Maliau Basin.

Area: 588.4sq kmLocated in the South central part of the Malaysian State of Sabah The Maliau Basin contains an unusual assemblage of 12 forest types, comprising mainly of lower montane forest dominated by majestic Agathis trees, rare montane heath forest and lowland and hill dipterocarp forestThe highlight of the adventure is to trek to the majestic 7 tiers Maliau FallsPermission to enter must obtain in advance from Yayasan Sabah. It must remember that Maliau Basin is a remote, rugged and isolated area with limited access, communication and safety facilities

Activities: Jungle trekkingBird watching Night drive to spot wildlifeWaterfall swimming and recreation Note: Basic accommodation is campground. Water and bathing facilities are nearby streams and rivers and electricity is not available.

Getting There: The Maliau Basin Conservation Area can be reached by road either via Tawau or KeningauThe journey is on four wheel drive depending on weather conditions is essential as most of the journey is on logging roads to reach at the Maliau Basin Security GateDuration : 5 hours from Tawau to Security Gate of Maliau Basin Conservation5 hours from Keningau to Security Gate of Maliau Basin ConservationDistance : 190 Km from Tawau to Security Gate of Maliau Basin Conservation Pre-arrange with Borneo Nature Tours S/B.

Malaysia My Second Home

To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. Many would agree that Malaysia is the perfect combination of comforts and indulgences. Great weather, amazing food, warm people, low cost of living coupled with high standard of living, state-of-the-art infrastructure, rich culture and a charming history make it a place easy to call home. Countless people have come to Malaysia and fallen in love with it, coming back repeatedly or even making plans to retire here. The Malaysian Government recognizes this and has set up a programme to make it easier for expatriates to retire here. The Malaysia My Second Home Programme allows foreigners to stay in the country indefinitely on a social visit pass with a multiple entry visa.

There is a large expatriate community living in Malaysia. Like Malaysians, they enjoy an active social life, being able to easily indulge in a huge range of activities, from fine dining to sailing. Malaysia has one of the highest standards of living in the region where luxuries are so affordable that it is easy to enjoy the good life here. Cost of living is one of the lowest in Asia and will remain so for a very long time. This is achieved through the Government’s efficient monitoring of the economy in ensuring that inflation is kept low at all times and thereby also the prices of goods and services.

This strong economy has secured a comprehensive infrastructure. The whole country is very well connected with up-to-date, modern road, rail, air, and sea transportation systems. Public transport by buses, taxis, trains and planes are comfortable, efficient and relatively low in cost. The healthcare system is also excellent, drawing many short-term visitors from around the world. The country has a very efficient healthcare system where medical services are provided at nominal cost. Private doctors, clinics and also hospitals of international standards are easily available throughout the country at a very reasonable cost.

A healthy economy, good infrastructure and luxury amenities aren’t the only draw; Malaysia is also a pluralistic society where people practise their own way of life in peace and harmony. Freedom is one of the key reasons many find Malaysia attractive. It is so easy to live the calm life here, where people respect each other’s differences. Malaysians in general are very warm and friendly, always open to learning about other cultures. Although Islam is the national religion, there is a sizable population of Christians, Buddhists and Hindus here, with ample places of worship dotting the entire country.

The weather is pleasant, warm and balmy with moderate rain throughout the year. There are also highland residential areas and resorts with permanent spring-like weather throughout the country. See it to believe it, an ideal place to call home and a government programme to make your dream a reality. To find a home away from home, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.

Guide To Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore are very similar places, in terms of the booming economy and skyscrapers dominating the city area, but there are a few places still worth a visit here.

Petronas Twin Towers
First and foremost is the Petronas Twin Towers, which was once the tallest building in the world, until Taiwan came up with their own 1O1, and now Dubai also in the picture with their still-under-construction tower building. Here, long queues are always forming from 8.30am onwards for the free passes up the tower viewing gallery. But be warned that they would only issue around 800 free passes per day for the guided tour, so make sure to reach there early. The guided tour will take visitors all the way up to the sky bridge on the 41st floor.

I was there early queuing in the morning but the timing for my guided tour was scheduled in the afternoon due to the high demand for the free passes. So a good way would be to shop at the mega Suria KLCC shopping mall just next to it while waiting for your scheduled timing up the tower. You can pay a visit to the Petrosains over there, a discovery centre about petroleum manufacturing. At Petrosains, visitors will start with a ride in the dark which covers details on oil manufacture and the science of it.

At a dizzying height of 458 meters, Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of 88-storey buildings, is the best place to take in the view of Kuala Lumpur. There is also the Philharmonic Theater, which surrounds one with wonderful music from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Menara Kuala Lumpur
Another icon representative of KL is the Kuala Lumpur TowerTwin Tower and other magnificent buildings nearby. There's also a very cosy, revolving restaurant at the top of the tower, offering excellent buffet and great service for a reasonable price. Live music, excellent food, splendid views of the city, this is the place to be in. You might even be able to see Genting Highlands on a fine day! (Menara Kuala Lumpur). Located on a hill called Bukit Nanas, this tower has an observatory platform which is easily accessible by high speed lifts. Taking the lifts up clocks less than a minute, and the view from the observatory tower is spectacular. You can get a bird's eye view of the

Sunway Lagoon
Sunway Lagoon is probably one the best integrated resorts in Malaysia. Within the holiday resort itself is a shopping complex with over 300 shops, an amazingly large lagoon, an Extreme park, Zoo, archery range, bowling alley and a water theme park. Alongside the shopping mall and the resort is a first-class hotel. Several restaurants offer excellent cuisine as well. It's self sufficient, and indeed a well-worth trip to make.

Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque
In Shah Alam (about 45 minutes from KL) lies one of the largest mosques in South-east Asia, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque (In Malay: Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz). This impressive building is often nicknamed the "Blue Mosque", for its blue aluminum dome covered with verses from the Quran. It is huge and magnificent, and surrounded by the great lake of Shah Alam in the center of Shah Alam town. It incorporates modern architectural style with Malay architecture in its design.

Batu Caves
About 13 km north of KL is the Batu Caves, a place of worship for the Hindus. Large and imposing, it consists of three main caves and a number of smaller ones. The caves are made of limestone and discovered in 1892. You've got to climb up a long fairly steep flight of stairs to enter the caves. A comfortable pair of shoes will work wonders. The surreal carvings and paintings on the walls of the caves will impart a sense of spiritual feel to all who enters.

Merdeka Square
Back to KL city centre, the Merdeka Square houses the tallest flagpole and has an ancient fountain. It is always crowded with tourists and a visit at night would be much cooler. The Merdeka Square is between the majestic Court House and the Selangor Club. The Central Market and Chinatown are also a mere 10 minutes walk away. Chinatown, also known as Petaling Street is one of Kuala Lumpur's most popular tourist destinations. In the evenings, a beehive of stalls comes alive on the streets.

Central Market and Chinatown
You can easily find a large variety of food ranging from roadside stalls to restaurants in Chinatown, offering plentiful choices from dumpling noodles, claypot chicken rice, bbq chicken wing, seafood to steamboat and more. Though it might get a little difficult to move around due to the crowds, the historical shop houses add to the ambience. This is also the place to get cheap t-shirts, souvenirs and almost any other things, but prices haven risen considerably in recent years due to the tourism effect. Bargaining is highly recommended.

Hotels are considered cheap in this modern city, and good hotel deals can be found almost any time of the year. A holiday trip to this city can be a wonderful experience, not mentioning easy on the pockets.

Articles : Tourism Malaysia

The Land's end of Borneo

Standing on the majestic cliffs of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau gives visitors a feeling of being at the edge of the world.

As the sun sets over the horizon at this northwestern tip of Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, visitors are enchanted by the glittering turquoise sea and the sky’s tinges of red and gold. "Breathtaking and awe inspiring" are apt words to describe the feeling when one stands on the majestic cliffs at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, dubbed the "land’s end of Borneo."

"When one stands on the cliff and looks out to the open sea, it is like standing on the edge of a world, looking at mother nature’s greatness and the scene is simply awesome," an adventure seeker once wrote in a travel magazine.

Visitors to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, located some 170 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, will agree.

Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, a 30-minute drive from Kudat, is among the must-see spots that exude breathtaking panoramic vistas for tourists.

The meeting point of Laut Sulu and South China Sea, it is called Tanjung Sampang Magazo in the Rungus dialect, meaning "a junction where a battle took place."

Rungus folklore tells of a story where warriors made a stand against invading pirates, hence the name of this headland.

According to historians, Spanish seafarer Ferdinand Magellan, on his way to circumnavigate the globe, had stopped there for 42 days for repairs to his ships. Tanjung Simpang Mengayau is indeed among Sabah’s many world-renowned natural wonders with its crystal-clear seas, magnificent beaches, islands, coral reefs as well as its lush forests, wetlands and majestic mountains,

Kudat district has some of Sabah’s finest beaches.

In Kudat, Kampung Bavanggazo is known for its Rungus longhouses. Kampung Sumangkap is a gong-making village while honeybees are synonymous with Kampung Gombizau.

Kudat is also the home of the Rungus, where many still live in longhouses.

Kudat is also a seafood paradise.

Facilities:

There is a cafe, souvenir shop and washrooms.

Admission is free.

Getting there (from Kota Kinabalu)

You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air. Four-wheel drives can take between 7-8 passengers at RM20.00 - RM25.00 per pax return, while saloon cars take up to 4 passengers and charge RM240.00 for a return trip to Simpang Mengayau. Check with the Car Rental services for their charges.

About Malaysia

Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socializing. As a people, Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly.

Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.

One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.

For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.