Malaysia comprises of East and West Malaysia. East Malaysia consists of two large states, Sabah and Sarawak, which occupy the northern zone of Borneo Island. West Malaysia, which is a short plane ride away over the South China Sea, consists of 11 states, all of which have their own distinctive attractions. Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English, Mandarin and Tamil are also widely used. Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, but Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and other religions are practised freely.
Malaysia is a haven for culinary and cultural activities. The different races which make up the Malaysian population provide a wide variety of excellent cuisine. Indian, Chinese and Malay dishes are plentiful and cheap, while fast food restaurants and Western, Middle Eastern, Thai and Vietnamese food are easily found too.
Culturally, Malaysia presents a feast of colour and diversity, as the different ethnic groups exhibit their traditions through festivals, songs, dances and traditional attire.
The climate of Malaysia is warm and humid throughout the year. Temperatures range from 30oC during the day to 22oC at night. With idyllic islands, golden sandy beaches, charming hill resorts, natural parks, magnificent rainforests with a wide variety of wild flora and fauna, Malaysia a fascinating holiday destination.
In recent years, tourists to Malaysia have increased year by year. Malaysia registered a total 16.4 million foreign tourists in 2006 compared to 15.7 million the year before. 64,000 tourists came from Vietnam for holidays, shopping, dining, eco-tourism, education, honeymoon, spa, golfing, diving and MICE packages. The year 2007 is meaningful in Malaysia, as it marks the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s Independence, the Golden Jubilee. On this occasion, 250 events and festivals will take place throughout Malaysia, including an Aerospace exhibition, Asean Art performance, Malaysia folk dance, concerts, colours of Malaysia parade and gourmet festivals. The 2007 target of Tourism Malaysia is to attract 20 million tourists from around the world to Malaysia, among them 100,000 tourists from Vietnam.
At the moment, Tourism Malaysia is in cooperation with Malaysia Airlines and 12 Vietnamese tourist companies to bring tourists to Malaysia. There are 6 package tours offered for two periods of time with low prices, one from June 6 to September 2, 2007 and one from Dec. 1, 2007 to January 1, 2008, for tourists from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to go to Malaysian destinations like Kuala Lumpur City, Port Dickson, Genting Highland, Malacca, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and others.
This is an opportunity for Vietnamese and foreign tourist to go shopping, sight-seeing, relaxing, dining and enjoying entertainment in Malaysia, a peaceful country with a safe and clean environment.
Phan Dong
Vietnamese
