Page 26 - The Guide To Malaysia 9th Edition

22 INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIA
Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, is a time for families and friends to visit one another’s homes. Here a family in Malay festive attire prepare to welcome visitors to their open house celebration.
Boat Festival showcase traditional water sports, and the Regatta Lepa
in Semporna, Sabah highlights traditional Bajau sailing craft. The country also hosts major international
golf, tennis, badminton, squash and hockey tournaments, and has successfully hosted the Commonwealth Games and Southeast Asian Games.
The Great Outdoors Malaysia has
a wide variety
of natural attractions, including tropical rainforests, beaches, mountains, lakes and islands. On the peninsula, these include Taman Negara and the Belum Rainforest Reserve, both vast tropical rainforests, home to a huge array of tropical flora and fauna. In Sabah the Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, is dominated by the tallest mountain
in Southeast Asia, and in Sarawak the Mulu National Park, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features the world’s largest known cave system.
Lakes and rivers add
to Malaysia’s colourful landscape; Kenyir Lake
is the largest artificial
lake in West Malaysia,
and the Kinabatangan River in Sabah offers sightings of orangutans, proboscis monkeys, riverine crocodiles and even pygmy elephants. In Sarawak, the Bakun Hydro Lake is the second largest body of fresh water in Southeast Asia and the 563km Rejang River in Sarawak is the gateway to remote longhouses and pristine rainforest, while the Selangor River and the Padas River in Sabah offer challenging whitewater rafting.
Malaysia’s many tropical islands include: Pangkor Laut, where the “Three
Tenors” sang under the stars; Tioman, where elements of the film
“South Pacific” were shot; the idyllic Langkawi archipelago; and Mabul
and Sipadan in Sabah, two renowned diving sites. The mainland also offers superb beaches and rustic fishing villages, especially on the east coast of the peninsula and in Sabah.
Redang Marine Park in Terengganu, one of
One of the most popular attractions during Chinese New Year. Traditional lion dances, said to drive away bad luck and ensure good fortune for the coming year, are very artistic and also require a remarkable degree of athleticism.
Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, is the highlight of the year for Malaysia’s Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Malaysian Indian staff of Da Men Mall in Subang Jaya are shown dressed for the occasion while posing with this exquisite Kolam decoration, created from coloured rice grains.