The western coast islands, less popular than the those on the oriental coast, will delight the visitors who venture there. Easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur, they present a diversity of landscapes and auras as well as a rich cultural heritage.

In search of the west coast islands

Malaysia is a surprising country in every way. And the cluster of lakes linked to one another that go by the name of Tasik Chini will definitely live up to expectations! If this is not the case, then maybe the lake's monster will leave you speechless; rumour has it that it haunts the depths!

Tasik Chini legends

Asia

Malaysia is composed of two islands, located 700 km from each other: a peninsular island, which shares its northern border with Thailand, and an eastern island, which neighbours Indonesia. On one side, the energetic and structured capital of Kuala Lumpur boasts skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, at its head the impressive Petronas towers, a typical Chinese quarter and an upturn in economic activity. On the other hand, the country is overflowing with heavenly islands, tropical beaches, and villages full of fish, exotic flora and fauna. Malaysia is also a joyful melting pot of origins and religions. Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, Hindus and Christians share the country and offer an enchanting diversity of temples and cultural sites. This also makes for an extremely rich culinary culture, which is unanimously praised by visitors.

Malaysia

Frasers hill

Trek and hiking fans will love Cameron Highlands' blend of sport and nature. The smell of tea impregnates the countryside and the forests are full of surprises.

Cameron Highlands

The Belum forest reserve is a fabulous place in Malaysia.

Belum

 As well as being the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is one of Asia's hubs. It is a modern town surrounded by oil palms where you should spend several days.

Kuala Lumpur

 Sepilok's in the heart of nature. One of its main attractions is the orangutan conservation and rehabilitation centre, orangutans being one of two monkey species native to Borneo.

Sepilok

Kazakhstan

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

South America

Middle East

Oceania

At Sepilok you can, of course, have a wander around the botanical garden and admire, as I did, squirrels, flying lemurs and a host of other unusual animals, both cute or not. If you've come during the daytime, why not stay for the night? It's even more fun.  But whatever you do, don't miss out Labuk Bay. The monkeys are hysterical...the females have trumpet-shaped noses that aren't as large as the males, for whom the longer the better if they want to secure a mate! Another seduction technique is their grimace. There's nothing better than showing your teeth or puckering your lips if you're a male monkey wanting to seduce a nice pot-bellied female (note: the pot belly is due to excess wind...charming!). With their wonderful orange fur and long straight tails, these are the famously weird-looking proboscis monkeys. They're enchanting to observe, whether they're pinching bits of food from each other, having a mutual family groom, flirting by showing their teeth or watching over their babies; little ones are not allowed to stray until they've grown up, no matter how much they squirm or try to pull the wool over their mother's eyes! Sadly, this native species is endangered, as deforestation is ruining their natural habitat. Human beings are a threat to their existence! There's nothing better than seeing it for yourself in the hope that these monkeys will once again thrive. I can assure you, you'll no longer want to use certain oils once you've been to Borneo; its incredible wildlife and nature need to be protected, not destroyed.

Sepilok's in the heart of nature. One of its main attractions is the orangutan conservation and rehabilitation centre, orangutans being one of two monkey species native to Borneo.

Sepilok,15 kilometres from Sandakan , is a rehabilitation centre for orang-utans: a protected species in Malaysia. I felt more ripped off here than anywhere else I visited during my trip to Asia. Yes, it's great seeing the orang-utans in the forest. Yes, it's brilliant watching them climbing and swinging from creeper to creeper. But it's a big "no" to the overcharging on the bus just because it has air-conditioning. And it's also a big "no" to the double rates charged to tourists and to the camera tax … and all this for what? To spend twenty minutes looking at three orangutans together with tens of other tourists (and screaming kids) who jostle and push you in order to get a better look at the animals! And that's without mentioning the fact that in between the two "tours" you find yourself stuck at the site for more than four hours, which means you end up going across the road to the sun bear reserve, and once again you have to pay an entry fee and all the rest. The good thing about the visit: the orang-utans are impressive to see. The bad thing about the visit: the video you watch about the rehabilitation centre before heading off to see the orang-utans

Sepilok is an orang-utan rehabilitation centre located in the Malaysian state of Sabah, on the island of Borneo. For some it's an essential place to visit. For others it's somewhere to avoid.

Sepilok Vacations

Sepilok: How to get there?

Sepilok: See when to go ?

Sepilok: For how long?

Sepilok: What to see nearby?

Malaysia: our articles for your vacations