Selamat Datang! Welcome to the melting pot of Southeast Asia—Malaysia!

A vibrant nation split into two parts by the South China Sea: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo). There are around 35 million people living here, and the capital is Kuala Lumpur, home to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. The official language is Malay, but English, Mandarin, and Tamil are widely spoken.

Malaysia covers about 330,803 square kilometers (127,724 square miles). To imagine its size, the country is roughly the same size as the state of New Mexico in the U.S., or about the same size as Norway. The landscape ranges from bustling megacities and tea-covered highlands to some of the oldest rainforests in the world.

The most popular sports are Badminton (they are world-class) and Football. Their national animal is the Malayan Tiger, which is featured on the national coat of arms.

The flag consists of fourteen horizontal red and white stripes and a blue canton containing a crescent and a fourteen-point star, where the red and white stripes represent the equal status of the states and the federal government and the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal color of the Malay Rulers.

The food is a legendary fusion of Malay, Chinese, and Indian flavors. You must try Nasi Lemak, the national dish, which is fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, served with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, and a hard-boiled egg. Another favorite is Satay, grilled meat skewers served with a rich peanut sauce. For a unique experience, try Durian, known as the “King of Fruits”—it has a very strong smell but a creamy, custard-like taste that locals love.

Malaysia is home to the Petronas Twin Towers, which were once the tallest buildings in the world. On the island of Borneo, you’ll find Mount Kinabalu, one of the highest peaks in Southeast Asia, and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where you can see these “men of the forest” up close. If you’re looking for culture, the Batu Caves feature a massive golden statue of Lord Murugan at the entrance to a series of limestone caves and temples. Malaysia is also a constitutional monarchy with a unique system where nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns being the King every five years.

From the street food stalls of Penang to the crystal-clear diving waters of Sipadan, Malaysia is a land of endless variety and flavor. Terima Kasih! That means “Thank you!”