Malaysia remains the world’s role model of a multicultural society. Multiculturalism makes Malaysia a melting pot of art, culture, festivals and gastronomy, with each culture represented at its best. The country is composed of two non-contiguous regions: The Peninsular Malaysia (West) and the Malaysian Borneo (East). The West boasts bustling cities, historical architectures, cool tea plantations and tranquil islands while the East feature tropical jungles brimming with wildlife, towering granite peaks and untouched islands with remote indigenous tribes. Malaysia caters for all types of visitors providing travellers with a wealth of tourism experiences. From white sandy beaches and exquisite national parks to cosmopolitan cities abundant with shopping, dining and nightlife choices.

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country in Southeast Asia and one of the wealthiest and most developed countries, outranked in GNP only by Singapore and oil-rich Brunei. The Federation of Malaya became an independent country on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, the federation was enlarged by the accession of Singapore, Sabah (formerly British North Borneo) and Sarawak. The name “Malaysia” was adopted from that date. Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965.

The country’s geographical position, lying just north of the Equator is diverse, with the land itself being divided by the South China Sea into two parts: The Peninsular Malaysia (West) and the Malaysian Borneo (East). The North of Peninsular Malaysia shares its border with Thailand and the south tip of the peninsula is Singapore with which Malaysia is connected by a causeway and a separate bridge. East Malaysia consists of the country’s two largest states, Sarawak and Sabah, and is separated from Peninsular Malaysia by some 400 miles (640 km) of the South China Sea.

Malaysia’s climate is equatorial, meaning hot and humid with periods of Monsoon rain. For a more accurate description of climate, Malaysia can be divided into 3 different areas: Lowlands & Highlands, West Coast and East Coast.

1.Lowlands & Highlands (Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Cameron Highlands) Hot and humid throughout the year, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca experience showers that occur almost daily. In the highlands however, temperatures average a very pleasant 22 ºC in the daytime and a relatively cool 15 ºC at night with heavy rainfall between September and early December.

2. West Coast (Langkawi, Penang and Pangkor) Typical tropical climate ¬¬- hot, sunny, and humid with showers all year round. The downpours are heavier during September and October.

3.East Coast (Kuantan, Tioman Island, Perhentian Islands, Terengganu, Redang and Kota Bharu) Hot and sunny weather for much of the year with the warm waters of the South China Sea. Avoid visiting the islands during the North-East Monsoon that strikes between November and February due to heavier rainfalls which can disrupt boat crossings and safety. Outside of the North-East Monsoon months, the east coast is usually drier than the rest of Malay.

Malaysia consists of many different mixes of races and religion, with Islam being the dominant religion (61% of the population). The large Chinese population practices a mixture of beliefs, with influences from traditional religions such as Buddhism and Daoism. Hinduism is followed by many of Malaysia’s Indians. Malaysian laws guarantee religious freedom. All faiths and denominations co-exists in harmony. Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali have all been declared national holidays alongside Islamic holidays.

Malaysia’s unique wow factor is its diversity. The country’s long history is the story of how original Malays have accepted newcomers from Arabia, India, China and further afield and fused differing cultures into a national identity. Malay Muslims, Chinese Taoists and Buddhists, Indian Hindus, a large number of indigenous people, plus an assortment of Eurasians, Peranakans and other races and religions all call themselves Malaysian.