Random thoughts about visiting Malaysia











The one thing that stands out to me when I think about our visit was:

Where are all of the tourists?

We had a wonderful time and so many unforgettable experiences and yet most of the places we stayed had very few people staying there. We were by far the largest group of tourists we saw, so some of these hotels must have been thrilled about a group of five.

It may be a combination of the aftermath of COVID and the timing, as it was the end of the monsoon season. But I do wonder about the lack of promotion of Malaysia as a tourist destination as I don't remember any ads on TV or radio locally.

I thoroughly enjoyed the history and street art of Georgetown, the searching for wildlife and orangutans in Borneo, the markets we wandered through, the rivers we cruised on, but most of all the fabulous food. 

Sarkie's Buffet: E&O Hotel
Georgetown, Penang

 The fascinating mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian   and other cuisines has resulted in such diverse and   interesting  choices when it came to food. It   seemed to reflect a real tolerance of different   beliefs and cultures within the community.   Although it's hard to assess whether this is an   accurate impression when you're just passing  through.
Curry Laksa

 










The more sombre time was gaining some understanding of the horror of the Sandakan POW camp, and viewing the old graves in the Georgetown Cemetery which reminded us of the many cultures and countries involved in the creation of Malaysia.

I would gladly return to Malaysia, maybe to Malacca and Turtle Island and some of the other interesting places we couldn't fit in.

I would recommend Malaysia for any sort of travel experience as it seems to cover everything and I'm sure it would be great for any type of traveller from backpacker to wealthy tourists looking for luxury.

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