Emely vs. Malaysia

Malaysia, a country that I hadn't even thought about before Nepal. Until some travelers in Nepal told us about Malaysia and it eventually became a destination for us.

A country that was a complete surprise for me, and I was not disappointed at all. On the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised.

In Malaysia, you can have it all. Island vibes, beach fun, jungle adventures, history, and the hustle and bustle of a big city. And all of this is not far away from each other, just separated by a few palm oil plantations.

At the beginning in Langkawi, I wondered what everyone found so great about Malaysia. But then George Town captured my heart. Because it has so much to offer, not only culturally, but more on that later. In George Town, you can see the whole city/island history in the architecture, and at the same time, you can see from the newer buildings that the country is booming and growing, all thanks to palm oil and petroleum. However, not every city in the country benefits from it. After all, George Town is also a World Heritage Site, which is why it is well-preserved. A city like Kuantan on the east coast can only dream of that. But maybe Malaysia also owes this to their previous Prime Minister, who, according to some locals, conducted dirty business and used the money elsewhere. Now, a lot of hope is being put on the new Prime Minister. Let's hope for the best for them.

Because Kuala Lumpur shows what Malaysia is capable of and, above all, willing to do. Many of the locals in Malaysia are very interested in further developing their country and attracting more tourists here. Because people like Nizam, E, and Sabree in the national park benefit from tourism and are happy with every individual who climbs the caves with them or explores the jungle.

Many of the locals do not see the palm oil plantations as a bad thing either because they see how it enriches their country, and often these plantations have been there since their childhood. Unlike me: I have to say, I have nothing against the plantations that have been there for years, but I have something against more and more and even more. Because for every new plantation, a part of the rainforest has to die. When you talk to the locals about it, they usually say that they don't like it, but they have enough rainforest or that it's even worse in Indonesia. I believe that this is a very narrow-minded way of thinking, but that's my opinion. For example, in Merapoh, we sat on a major road, and every 15 minutes, a huge truck loaded with tropical wood drove past us.

Is that just a coincidence or reality?

As mentioned before, we often spoke with locals. In Malaysia, it's not difficult to find talkative and open-minded people. You have to approach them, but once you're in a conversation with them, you can enjoy some privileges. I find this group of people very likable. They are very open to cultural changes and development as well as to other religions. We in Germany could learn from that.

We have now spent four weeks in a country that has Islam as its state religion, and I have never felt unsafe, pressured, or uncomfortable, not even once. I felt completely normal, whether it was in a short summer dress or in a city where there were no tourists except us. On the contrary, the Muslims here were even very friendly. Whether they helped us, smiled kindly at us, welcomed us (thinking we were the new neighbors), or invited us to their Hari Raya celebrations. Here in Malaysia, Muslims are used to seeing people without headscarves and in short clothing, thanks to the many Chinese people living here, who have their temples scattered throughout the city and live their normal lives here.

Of course, at the beginning, I found it strange to see so many people wearing headscarves and to hear their calls to prayer through the streets, but you get used to everything and find it completely normal. Because as a Christian, I am fully recognized and accepted here.

Now some people might say, "well, that's only the appearance from the outside," but that's not the case. We asked many people! Because mutual acceptance is highly emphasized here, regardless of origin, religion, or skin color.

Conclusion: Don't be afraid of Islam, but engage in conversations with the people!

If you feel like exploring Malaysia yourself, go to multiple places and don't be surprised if you sometimes feel like the only tourists, as this can happen in some places. But there are also plenty of tourist hotspots like Kuala Tahan, George Town, Kuala Lumpur, and the Perhentian Islands. Rent a car and explore it on your own (unless you have time like us), as the infrastructure is not yet well-developed here.

I found it fantastic, especially the long time in Kuala Lumpur.

Highlight:

- Cave tour in Merapoh

- Getting around the country 🙆🏼‍♀️

- George Town

Most beautiful place:

- George Town

- Kuala Tahan Negara National Park

Most interesting place:

- George Town

- Kuala Lumpur