With the exotic rainforests, striking waterfalls and high mountains, Malaysia is a paradise for nature-lovers. Its cities on the other hand, with the stunning modern architecture and bustling vibe, can astonish all visitors. Climbing the peaks, exploring the caves, meeting orangutans, monkeys and sun bears, trekking through the jungle and discovering the cities, these are only a few of the things you can do in this captivating country. To inspire you, here’s a list of 5 top places to visit during sightseeing in Malaysia.

Gunung Mulu National Park

Featuring the longest network of caves in the whole world, Gunung Mulu National Park is filled with gems of nature and thus, in 2005, was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site. The park is most famous for extraordinary limestone karst formations, such as the rock pinnacles, cliffs, gorges and, last but not least, cave networks. The enormous Sarawak Chamber, the largest natural chamber ever found in the world, is one of the most significant caves. There are more though: the Benarat Cavern, the Clearwater System, the Deer Cave and others. As if that wasn’t enough, Gunung Mulu National Park also has old, lush tropical forest with 17 different vegetation zones. Plentiful species of plants, as well as animals, can be found within the park, including almost thirty types of bats. The park offers several trails, so the best way to discover the area is trekking. The most challenging trail leads to the Mount Mulu, the park’s highest peak. You can also trek to the Pinnacles, go on cave tours or spot the bats at night.

Gunung Mulu

Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre

Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre was founded in 1964 to rehabilitate orphan orangutans. Besides of Sepilok, there are only three orangutan sanctuaries in the world, so the site is unique and worth visiting during sightseeing in Malaysia. The animals are brought to the center to be rehabilitated and later on return to the life in the forest. It must be mentioned that seeing orangutans isn’t guaranteed. That’s why you should carefully plan your trip. The animals usually appear at the feeding times (at 10 am or 3 pm) to grab a free banana or a sugar cane, so it’s the best time to visit the center. Just remember they’re wild animals and only come for the feed if they haven’t managed to organize a meal by themselves. If only a few orangutans show up, there’s a fact that might cheer you up: it means the others weren’t reliant upon the feeding to survive. Besides of the famous orangutans, in the center, you can also see the quirky sun bears. Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre is located next to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. It’s the only sun bear sanctuary in the world, so don’t miss it. The park’s situated in a jungle and features several walking trails.

Sepilok Rehabilition Centre

Petronas Twin Towers

A landmark of Kuala Lumpur, the impressing Petronas Twin Towers reach up to approximately 450 meters and spectacularly cut through the Malaysian sky. For several years, starting from 1998, they were the tallest buildings in the world, but in 2004 got surpassed by Taipei 101 in Taiwan. They’re still the tallest twin towers, featuring 88 floors made mostly of reinforced concrete. The steel and glass facade shows influences of the Muslim religion, as it was designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art. Besides, each tower has five tiers symbolizing the five pillars of Islam. The interior designers were inspired by Malaysian culture and used common elements, such as traditional fabric and carvings. On the 41st and 42nd floors, there’s a sky bridge connecting the two towers. To enter the buildings, you need tickets. They can be bought in person or online.

Petronas Twin Towers

Mount Kinabalu

Because of its impressing height (around 4 000 meters), diversified fauna and flora and beautiful landscapes it offers, Mount Kinabalu is a real wonder of nature. It’s the highest mountain in Borneo and can easily be seen from many parts of the Malaysian state of Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu, the region’s capital. The mountain’s especially fascinating when the summit is visible, it’s just impossible to miss it and pass by the view without paying attention.

mount kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu is a fantastic addition to the Sabah’s landscapes, but it also offers fabulous views of the state. Even though so high, Kinabalu is quite accessible. You don’t need any mountain climbing skills to reach the top; it’s relatively easy. Nevertheless, you should stay cautious, because the higher slopes can be very slippery, especially when it’s misty or rainy. Mount Kinabalu, located within the Kinabalu Park, is often considered to be the park’s best attractions. If you’re reasonably fit and enjoy mountain climbing, you definitely should make it a part of your sightseeing in Malaysia tour.

Top of Mount Kinabalu

Taman Negara

As the largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia, Taman Negara houses a stunning variety of fauna and flora. The area of 4,343 square kilometers shelters numerous species, including the Malayan tiger, crab-eating macaque, Malayan gaur, Asian elephant, Indian bison, and leopard. There are also monkeys, lizards, flying squirrels, snakes, small deer and countless birds. Not all the animals can be seen, as some of them stay away from the trails, yet the more time you spend in the park, the bigger the chance of encountering quite many of them. You can make a short visit, but if you’ve got the time, consider an overnight trek. Some of the activities the park offers include fishing, cave exploration, nighttime walking safaris, bird-watching and fisheries. You can also go to the Lata Berkoh & Waterfall Cascades and take a refreshing dip in the clear, fresh water.

Taman Negara

Which one of the sites appeals to you the most? Have you already visited any of them? Let us know and share your experiences!

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