Malaysia’s Most Beautiful Places For Tourists

MOOKNAYAK MEDIA BUREAU | December 28, 2024 | Jaipur : Malaysia is one of the planet’s most ecologically and culturally diverse countries: rich in adventure, and packed with breathtaking natural beauty. Your tailor-made tour of Malaysia will include an enticing variety of experiences and locations.

Malaysia’s Most Beautiful Places For Tourists

Malaysia’s Most Beautiful Places For Tuorists

Malaysia tourism offers a diverse mix of experiences, including bustling cities like Kuala Lumpur, historical sites in Malacca, pristine beaches on islands like Langkawi, lush rainforests in Sabah and Sarawak, and opportunities for wildlife encounters, making it a popular destination for various types of travelers seeking cultural immersion, nature exploration, and relaxation; the country saw a significant rebound in tourism in 2023 after pandemic restrictions eased, with a large number of visitors returning, although still slightly below pre-pandemic levels; key highlights include the multicultural cuisine, vibrant markets, and accessibility to diverse natural landscapes across the peninsula and Borneo regions.

Key points about Malaysia tourism:

  • Diverse attractions:

          From cityscapes in Kuala Lumpur to historical sites in Malacca, beautiful beaches in Langkawi, and rainforest adventures in Sabah and Sarawak.

  • Cultural blend:

          A melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous influences reflected in cuisine, architecture, and festivals.

  • Nature experiences:

           Opportunities for wildlife viewing including orangutans, diverse marine life, and lush rainforests.

  • Post-pandemic recovery:

           Significant increase in tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to previous years, with a focus on domestic tourism as well.

  • Major tourist destinations:

           Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Langkawi, Sabah, Sarawak.

Whether you’re looking for a straightforward city and beach break, or a more complex multi-stop tour, our specialists will delight in using Malaysia’s many attractions to put together the perfect itinerary. 

Riverfront at dusk Malacca Malaysia

Malacca

Malacca is situated roughly equidistant between KL and Singapore – a characterful and convenient stopping point between the two. This historic port has a broad mix of British, Chinese, Portuguese, and Dutch influences, featuring an intriguing mix of architecture, religion, and food. 

Along the cobbled streets you’ll find impressive temples and Christ Church, Malaysia’s oldest functioning Protestant church which dates back to 1753, and the Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum, a collection of three gorgeous, restored homes arranged to look like a typical 19th-century Baba-Nyonya residence.

At the summit of St. Paul’s Hill are the ruins of St. Paul’s Church – built on top of the palace ruins of the last Sultan of Malacca.

Beach and skyline of Penang Malaysia

Penang

The ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Penang is a tropical city that offers it all: home to gastronomic delights, a mix of historic and modern architecture, soft white sandy beaches, and numerous excellent hotels. It has a diverse mix of cultures, with modern developments juxtaposed with mosques, temples, and historic buildings, while the coast is lined with sleepy fishing villages and luxury resorts. 

The colonial city of George Town is its multicultural capital with historic British buildings, magnificent mosques, and crumbling shophouses in its oldest section. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also one of the top spots in all of Southeast Asia for mouth-watering street food.

Expert-led street food tours through its many budget restaurants and open-air food courts are an absolute must. 

Perhentian Kecil beach

The Perhentian Islands

The eastern coast of Malaysia is quieter, more traditional, and somewhat cut-off from the busier west coast by the mountains and jungles of the Peninsula interior. Handily, the east coast climate is the exact inverse of the west coast, meaning that whenever you travel to Malaysia there is a tropical paradise in season. 

Located off the northeast coast, accessed by traditional city Kota Bharu, the Perhentian Islands take a little bit of getting to but are absolutely gorgeous island escapes, with several excellent accommodation options on offer.

Perhentian Besar is the larger and quieter island; smaller Perhentian Kecil has a busy but laidback atmosphere and offers fantastic snorkeling right off the beach.

Tea hills in Cameron Highlands Malaysia

Cameron Highlands

Malaysia’s most popular highland retreat, the Cameron Highlands sit at nearly 6562 feet at their highest point, enjoying a climate that’s cooler than the rest of the country, boasting a stunning landscape blanketed in emerald green. 

Travelers come to walk through charming villages and forests, visit waterfalls, sprawling emerald tea plantations, strawberry, butterfly, and honeybee farms, while escaping the sweltering heat of the lowlands.

Both wildflowers and vegetables thrive here, with vendors selling organic onions, carrots, and cauliflower grown by local farmers along the main road in the eight loosely connected villages.

Twilight scene on Pulau Pangkor Malaysia

Pangkor Island

Set in the Malacca Straits off Malaysia’s West Coast, around a 3-hour transfer from capital KL, is the private island resort of Pangkor Laut. The pristine 300-acre island is carpeted in ancient rainforest and fringed with white sandy beaches, home to a variety of tropical wildlife, including macaques, hornbills, sea eagles, and monitor lizards.

Luxurious Pangkor Laut Resort is your base here, offering impeccable private villa accommodation and a full range of facilities, services, and activities. The resort has been previously declared the best in the world by Conde Nast and was a perennial favorite of famed Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Colourful coast Tioman Malaysia

Tioman

Sitting off Malaysia’s lower east coast, around 5 hours’ transfer from Singapore and 6 from Kuala Lumpur, Tioman is a small volcanic island with barely any tourism (or other) development…and all the better for it. 

The challenging transfers mean you’ll need to make a little extra effort to get here but it is absolutely worth it, with the island offering pristine and near-deserted white sand beaches and a mountainous interior which begs for exploration.

The luxurious Japamala Resort is our pick here – one of the very best boutique beach retreats in all Southeast Asia.

Forest in Taman Negara National Park Malaysia

Taman Negara

Taman Negara is Peninsular Malaysia’s premier rainforest reserve. Housing patches of the world’s old primary rainforest – outdating the dinosaurs – the park has simple accommodation but a range of enticing jungle activities. The journey into and out of the park is by longtail boat cruise; during your transfer, you might sight tapirs, stump-tailed, and long-tailed macaques.

The most popular attraction here is the canopy walkway, the longest in the world, which spans a distance of 1,738 feet while hovering 147 feet above the forest floor. The canopy walk provides the park’s best observation point: monkeys are often seen bouncing through the trees, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a tiger, leopard, or elephant.

Skywalk Langkawi

Langkawi

The ‘Jewel of Kedah’, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, approximately 30 miles off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. Just two are inhabited, Pulau Tuba and Pulau Langkawi, the largest and most populated, synonymous with pristine sandy beaches, wildlife-filled jungles, and fantastic shopping, dining, and entertainment. 

Langkawi’s striking beauty can be found in forest parks, hot springs, and magnificent waterfalls. The island is not overly developed – although there are plenty of beach bars, seafood restaurants, and spas, it’s also home to villages that have managed to preserve local traditions.

Orangutan in Danum Valley Borneo

Danum Valley

Deep in the steamy jungles of eastern Sabah is the magical Danum Valley Conservation Area: a 438 sq km tract of millennia-old primary rainforest, home to a remarkable array of tropical flora and fauna which includes orang-utan, sun bears, clouded leopard, gibbons, proboscis monkey, and over 250 rare bird species. 

Better yet it is also home to one of the world’s greatest wildlife lodges – the Borneo Rainforest Lodge – where you can enjoy this extraordinary setting in supreme luxury. The highlight of your stay will be a tour of the incredible canopy walk: 1000ft of rope bridges, held up by 130 million-year-old ironwood trees, which takes you dancing through the forest roof offering unparalleled views of the teeming jungle below.

Peak of Mount Kinabalu Borneo

Kota Kinabalu National Park

The provincial capital of Sabah, on the northeastern tip of Borneo, ‘KK’ is a historic and highly multicultural port city. Stay here in the city to enjoy its eclectic shopping and dining scene, or across on the luxurious island resorts of Gaya Island, just a 20-minute speedboat transfer away. 

From KK travelers can take trips into the lush Mount Kinabalu National Park, which houses soaring Mount Kinabalu – the highest peak in Southeast Asia – and a wide carpet of rainforests, hot springs, tropical gardens, and rapids that fall around it. The park can be explored as a day trip from the city, or the more adventurous can attempt the challenging two-day climb to the summit.

Malaysian Demographics

Before we start talking about the types of languages used in Malaysia, it’s reasonable to look at the country’s demographics first to understand better how languages in the country developed.

For your information, the majority of Malaysian citizens come from the major ethnic group, Malay. The Malay population takes up to 70% of the entire citizens, while the other 22% and 7% of the community are from the other two major ethnic groups; Chinese and Indian.

Tamil Language Varieties

Tamil, unlike Bahasa Malaysia, does not have that many varieties in the local setting. On the other hand, Bahasa Melayu has several dialects and varieties as it is the original language of Malaysia. In the case of the Tamil language, despite various varieties that sound close to this language, such as HindiMarathi, Telugu, and Malayalam, these varieties are very rare to be spoken among the Malaysian Indians.

How about Indian dialects? It’s the same case. It’s non-existent in Malaysia as the Tamil has spoken here has been localized. Indian dialects are more commonly found in India, its mainland.

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MOOKNAYAK MEDIA

At times, though, “MOOKNAYAK MEDIA’s” immense reputation gets in the way of its own themes and aims. Looking back over the last 15 years, it’s intriguing to chart how dialogue around the portal has evolved and expanded. “MOOKNAYAK MEDIA” transformed from a niche Online News Portal that most of the people are watching worldwide, it to a symbol of Dalit Adivasi OBCs Minority & Women Rights and became a symbol of fighting for downtrodden people. Most importantly, with the establishment of online web portal like Mooknayak Media, the caste-ridden nature of political discourses and public sphere became more conspicuous and explicit.

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Malaysia is a Country of Rich Cultures and Vernacular Languages

MOOKNAYAK MEDIA BUREAU | December 28, 2024 | Jaipur :  Malaysia is a country that is rich in its cultures, there is absolutely a list of languages that the Malaysians speak. Let’s take a closer look at each language that is spoken and used in Malaysia.

Malaysia is a Country of Rich Cultures and Vernacular Languages

Malaysia is indeed a country with a diverse array of cultures and vernacular languages, primarily influenced by Malay, Chinese, and Indian traditions, making it a vibrant melting pot of ethnicities and linguistic variations.

Malaysia is a Country of Rich Cultures and Vernacular Languages

1) Malay – Languages Spoken In Malaysia

As stated earlier, the official language in Malaysia is Malay, and this is prescribed in Malaysia’s Federal Constitution. Apart from that, it is also stated in Malaysia’s Education Act that the national language (which in this case refers to the Malay language) is to be used in all educational institutions in Malaysia.

Due to this, you’ll find that most national learning institutions (primary schools, secondary schools, and some local universities) utilize the Malay language as the medium of instruction.

However, since Malaysia has vernacular education, we also have Malaysian Chinese and Indian vernacular schools all over the country – these schools use each respective language as a medium of instruction.

Still, the Malay language is not only spoken by its native speakers, the Malay community but it is also spoken by many locals, including the Malaysian Chinese and Indian communities. It is the lingua franca used throughout Malaysia, especially in public places like restaurants, shops, and offices. It is the most commonly spoken language in Malaysia, especially in rural areas.

The locals in urban cities use the Malay language too since it’s their mother tongue. However, I must insist on the fact that it is most likely for you to hear a Malaysian Malay in an urban area such as Kuala Lumpur to speak in English rather than Malay. Such a phenomenon is quite standard today due to the culture of the current local professional industry.

Besides that, if you plan to come, visit, study, or even work in Malaysia one day, here’s one fact you should know: though the national language of this country is Bahasa Malaysia, formal and informal Malay can be very different.

You may find yourself setting foot in this country, studying the Malaysian language, and later discovering that the native speakers do not speak the language like how you formally learned it. The locals use many Malay slang words and jargon that you won’t learn in formal education. It’s exactly the same as learning English – all the semantics, pragmatics, and syntax are almost forgotten whenever we talk in English.

Through formal education, the language you learn is the official, standard version, while the current members of society spontaneously construct the conversational language. And this happens in almost every language, so don’t be surprised!

2) Mandarin

As the Malaysian Chinese community is a part of the country, the use of Mandarin has been widespread ever since in Malaysia. The government of Malaysia has also implemented a “Speak Mandarin Campaign” to encourage Chinese Malaysians to learn Mandarin since China had embraced the worldwide knowledge that most countries should have at least one common language between them.

Among all languages in Malaysia, it is fair to state how Mandarin is deemed significant by the members of society, regardless of their diverse ethnicity. As a result, people (especially those who aren’t Chinese) with good Mandarin proficiency are highly wanted in the professional industry.

This is because many stakeholders and business leaders in the corporate world are Malaysian Chinese. Thus, you could observe how Mandarin is truly considered a ‘working’ language in Malaysia from this instance.

Similar to the Malay language, the usage of Mandarin in this nation today has a little modern twist – the Malaysian Chinese borrow a lot of English words and incorporate them into the Chinese language. And that spontaneous fusion is known as today’s Manglish (Mandarin + English). Manglish can also sound similar to Singaporean slang, Singlish. Try listening to these two widely spoken varieties – I’m sure you’ll have a hard time distinguishing which one is which (just like I did).

3) Tamil – Languages Spoken In Malaysia

Tamil is the language spoken by the local Indians. In Malaysia, it is also known as Bahasa Tamil. You will hear this language being spoken by the Indian people if you go to Indian schools, temples, or any Indian festivities (like Deepavali and Thaipusam).

Among all languages of Malaysia, the Tamil language is regarded as one of the most complex languages due to its complicated Indian script and speech sounds. As mentioned before, this language is spoken by Indians, who are mostly Hindus. So if you’re asking if is Tamil the same as the Hindi language, it’s entirely different as Hindi is spoken by the Punjabi people. And in nature, the two languages sound unalike.

As previously mentioned, we have Indian vernacular schools – and yes, Indian children are given formal education in the Tamil language. Still, you should know that most Indians mix their mother tongue with words from Malay and English when it comes to conversations. Why? Because this specific population understands the complexity of their language, certain words are sometimes too complicated to pronounce in Tamil.

Due to that, they switch to Malay or English words, which are, at times, simpler and quicker to articulate. In addition, the local Indians also use a lot of Tanglish (Tamil + English), especially in the current modern days, in Kuala Lumpur.

4) English – Another Popular Language In Malaysia

As a former British colony, British English (UK) is also widely introduced in Malaysia. In fact, British English is our second language -it is made compulsory for all locals to learn it in primary and secondary schools. And English language learning never stops – we still have to learn it during our tertiary education.

In Malaysia, English is commonly used in business, education, and other formal and non-formal situations. However, living in Malaysia, you will also witness how more and more Malaysian citizens are speaking English today – all due to the rapid growth of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and advanced technology.

Compared to the other parts or states of Malaysia, you’ll most likely know or heard of Kuala Lumpur since it’s the capital city of this nation. Moreover, this city has always been the financial, cultural, and economic hub of Malaysia. And as a lot of multinational and international affairs take place in this particular part of the country, you’ll notice how English is commonly spoken among the locals among any other language.

  • Languages Spoken In Malaysia Local Dialects
  • Languages Spoken In Malaysia – The Local Dialects And Varieties
  • Now that we know the primary languages spoken are Malay, Chinese, and Indian, let’s see the dialects and varieties of these local languages of Malaysia.

Malay Language – Regional Dialects And Varieties

Like any other language worldwide, Bahasa Melayu has its own set of language varieties, which is simply known as dialects. Yup, even though all Malay native speakers have Malay as their national and maybe first language, not everyone has the same dialect.

For instance, people living in Kelantan, specifically, are widely known to have a very distinctive dialect. The speech sounds Kelantanese speakers create do not sound anything similar to the formal Bahasa Malaysia you learned in class. As a result, travelers or foreigners who have acquired Malay formally can be surprised when listening to some local speakers in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, and Perak. Why? Because these are some of the states that can have unique and strong regional dialects.

Still, these regional dialects are largely mutually intelligible – a person who lives in Kuala Lumpur would be able to understand what a person from Johor is saying and vice versa. But then, some dialects can be unique and would require in-depth learning for non-natives to comprehend. Generally, there are 10 dialects all over Malaysia:

Apart from all these regional dialects, some indigenous languages are also special to some unique ethnic groups in Malaysia. The indigenous population or the aborigines in Malaysia, also the oldest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia, is known as Orang Asli. The Orang Asli community has its own set of unique languages.

The other set of unique ethnic groups are mostly situated in Sabah and Sarawak, located in East Malaysia. Some of them include Iban, Melanau, Dayak, Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Rungus, Labuk and so many more.

  • Languages Spoken In Malaysia Chinese Varieties
  • Some of the indigenous ethnicities in Sabah and Sarawak
  • Chinese Language Varieties: Mandarin, Hokkien & Cantonese

As mentioned earlier, the standard language spoken by the local Chinese locals is Mandarin. However, other varieties of Chinese languages are also used in this country. The most popular Chinese varieties you’ll hear in Malaysia are Hokkien and Cantonese.

These two language varieties are altogether different from Standard Mandarin. The speech sounds, grammar as well as words are entirely different from those of the Mandarin language. Of course, non-Chinese would not be able to tell the differences, but these are the nature of Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hokkien apart.

Tamil Language Varieties

Tamil, unlike Bahasa Malaysia, does not have that many varieties in the local setting. On the other hand, Bahasa Melayu has several dialects and varieties as it is the original language of Malaysia. In the case of the Tamil language, despite various varieties that sound close to this language, such as Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, and Malayalam, these varieties are very rare to be spoken among the Malaysian Indians.

How about Indian dialects? It’s the same case. It’s non-existent in Malaysia as the Tamil has spoken here has been localized. Indian dialects are more commonly found in India, its mainland.

Foreign Languages Spoken In Malaysia

How about foreign languages? What languages do these locals acquire and speak? Several foreign languages are being taught to the natives here in Malaysia. Here’s a list of foreign languages that are taught in schools:

  • Arabic
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Japanese
  • Korean

Apart from these languages, you can also find people who use or want to learn Turkish, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, and Italian in Malaysia. Why? Because these languages are not formally taught in the local education institutions, they are still highly wanted in the job market.

  • Why Learn Different Languages Spoken In Malaysia
  • Job opportunities for those who are proficient in other foreign languages.
  • Why Learn The Different Spoken Languages In Malaysia

Today’s blog intends to introduce you to the vast array of languages we have here in Malaysia. Plus, as a native Malay, I truly love the linguistic diversity that we have in this country; Malays can learn the Mandarin language and the traditions and heritage of the local Chinese community and vice versa.

Must Read : Malaysia’s Most Beautiful Places For Tourists

To be specific, I appreciate how the practice of cultural and linguistic diversity in Malaysia is deeply rooted within the constitution (based on the few clauses and provisions I’ve included). So, in a way, the governmental system does not merely set what the official language is and what is not – it advocates and welcomes the act of acknowledging, understanding, and discovering other different languages that we have here in Malaysia.

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India’s decision to upgrade its relations with Kuwait

MOOKNAYAK MEDIA BUREAU | December 28, 2024 | Delhi: India’s decision to upgrade its relations with Kuwait to a strategic partnership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit over the weekend to the West Asian country, the first by an Indian premier in more than four decades, were timely signals of its importance in the extended neighbourhood.

India’s decision to upgrade its relations with Kuwait

After all, Kuwait is home to one million Indians, one of the largest concentrations of citizens in the region, and the sixth- largest crude supplier to India. Kuwait is also the current chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with which India is negotiating a free trade deal. As one of India’s primary sources of oil and home to more than nine million Indians, West Asia is central to India’s foreign policy concerns.

India’s decision to upgrade its relations with Kuwait

India’s outreach to West Asian powers has coincided with a shift by those countries from their long-standing proximity to Pakistan because of an understanding of the greater benefits of strategic and economic ties with New Delhi.

This outreach comprises both bilateral deals with key countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and multilateral engagements such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. New Delhi has managed to build these ties without upsetting any of the major fault lines that shape relations among various countries in West Asia.

Strategic ties between India and Kuwait received a boost from the finalisation of an agreement on defence cooperation, which envisages joint exercises, training, collaboration in the defence industry and supply of military equipment.

Given that the Kuwait Investment Authority has already pumped more than $10 billion into India, the two countries decided to explore new opportunities in areas such as technology, tourism, health care and food security.

They also decided to fast-track negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty. There was also consensus on enhancing cooperation in exploration and production of oil and gas, petrochemical industries, renewable energy, refining, and Kuwait’s participation in India’s strategic petroleum reserve programme.

While India’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the main players in West Asia, are better than ever, it is sound policy to develop equally close ties with the other Arab States at a time when a lot of Indian interests are closely tied to developments in the region.

The welfare of Indian expatriates and their remittances are crucial for New Delhi. Futuristic plans for collaboration in energy security and food security will help provide a new direction to the age-old ties between India and Kuwait.

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