Petronas Twin Towers, KL

Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia’s most exotic yet most comfortable countries to visit. In many ways this diverse republic of 23 million people is unique, but also seems to be a composite of surrounding influences. Strongly Islamic since the 13th century, Malaysia grew to its present form under the British who left in 1957. The influx of Chinese and Indian radically altered the ethnic mix, and descendants of these communities now account for almost half of the population.

Malaysia is basically divided into two regions. The busier peninsula dangles from the heels of Thailand, culminating at Johor Bahru next to the city state of Singapore. Malaysia’s larger buy relatively remoter section – made up of the states of Sarawak and Sabah - occupies roughly the top third of the island Borneo. The two regions differ substantially, and indeed where only united after World War II. You still need your passport when traveling from the peninsula to Borneo as Sarawak and Sabah still have a high degree of autonomy.

For the tourist, Malaysia is one of the more beautiful and appealing destinations in the region. With rapid economic progress, good infrastructure and English widely spoken it has also become one of the most safe and accessible places to visit. The modern capital Kuala Lumpur has seen heavy investment and is emerging as a world-class city. Its dining and shopping can now compete alongside the likes of Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Entertainment is picking up too, although it will probably never match the carefree nightlife of other Asian countries. And ‘KL’, as it is known, has staked a name for itself globally with the completion of the iconic Petronas Towers, at 452 metres the world’s tallest buildings.

Islands of Langkawi

No other Malaysian city is in the same league as the capital, as most are sleepy and quiet. One thing that might strike the visitor is a relative absence of visible historical landmarks. Unlike most of Asia which is bulging with temples and relics, Malaysia seems to be almost entirely new. This is largely due to the fact that the Malays have traditionally constructed with wood and earlier buildings decayed, but even colonial brick and mortar contributions are few. A glaring exception is in coastal Melaka which lies just a few hours south of the capital and huddles together a collection of Portuguese and Dutch architecture. Further north, approaching the Thai border, the island of Penang is the other main area of historical depth.

The big pull in Malaysia’s natural beauty. The country floats just north of the equator and straddles one of the world’s great rainforest belts. The biodiversity is spectacular. Despite of the logging mania that has ripped through the forests, some amazing flora survives – such as the world’s biggest flower, the Rafflesia. Fauna is truly exotic and includes lovable wonders like the placid orangutans. Sabah’s 4,101

Sultan Abdul Samad Building, KL

-metre Mt Kinabalu near the beach resorts of Kota Kinabalu is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea, but rises gently and steadily making it one of the easiest ‘big’ mountains to climb in the world. Offshore and a little to the north of Sipadan, one of many stunning sites for divers.

With kilometers of tropical coast Malaysia has some great beaches that have developed more slowly than their popular counterparts in Thailand. Laid-back Langkawi Island has some fantastic white sandy stretches, far superior to those of Penang. The east coast has good ones too; Tioman, Redang and the backpacking Perhentian Islands supply equal beauty though the monsoon rains affect the winter seasons. Peninsular Malaysia’s climate is tropical – sunny, hot and humid year-round with short bursts of torrential rain. The monsoon between October and April hits the east coast harder, while Borneo gets steady rainfall all year. The hill stations of the Cameron Highlands, Fraser Hill and the gambling centre of Genting, with their cool elevated tea plantations, offer a delightful escape from the oppressive heat.

Hotel-wise Malaysia has the lot – from icons of days gone by such as the E&O in Penang to Langkawi’s out-of-this-world-class Datai, from the highlands’ Tudor replicas right down to quaint beachside lean-tos.