Reflections on Malaysia 

I am at the airport waiting to move on to Thailand, so now is a good time to share my thoughts on my brief visit to Malaysia.

First, I would like to start by saying I didn’t really know much about Malaysia prior to this trip. I had done a little bit of background research, but not a whole lot, preferring to take each day as it comes rather than plan out every detail. I was surprised and impressed by what I found!

Something that surprised me was the unique presence of multiple predominant cultures. Islam is the official religion; however, there is religious freedom and there are also large populations of Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu people. As a result, it is possible to see many sorts of places of worship.

The diversity of cultures also means for some delicious food! I was lucky to have a local friend who was able to help me try the most traditional foods at some of the markets. If you go on your own, you can still find good food, as I did on my own in Penang, but it sure was nice to have someone tell me what food I needed to try!

The weather was also a surprise. I was expecting heat similar to Taiwan, but with the exception of one morning and afternoon in Penang, the heat was much more tolerable.
There were a couple of things I did not like. First was the public transportation in KL. They did have monorail, light rail (metro), and bus, but I found the stations a bit confusing to navigate. Usually, I have no problems navigating my own way using a metro system. But the stations in KL were not marked very well. I would definitely allow for extra time any time you want to use the public transport just to make sure you find your way through the stations!

Next was the sidewalks (or lack thereof). There were sidewalks, but in many cases, especially in Penang, the sidewalks would be blocked with parked motorcycles or food carts, or they would suddenly disappear altogether. This meant I often had to walk in the street, which I wasn’t exactly a fan of.

Finally, there was a lot of pollution in Penang. Garbage was just thrown all over the streets, giving the city a bit of an odor and a dirty feel at times.

However, I still think the positives of a visit to Malaysia far outweigh the negatives. If you’re a fan of delicious food and learning about different cultures, then Malaysia is a great place to visit!