, canons and foundation stones. Built in 1511 by the Portuguese during the colonisation of Melaka, the fortress was taken over by the Dutch and was later given to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of Napoleon’s expansionist France.

Cheng Hoon Teng’s Temple
Awarded by UNESCO for outstanding architectural restoration, the Cheng Hoon Teng’s Temple is one of the most exquisite Chinese temples in Malaysia. Boasting its beautiful walls with ornate mythological figures, spectacular Chinese paintings and carvings dating back to the early 1600s, the temple is a centre of worship and spirituality for the Chinese, remaining one of the most significant sanctuaries in the Southeast Asia. You can also observe how the Chinese pay respect to their gods here at this temple.

Kampong Kling’s Mosque
This stunning temple marks as an important venue of worship for the Muslim community. One of the oldest mosques in the country, the Kampong Kling’s Mosque reflects rich Sumatran influence through its magnificent three-tired pyramid-shaped roof and an infusion of Oriental influences through a tall free-standing white pagoda. Tourists are welcome to visit this impressive mosque but no flip-flops, shorts and sleeveless shirts are allowed.

Maritime Museum
The museum is built in a replica of the ‘Flor De La Mar’ (the Flowers of the Sea), a Portuguese ship that sank off the coast of Melaka and disappeared mysteriously on the way to Portugal. Visitors can explore the ship and detailed history of Melaka here at this museum. Children will find it fun to play pirates and sailors while adults can observe a map displaying actual charts used by Portuguese sailors in the past.

Melaka’s Sultanate Place
This large and lavish palace reveals outstanding Malay architecture based on the sketches found in the Malay Annals. Believed to be a replica of the original 15th century palace of Melaka’s Sultanate, this beautiful place now houses the Maleka Culural Museum displaying an impressive collection of artefacts, prints, photographs, drawings, costumes, jewelleries, brassware and ancient weapons.

St. John’s Fort: is another stunning sight in Melaka, St. John’s Fort was built as a chapel by the Portuguese but renovated into a fort by the Dutch. The fort enjoys a perfect location on the top of the hill where visitors can witness picturesque views of the city and clear blue sky. Interestingly, unlike other forts, St. Paul’s Fort was built to defend from inland invaders so the canons are faced towards inland.

The Baba and Nyonya Heritage: is a private museum run by the Babas and Nyonyas (Chinese of noble descendants) of Melaka who have blended the Malay culture into their own. The Babas and Nyonyas are also known as ‘Straits-born Chinese’ or ‘Peranakans’. Displaying distinctive and unique heirloom, the museum is a hidden gem that will unlock the rich history of the Babas and Nyonyas for visitors to see.

The Stadthuys:bBuilt in 1650, the Stadthuys (or the Dutch Square) is one of the most famous landmarks in Melaka. Boasting its exquisite bright red-painted buildings and a magnificent clock tower, the square also houses a Historic and Ethnography Museum displaying traditional bridal costumes and relics. Visitors can also observe outstanding Dutch architectural details shown in heavy wooden doors, thick red walls and wrought-iron hinges.

There is a good range of international businesses based in Malaysia. These range from conglomerates like Citibank to smaller business dealing with exporting and importing. It quite easy to do business in Malaysia as most Malaysians speak a reasonably good level of English.

However, those who plan to do business in Malaysia need to be aware that a small fee is often required in order to speed up transactions or release of goods. There are also a large number of Malays who act as middlemen to bring together two or more parties so that everyone can get the most from the transaction.

Typical business hours:

Government departments: 08:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 16:00 (may vary slightly), Monday to Friday and alternate Saturdays.

Retail: 10:00 to 18:00 (up to 22:00 in malls), every day – some traditional shops close on Sundays. Night Markets are common and close at 23:00

Banking: 10:00 to 15:30, Monday to Friday (and until 11:30 on alternate Saturdays) Many banks now offer night time services, but it is best to check with the branch and the bank for up to date information.

Visitors with a passport from United States, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, New Zealand Norway, Sweden Tunisia, Italy and France do not require a visa and are granted an automatic entry for a maximum of three months. Passports must have a minimum validity of six months.

Citizens from Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Thailand, Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland do not require a visa for a stay not exceeding one month but all passports must have a minimum six month validity period.

Citizens from Canada and Australia do not need a visa but are allowed a maximum stay of only two months. Passports must have a minimum validity of six months.

Travellers using passports from Afghanistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Romania, Syria, South Africa and South Yemen do not need a visa but are only allowed a maximum stay of two weeks. Passports must have a minimum validity of six months.

An application of visa must be approved by the Malaysian Embassy by travellers from North Korea, Cuba, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the People’s Republic of China and the holders of Hong Kong Certificate of Identity. Individuals who do not have the proper visas will not be allowed to enter the country.

Malaysia has a new international airport, which is located at Sepang. Just 50kms from Kuala Lumpur, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport opened in 1998. Most tourists travelling into Malaysia either fly into Sepang Airport or arrive overland from either Thailand or Singapore. It’s cheaper to fly to East Malaysia from Johor Bahru than from Kuala Lumpur. International flights are also routed via Penang while in Sarawak and Sabah, Kuching and Tawau airports offer flight services.

There are numerous border-crossing points between Thailand and Malaysia. Malaysia also offers a very reasonable west-coast rail link. To get to/from Singapore, you have three options. You can either go across the causeway by land into Johor Bahru, catch a ferry or take the train.

Peninsula Malaysia has a fast and affordable nationwide bus system, and provides an excellent way to get around the country. Minibuses are also very common, and are the only way to get by public transport into Northern Malaysia from Thailand.

Peninsula Malaysia offers a comfortable and economical railway service too, though you’ll find there are only two lines: one linking Singapore to Thailand via Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth, the other linking centrally located Gemas with Kota Bharu on the north-east border.

Long distance taxis are around twice the cost of buses, but are more comfortable by half.  There are no boat services between Peninsula and East Malaysia. Rickshaws can still be found in some parts of Kuala Lumpur, as well as in provincial areas. The public transport system in Kuala Lumpur is in a sorry state especially during peak hours.

Malaysia receives a large number of tourists and the Malay people are used to the different habits of foreigners. Although Malay people tend to be tolerant to cultural differences, it is important to remember that this is a conservative country and you should show respect by trying to follow the established customs.

Clothing:
Avoid showing too much skin when travelling in Malaysia. It is best to wear trousers rather than shorts and keep your shoulders covered. People who wear tight clothing, shorts and strappy tops will often be treated with distain and even refused admittance to certain places such as temples. Be sure to remove your shoes before entering temples or private houses and place them neatly outside the doorway.

Greetings:
Smile when you greet people. The traditional greeting is known as a salam and resembles a handshake with both hands but without making contact. The man will offer both hands, lightly touching his friend’s outstretched hands, and then bringing his hands to his chest, which means “I greet you from my heart”. The visitor should reciprocate the salam, but never shake hands unless someone initiates the gesture and don’t touch people on the head as this is seen as an insult.
Malay men are addressed as Encik, with or without their name afterwards Single Malay women should be called Che and married women Puan.

Eating etiquette:
Avoid eating with your left hand as it is considered unclean. Malays and Indians often eat with their right hand, while Chinese food is eaten with chopsticks. Knives aren’t usually used in Malaysia and a fork and spoon will often be provided. It is considered bad manners to put the fork in your mouth. Instead, use the fork to push food on to the spoon and lift the spoon to your mouth.

Showing Affection:
Sexual relations between people who aren’t married are actually illegal, and this extends to relationships between Lao people and foreigners. Public displays of affection such as kissing and holding hands can be offensive to Lao people, as is greeting them with a hug or kiss on the cheek.

Taboo Subjects:
Be careful not to criticize the Government and members of the Malay royal family. Avoid talking about homosexuality or ethnic relations.

The weather in Malaysia tends to be hot and humid throughout the year, usually reaching around 30˚C or higher in the daytime. Even at night, the temperature rarely falls below 20˚C.

Although it tends to rain throughout the year, rainfall is particularly heavy during the monsoon season, which lasts from November until February.

Many people find travelling in the hot and humid weather quite tiring, so allow plenty of time to recover after long journeys and carry plenty of water with you.

Generally, the best time to visit Malaysia is from May to September. However, the heaviest rail tends to occur from May to October on the west coast of Malaysia and those intent on soaking up the sun on the beach should avoid arriving during this period. However, the monsoon season is the best time to spot some of Malaysia’s coastal wildlife such as turtles, who pick this time to lay their eggs on the beach.

The best time to see some of Malaysia’s most colourful festivals is during the winter months of November, December and January. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Puasa are all vibrant affairs and celebrated throughout Malaysia.

Malaysia Truly Asia

Holding its own among Asia’s best know destinations, Malaysia encompasses the best of the region’s outstanding characteristics, without the hassle or concerns of its neighbours. From the stunning beaches in Langkawi to the history on Penang and Sophistication of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia offers its 20 million annual visitors a completely satisfying experience.

On this site we cover the entire Peninsula and Borneo, including Melaka, the Cameroon Highlands, the islands of Perhentian and Redang, as well as Kinabalu, and the jungles and beaches of East Malaysia. Written by an old hand on Southeast Asia, this blog will soon be upgraded to a full travel site with hundreds of pictures and pages to help you plan your trip to Malaysia.

Whether you’re into diving, hiking, history, shopping, beaching, culture, backpacking or simply soaking up the atmosphere of this organised and mutli-cultural country, there’s something for you on this site. We’ve got the tourism on Malaysia covered.

The best way to see Malaysia is under your own steam with a rental car. This allows you to get around easily to the various rural areas of beauty. It’s best book online in advance using an online car hire comparator that lists the best deals from car hire companies in Malaysia