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You would be
pleasantly surprised at the warmth of Malaysians. For deeply entrenched
within each of the different races is the engaging charm and traditional
hospitality for which Malaysia is renowned.
It would be
difficult to overstate the attraction of Malaysia for anyone who
appreciates the natural world. Its primal forests, ranging from
shoreline mangrove to mountaintop oak, are of the sort that most
of the world now knows only in myth. Although Malaysia's size is
similar to that of Norway, natural trees and forests cover almost
three quarters of the land, an area equivalent to almost the entire
United Kingdom. One can walk for hundreds of miles in Malaysia under
a continuous canopy of green, marveling at an abundance of plant
and animal species equaled by no other location in the entire world.
A single half-kilometer plot of land in Borneo's lowland dipterocarp
forest, for example, may well contain more than eight hundred different
species of trees alone, a stunning degree of variety that pales,
however, in comparison to the profusion and diversity of flowers,
birds, ferns, and insects.
Malaysia's offshore
islands are of legendary beauty. Remote dive Island resorts such
as Pulau Sipadan, a small oceanic island off the eastern shore of
Borneo, rises in a sheer column more than six hundred meters from
the seabed. Completely encircled by sheer drop-offs and walls, Sipadan
is one of the world's foremost dive sites.
The tropical
waters off both Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo offer some of the
world's best scuba diving. This is a place endowed with some of
the sport's best possibilities: you can dive with whale sharks,
hover around immense coral gardens and walls, or dive on ominous
and hulking WWII shipwrecks. In many places, you can get 100 + feet
of visibility. Also, the country has become increasingly aware of
the biological and economic importance of its marine heritage, and
each year brings better access to and protection for the unique
marine life. Because of the hundreds of islands, there are many
dive options.
| GENERAL
TRAVEL INFORMATION |
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CLIMATE:
West Peninsular
Malaysia:
- dry months are from November to March
- wet months are from April to October due to the southwest monsoon
East Peninsular
Malaysia
- dry months are from April to October
- wet months are from November to March due to the northeast monsoon.
Sabah Eastern
Coast (including Pulau Sipadan)
- Can be dived whole year round. Heavier rains can be felt only
during typhoons around the region but diving condition is still
acceptable.
Sabah Western Coast (Labuan)
- dry months are from January to May
- wet months are from June to December
CLOTHING:
As
Malaysia's climate is sunny almost year round, light clothing is
ideal. It is advisable for ladies, when entering mosques and temples,
to wear long sleeves and loose pants or long skirts.
TIME:
Malaysia
is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16 hours ahead
of United States Pacific Standard Time.
MONEY:
The unit of currency is the Malaysian Ringgit (RM). The RM has been
pegged to the US dollar at US1.00 to RM3.80. Please note that the
RM has no value outside of Malaysia, a result of the exchange control
practised by our country.
All major credit cards are readily accepted at the resorts and dive
centres.
ELECTRICITY:
Electric
supply is on a 240-volt 50-cycle system.
RELIGION:
Islam is the official religion of Malaysia. The people enjoy freedom
of worship and this right is enshrined in our Constitution. Buddhism,
Taoism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity are among other religions
practised here.
ETIQUETTE
- SOME TIPS:
- Remove shoes
when entering homes and places of worship.
- Dress neatly
in a suitable attire which covers arms and legs when visiting
places of worship.
- Handle food
with your right hand.
- Do not point
your foot at someone.
- When giving
or receiving money gifts to/from a Malaysian, do so with your
right hand.
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