Malaysia has been a crossroads for Muslim, Chinese and European explorers for nearly a thousand years, with each culture leaving its legacy. Georgetown on Penang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the colonial-era architecture is strictly preserved. Don’t miss the Pinang Perankang Mansion, an opulent palace from the 19th-century trading era. The nearby Penang Museum curates displays that capture the wealth and style of the epoch. In Kuala Lumpur, the Islamic Arts Museum has one of the best collections of Islamic decorative arts in the world, according to Lonely Planet.
The Jalan Tokong or “Street of Harmony” on Melaka encapsulates Malaysia’s religious diversity, with a Taoist temple, Muslim mosque, and Hindu temple close neighbors. Situated in the Chinatown district, the street also is near old Christian churches. The country’s oldest mosque is the Kampung Hulu on Melaka, dating from 1728, while St. George’s Church in Georgetown is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia, tucked in behind the Supreme Court and completed in 1818. The oldest Chinese temple is the Cheng Hoon Teng temple in Melaka, built in 1648. The Kek Lok Si temple in Georgetown is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia.
Hikers will relish the national park at Taman Negara, one of oldest tropical rain forests in the world, where trails wind through primary rain forest or among the canopy on walkways. Meanwhile, scuba divers flock to Sabah’s marine park, where five small islands combine shallow waters with coral gardens. To escape the heat and humidity, visitors traditionally head to the Cameron Highlands, a tea-producing hill station of hiking trails and waterfalls. For a beach break, the white sands around Similajau National Park offer a tranquil release.
Tioman island, which doubled as Bali Hai in the movie South Pacific, was named as one of the most beautiful in the world by "Time" magazine, and lures in scuba divers for the coral reef. Mount Kinabulu on Borneo is the highest in the country, at 13,435 feet, with an abundance of ferns, birds and protected species. Guided hikes are possible to the summit. In the capital, the Petronas Towers are an 88-floor, 1,483-foot monument to the country’s economic accomplishments.
