Thailand has the beaches, Cambodia has Angkor Wat, and Vietnam is the exotic newcomer on the backpacker trail, but I don't hear as many people rave about Malaysia. It gets shafted on the Southeast Asia travel circuit, and it's a pity because there is so much unexpected beauty due to its lush, green landscape of mountains and jungles, incredible cuisine, and multicultural diversity.
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The United States takes much pride in its diversity, and justifiably so, but Malaysia is the only place I've encountered where three great civilizations have merged together to form a fascinating country. The mixture of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures have produced a fusion of wondrous food, which blends Chinese peppered spices with Indian curry and Malayan cooking technique. Thus, Malaysia has some of the best street food in the world, making it an exciting tour for foodies.
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| Penang Laksa |
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| Penang's famous char kay teow |
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| Baked goodies |
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| Street food at the night market |
Furthermore, the coexistence of different religions was unexpectedly fascinating. In random streets, it was not unusual to see locals burning incense in a Buddhist temple, while a ceremony was performed at a Hindu temple, while the call to pray was heard at a nearby mosque. That's not to say there's tension between the three groups, but the relatively peaceful coexistence of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam makes Malaysia an even more compelling place to visit.
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| Candles at Kek Lok Si Temple |
The sights, tastes, and sounds such as these make Malaysia an essential pit-stop in Southeast Asia.
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