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Malaysia is hot and humid all year. Good beaches are costly,
particularly the premier beaches which are often owned by exclusive
- and expensive - resorts. They are, however, superbly run and well
maintained, so if you can afford them you won't be disappointed.
Kuala Lumpur, the capital, is not especially interesting, though
safe and has great dining options.
Plus:
genuine tropical wildlife is often very nearby or even on the beach,
Malaysian facilities are efficient and sophisticated, it's fairly
crime-free, and local cuisine is varied and excellent.
Minus: the humidity is energy-sapping, costs can be wallet-sapping
and it's often very commercial. Most islands will require a potentially
bouncy boat ride to get there, especially off-season.
Pantai
Teluk
Belanga [Emerald Bay], Pangkor Laut
[West-centre] [picture top right]
Emerald Bay, on a tiny, privately owned island off Malaysia's west
coast, is often listed in the top ten world's best beaches. The
bay is a perfect crescent shape,
with soft golden sand and calm emerald-green
water.
This is the property of the luxury Pangkor Laut Resort, where only
guests can enjoy its elegant facilities, so is totally hawker[seller]
free. In spite of its commercial success, most of the island remains
untouched, with plenty of wildness and natural beauty just outside
this sophisticated resort.
It is an all-year destination, but the best time to be there is
Jan-May. Oct-Dec can be wet and grey.
Datai
beach, Langkawi island
[North-west]
The beaches on this well-developed
island are regarded as some of the world's most secluded and picture-perfect
hideaways by many travel specialists. Unfortunately most of the
best coves are private, occupied by luxury resorts.
If you are independent, try Pantai
Cenang, Pantai Tengah, or the beautiful crescent
of Datai beach.
Langkawi has also exquisite snorkelling sites, especially at Palau
Payar Marine Park where Malaysia's best coral reefs are. The best
season is Nov-May, when the sky is clear and the humidity is low,
but rainfall here on the west coast is lower than in the east, so
most of the year is OK. The worst time is Sept-Nov.
Tioman island
[South-east] [picture top left]
Tioman, one of the most spectacular islands in Malaysia is relatively
unspoilt despite increasing development. It is a great destination
for nature lovers, golfers and especially underwater enthusiasts
due to close offshore reefs and crystal clear water. It has small
golden sandy beaches backed by tropical jungle. One of the golfing
hazards is monkeys stealing balls.
One of the best secluded, palm-fringed beaches is Tioman,
the property of Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort.
Kampung Juara
is the place for total serenity, but hard to get to - a 6 km, 2.5
hour trek from Kampung Telek, the island's main village.
Best March-Sept. Avoid going during the monsoon season Nov-Jan [possibly
wet, grey, rough seas].
Long
Beach, Kecil island, Perhentian Islands
[North-east]
The Perhentian Islands are the must-go place in Malaysia for budget
travelers. They have some of the world's most beautiful beaches
and world class diving with plenty of cheap accommodation.
Go to the popular
Long beach for action. Try
Coral
Bay [on Kecil island] or the other island
- Besar - for smaller, tranquil beaches like Flora
Bay.
Try to book accommodation well in advance if you go in the high
season June-August. Best March-Sept, with
best diving April-May. Avoid
Nov-Jan [possibly wet, grey, rough seas].
Redang
island, Redang archipelago
[most of the islands are uninhabited] [North-east]
Another perfect island exploited [in
the nicest way] by a posh resorts - twelve at the last count. The
usual powder white coral sand, crystal turquoise sea, blah blah.
What makes Redang a bit special is the superb underwater life in
the surrounding marine park, making this is a premium target for
scuba/snorkel addicts. Water temperature around 28C! Best [incl.
diving] from March-Oct. 50 mins by boat.
Turtle
Beach and Golden Beach, Similajau National Park, Sarawak [Borneo,
i.e. far east of the mainland!]
This park consists
of 30 km of golden sand and cliffs with tropical wildlife all around.
It
is well worth the hassle to get there for some of the finest beaches
in Malaysia, jungle streams, waterfalls and 185 species of bird
and plenty of animals - including gibbons, macaques, turtles, wild
boars and crocs.
The park has chalets with an open-air café, hostels and a
camping site near some good beaches, but the best ones,
Turtle and Golden Beaches require a permit to enter and are
a looong 8 km walk from the park office, or a hire a boat. No contest
there!
Best time to go is April-September.
Worst is during the big monsoons Oct-March. Temperatures range from
23C to 32C with high humidity.
Operators
offering tours to Malaysia can be found in our listings here: Malaysia
Tours
'Haze',
caused
by forest fires and slash/burn agricultural practices in both Malaysia
and Indonesia has, in the past, obscured the sun and reduced air
quality around Aug-Sept, but does not seem to be such a problem
in this millennium.
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