MALAYSIA
MALAYSIA DIRECTORY •• Books lonelyplanet.comare more hilly while the west coast of the
peninsula has more traffic. Rental bikes
aren’t usually of a high standard so it’s best
to bring your own. MTB Asia (www.mtbasia.com/
Links/links1.htm) is a portal with links to several
mountain-biking-related sites covering both
Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.Diving & Snorkelling
Malaysia has many beautiful dive sites,
decorated with shipwrecks, intricate coral
formations and gloriously colourful marine
life. Most dive centres charge around RM180
to RM250 for two dives, including equip-
ment rental, and PADI open-water courses
cost from RM800 to RM1000. Prime spots
include Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang
and Pulau Tioman, but the best site of
all is the spectacular limestone abyss off
Pulau Sipadan.Surfing
Seasoned and wannabe surfers should head
to Cherating ( p477 ) and Juara on Pulau
Tioman ( p473 ). The main wave season is
during the monsoon from November to
February and the beach and point breaks
are excellent for learning on.Trekking
Mt Kinabalu ( p497 ) is an obvious choice – and
it’s recently got a tad more challenging thanks
to the addition of a via ferrata descent; see
p499 for details.
Borneo’s blockbuster is not the only moun-
tain worth climbing in Malaysia. Sarawak’s
Gunung Mulu ( p523 ) is a challenging four-
day climb, while on the peninsula there
are several good climbs in Taman Negara,
including Gunung Tahan ( p488 ), which
stands at 2187m. There are also a few lesser
peaks scattered around that make pleasant
day outings.BOOKS
Lonely Planet’s Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei
has all the information you’ll need for ex-
tended travel to these countries while Kuala
Lumpur, Melaka & Penang focuses on those
three cities. Lonely Planet also publishes the
Malay Phrasebook, an introduction to the
Malay language.
Budding explorers should read Stranger in
the Forest, Eric Hansen’s account of a remark-
able half-year journey across Borneo on foot,and Redmond O’Hanlon’s marvellous Into the
Heart of Borneo. Essential reading for anyone
intending to do a lot of local mountain walk-
ing is Mountains of Malaysia – A Practical
Guide and Manual, by John Briggs.
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by the for-
ever opinionated Paul Theroux sees the writer
get laid low by a tummy bug in Penang. For
an inside, modern view of the country read
Urban Odysseys, edited by Janet Tay and
Eric Forbes, which is a mixed bag of short
stories set in Kuala Lumpur that capture the
city’s flavour.BUSINESS HOURS
Banks are open from 10am to 3pm Monday
to Friday, and 9.30am to 11.30am Saturday.
Department stores open from 10am to 8pm.
Government offices open 8am to 12.45pm
and 2pm to 4.15pm Monday to Thursday,
and 8am to 12.15pm and 2.45pm to 4.15pm
Friday. Shopping malls are open from 10am
to 9pm, while shops open 9am to 6pm
Monday to Saturday.
In the more Islamic-minded states of
Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu,
government offices, banks and many shops
close on Friday and on Saturday afternoon.
Exceptions to these hours are noted in
individual reviews.CLIMATE
Malaysia is hot and humid year-round. The
temperature rarely drops below 20°C, even at
night, and usually climbs to 30°C or higher
during the day.
It rains throughout the year. Peninsular
Malaysia gets heavier rainfall from September
to March, with the east coast bearing the full
brunt of the monsoon rains from November
to February. Rainfall on the west coast peaks
slightly during the May to October monsoon.
Malaysian Borneo also gets the northeast and
southwest monsoons, but they are less pro-
nounced and rain tends to be variable.
See p936 for more information on Southeast
Asia’s climate.CUSTOMS
When arriving in Malaysia, note that you are
legally entitled to carry 1L of alcohol and 200
cigarettes. Cameras, portable radios, perfume,
cosmetics and watches do not incur duty.
Trafficking of illegal substances can result in
the death penalty – don’t do it.526