MALAYSIA TRULY ASIA
Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socialising. As a people, Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly.
Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.
One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.
For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.
CULTURE & HERITAGE : PEOPLE
Having had an interesting past and being a part of the international spice route many hundreds of years ago, Malaysia has turned into a mosaic of cultures. Everything from its people to its architecture reflect a colourful heritage and an amalgamated culture. To understand Malaysian culture, you must first get to know its people. |
DISCOVER A LAND OF INTRIGUING DIVERSITY Malays, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic groups have lived together in Malaysia for generations. All these cultures have influenced each other, creating a truly Malaysian culture. The largest ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are a myriad of indigenous ethnic groups with their own unique culture and heritage.MALAY CHINESE INDIAN |
INDIGENOUS ETHNIC GROUPS Orang Asli |
SARAWAK Collectively known as the Dayaks, the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu are the major ethnic groups in the state of Sarawak. Dayak, which means upstream or inland, is used as a blanket term by the Islamic coastal population for over 200 tribal groups. Typically, they live in longhouses, traditional community homes that can house 20 to 100 families. Iban Bidayuh Orang Ulu |
SABAH The largest indigenous ethnic groups of Sabah's population are the Kadazan Dusun, the Bajau and the Murut. Kadazan Dusun Bajau Murut |
CULTURE & HERITAGE : ARCHITECTURE
AN AMAZING ARCHITECTURAL AMALGAM A fascinating fusion of tradition and modernity, Malaysia's architecture today is a reflection of Asia's many styles, cultures and religions. These influences include Hindu-Indian, Arab-Muslim, Chinese and European. Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization have also influenced local architecture. Now, the country embraces an independent modern Malaysian vision whilst staying true to its rich culture and heritage. |
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE Malay Traditional houses in Negeri Sembilan were built of hardwood and entirely free of nails. They are built using beams, which are held together by wedges. A beautiful example of this type of architecture can be seen in the Old Palace of Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan, which was built around 1905. Another truly magnificent example of Malay architectural creativity is the Istana Kenangan in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Built in 1926, it is the only Malay palace made of bamboo walls. Today, many Malay or Islamic buildings incorporate Moorish design elements as can be seen in the Islamic Arts Museum and a number of buildings in Putrajaya - the new administrative capital, and many mosques throughout the country. Chinese Many old houses especially those in Melaka and Penang are of Baba-Nyonya heritage, built with indoor courtyards and beautiful, colourful tiles. A rare architectural combination of Chinese and Western elements is displayed by Melaka's Terengkera mosque. Its pagoda-like appearance is a fine example of Chinese-influenced roof form, combined with Western detailing in its balustrades and railings. Indian Built in the late nineteenth century, the Sri Mahamariaman Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one of the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temples in the country. The detailed decorative scheme for the temple incorporates intricate carvings, gold embellishments, hand-painted motifs and exquisite tiles from Italy and Spain. The Sikhs, although a small minority, also have their temples of more staid design in many parts of the country. Indigenous Peoples of Sabah & Sarawak Homes to interior riverine tribes, longhouses are traditional community homes. These elongated and stilted structures, often built of axe-hewn timber, tied with creeper fibre and roofed with woven atap or thatched leaves, can house between 20 to 100 families. Rustic water villages built on stilts are also commonly found along riverbanks and seafronts. Houses are linked by plank walkways with boats anchored on the sides. Transport around the village is usually by sampan or canoe. |
COLONIAL PERIOD STYLES The architectural styles of the different colonial powers are used in many buildings built between 1511 and 1957. Portuguese Dutch British Pre-Merdeka or pre-independence shophouses still emanate the characteristic charm of their earlier days. A display of English ingenuity is the 'five-foot-way' or covered sidewalk designed to shield pedestrians from the heat and rain. |
CULTURE & HERITAGE : HANDICRAFTS
FASCINATING HANDICRAFTS GALORE Malaysia boasts a delightful variety of traditional handicrafts. Choices range from priceless authentic antiques to exquisite modern hand-made crafts. As most artisans are Muslims, Malaysian handicraft designs are heavily influenced by Islam. The religion prohibits the depiction of the human form in art. Hence, most designs are based on natural elements such as the interlacing of leaves or vines, flowers and animals. |
EARTHENWARE Popular items of traditional design include Perak's labu sayong, geluk, belanga, Chinese dragon kiln ceramics and Sarawakian tribal motif pottery. Contemporary items include vases, flower pots, decorative pottery, sculpture and kitchenware. Labu sayong Belanga Terenang Wood Crafts Metal Crafts Hand-woven Crafts |
TEXTILES Colourful and captivating, Malaysia's traditional textiles are much sought after worldwide. Varieties include batik, songket, pua kumbu and tekat. These textiles are made into all sorts of decorative items, from haute couture clothes to shoes, colourful curtains and delicate bed linen. Batik Songket Pua Kumbu Tekat |
JEWELLERY & COSTUME ACCESSORIES Enticing hand-crafted accessories abound in Malaysia. Choose from leather-crafted goods, beadwork necklaces from Borneo or finely made gold and silver jewellery adorned with gems. Kerongsang Cucuk Sanggul Pending |
FAST FACTS ABOUT MALAYSIA
Country |
Geographic Location |
Area 329,758 square km |
Population 27.17 million |
Capital City Kuala Lumpur |
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Weather |
Main Holidays New Year*, Hari Raya Aidiladha*, Federal Territory Day **, Chinese New Year *, Awal Muharam*, Maulidur Rasul*, Labour Day*, Wesak*, King's Birthday*, National Day* Deepavali# Hari Raya Aidilfitri* Christmas* Note: (*) - National Holidays (**) - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur & Labuan only (#) - except Labuan & Sarawak |
Economic Profile
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Distance to Malaysia London, United Kingdom to Kuala Lumpur : 6,557 miles (10,552 km) Paris, France to Kuala Lumpur 6,483 miles (10,432 km) Rome, Italy to Kuala Lumpur : 6,038 miles (9,716 km) Stockholm, Sweden to Kuala Lumpur : 5,812 miles (9,353 km) Berlin, Germany to Kuala Lumpur : 5,979 miles (9,622 km) Madrid, Spain to Kuala Lumpur : 6,885 miles (11,079 km) New York, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 9,400 miles (15,126 km) Los Angeles, USA to Kuala Lumpur : 8,790 miles (14,144 km) Vancouver, Canada to Kuala Lumpur : 7,944 miles (12,783 km) |
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Telephone Local calls can be made from public phones using shillings or prepaid cards. International calls can also be made using card phones or at any Telekom office. |
Accommodation |
Tourist Arrivals to Malaysia ( 2008 ) Tourist Arrivals to Malaysia with Rithz Holidays ( 2008 ) Australia 427,076 Singapore 550 Brunei 1,085,115 Indonesia 121 Cambodia 35,464 Thailand 74 Canada 77,664 Brunei 54 China 949,864 China 47 France 86,030 India 27 Germany 111,525 Japan 21 India 550,738 Australia 21 Indonesia 2,428,605 Philippines 19 Italy 38,945 United Kingdom 18 Japan 433,462 South Korea 13 Middle East 264,338 Middle East 13 Netherlands 90,802 USA 11 New Zealand 56,117 Taiwan 9 Philippines 397,884 Vietnam 6 Poland 11,745 Scandinavia 5 Russia 26,308 Germany 5 Scandinavia 117,094 Netherlands 4 Singapore 11,003,492 France 4 South Africa 25,437 Canada 3 South Korea 267,461 New Zealand 2 Swithzerland 26,489 Other 56 Taiwan 190,979 1,083 Thailand 1,493,789 Turkey 8,152 PAYMENT TRANSACTED United Kingdom 370,591 to Rithz Holidays ( 2008 ) USA 223,249 BANK ACCOUNT 541 Vietnam 122,933 AT KLIA 181 Other 1,131,140 TRAVEL AGENT 361 22,052,488 1,083
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Rithz Holidays (2008) by packages |
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GOLDEN PACKAGES |
INDEPENDENT PACKAGE |
361 pax |
722 pax |
MALAYSIA AIRLINES
- BEST AIRLINE TO ASIA - TRAVEL WEEKLY GLOBAL AWARDS
- BEST ECONOMY CLASS - SKYTRAX UK
- 5 STAR AIRLINE - SKYTRAX UK
- AIRLINE OF THE YEAR - SKYTRAX UK
- BEST IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT – SKYTREX
- BEST CABIN STAFF – SKYTREX
- BEST SOUTH-EAST ASIA AIRLINE - SKYTRAX UK
- FAVORITE AIRLINE FOOD (FIRST PLACE) - SMART TRAVEL ASIA FAVOURITE AIRLINE POLL
DIRECT FLIGHT TO KUL |
DIRECT FLIGHT TO KUL | ||
ARGENTINA - BUENOS AIRES |
NETHERLANDS - AMSTERDAM | ||
AUSTRALIA - ADELAIDE / BRISBANE / |
NEW ZEALANDS - AUCKLAND | ||
MELBOURNE / PERTH / SYDNEY |
PAKISTAN - KARACHI |
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BANGLADESH - DHAKA |
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PHILIPINE - MANILA / CEBU | |
BRUNEI - BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN |
SAUDI ARABIA - JEDDAH | ||
CAMBODIA - PHNOM PENH / SIEM REAP |
SINGAPORE - SINGAPORE | ||
CHINA - BEIJING / KUMMING / SHANGHAI |
SOUTH AFRICA - CAPE TOWN / | ||
XIAMEN / GUANGZHAU |
JOHANNESBURG | ||
FRANCE - PARIS |
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SOUTH KOREA - SEOUL | |
GERMANY - FRANKFURT |
SRI LANKA - COLOMBO |
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HONG KONG - HONG KONG |
SWEDEN - STOCKHOLM |
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INDIA - BANGOLORE / CHENNAI / DELHI / |
TAIWAN - KAO SHIUNG / TAIPEI | ||
MUMBAI / HYDRABAD |
THAILAND - BANGKOK / PHUKET | ||
ITALY - ROME |
TURKEY - ISTANBUL |
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JAPAN - TOKYO / OSAKA |
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DUBAI | ||
LEBENON - BEIRUT |
UNITED KINGDOM - LONDON | ||
MACAU - MACAU |
US - LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK CITY | ||
MALDIVES - MALE |
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VITENAM - HANOI / HO CHI MINH CITY |