Malaysia Introduction

Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia, has a total landmass of 329 847 square kilometers. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories. The country is It is a mix of a developing nation and the modern world and was home to more than 27,5 million people in 2010.

Tourism

Malaysia’s economy has traditionally been fueled by natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of tourism, science, commerce and medical tourism.

Airport

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main international airport of Malaysia. The airport is capable of handling 35 million passengers and 1,2 million tons of cargo per year. In 2010 the complex handled 34,087,636 passengers.

Airlines

Airlines flying to Kuala Lumpur International Airport from South Africa include:

• Air Madagascar (Johannesburg)
• Air Mauritius (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• BMI (Johannesburg, Cape Town)
• Cathay Pacific Airways (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Emirates (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Etihad Airways (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Malaysia Airlines (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Qatar Airways (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Qantas Airways (Johannesburg, Cape Town)
• SAA (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Singapore Airlines (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• Turkish Airlines (Johannesburg, Cape Town)

What to see / do

• Cameron Highlands – Most extensive hill stations in Malaysia
• Mulu Caves – incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting
• Perhentian Islands – Most beautiful beaches and great diving with plenty of cheap accommodation
• Petronas Twin Towers – The world’s tallest twin buildings, 88-floor towers
• Sepilok Rehabilition Centre – For orphaned baby orangutans
• Taman Negara – A National park and one of the oldest tropical rain forests

General Info

Currency

The currency in Malaysia is ringgit (MYR) and 1 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) converts to about R2.40 (ZAR).

Weather

Malaysia observes a tropical climate with average temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. The pleasant, sunny days and pretty cool nights are very inviting. Although it is never too hot, humidity is a common feature.