Ask regular visitors what the name Malaysia conjures up in their minds and they will inevitably tell you the same thing - mystical, enchanting, crisp mountain air, tranquility, long stretches of deserted beaches, legendary islands, fascinating cultures and friendly people - and they will be absolutely right. Malaysia is truly a fascinating country.
While Thailand seems synonymous with glimmering temples, and Singapore is remembered as a bustling modern city with excellent shopping, Malaysia has a bit of the best of what Southeast Asian countries have to offer.
History is what makes a country and Malaysia's history is all the more fascinating as it is the history of many people in Southeast Asia - Malaysia is Asia in miniature. It is a country that still clings tenaciously to its ancient traditions.
Each of Malaysia's ethnic groups adds a distinct heritage to her pluralistic society. The kaleidoscope of Malaysian history unfolds itself with a cast of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Portuguese, Dutch, English and many others.
Each and every state epitomizes all that is appealing about Malaysia, each with a charm of its own - brought to life in quaint old towns that offer a fascinating retrospect into previous eras, a spectacular range of cultural dances, breathtaking scenery, captivating beaches of white powdery sand that glistens under the Malaysian moon, endless shopping opportunities and a great variety of scintillating Malaysian original delicacies as well as a potpourri of Portuguese, Dutch and English influenced dishes.
Malaysia is a land of delightful contrasts - from cool mountain retreats to sunny beaches; there is a whole battery of attractions to captivate everyone - Malaysia indeed has something for everyone.
With her deep-rooted culture, her fascinating history, her unique beauty and her friendly people who are the key to the country's vitality, diversity and character, Malaysia must surely be one of Asia's most satisfying travel destination. Only in Malaysia can you find the richness and amazing variety of a multi-racial society displaying all the exotic cultures of Asia side by side with a modern cosmopolitan lifestyle.
Malaysia - a name that conjures visions of mystery, legend, adventure, treasures and pleasures, will lure you back again and again and you will likely yield.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique