Malaysia - Malásia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia, located in part a peninsula of the Asian mainland and in part the northern third of the island of Borneo. West (peninsular) Malaysia shares a border with Thailand, is connected by bridge and bridge to the island state of Singapore, and is coasted on the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. East Malaysia (Borneo) shares borders with Brunei and Indonesia.

Regions

Peninsular Malaysia

THE Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) occupies the entire Malay Peninsula between the Thailand and Singapore, and is also called West Malaysia (Malaysia Cheap) or the term slightly archaic Malaya (Tanah Melayu). Home to the bulk of Malaysia's population, its capital and largest city Kuala Lumpur, and is generally more economically developed. Within Peninsular Malaysia, the West Coast is more developed and urbanized, and separated from the more rural East Coast by a range of mountains.

West Coast the more developed side of Peninsular Malaysia, with the states of Kedah, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Selangor, as well as two Federal Territories, capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and the new administrative center of Putrajaia, all located within this region. Majority of the Chinese population lives on the west side.

East Coast More traditional, the islands are sparkling and tropical gems. Made up of the states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

South composed of just one state, Johor, two coasts, and endless oil palm plantations.

East Malaysia

800km east is the East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which occupies the northern third of the island of Borneo, with Indonesia and the little Brunei. Partially covered in impenetrable jungle, where cannibal Indians inhabit (on GSM if nothing else networks), East Malaysia is rich in natural resources but still very much Malaysia's hinterland for industry and tourism.

sabah excellent for diving in Sipadan, with nature reserves, the federal enclave of Labuan, and the majestic Mount Kinabalu.

Sarawak Virgin jungle, national parks, traditional longhouses.

Cities

• Kuala Lumpur: multicultural capital, home of the Petronas Towers
• Genting
• George Town: cultural and gastronomic capital of Penang
• Ipoh: capital of Perak with old colonial city history
• Johor Bahru: capital of Johor, and gateway to Singapore
• Kuantan: capital of Pahang, commercial center and east coast
• Kota Kinabalu: capital of sabah
• Kuching: capital of Sarawak
• Malacca (Melaka): Malaysia's historic city with colonial-style architecture
• Miri: Sarawak seaside resort and gateway to UNESCO World Heritage Site Gunung Mulu National Park

Other destinations

• Cameron Highlands - famous for its tea plantations
• Fraser's Hill - warp a time for the colonial era
• Kinabalu National Park - home of Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo
• Langkawi - an archipelago of 99 islands, known for its beaches, rainforests, mountains, mangroves and estuaries unique nature.
• Penang (Pulau Pinang) - formerly known as the "Pearl of the Orient", now a bustling island with excellent cuisine that has retained its colonial heritage more than anywhere else in the country.
• Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian) - glittering jewels off the East Coast not yet discovered by mass tourism
• Redang (Pulau Tioman) - popular destination for divers
• Taman Negara National Park - a large area of ​​forest covering Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang
• Tioman (Pulau Tioman) - once named one of the most beautiful islands in the world

Understand

Malaysia is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation. With investment in high-tech industries and moderate oil wealth, it has become a wealthy nation in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy combination: there is no high-tech infrastructure and things generally work well and more or less on time, but prices are more reasonable than, say, Singapore.

History

Before the rise of the European colonial powers, the Malay Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago was home to empires like the Serivijaia, the Majapait (both ruled from Indonesia) and the Sultanate of Malacca. The Serivijaia and Majapait empires saw the spread of Hinduism to the region, and even today, despite being nominally Muslim, it has much Hindu tradition and survives in tradtional Malay culture. Conversion Masses to Islam only took place after the arrival of Arab traders during the Sultanate of Malacca.

This was the change in the 16th century, when the first European colony (Portugal) was established in Southeast Asia by defeating the Sultanate Melaka. The Portuguese subsequently then lost Malacca to the Dutch. The British also established their first colony on the Malay Peninsula at Penang in 1786, when it was ceded by the Sultan of Kedah. Finally, the area was divided into Dutch and English spheres of influence with the signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty in 1824. With this treaty, the Dutch agreed to cede Malacca to the British and, in return, the British ceded all their colonies in Sumatra for the Dutch. The line that divided the world into Dutch and English Malay areas roughly corresponds to what is now the Malaysia-Indonesian border.

Before World War II, the Malay Peninsula was ruled by the British as the Federated Malay States (Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang), which were ruled as a single entity, the Unfederated Malay States (Johor, Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu and Kelantan), which were each ruled as separate protectorates, and the Straits settlements (including Malacca, Penang and Singapore), which were crown colonies. North Borneo consisted of the British colony of North Borneo, the Kingdom of Sarawak, which was ruled by a British family known as the "White Rajas", and British protectorate of Brunei.

World War II was disastrous for the British Malay command. The Japanese swept both coasts of the Malay Peninsula and despite fierce fighting, both the British military was tied up fighting the Germans in Europe and those who remained in Malaysia simply couldn't handle the Japanese onslaught. British military equipment failed to defend Malaya was outdated and was no match for the modern ones used by the Japanese, while the only two warships stationed in the region, the HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse HMS, were sunk by Japanese bombing off the coast. East Malaysia.

After World War II, the Federated Malay States, Unfederated Malay States and the settlements in the Straits of Malacca and Penang merged to form a single British colony known as the Union of Malaysia, Singapore, with division to form a separate colony. In the Malay Union, the sultans of various states relinquished all their powers except those in religious affairs of the British crown. However, widespread opposition to the Malaysian Union led the British to reconsider his position, and in 1948, the Malaysian Union was replaced by the Malaysian Federation, in which the executive positions of the sultans were restored. In Borneo, the White Rajas ceded Sarawak to the British crown in 1946, becoming a British crown colony.

Malaya gained independence from the British in 1957. The Union Jack was reduced and the first Malaysian flag was raised on the Merdeka (Independence) Square at midnight on 31 August 1957.

Six years later, Malaysia was formed on September 16, 1963 through a merger of Malaysia and Singapore, as well as the states of Sabah, East Malaysia (then known as North Borneo) and Sarawak, on the north coast of Borneo, Brunei, with the decision not to join. The first years of the country's history were marked by Indonesian confrontation (konfrontasi), much like the Philippines claims Sabah. Singapore was expelled from the federation on August 9, 1965, after several bloody race riots, as majority of the Chinese population and the influence of the People's Action Party led by Lee Kuan, were seen as a threat to Malay dominance, and it became a independent country.

To arrive

tourists Brazilians and Portuguese do not need a visa to stay up to 90 days. Passport holders of Cape Green and Sao Tome and Principe can stay in the country for a period of up to 30 days without a visa. citizens of Angola and Mozambique must apply for a travel visa at the nearest consulate, and can only enter through airports.

By airplane

• The easiest way to get from Brazil in Kuala Lumpur is from Buenos Aires, through the Malaysian, which has two weekly flights.

The national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has a wide network coverage across the world and regularly high in airline quality ratings, while low-cost carrier AirAsia now covers a growing range of destinations including Australia, China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos Macau, Philippines Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Kingdom, Myanmar and Vietnam.

By bus

Long distance buses in Malaysia run from Brunei, Indonesian Borneo, Singapore and Thailand..

• Brunei - there is no direct bus in Brunei. However, there are buses from Miri and Limbang going to the border, where there are connections to Bandar Seri Begawan.
• Indonesia - direct buses between Pontianak West Kalimantan and Sarawak in Kuching.
• Singapore - a multitude of bus companies operate direct routes from Singapore to various destinations on the Malaysian peninsula, including Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, the East Coast cities and even the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Petaling Jaia. Frequent buses run short-term between Singapore and Johor Bahru, and you can save a few dollars by switching at JB's Larkin terminal to a cheap domestic bus instead of taking a more expensive direct bus. If you are planning to have a visa on arrival, you must enter Malaysia via link 2.
• Thailand - There are several service companies from Kuala Lumpur and other cities in Malaysia to Hat Yai in Southern Thailand, where direct connections are available to Bangkok and many other Thai destinations.

Of boat

Ferries connect several points of the Peninsula of Malaysia with Sumatra in Indonesia and in the south of Thailand, Brunei, with Sarawak and Sabah with East Kalimantan, in Indonesia and Mindanao, in the Philippines. Luxury cruises also run from Singapore and sometimes Phuket (Thailand) to Malaysia.

By train/train

To/from Thailand: Train services operated by Direct from Thailand's state railway company.Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malaysian Railways) runs trains between Hat Yai (Thailand) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Both trains cross the border into Padang Besar where Thai and Malaysian immigration formalities are done at the station. There is also a lesser-used eastern route from Hat Yai to the Thai border town of Sungai Kolok, but there are no midway trains from Malaysia Station at Wakaf Bahru (near Kota Bharu).

Circular

By airplane

Largely thanks to the budget carrier AirAsia, Malaysia is crisscrossed by a network of affordable flights with promotional advertising. Flying is the only practical option for traveling between Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, as well as reaching some of the more distant stations from Borneo.State Malaysia Airlines also has competitive fares that are equal to or even lower if booked in advance over the internetAnd their Firefly offspring has an accessible radiant network from Penang previously also started operating from the Subang (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah) from the airport.Berjaya Air also flies small Dash-7 turboprops from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to its own airports on the resort islands of Pangkor, Redang and Tioman. Prices are low, but this is by far the quickest and most comfortable way to get to any of these. In Sabah and Sarawak, MASWings operates turboprop services linking inland communities, including the Kelabit Highlands, with coastal cities.

By car

Malaysia has an excellent road network, culminating in the North-South expressway along the western coast of Portugal all the way to the Thai border. Gasoline is slightly cheaper than market prices). Tolls are paid on freeways, but these are reasonably priced. While you can drive from Singapore to Thailand in a day on the West Coast, the road system is much less developed on the East Coast, with no expressways, let alone in Sabah and Sarawak, so be sure to factor in the Additional travel time If traveling in these areas. In general, cars and motorcycles rarely indicate lane changes and often change from far right to far left at the last minute, so always pay attention to what the cars in front are doing or what they could possibly do!

By train/train

Long-distance trains in Malaysia rarely manage to match road transport in terms of speed, but the state of the operator KTMB provides for a relatively cheap and reliable service around the Malaysian Peninsula (but not Sabah/Sarawak in Borneo). The main western line connects Butterworth (near Penang), Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, while the eastern line runs through Gua Musang and Taman Negara National Park to Kota Bharu, near the border with Thailand and the Perhentian Islands.

Speak

The only official language of Malaysia is Malay (Bahasa Malaysia or colloquially, Bahasa Melayu), which is very similar and, to a large extent, mutually intelligible with Indonesian. Some parts of Malaysia near the Thai border, most notably Kelantan, have Malay dialects that are almost incomprehensible to standard Malay speakers, although most people in these areas are able to converse in Malay. English is mandatory in all schools and spoken in big cities, although in rural areas, Malay will come in handy. There is also a colloquial form of English spoken among Malays in urban areas, not improperly known as Manglish, which takes a bit of getting used to if you're going to get into the conversation about local affairs. Malays almost always try to talk. In general, police stations and government offices will have English-speaking people on duty.

Arabic is taught to those who attend Islamic religious schools, and many clerics as well as other Muslims many faithful will have a functional command of the Arabic language. However, it is not spoken, although the Malay language has a large number of words borrowed from Arabic. You may also see some examples of Malay written in Arabic letters. This is called Jawi, and it is still used for religious publications and inscriptions, especially in conservative states like Kelantan, although the Roman alphabet is much more commonly used across the country.

The Chinese community in Malaysia speaks in a wide variety of Chinese dialects, including Cantonese, Mandarin, Teo-chew, Hakka, Hainan, Hok-chew and Hokkien. Mandarin is taught in most Chinese schools, while Cantonese is commonly heard in the mass media, so most Malaysian Chinese would be conversant in both, regardless of their native dialect. The most widely spoken language is Tamil Indian, others include Malayalam, Punjabi and Telugu.

Look

Knife

Buy

Kuala Lumpur is a great place to shop for clothing, electronics, computer goods and more, at very competitive prices by any standard. Traditional Malaysia fabrics (batik) are a popular souvenir. The cheapest place to buy easily ethnic souvenirs (mostly wood-based) is in Kuching, East Malaysia, as well as the most expensive location and is the largest of the posh KL malls.

In general, stores are open from 10:30 am until 9:30 pm (or 10:00 am) in major cities. They open and close earlier for businesses in smaller towns and rural areas.

With the

A crossroads of Chinese, Malay and Indian cuisine, Malaysia is an excellent place for Makan (eating in Malay). Look for regional specialties and Nyonya (Peranakan) cuisine, fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine. There is even unique Eurasian cuisine to be found in the Malacca Portuguese Accord, the heart of the Eurasian community of Portuguese descent.

Malaysians are very proud of their cuisine and most villages or even villages have their own delicious specialties like penang teow kway char, kajang satay, bean sprout Ipoh chicken, laksa Sarawak, Dagang nasi Kelantanese, hinava Sabahan, and much, much more. Most of them rely on word of mouth for advertising and are often located in the most inconvenient, out-of-the-way places you might want to try asking the locals for their personal recommendations.

If you plan to travel around Brazil to try local food, don't be fooled by the names. Sometimes two completely different dishes from different parts of the country can be known by the same name. An example will be laksa, which refers to completely different noodle dishes in Penang and Sarawak.

You can generally eat almost anywhere in Malaysia. Food establishments are relatively clean - the only thing you should avoid is ice for your drink, when you frequent street stalls or street vendors since the used ice packs may not be up to your standards of hygiene. In real restaurants this is not a problem. Also, you may want to avoid ordering water from street vendors stalls or the mamak restaurants where tap water is normally boiled.

Noodles and Chinese dishes come with chopsticks, while Malay and Indian food can be eaten by hand, but no one will bat an eye if you order a fork and a spoon. If eating with your hands, always use your right hand to pick up your food as Malays and Indians traditionally use their left hand for dirty things like washing up after using the toilet. When eating with chopsticks in Chinese restaurants, take note of the usual ettiquette and most importantly, don't stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. This is reminiscent of incense burning in the temple and has connotations of wishing for the death of people around you. If eating in a group, serving dishes are always shared, but you'll get your own bowl of rice and soup.

drink and go out

Malaysians are both fond of coffee (kopi) and tea (o), especially the national drink, the tarik ("pulled" tea), named after the theater 'pull' movement used to pour it. By default, both will be served hot, sweet and with a shot of condensed milk, the order of skipping milk, the AIS for iced milk tea, or AIS for the milkless iced tea. Drinking no added sugar at all is considered awkward, but asking for kurang manis (less sugar) will ease the pain.

Another quirky local favorite is the Kopi tongkat ginseng ali, a blend of coffee, a local aphrodisiac root, and ginseng served with condensed milk that is touted as an alternative to Viagra and Red Bull combined and is often advertised with a picture of a broken bed in half.

Other popular options include the non-alcoholic Milo chocolate drink and lemon juice (lime). Freshly made fruit juices are also widely available, as well as a wide range of canned beverages (some familiar, others less so).

Topically and perhaps instead of PC-un, it is a local drink made up of white soy milk and black gram jam (cincau) called Michael Jackson and can be ordered at most peddler center and local road cafes ("mamak" ).

Learn

Malaysia's universities draw exchange students from near and far.

• Multimedia University (MMU). It is Malaysia's first private university. Multimedia University (MMU) is one of the leading private universities in Malaysia with a reputation for innovative teaching, it all started with an invitation from the Malaysian government to Telekom Malaysia Berhad, to establish the first private university in October 1996.
• Teknologi University Malaysia (UTM). Teknologi University Malaysia is one of Malaysia's universities, specializing in engineering and technologies.
• University of Malaya (UM). Malaysia's oldest university. It is widely recognized as the best university in Malaysia, Malaysia and many prominent UM alumni.
• Universiti Putra Malaysia UPM. Formerly known as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia it is one of the oldest in Malaysia. Used to focus on agricultural sector, but now Universiti is Malaysia's leader in the field of biology, medicine and biotechnology. The only Universiti in Malaysia that offer vetenarian degree.
• Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The second university in Malaysia, most focused on technical studies and is one of three Malaysian universities that have been identified as the research-intensive universities in Malaysia.
• Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Focused on tourism, biotechnology and information technology, it has a strong relationship with Australian universities.
• International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). Publicly and privately funded university in Brazil, sponsored by eight different governments of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
• Universiti Malaysia Kebangsaan (UKM). The third public university formed in Malaysia, but the first to use Bahasa Melayu as a means of instruction.
• Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL). Malaysia private university. Focused on engineering technology and information technology.
• Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.It is Malaysia's premier private university for an education in creative technology. It has one of the most international student populations in the country.
• Universiti Utara Malaysia. It is one of the famous School Management for higher education in Brazil which is located in the northern peninsula of Malaysia in Sintok, Kedah. This campus is made up of more than 21,000 graduates.

In addition, several foreign universities have established campuses in Malaysia, providing the opportunity for education in an external Malaysian environment. Among them are Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Nottingham.

Safety

While the crime rate is higher than in neighboring Singapore, Malaysia is still a safe country. Crimes against tourists are rare. It's good to avoid deserted regions, get back to your hotel before midnight and use your common sense, you'll be fine.

Health

Tap water is potable in some areas and not in others, but even boil or filter places in the first place just to be on the safe side. When traveling, it is best to keep bottled water, which is very cheap.

Ice in beverages can be made with tap water, but these days, most restaurants and roadside stalls even use the cylindrical variety with a hollow tube in the middle which are mass produced in ice factories and are safer for the consumption.

Heat exhaustion is rare, but they consume lots of fluids, wear a hat and sunscreen and shower often!

Peninsular Malaysia is largely free of malaria, but there is a significant risk in Borneo, especially in the interior and rural areas. Dengue fever occurs in Malaysia in urban and rural areas, and can only be prevented by preventing mosquito bites. The mosquito that transmits dengue feeds throughout the day, and is most active during dawn and dusk. If you experience a sudden fever with pain and lethargy, seek medical attention immediately. Aspirin and ibuprofen should not be used until the dengue has been ruled out. Mosquito repellents (ubat nyamuk) are widely available.

Most public restrooms charge a small fee to keep some change on hand.

Malaysia is largely earthquake-free as it has no fault lines nearby, which aftershocks can occasionally be felt when a major earthquake strikes in neighboring Indonesia. Typhoons don't usually occur either. However, the Nov-Jan monsoon season often results in flooding caused by torrential rains and landslides are known to occur, particularly on the east coast. Tsunamis are a rare occurrence, despite Penang and some islands in the north of the West Coast that were hit by the famous tsunami in 2004.

respect

This is a predominantly Muslim country, and you should dress respectfully, particularly in rural areas (wearing long pants or a long skirt, and covering your shoulders is recommended but not essential). In more metropolitan areas such as Kuala Lumpur, as well as towns and cities such as Penang and Ipoh with larger non-Muslim populations, attitudes are more liberal.

As a tourist, it is best not to criticize the Malaysian government or royal families.

When entering a house or place of worship, always remove your shoes. Also, never eat with your left hand, or give a gift with your left hand, and never point with your index finger (you can use a clenched fist with your thumb).

Shows of affection in public in larger cities are tolerated, but may unnecessarily attract public attention. In more rural areas, it is frowned upon and should be avoided.

Same sex relationships are a taboo topic in Malaysia. Gay and lesbian travelers should avoid any outward signs of affection, including hands-on in public. Due to the strong influence of Islam, homosexuality is technically illegal.

Stay in touch

Many international courier services such as Fedex, DHL and UPS are available in cities, but the main postal service provider is Pos Malaysia, which provides reliable postal services to most countries in the world.

Non-urgent letters and postcards can be posted inside at post offices or red postboxes found outside post offices or on main roads. If there are two slots in a mailbox use what says "lying down" for international mail.

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