Travel » Malaysia Truly Asia

MALAYSIA TRULY ASIA
Hi- tech, stylish, exotic yet accessible are some of the superlatives that have been used to describe Malaysia.
Flanked by India to the west and China to the east, the country was portrayed as Asia in microcosm by Dato Abdul Kadir Bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, minister of Malaysia’s floral parade and a view of Kuala Lumpur. culture, arts and tourism, Malaysia, at the recent PATA(Pacific Asia Travel Association) conference in Hong Kong. Malaysia is a quality vacation venue,

A country where one can witness the seamless blending of three of the world’s oldest civilizations, the Malay with its Arabic influence, Chinese-Buddhist and Indian-Hindu, Malaysia has an "instant Asia" flavor. Yet the country is a multinational whirl of modern cities, palm-fringed beaches, misty tea plantations and back-to-nature retreats, we were told. Overlaying these colorful strands is the ethnic culture of the Sabah and Sarawak regions and the palpable legacy of the Dutch, Portuguese, and the British.

Malaysia may have a multi-cultural look and a turn-of the century charm but it has a future all its own. The tourism sector has been identified as a major foreign exchange earner and in the year 2000-2001, the country will become a top-of-the mind destination in all international and regional markets, said the minister. Packaged as "Malaysia Truly Asia," the prosperous Islamic nation has lifted the veil and has pulled out all the stops to attract tourists.

To begin with, there is bustling Kuala Lumpur with its modem hotels and conference facilities, busy markets and huge shopping malls. There is a wide variety of sophisticated retreats such as the remote island of Pangkor Laut, fashionable Langkawi, the well-known delights of Penang and the still unspoilt east coast. The semiautonomous states of Sarawak and Sabah, on the island of Borneo, have mangrove swamps, one of the biggest rainforests anywhere in the world and Southeast Asia’s highest mountain!

The country’s multiracial backdrop has spawned numerous festivals such as the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebrated - Muslims; the pyrotechnic: Chinese New Year and the harvest festival of Sarawak. Colors of Tvlalavsia is a month-long cultural event held throughout the country, best seen during the spectacular annual Colors of Malaysia Parade, usually held in the last week of May. Visitors are treated to cultura shows, handicraft demonstrations, culinary specialities, shopping bargain and more.

Apart from attending rambunctious festivals. tourists can head for the tropical island paradise of Penang; Malacca, the sleepy backwater town with lingering memories of a glorious past, the sun-drenched beaches of the unspoilt east coast and the frontier lands of Sabah and Sarawak.