Is Malaysia Worth Visiting? Best Things to Do and Explore

From a striking and lively capital city, exotic islands, dense canopy of jungles, so many adventurous things to do, to a rich variety of delicious food, Malaysia has a lot to offer for the tourists of all ages. But it is still one of the most underrated countries in Asia. There are so many reasons you should prefer Malaysia over Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Have a look at our curated list of best things to do and explore to have an unforgettable trip to this Southeast Asian country.

1. Go Sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur

The capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is well worth to spend a few days before exploring the rest of the nation. It is the most beautiful, pristine and cleanest city we have ever seen in Asia. If you are heading to Malaysia, you will most probably land in this city.

Never ever miss the iconic Petronas Towers. Also check out the oh-so appealing Sky Bar. As the name suggests, it is positioned at 33^rd floor of Traders Hotel. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Petronas Twin Towers, sip on a cocktail and dance to the beats of DJ.

2. Trekking in Merapoh Caves

Explore some of the exciting caves of Merapoh and spend some great time there. Out of over 400 caves, one can only explore 85. We also walked through the dark caves where river passes over your feet. On the other side, we reached the dense jungle. You can drive by yourself or get there by bus or train. Hop on a bus at TBS in Kuala Lumpur to Merapoh Village, which is around 244 km and takes 4 hours. You can also book Malaysia tour package to get there.

3. Explore Penang and its Street Art

Penang is actually an island located off the west coast and is well known for delicious food and street art. In 2008, it is listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage attraction. It is the place shouldn’t be missed on your Malaysia tour.

You can spot the innovative and witty street art all around Georgetown where you can capture beautiful and quirky shots. You can take any flight from Kuala Lumpur which takes around 55 minutes. You can also take a train from Kuala Lumpur which is a cheaper option and takes up to 6 hours.

4. Savor on the Traditional Home-cooked Meals

Locals are very friendly there. We travelled through Malaysia for three weeks and locals invited us to enjoy their hospitality. They have unique dining manners you should know before visiting them –

• They sit on the floor with family on the meal time.
• If you are visiting them, it would be a nice gesture to bring a small gift for them or a souvenir from your own country.
• As a courtesy of respect, they allow the guests to sit next to the elder family member.
• The host asks you to start eating. If you start eating without waiting for them, it shows disrespect.
• Don’t use your left hand to eat. Left hand is strictly avoided for both eating and serving as it is used for washroom.
• Each grain of rice shouldn’t be wasted and is considered holy. You need to finish enough rice possible as it shouldn’t go into waste.
• Wait for the elders to take serving.

5. Hiking at Bako National Park

Bako National Park is a stunning paradise in Kuching filled with wildlife, rainforest, and secluded beaches. Head to Bako Village and take a boat to get there. It has 16 color-coded treks to offer different hiking and walking options.

When you visit there, you will definitely spot wildlife. You can spot silver leaf monkeys and long-tailed macaques jumping across the trees, plenty of monitor lizards and squirrels, and wild boars poking around the park.

6. Explore the Incredible Batu Caves

The exciting Batu Caves is located just 20 minutes at the outskirts of KL. You shouldn’t skip this giant cave temple while visiting Kuala Lumpur. The birds flying across the cave and monkeys playing around the walls add to a captivating sight to behold. There are 272 steps you need to climb to reach the temple and entry is free. Be sure to cover your knees and shoulders as it is a pilgrimage attraction. It is very easy to get there by train as it is just 13 km from the city. In every 30 minutes, you can take a train from KL Sentral, which costs only 4 MYR. 

7. Have Fun with Orangutans

You can volunteer and get up close to these endangered species on Orangutan Island in Taiping. These orangutans were rescued from illegal trade and possession. Since then, they call this sanctuary their home. You can also play your part to save these smart and beautiful creatures. The treks here are covered by a cage to ensure safety of volunteers and workers. The rest of the island is free to roam for the orangutans where they can create nests and climb trees. We also helped the workers in cleaning, feeding and observing them.

8. Visit the Perhentian Islands to See the Sea Turtles

The Perhentian Islands is definitely a place known as the “Maldives of Malaysia” located closely to the coast of Thailand. You can easily get there by water taxi or ferry. You can enjoy scuba diving in the pristine beaches. Volunteering with sea turtles was such a great adventure. We were indulged in protecting turtle nesting beaches and photo research.

Getting there was also easy. Fly with Air Asia, Malaysia Airline, or Fireflyz from KL to either Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu which takes over 45 minutes. Take either taxi or bus to Kuala Besut jetty. The journey takes up to 1 hour from Kota Bharu airport or over 1 and a half hour from Kuala Terengganu airport.