Malaysia

Like salt complementing pepper, Malaysia is fused with even mix of Indian and Malaysian people living harmoniously together. Venturing through the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, don’t be surprised by to see many Chinese people either.  Petaling Street also known as China town is where the many backpackers migrate to. With cheap rooms, cheep food, and knock-off shopping you can be sure to make a temporary home base here. If you’ve been to Kohsan Road in Bangkok, Thailand…then you probably have seen it all already. The city does have a few sights and attractions that are must do’s while in the city. The Batu Caves – about a 13km city bus ride to the Gombak district (2.50RM one way – or $1CAD=3.22RM), will provide some cheap entertainment for an afternoon. The caves are from a limestone hill, which occupy a series of ridiculously large caves and temples. As you walk up the 272 concrete steps, you will soon realize that you should have brought a lighter backpack and a Gatorade for the ride up. On a hot sunny day, an umbrella to block the sun and defend you against the crazy surrounding monkeys is good thinking too. Not as cute as Curious George, watch out as they are quick buggers, some even with sharp teeth and huge balls! If you’re the more adventurous type, there are some neighboring rock-climbing walls against the limestone as well. Apparently it goes up about 150m, which would probably be a great view if you can muster up the strength to climb up all the way.

If you’ve seen the movie Entrapment with Shawn Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones, then you may recognize the Petronas Twin Towers incandescently lit up in the night’s sky. Costing about $1.6 Billion and hovering with 88 floors, it’s worth a quick trip to go see. As I ventured on the monorail towards, I wondered how tourists were allowed to visit for the Sky Bridge for free. I soon realized that the 15 minute “3D” viewing they showed beforehand is a publicity stunt and mass advertising for the company’s success in the marketplace. No free lunch here! Just a quick note that if you do plan on visiting the Sky Bridge… they only let about 1700 tourists on the Sky Bridge per day. Head early in the morning to grab a pass (free pass with set visiting hours), and you can guarantee your postcard shot without having to worry about waiting in long lines.

If you want a slower and more relaxed pace of “life” than KL, you can take a 3.5hr bus to the region of Mersing before taking a 1.5hr Ferry ride to an island called Tioman. Located on the East Coast of the country, this island is in all aspects an undiscovered gem. Self-medicating the travel bug I contracted while on my journeys last time, I recommend a prescribed amount of 4 to 5 days here and it should rejuvenate against the hustle and bustle of city life. With a population of approximately 3000 people and a narrow sidewalk serving as the main walkway (and highway)…you won’t have to worry about being hassled by locals for shopping, massages, or restaurant menus. The people are friendly, warm and quite kind to the tourists (so be sure to reciprocate). If you’re lucky and not too loud, as you walk down the sidewalk, you may even cross paths with a monkey, monitor lizard, or giant spider. Staying on the ABC side (Air Batang), there are several places to stay at fairly inexpensive prices. If I were to come here again, I would recommend staying at Nazri’s Place as their guesthouse has a beautiful beach great for snorkeling, a restaurant (with breakfast buffet included), and a bar with happy hour between 5 to 7pm. Rent a bike for about $2CAD a day and you can explore the other parts of the island as well. Just be sure to check the brakes and chain before you rent it. Both of mine did not work and it was only until I came across a large hill that I soon realized . For the more adventurous type – you can take a 2 hour hike to the other side of the island (to Juara). Hiking through the jungle, the locals have built up many concrete steps to make your life easy. Still, with the humidity and heat, it can be quite challenging.

As you come across trees that have been tapped like maple syrup, you will soon realize that the milky substance that comes out is actually rubber. Rubber trees are everywhere and have been known to produce some income for the local economy. Juara’s beach is like no other I’ve come across. There must have been no more than 3 people on the beach that day. With the tide out and little debris on the beach, the sand felt like silk on my flip-flop inflicted callused feet. The water is mix of vibrant royal and turquoise blue that is so clear you can see to the sand patterns on the very bottom. Throw a piece of bread in the water while standing on the pier and you will witness hundreds of swimming Nemos’ spear themselves against the food. It’s no wonder why there are so many dive shops around too. After visiting a few islands around the Caribbean and South-East Asia, this island is definitely an up and coming contender. Hopefully, the beauty is not overdriven with mass tourism as it continues to grow…