Malaysia and it’s many wonders

Malaysia- A place where you can get anything you want and every dream fulfilled. Malaysia is a small country in Southeast Asia that consists of two main landmasses; Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, both separated by the South China sea. Here are some interesting facts about Malaysia.

• The Capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. It is where the majestic and iconic Petronas Towers are. Standing at 451.9 meters, they are one of the world’s tallest buildings in the world. The two buildings are joined by a sky bridge. Petronas is the national oil company and the only company in the Fortune Global 500.
• Malaysia has a unique constitutional rotating monarchy system similar to the one in the United Kingdom. The King is the Supreme Head of the State and is referred to as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The King is elected every 5 years.
• The national currency is the ringgit, also called as the Malaysian dollar and first came into use in 1946. The obverse of each of the colorful notes contains a picture of Tuanku (King) Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first ruler.

• Rasa Sayang is a popular Malay folk song that is taught in schools and you cannot miss it as you will hear it throughout Malaysia and Indonesia. It means “the act of feeling love”.
• Malaysia has two monsoon winds seasons and a recorded 200 rainy days in a year.  It has the Southwest Monsoon from late May to September, and the Northeast Monsoon from October to March.
• Malaysia’s  Nasi lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk often referred to as the national dish. It is commonly served wrapped in a banana leaf and usually consumed for breakfast. It is served with cucumbers, eggs, peanuts, and fried anchovies.
• In Malaysia, some buildings do not have the fourth floor. They are replaced by “3A”,  as the sound of four (sì) is similar to the sound of death in Chinese (sĭ )
• Bahasa Malay is the official language of Malaysia and has no written script of its own. The Islamic missionaries had brought with them the Koran and a form of writing that could be used to transcribe Malay quite accurately. This script known as Jawi is still used for some religious and formal purposes.
• Malaysia lies close to the equator and thus has an equatorial climate with two rainy seasons and is usually very humid.
• The national drink of Malaysia is the tarik (“pulled tea”), which is tea that is thrown across a distance from one container to another, without letting it spill and until it is blended and frothy. The intent is to let the tea cool down, but it has now become a Malaysian art form with vendors taking pride in the art.
• Malaysia is a diverse country with a population of approx. 32.6 million people, mostly Malays but there are a lot of Singaporean, Chinese and Indian people too.

Malaysian Foods and Dishes

Malaysians always have something great to say about their food. It is famous for its coastal tourism and is known for its wonderful cuisine. 

Here are some typical Malaysian foods and dishes:

• Nasi Lemak: is a tasty  preparation of coconut rice which is actually rice cooked in coconut milk along with boiled egg, vegetables, and any curried meat such as chicken or beef and sambal (chili sauce)

  

• Mee Goreng:  Meaning fried noodles is a hugely popular dish that comes from Chinese cuisine and comes with chili and soy sauce and fried vegetables as well as beef or chicken strips. Sometimes shrimps are added in as well.
• Nasi Goreng: It is fried rice and is stir-fried with chilis, garlic, lime or tamarind, and topped with chicken or prawns and a fried egg/omelet.

  

• Asam Laksa: Spicy fish stew with rice noodles and tamarind.
• Ikan Bakar: Ikan Bakar means ‘burned fish’, and refers to charcoal-grilled fish and other seafood. Post marination in sambal, turmeric, and chili, the fish is often wrapped in banana leaf and grilled over a flame and served to suit your taste.

  

• Murtabak:  It is a dish originally from Yemen and is a typical Muslim food. It is a fried and stuffed pancake filled with minced meat and vegetables.
• Roti John: Flat pancake sandwich filled with minced meat, eggs, and cheese – typical street food.

Places to Visit in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

• One cannot miss the Kuala Lumpur city center where the iconic 88 storeyed Petronas twin towers stand. Another landmark is the Menara KL Tower which offers great views and is at least 100 metres higher than the Petronas Tower’s Skybridge.
• Another most important tourist spot is ‘China Town’ and is a well-known shopper’s paradise. From Chinese herbs to imitation goods it has everything at dirt cheap prices.
• Batu Caves is an important destination and is located 11 km north of Kuala Lumpur. It is a 400 million-year-old limestone hill with a 100-year-old temple. The place attracts thousands of visitors.
• Sultan Abdul Smad Building is an important landmark in Kuala Lumpur and once served as the secretariat for the British administration. Today the building is home to the offices of the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Culture of Malaysia.
• The Sunway Lagoon Theme Park is located in the Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Petaling Jaya and has mind-blowing water slides and wave pools. The park has 5 zones park  – the water park, Scream Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park, and Wildlife Park.
• Aquaria KLCC is located in the KL convention centre. Spread over 464,515sqm Aquaria KLCC is home to over 150 species of marine life.
• The Perdana Botanical Gardens boast the largest collection of flower gardens and animal parks in Kuala Lumpur city centre.

Georgetown

Georgetown is a beautiful town in Malaysia and is known for its British colonies and also its lovely beaches with really clean water.  Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008, Georgetown is on the north-eastern corner of the island and is dotted with narrow roads, old-fashioned colonial-era mansions, clan houses, several schools, and temples.

Langkawi

The  Langkawi Cable Car takes visitors all the way up to Mount Mat Cincang, which is Langkawi’s second-highest peak and is located in The Oriental Village in the upper northwest of Langkawi Island. As soon as the Langkawi Cable Car ascends can feel the temperature dropping and a windy breeze begins flowing into the cabin

Genting Islands

Genting Highlands is a high altitude cool hill station with an integrated resort set amidst a picturesque old rainforest. Popularly known for its hotels, Casino, entertainment, and nightlife it features the First World Hotel – which was listed as the world’s largest hotel in 2006 by the Guinness World Book of Records. So, if you are crazy rich, do check out the luxury hotels and the casinos.

Important attractions include –

• The 20th Century Fox World Malaysia (Theme Park)
• Awana Skyway  (Cable car to reach the peak of Genting Highlands)
• Butterfly wonderland Genting (Butterfly Garden and a bee farm)
• Genting Casino- Popular evening activity to try your luck
• The Arena of Stars (fully roofed amphitheater equipped with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems)
• Vision City Video Games Park
• SkySymphony Genting

Malaysia also has many forests, jungles beaches, and cave systems, so when you go to Malaysia don’t forget to add this article to your checklist.