Malaysia goes green to attract Aussies

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Malaysia goes green to attract Aussies

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Some parts of Malaysia are well known to Australians, including Kuala Lumpur and its great shopping, Langkawi, Penang and more, but when I bumped in to Tourism Malaysia’s Assistant Director International Marketing Divistion [SE Asia], Haryanty Abu Bakar at ITE in Ho Chi Minh City, she told me about Malaysia’s new push in eco tourism.

Haryanty told me that Malaysia is an amazing country with huge biodiversity and I found it surprising that 75% of Malaysia’s land area remains forested, with 60% virgin rainforest, which had not changed for millions of years.

Malaysia has numerous natural attractions with amazing and diverse flora and fauna, white sandy beaches, exotic marine aqua life, dense rainforests and the oldest and largest caves in the world, with Malaysia, one of the twelve mega-biologically diverse countries in the world, boasting at least 15,000 species of flowering plants, 286 species of mammals, 150,000 species of invertebrates, and 4,000 species of fishes in addition to the countless micro-organisms.

What can you do when you visit eco Malaysia, well you can go caving, hiking, jungle trekking, white water rafting, rock climbing, bird watching, river cruising and much more and to help you, click on these links:

National parks
Cave exploration
Bird watching

And there’s more, you can see the largest flower in the world, Rafflesia, play with the endangered orang utans, visit the world’s largest single cave passage discovered at Mulu National Park or hike up Fraser’s Hill to catch the migrating birds.

To hear what Haryanty Abu Bakar had to say about the Malaysia and especially eco tourism, click on the box below Part 1: -

Part 2

To discover more about Malaysia’s eco tourism attractions check out the following and click on the links for more details: -

	The Belum Forest Reserve Spectacular Belum Forest Reserve is one of the largest untouched forest reserves on the Peninsula and is a rich sanctuary for wildlife.		Kenong Rimba Park This 120 sq. km. forest park is a sprawling area of lowland forest rising to the limestone hills bordering Taman Negara.
	Gunung Ledang/Mount Ophir Shrouded in mystical legends and folklore, Gunung Ledang continues to charm and intrigue locals and tourists alike.		Fireflies watching at Sungai Lebam Firefly-watching is one of the main attractions in the Sungai Lebam Wetland Preservation area.
	Niah National Park The most magnificent limestone caves are concealed within this sprawling jungle.		Endau - Rompin National Park Endau - Rompin State Park is home to the world's oldest rainforest [130 million years old!] as well as the rare Sumatran Rhino.
	Bako National Park Gazetted in 1957, Bako is Sarawak’s oldest national park, covering an area of 2,727 hectares at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula.		Kinabalu Park The highest mountain in Malaysia [4,101m] provides a challenging climb and awe-inspiring views.
	Desaru Fruit Farm Desaru Fruit Farm showcases exotic tropical fruits, just the best to tempt your tastebuds!		Langkawi Mangroves One of the largest mangrove forests in Southeast Asia, and is home to a surprising diversity and wealth of flora and fauna.
	Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm Get up close with these crocodiles, 1,000 of them in this farm!		Ostrich Farm Located in Sungai Rengit offers an enjoyable experience to watch the fastest running bird's race
	Kota Tinggi Waterfall The waterfalls are located at the foot of Gunung Muntahak.		Langkawi This cluster of 99 islands offers beautiful beaches, world-class infrastructure, ultra-cheap duty-free shopping and fascinating legends.
	Gua Kelam [Kelam Cave] Gua Kelam [Cave Of Darkness] offers a unique experience within the jungle.		Madai Caves Idahan people harvest medicinal birds' nests here in a festive atmosphere.
	Batang Ai National Park The park's vast rainforest is home to wildlife such as orang utans, gibbons and hornbills. It also contains a five-star hotel.		Danum Valley The beautiful Danum Valley is a huge conservation area incredibly rich in flora and stunning views.
	Gunung Mulu National Park Mulu National Park is home to one of the largest caves in the world. All set in a beautiful, all-natural environment deep in the rainforest.