Days there: 29

Route:

Eastern Peninsula:
Wakaf Baharu-Jerantut-Kuala Tahan-Kuantan-Gambang-Kuala Lumpur

Borneo:
Kuching-Sibu-Bintulu-Batu Niah-Miri-(See Brunei)- Pulau Labuan-Kota Kinabalu

Costs:

$595.34 total
$20.52/day (Includes all transportation, accommodation, food and beverage, tours)

Overview:

A varied mix of cultures and ideals living together harmoniously. Some of the best jungles, beaches, and islands you will ever find in one country. An amazing variety of great cuisines. Opportunities that range from pure relaxation to high adventure. In general, an incredibly unique experience. Malaysia had everything I was looking for and proved to be one of my greatest traveling experiences to date.

Best Experience:

A 10 day monk-guided silent meditation. This was the hardest and one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Check out this link to learn all about it.

http://canucking-abroad.com/?p=406

Cultural Highlights:

-Staying in tiny towns like Wakaf Baharu and taking in the real muslim lifestyle.
-The whole country is a melting pot of cultures which is so evident everywhere you go.

Party Spots:

-Well, Muslim nation aside, you can still find some spots to indulge. Kuala Lumpur is an amazing city with a lively bar and club scene rivaling the best of the west, just be prepared to pay western prices for alcohol.

Chill spots:

-Perhentian Islands are said to be just incredible. I however was beached out and avoided them.
-Chilling riverside in Kuala Tahan, not much to do but relax after jungle trekking.
-Kota Kinabalu is a cool city, with lots of nearby islands to chill on. Also near the Mt. Kinabalu national park and the Poring Hot Springs to relax those aching muscles.

Best Adventures:

-Climbing the 4095m to reach the summit of Low’s Peak on Mount Kinabalu (Borneo). This was an incredible experience and very physically demanding. A two day climb with guide, meals, accommodation at base camp and the world’s highest Via Ferrata costed about $400CN. This was a budget crusher but something I had set my sights on for a long time, and I have no regrets about it. Easily one of the highlights of my whole trip.
-Jungle trekking in Taman Negara National Park, one of the largest and oldest rain forests in the world, about 130 million years old. Almost 6 hours of complete solitude, wonderful wildlife and jaw dropping scenery. The 45m canopy walk was pretty cool as well.
-Unsuccessfully hitchhiking to Wakaf Baharu and catching the 6 hour jungle train to Jerantut. This was an amazing ride but a pain in the ass to arrange it!
-The Niah caves (Borneo) were the largest and most impressive caves I have been to yet. Not to mention a great hike through the jungle.

Food:

Malaysian cuisine was a very diverse mix of many ethnic groups, namely Malay, Indian, and Chinese. The food is so cheap and very good. You’ll find lots of curries, rice and noodle dishes, dim sum, satays, and rich sauces. A stroll down the street will let you conveniently pick from many styles of ethnic restaurants.

What to Expect:

-A Muslim country!!!
-A few attempts at conversion.
-A very eclectic mix of cultures and looks.
-The most expensive accommodation in SE Asia. But probably the cheapest food. And with a lack of alcohol consumption, my average daily spending was the lowest in SEA.
-Very clean and efficient cities.

Travel Tips:

-Do not litter, spit, or throw your cigarette butts on the ground. There could be serious consequences!
-Markets are great and knockoffs are the norm, so know your products.
-You can actually drink the tap water in Malaysia. It’s is one of the healthiest countries in the world.
-I would definitely stay away from the drugs here!
-By no means touch a Muslim woman in any way. I have heard of a westerner helping one up when she tripped and fell, only to be chewed out by local men.

Scams:

-Bag snatching is a good one here.
-Attending private gambling establishments and getting taken for everything you have.
-Im not sure if this was a scam, but some ladies approached me, asked where I was from and told me their sister was moving exactly there and then they wanted me to come to their house and talk to her about it. I said I would meet them in a public place later on and they never showed up. Many holes in their story so I have no idea what they were trying to get out of me. It just felt shady.

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