What Are Top 10 Best Places To Visit In Malaysia 2021?

Malaysia is a famous tourist city as it serves as a powerhouse financial and business hub of South East Asia. This place has many beautiful beaches, secluded islands, elevated hill stations, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visiting this place gives an opportunity to visit two more famous countries Brunei and Singapore which are incredible countries and offer many places to visit and enjoy.

Malaysia's Top 10 Destinations

1 - Kuala Lumpur

This is the capital city of Malaysia and has a modern skyline that is dominated by 451m- tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of steel-clad skyscrapers, and glass with Islamic motifs. The famous tower offers a public sky bridge and observation deck to its visitors to get a breath-taking view of the city and the city holds landmarks such as Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building from the colonial-era of British. This city of Kuala Lumpur will keep you engaged; unlike other cities where one visits just for the namesake and don’t find many activities to do there. This city has an influence on Malay, Chinese and Indian culture so that people will never face any culinary exploits. This place is safe for travelers and is a safe place to be visited, but it is do recommended to keep yourself, your money, and your possessions safe during your travel here.

Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur acts as a place where inexpensive food, shopping, and accommodation are available to travelers and is within walking distance from the Central Market and the Perdana Lake Gardens. Petaling Street is often crowd-packed with a night market, food stalls, and people enjoying a beer in a noisy and lively way.

Bukit Bintang is another place that offers ultramodern shopping malls, technology plazas, restaurants, and nightclubs to the visitors. Hotels and accommodation are slightly high in this place due to the convenience and location, Jalan Alor a place nearby is popular for the varieties of street food available here. Perdana Lake Gardens is a place that takes you away from the crowd and acts as a green, well-manicured escape from the daily noise and chaos of daily city life. This place has a planetarium, Deer Park, Bird Park, Butterfly Park, and various gardens that offer enjoyable experiences for kids and adults.

2 - Penang 

This city is located in northwest Malaysia comprising mainland Seberang Perai and Penang Island, the state capital of George town which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site,  is home to landmarks such as colonial Fort Cornwallis, the ornate Chinese clan house Khoo Kongsi and the Kapitan Keling Mosque that stands as a tangible proof of foreign influence for centuries. This place has the nickname 'Pearl of the Orient and is famous for the sandy beaches and is regarded as the food capital of Malaysia. Tanjung Bungah is a famous sandy beach here, and Penang Hills offers a beautiful landscape from the summit. Many artists have crafted many murals here along the side of the streets of Georgetown which is basically a piece of artwork painted or applied on the wall, ceiling or any other such permanent surfaces. These paintings beautifully incorporate the architectural elements of the place harmoniously.

George Town, Penang is an island that covers 115 square miles of real estate, and the state capital of George Town on the northeastern cape serves as Penang's administrative, commercial, and cultural center and is generally the first tourist spot on the island. This place has the collection of finest buildings, old shophouses and grand civic buildings from the 19th and 20th century that serves as the last tangible link to the Penang's past for being the most prosperous port in Malaya of British Empire days. This place being close to the equator have only two seasons, a wet season that lasts from April to November and a dry season that last from December to March, and has generally heat, humid and heavy rains as the most prominent climatic conditions of this place. The peak time when visitors come to visit this place is New Year and Chinese New Year; from December to late January. This place remains illuminated by the near-constant sunshine it receives, with tolerable and heat and humidity conditions.

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3 - The Perhentian Islands 

This island is in Besut District, Terengganu Malaysia, people here generally speak Kelantanese Malay, however, English is also widely spoken. This island is divided into main islands Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil that provides the visitors with perfect vacation options. Out of the two islands, Perhentian Kecil the Smaller Island is famous among backpackers and budget travellers because of the availability of excellent snorkeling and diving facilities that this place offers.

The other island Perhentian Besar which is bigger than its counter island acts as cater to families, couples, and travellers who want to enjoy their time by spending it near the blue water, away from the noise and hassle of daily life. Whichever island you are planning to visit, the only way to visit this place by the help of a speedboat and set of shops on the island is a bit challenging. July is a monthly period when the presence of tourists is at its peak and finding accommodation at this time of the year can be difficult, but in the winter season, this place is usually empty due to the stormy seas and the amount of heavy rainfall this area receives. Perhentian Kecil will appear to be livelier to people who are up to partying hard, as this place has good swimming options by the morning and beach parties every night and further this place has earned its spot on the infamous Banana Pancake Trail that many travellers follow through Asia. This island is further split into two sides; Long Beach on the east side and Coral Bay on the west side. The two sides of the island is connected by a 15-minute, partly bricked jungle trail, usually, people visiting here directly head towards Long Beach on the eastern side of the island for it has better beaches.

4 - Malaysian Borneo

It is a giant, rugged island in Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago that is shared by the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian Kalimantan, and the tiny nation of Brunei.

This place is severely famous for its beaches and ancient, biodiverse rainforest that is home to wildlife including the famous orangutans and clouded leopards. Not only this place is home to some of the oldest rainforest with impressive wildlife found anywhere else in the planet, but it also holds one of South East Asia's highest mountains and fascinating colonial and ww2 history. The Malaysian part of Borneo has further subdivided into two states; Sarawak in the south and Sabah in the north.

Both these places offer different vibes and charm, and a music festival known as The Rainforest World Music Festival, held outside of Kuching every summer is the most exciting music-and-culture events in Southeast Asia. This is the third-largest island in the world and is a paradise for people who have a love for plants, wildlife, and adventure.

This place is out of the only two places where endangered orangutan can be seen in the wild. They are the smallest primates; they can make their own medicines, craft tools and even exchange gifts. The loss of natural habitat caused by massive palm oil plantations has led to the endangering of this species.

The Rainforest Discovery Centre is Sabah is a world-renowned environmental education centre; visitors may explore an array of plants, insects, and animals found in this rainforest. There are many trails for travellers to join and enjoy while in the rainforest and can collect the vast knowledge of the well-manicured botanical garden and education centre. Travellers may also opt to go for scuba diving as the choice of entertainment sports and encounter sea turtles and macro life, along with several hammerhead and whale sharks.

5 - Malacca

Malacca city is the capital of the coastal state of Malacca, in southwestern Malaysia, spelled locally as 'Melaka'. If you are a seeker of cultural, historical, and colonial sites then this Peranakan city will be a paradise for you and is even declared to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

The Christ Church, present here across the square, beautifully depicts the splendor of the Stadhuys with a very interesting structure of the roof, the structure is made of timber and you will be amazed to know that not even a single nail or screw was used during the making of this enormous structure. That definitely shows the efficiency and dedication with which the Dutch carpenter's completed the task.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is also known as the ' Temple of Clear Clouds' is situated in Jalan Tokong, Malacca is the most respected and the grandest Chinese temple in Malaysia. This building was built in the 17th century and was incongruously used by the Dutch-nominated leaders of the Chinese community as their court of justice. The Poh San Teng Temple was built in 1975 near the vas Bukit China graveyard in a belief that this will prevent the community prayers from being blown away by strong winds or sent back to earth by rainfall.

This place even has an ancient church built in 1520 by a Portuguese trader named Duarte Coelho, it is believed that he survived a violent storm by promising God that he will build a chapel and give up traditional seaman’s vices, brothels and booze if he survived the ordeal of the storm. Then after Dutch took over, they renamed the building and worshipped there for over a century, until they finished building their own Christ Church at the bottom of the hill. The church was abandoned and served as a lighthouse and as a gunpowder storeroom till it fell down and was sadly never restored.

6 - Taman Negara

This place has the literal meaning of ' national park' in Malay, and it is the oldest of Malaysia’s national parks. It is even considered to be the world's oldest tropical rainforest; the long canopy walkway here gives the opportunity to travelers to see the high life in the trees that is not visible from the ground. People come here to enjoy waterfalls and beautiful trekking, bird spotting, rafting, fishing, night safaris, and if lucky you will also be able to see wild elephants.

The park encompasses states Pahang, Kelantan, and Terengganu, the three states have their legislation, and the park has been developed as an ecotourism destination of Malaysia and has many geological and biological attractions in the park. The forests pump out a huge amount of oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide present in the surrounding; it is believed that a single mature, leafy tree will produce the oxygen supply enough for a day for two to ten people. The Phytoplankton in the oceans provide for half of the Earth's oxygen supply but forests are still a major source for keeping the quality of air. Trees even add up by absorbing the CO2 for photosynthesis and pile up carbon dioxide in its wood, leaves, and soil, generally for centuries at a time.

This rainforest acts as home to some of the rare animals like the Malayan Tiger, Malayan Gaur, and Asian Elephants. Even birds like great Argus, red jungle fowl, and the rare Malayan peacock-pheasant can be still found here in small numbers.

This place can be visited from Jerantut railway station, Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)'s KTM Intercity and Express trains stop at this station. Further local tour operators provide transportation from Kuala Lumpur to the entrance of the Park at Kuala Tahan, this may involve a bus ride of nearly 3-4 hours to Jerantut and Kuala Tembeling Jetty followed by a 2.5-hour riverboat ride to Kuala Tahan.

7 - Cameron Highlands

This district covers an area of about 712.18 square kilometers and is located in Pahang, Malaysia. In the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to its west, it shares its border with Perak. This place is among the few places in Southeast Asia where you will require a jacket or warm blanket at night. After experiencing the sweating in tropical climates, this place will surely give you the wanted climatic change. This place has a great deal of lush scenery, beautiful tea plantations, and fun hiking trails that lace through plantations and around volcanoes. This place offers many fun activities and several places to be explored like Strawberry farms, Butterfly gardens, and flower greenhouses. These are all enjoyable distractions for the tourists visiting this place, and even have perfect conditions to grow fresh vegetables. This place also offers delicious local honey. This place has a sweet smell in the air due to the green tea plantations cleaving from the surrounding hills and perpetually blooming flowers. A tiny town named Tanah Rata offers travelers a beautiful experience and budget experience on their stay. The town is very compact and life generally exists in this area by the means of 'Big Road' or also known as Jalan Besar. The streets are filled with pleasant cafes and outdoor eateries, and the town's bus station is located on its western edge. This town offers cheap accommodation that is less in quantity, obviously as it is a small town.

These rooms have the general facility of TV, floor warming and such basic facilities and the place is decorated with hanging flowers. Tea tree (Camellia Sinensis Plant) is the cash crop of this place and sells a variety of tea like black, oolong, white and green tea which is obtained from the same tree but is processed differently to obtain different strains of tea. Taking a tour of the tea plantation is a common practice among tourists and seeing the workers climbing the hills to attain the tea leaves with huge heavy bags on their back will surely make you reconsider the work you do at the home.

8 - Tioman Island 

This place is located on Malaysia's east coast not very far from Singapore and is probably a different kind of island as accommodation and impressive diving options are available in very cheap prices. This area is less developed despite of it being such a nice tourist spot and is filled with abundant nature and scenery. This place offers many different beaches from which tourists will have to choose from while arriving at this place by boat. ABC Beach is the most famous beach here, especially among budget travellers. You may even choose to have a hike in the jungle and that too through the interior.

This place is famous among the people to witness giant Barracudas on their hunt, and you have to be careful around monkeys as they are famous for being notorious and can be often found harassing the tourists here. Python sighting in this area is also common at this place.

This place can be accessed by ferries; most people take the ferry from the port town of Mersing and Tanjung Gemok to Tioman. The trip is usually of two hours but the timing may get hindered due to tides and storms and during this time boats have to wait before the water is enough to make the boat row.

The ferries have pre-decided spots where they will dock their boats so people have to inform beforehand the exact spot where they want to get off or they can simply choose to say ABC beach - local shorthand for Air Batang that is a popular beach here. Some of the common and popular beach found in this place is ABC beach, Juara Beach, Salang beach, Genting beach which is often the first choice of people making a visit to this place.

9 - Langkawi

This is a place located in the northwest corner of Malaysia and is a major tourist destination among tourists and even local Malaysians. It is one of the busiest and most popular tourist islands of Southeast Asia, despite the rampant development in this area; it remains green and beautiful and was even declared as a World Geopark by UNESCO in 2007. This island covers approximately a total of 184 square miles and is regarded as the largest island among the 99 Langkawi islands situated in the Andaman Sea just at the northwest coast of Malaysia.

People are recommended to withdraw cash from the airport itself and Pantai Cenang as there are ATMs around the city but run out of cash from time to time. You may even exchange currency in the local shops available around.

This place has the cheapest duty-free shopping options available and Kuah is the place where affordable products can be purchased rather than buying from the shops on beaches.  Visitors should have a minimum stay of 48 hours in this place to legally avoid the tax imposed on the products you buy from here. It is recommended to boil and drink the water here and electricity connections at this place is good with few power sags and surges do happen when work is being done on the transaction line.

Some of the tourists that come here are not at all eco-friendly despite this place being marked as UNESCO World Park. Tourists that come here should keep the following things in mind while visiting this place

Don’t be part of damaging practices like feeding the eagles, monkeys, or marine life as this damages the eco-balance and damage the delicate ecosystem thriving here, and people should also not buy souvenirs made from insects, wildlife, shells, or marine life.

10 - Selangor

Selangor can be considered as Malaysia's most well-developed and populated state and it leads up to Kuala Lumpur's urban sprawl. There are numerous attractions to visit in the state such as the National Zoo of Malaysia, the Formula One racetrack, and some of the most enormous and the best theme parks in Malaysia.

It is a busy place which has crowded streets and numerous locations to shop from such as the different number of shopping malls. The city also has some great spots for luxury staycations such as the Genting Highlands which is a First World Hotel and Plaza located on top of a mountain it is the world's largest hotel with 10,500 rooms and it also consists of a theme park inside it.

Selangor is not only known for its urban glory but also has some of the historic treasures and ancient heritage sites such as the famous Batu Caves which consists of a Hindu shrine with the largest statue of Lord Murugan in the world. Except that the place is also enriched by natural treasures, you can view the abundance of fireflies along the river in Kuala Selangor which is a dazzling spectacle that never fails to amaze the tourists.

By Jatin Shewaramani: Vouchers Portal MY