Recreation

Malaysia is very well endowed with nature's bounties, with the world's oldest rainforest in the backyard. It is rich in biodiversity and continues to follow traditional lifestyles.

Visiting a Longhouse

Locally called a Rumah Panjang, Malaysia's longhouses are the traditional abodes of the native people, living in the jungles. These houses are simple long corridors raised to a considerable height on stilts and the entire village lives like one big family. The indigenous inhabitants of Malaysia are so friendly that they willingly welcome strangers into their longhouses and let them stay on as houseguests for as long as they wish. Such stays are a perfect way to experience the traditional way of community living as well as live amidst the varied flora and fauna of the rainforest.

Longhouses are most commonly found in the Sabbah and Sarawak regions and tourists can reach them with the help of local guides and interpreters. It is considered polite if you carry sweets and small gifts for the local hosts when visiting.

Spelunking

Speleology is the science of studying caves and spelunking is one of the most exciting things to do in Malaysia. Generally, a ‘spelunker' is an amateur cave explorer so this becomes an ideal way for tourists to do something they have never done before and not be ridiculed when they get it wrong.

Malaysia has an extensive system of limestone caves that can be entered from various spots. Many of these spots offer guided tours and caving instructions to visitors. However, a must see spelunking sight is the Gunung Mulu National Park. It has the world's single largest cave chamber as well as Southeast Asia's longest cave passage.

Before going spelunking, visitors must remember that caves are generally murky, dirty, moist and dark and definitely not a place for the faint of heart. At times they are full of slime and a foul smell permeates throughout. They are full of creatures such as bats, snakes and spiders. Those who get queasy when around any of these things should stay away, although they will miss quite a treat.

Diving

The waters of the South China Sea are most clear in the world, with some points offering a visibility of over a hundred feet. The sea is full of amazing aquatic life such as coral reefs, manta rays, lionfish, turtles and if you are very, very lucky, you might spot and swim with the world's biggest fish - the whale shark.

One of the most interesting features of diving around Malaysia is the plethora of shipwrecks and sunken submarines in the water. These ships and submarines have come to their present resting place after being sunk during the Second World War.

Tourists can go diving with Scuba gear in the many marine parks or just snorkel around wherever they wish. The names of the marine parks are listed below:

Labuan

Pulau Paya Marine Park,

Pulau Paya Marine Park

Pulau Perhentian

Pulau Redang

Pulau Sipandan

Pulau Tenggol

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

Beach Activities

Malaysia's beaches are a treat for visitors because of their untouched beauty and uncrowded, uninhabited stretches of sand and sea. The waters are clean most of the times and very clear. Although popular activities such as surfing, parasailing and fishing are absent from most venues, the secluded feature of the beaches makes them a great getaway. However, services such as massages, pools for soaking and beachside bars are very common. The beaches are kept exceptionally clean and free from any sort of tourist traps or petty thieves.

The downside is that you have to pay to get on to the beach and most times this payment is very high. However, the experience is well worth the price. Most beaches are closed for some part of the year due to the monsoons.

Sailing

The waters of the coasts are very clear and there is always a gentle breeze blowing. This makes an ideal setting for sailing and boating. Tourists can rent boats, catamaran and kayaks from the beach resorts and sail out to enjoy a day on the emerald waters. However, these rentals can be quite expensive.

Historical Tours

Malaysia has a rich and vibrant past, with both a monarchical as well colonial rule. The architecture of the area is a wonderful blend of traditional Asian and classic British style buildings. Dutch and Portuguese influences are visible in the homes and community places of Malaysia. Islamic architecture is at its best in the numerous mosques of the nation.

The best places to approve of Malaysia's past are Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. Tourists can go on tours that are arranged by the Malaysian tourist offices.

A Trip through the Rainforest

Malaysia is a nature lover's delight where nature and wildlife enthusiast can witness some of the rare and most exotic living creatures in the rainforest. The world largest flower - the rotten smelling Rafflesia, the wild man of Borneo - the endangered Orangutan and rare wild cats like the civet, elephants in the wild and beautiful white Orchids are just some of the treats awaiting those who enter Malaysia's pristine habitats.

Some areas of the jungles are so remote that humans have never set foot in them. Forest regions are inhabited by nomadic tribes. They live in the forest for shelter and food. They still use traditional ways to hunt and live off the forest. Numerous entertaining and eerie legends have sprung up from them concerning the creature of the night and the forest itself.

The following is a list of the national parks in Malaysia that offer tourist facilities and day and night excursions in to the rainforest accompanied by guides:

Bako National Park

Crocker National Park

Endau - Rompin

Gunung Mulu National Park

Kenong Rimba Park

Kinabalu National Park

Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

Niah National Park

Rantau Abang Turtle Hatchery

Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary

Taman Negara

Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park

Martial Arts

Malaysia is perhaps not as famous as Japan or China on the martial arts scene, but the art of Borneo Silat is equally stylistic and challenging as judo or karate. Silat in fact resembles a dance form more than a style of fighting because of the synchronized responses of the opponents to the rhythm of drums. Tourists can see a fight at any time of the year at the various schools of martial art and if they are lucky they might receive instructions in the art as well.

Wayang Kulit

Wayang kulit is the Malaysian term for a type of shadow play, where puppets are used to narrate stories from Malaysian mythology. The plays are extremely long and often last for up to nine hours.