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(The Saudi Gazette), 9 April 2008
- If
you haven’t decided where to spend this summer vacation yet, you might want
to add Malaysia to your destinations’ list.
In Malaysia, you will experience
different cultures, weather and even people. With a mixed population of
Malay, Chinese and Indian origins and different lifestyles, it seems that
the only thing that survived this diversity is good hospitality. Visiting
Malaysia is a good opportunity to discover the outcome of a delightful
fusion of three of Asia’s greatest civilizations, and no need to worry
about language barriers, since English is widely spoken among all ethnic
groups in Malaysia.
The diversity doesn’t stop at
that; it shows even in the country’s geography. Malaysia is separated into
two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysian Borneo.
The first is bound by Thailand to
the north and Singapore to the south, while the latter occupies a large
strip of land that stretches alongside the South China Sea.
Money won’t be a problem if you
are a budget traveller. You can actually make your visit to Malaysia a
memorable one even on a low budget, since you won’t be paying to see the
breathtaking mountains and green fields, a scene more than capable of
reviving and refreshing your soul.
Green is the predominant color
throughout the year in Malaysia thanks to the tropical rainy climates. In
fact, it rains almost every day there, a good reason to bring your umbrella
along.
Still, Malaysia’s weather is
generally warm, so you might want to consider putting proper air
conditioning in your calculations when arranging for accommodation there.
Arriving at Kuala Lumpur airport,
you won’t have much trouble knowing where to go. As it is the case for most
airports; signs are written in several languages, including Arabic.
Getting your passport and
documents done you won’t take more than a few minutes, after which you can
head straight to the airport train station or you can take a taxi to your
hotel.
An hour’s drive from the airport
to Kuala Lumpur would give you a good first impression on how beautiful
this country is.
Naturally, it would be better to
make your hotel reservation in advance, to avoid any last minute trouble.
If it’s a five star hotel you’r planning to stay in, Kuala Lumpur will
surely be at the level of your expectations.
Parkroyal Hotel is a good example
of what a five star hotel in Malaysia ought to be like. The hotel’s
location couldn’t have been any better, being in the heart of Kuala
Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, the city’s business and commercial heart and home
to the world’s tallest buildings, the Petronas Twin Towers.
Parkroyal is only a short drive
away from the city’s major attractions like Chinatown, Merdeka Square, Putra
World Trade Centre, and Butterfly Park.
Other interesting sites will be
within short distance if you choose to stay in Parkroyal, including the
National Mosque, National Planetarium and major shopping complexes.
Still, Parkroyal isn’t the only
five star hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s golden triangle. Hotel Istana, is also in
the hot spot, occupying four acres of prime real estate at the cross
junction of Jalan Raja Chulan St. and Jalan Sultan Ismail St. it is also
within walking distance from the Bintang district, Kuala Lumpur’s
equivalent of the famous French shanzelize. Transportation won’t be much of
a problem, with an efficient transportation network and a terminal stop
right next to Hotel Istana.
A third option is the Traders
Hotel, Kuala Lumpur’s prime center for conferences, office shopping and
transportation facilities.
Even more, it’s only a short
distance away from the Twin Towers.
If you plan on exploring Kuala
Lumpur’s entertainment spots, you probably wouldn’t know where to start.
However, visiting one of the
city’s famous parks must be on your schedule.
A visit to parks like Bird Park,
Orchid Garden, Butterfly and Deer Parks, will surely offer something new to
see.
To save time, you may visit the
Butterfly and Deer Parks on one day, since both are located at the lake
gardens area. In Bird Park you will get the opportunity to see more than
2,500 birds from different species flying in their natural environments.
You can also take part in the regular activities held at the park like the
hornbill and ostrich feedings.
Nearby is the Orchid Garden,
gathering over 800 species of exotic Malaysian orchids that include very
rare species, and right next door you’ll find the colorful Hibiscus Garden
that contains more than 500 varieties of colorful blooms.
Kuala Lumpur is famous for its
lively shopping areas and its reasonably priced and well structured malls.
Visiting Petaling Street is a must if you consider shopping to be your
hobby.
And although it’s located in
Chinatown, you’ll see faces from almost every race every where.
One of Kuala Lumpur’s other top
shopping spots is Bukit Bintang. Locals prefer shopping in this street
because of the wide variety and reasonable prices of items on sale in its
shops.
Your trip wouldn’t be complete if it
didn’t include spending a few days at one of Malaysia’s charming islands,
enjoying the natural environment, water ports and some time off, lying on
the beach.
Among the world’s prettiest
islands is Pulau Redang, the biggest of all islands in Kuala Terengganu,
one of Malaysia’s 13 states, 40 km north of the state’s mainland.
The trip to Pualu Redang takes
almost an hour by speed boat, which you can take from the small fishing
village, Jetty. The village is in Merang, a 30-minute drive north of Kuala
Terengganu.
Pulau Redang’s crystal clear
waters offer a wide choice of water sports like snorkeling and scuba
diving, boating and canoeing or you can explore the island’s colorful
jungle.
The island’s most reputable and
prestigious resort, Laguna Redang, is on the stretch of the beach facing
the South China Sea and its magnificent sunrise. The resort was made famous
after hosting the shooting of the 1999 Hong Kong movie, “Summer Holiday”.
However, make sure that you have
enough cash on you before heading to the island, since it has no ATM
machines, and you might want to bring along a prayer mat as well, since
renting one on the island will cost you RM 30.
Bottom line is, visiting Malaysia
is a privilege that one must experience and enjoy. Take advantage of the friendly
people, the natural beauty and the amazing architecture and history, all of
which stand witness for this country’s motto, Malaysia, Truly Asia.
By
Jassim Al-Ghamdi
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