Visit Malaysia Year 2014
Visit Malaysia 2014, or VMY 2014, is currently being prepared by the tourism ministry to welcome as many tourists into Malaysia.
If you did not already know, Malaysia has always been known
for its amazing multi-cultural society was exploring different parts, the country will give travellers a unique experience not to be forgotten.
For many
years, the Tourism Ministry of Malaysia has focused its main tourism on several touristic specialities, which range from culture and heritage to Ecotourism among some of
the best sellers.
And in the last 10 years, several new products have
been introduced to entice the would-be tourist or those returning. Among them
are food, shopping, lifestyle, sport, education, and recently medical and luxury
tourism.
again Visit Malaysia 2014 (VMY2014), and this time around, the highlights
involved would be shopping, family, food and luxury tourism.
Overall, the tourism ministry has been working hard to promote the country worldwide with
on-ground campaigns at trade shows and mainstream media.
This would be the main
target to increase the arrivals into Malaysia to reach the 28 million mark as
the last recorded tourist arrivals were clocked in at 23 million.
a new campaign for Visit Malaysia 2014 is being created with a new theme
song while the well-known tag line – “Malaysia Truly Asia” may still be used in
the upcoming campaign.
The following will be highlights of some of Malaysia’s
unique genres of tourism in no particular order.
influences in Malaysia, there is an abundance of choices when it comes to food. And this ranges from multi-ethnic choices spread all across the country.
The main ethnic groups consist of Malay, Chinese and Indian, while the sub-ethnic
groups are made of Portuguese, Mamak, Iban, Kadazan, Baba & Peranakan,
Punjabi and many other smaller groups.
This means travelling around Malaysia
from east to west will offer food tourists a myriad of food selections. However, in Kuala Lumpur, the main food groups are easily found at almost any
nook and cranny in all sorts of eating environment.
From hawker stalls to high-end restaurants, you will be amazed by the choices available. Last year
alone, a tourist visiting Malaysia spent a whopping RM9.4 billion just on food in
Malaysia and this alone says that many travellers come here for the amazing
food.
As they say, if you have not tried Malaysian food, then you have not
visited Malaysia.
been many new theme parks opening around Malaysia catering to
different types and styles for family travellers.
Family theme parks have been
around for many years, catering to all kinds of outdoor and indoor fun. Water
parks go back a long way to the late 70s with the start of Mimaland Water Park
in Selangor, which ceased operations in the mid-eighties.
Nowadays, modern theme
parks have been sprouting all over the country, and below is a list of popular ones in Malaysia.
is the well-known theme park Genting
Highlands which is located in the state of Pahang where it is located on
top of a mountain.
This park also has the countries only casino, while there are
many other attractions available here, including an outdoor and indoor theme
park. Those who want to enjoy the cooling highland air and have various
entertainment should check out this place.
Lagoon located in Petaling Jaya. This is the largest water park in Malaysia
which offers a surf pool and a man-made beach which is excellent for families.
With
over 80 attractions spread over the entire park, guests can choose from the
amusement, water, adventure, scream and wildlife park here.
There is an Extreme park here too whole for entertainment; the
park has an amphitheatre for shows and concerts. The Sunway shopping mall is
connected to the water park, so there is a good balance of shopping and fun.
the new KidZania Malaysia, a the kids-only theme park which opened in 2011 in Mutiara Damansara, just next to
The Curve Shopping Mall and IKEA Malaysia. This entire entertainment and
shopping complex promises wholesome family time in one area.
excellent time at this huge theme park which is the first in Asia.
Over 40
interactive attractions await guests at Legoland Malaysia, and there are numerous tour packages from all
over Malaysia, to Legoland, while those in Singapore can simply drive across in
less than 30 minutes.
opened at the end of October 2012; therefore, you can visit both places in one
trip. Update: Closed down.
This indoor theme park is spread over 60,000 square feet housed
in a four-story entertainment complex at Nusajaya. For full fun and shopping therapy, visit
both parks and also the Johor Premium Outlets, which is also in the same area of
Nusajaya, Johor.
there are numerous places for family travel where the KL Lake Gardens comes up tops with a great balance of recreational
parks.
You can find Butterfly Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Deer. Park, National Monument, National Planetarium and the Bird Park in one area.
This requires some walking, and when you are done there, you can just walk over
to the Central Market.
mall in Bukit Bintang area has an indoor theme park for kids called Cosmo’s World, where you can have the
best of shopping and family time here.
Over at Suria KLCC, there is the Petrosains Discovery Center, where kids
can learn quite a few things there. Petrosains covers a total exhibit area of
more than 70,000 square feet, and the entrance to Petrosains is through Level 4
of the Suria KLCC mall.
there are also several family places like Bukit Merah Laketown Resort in the state of Perak. They
have a water theme park, a mini zoo, Eco Park, and an Orangutan Island to
visit, which promises some exciting overall fun.
Nearby at
Taiping town, the Taiping Zoo also offers a night safari apart from the main zoo. This is also the
country’s oldest zoo and about an hour’s drive to Bukit Merah.
Melaka, there are numerous attractions to visit along the way into the city. In the Ayer Keroh area, there is also the A’Famosa. Theme Park, where they offer an animal world safari, a water world theme
park and a cowboy town entertainment park area.
Apart from that, they offer
golf, entertainment, and shopping, making this a one-stop place for family travel
in the lower states of Malaysia.
Malaysia was nominated the 2nd best city to shop in entire Asia
Pacific by the world shopping global index. As the country is located between Singapore and Thailand, it makes Kuala Lumpur one of the more desirable
places to stop by.
The tourism ministry has also been active in helping promote
shopping by organizing three mega Malaysia Sales a year which is early, mid and
year-end where the entire country is on sale.
Apart from the Malaysia Mega
Sale, there are also many other festive season sales ongoing, and usually, you
can find excellent deals at all the shopping centres around the country.
as they can get all kinds of good bargains. From local souvenirs to branded goods,
discounts are usually up to 80% off.
Popular places where you can find great
bargains are numerous shopping malls in Bukit Bintang like Pavilion,
Lot 10, Sungai Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Berjaya Times Square and
Fahrenheit 88 and Suria KLCC, which is located at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers.
Over by the border of Kuala Lumpur and
Petaling Jaya sits the Mid Valley Megamall is also a popular choice for
tourists.
Other notable shopping places in the Klang Valley include One Utama
Shopping Mall and The Curve in Petaling Jaya area. These two mega malls would
require you at least half a day here.
Chinatown) is also another popular place to get souvenirs and other items where
your bargaining skills will come into play. Items that can be found here
include watches, bags, t-shirts, shoes, gadgets and much more.
For the art and
craft lovers, you should also check out Central Market, which is located just
nearby Chinatown.
Here, you will find the many ethnic and local handicrafts
being sold. Items include the popular Malaysian Batik, wood carvings, art,
jewellery, and even antiques. Prices are fixed price at retails stores but look
out for discounts or offers.
Duty-free items can
be found at all international airports and on some islands. Those visiting the
island of Langkawi, Tioman and Labuan will be spoilt for choices of chocolates,
apparel, and even liquor.
But when you leave the country via the Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA) of Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), you will be
able to purchase duty-free items that are considered on par with other
countries in the region.
Moreover, the KLIA Duty-Free Shops offers a massive contest where shoppers stand a chance to win RM1,000,000 in prizes from now till 2013 in
their Indulge and Win Contest for travellers.
international factory outlet in the southern state of Johor, which borders
Singapore.
Catering to over 200 speciality shops, you can find most of the
branded goods on sale with huge discounts of up to 70% at the JPO.
destinations, travellers will be pleased to know that you have a choice of
luxury places to visit here.
Those looking for a luxurious island escape will
find several islands around Malaysia that offer luxury retreats and
resorts.
Langkawi Island
luxurious retreats available here.
The Four Seasons Langkawi is located along. Tanjung Rhu and is a closed concept resort where privacy is guaranteed. This place is suitable for couples and single travellers.
There is also The Datai, a
rainforest concept resort located way up northeast of the island and
hidden away from everything. Couples, singles, and families seeking nature will
find this place suitable.
The Andaman is
also nearby the Datai, where it caters to beach lovers and for families,
couples and singles as well.
All these luxury resorts have their own signature
spas for those looking for some pampering and wellness.
If you want to
experience something different with a touch of luxury in the typical Malaysian
lifestyle, you can try Temple Tree and Bon Ton Resort, a unique village style
concept tucked away from the beach.
Recently opened Seri Chenang Resort & The spa also boasts of a traditional Malay wooden villa experience along with the famous. Pantai Cenang beach, apart from the many things to do in Langkawi.
Pangkor Island
of Perak, you will find the luxurious Pangkor Laut Resort, which sits on its own
private island. This award-winning resort and spa is very popular with the
Asian honeymooners too.
Villa units are on stilts above water, while no other hotels or resorts are on the private island. Suitable for families and
couples, this place is only accessible by boat from the mainland.
Terengganu
Over on the
east coast state of Terengganu, there is the Tanjung Jara Resort which follows
the traditional Malay culture and style.
The place is also a standalone resort
with no other resort nearby. Private and exclusive, the resort sits by the main
beach and covered by lots of greens with Eco-friendly activities, scuba diving,
traditional jamu making classes and even bird watching.
Sabah
resorts as well, which are situated on the islands just outside of Kota Kinabalu
city. There is the newly launched Gaya Island Resort located on Pulau Gaya with
seafront villas.
Around the same island, there is also the Bunga Raya Resort, where you get a mix of island and rainforest style living. A stunning number of
hibiscus or Bunga Raya flowers are grown throughout the resort grounds.
With no
other resort in view, you can be assured of your privacy here while there is
also, a helicopter landing pad for those wanting a quick transfer here. And in
the front of the island sits the Gayana Eco Resort, which has individual villas
on stilts similar to the ones in the Maldives.
Private villas here offer breakfast
sent to you by boat while the villa has a glass portion floor for guests to
view the sea.
Each of these resorts on Gaya Island offers a different luxurious
experience for the traveller as they have a Marine Conservation Center here
too.
There is the award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge or BRL located in forest conservation called Danum Valley, Sabah Borneo.
This unique resort
offers a full nature and wildlife experience in the heart of Borneo. The
nearest town or city is located a good four hours away.
Beautiful rainforest views
can be experienced here at the famous canopy or tree walk. Trekking,
night walks, night safaris, and bird watching are the specialities offered at
this luxurious place.
Sabah Borneo also offers individual resorts that cater to luxury guests.
These
islands include Kapalai Island, Langkayan Island, Mabul Island and Layang
Layang Island where luxury travellers can enjoy a beautiful honeymoon, getaway
or even scuba dive and snorkel here.
to be wet, several luxury yachts and catamarans are available for charter
through the country.
Popular places for this are Langkawi Island, Port Klang
and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah Borneo, where private docks are available.
There are
also, some companies offer private luxury cruises for couples,
families or even groups as big as a hundred people. Charters include just going
out to international waters or even cruising up to Thailand and back.
growing in the recent couple of years around Malaysia. Places you can arrange
for these special tours to see the country by air are Kuala Lumpur, Penang,
Langkawi and over on East Malaysia, you can also get helicopter tours in Sabah Borneo.
luxury tourism in Malaysia is slowly catching up. Compared to five years ago,
there are more choices available around Malaysia and definitely more to come in
the next few years as the luxury travel trend is catching up where Malaysia is
now catering to this genre of tourism.
Conclusion
those who are planning to visit Malaysia in 2014, you should plan well ahead as there are many celebrations and festivals throughout the year.
There will also be promotions on travel deals which can be bought at the
Matta Fair,
Malaysia’s largest travel fair happens twice a year in Kuala
Lumpur.
Otherwise, most tourism representatives locally and also around
the world will also be promoting VMY 2014 or Visit Malaysia Year 2014.
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