Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is divided into two parts by the South China Sea. It is a versatile country with various cultures, hospitable people, exciting festivals, picturesque villages, and a spectrum of recreational activities. Unfortunately, Malaysia is largely ignored, because its neighboring countries, Thailand and Singapore, are much more prominent on the tourist radar. But overlooking Malaysia means missing out on a lot!
A Great Family Destination
Most people wish to travel with their families, which means the destination and the experience should be child-friendly and loaded with fun. You will be glad to know that Malaysia is super welcoming for families and children.
If this is the first time that you’re travelling with children it would be to your advantage to grab a travel guide for families. This can save you from considerable hassle and unpleasant surprises. Malaysia has no visa requirements for most of the European and American travelers. You will be issued a visa on your arrival, and you can stay for up to 90 days! Definitely better than dragging yourselves to the immigration office, right?
There’s no shortage of cities worth visiting in Malaysia, but most of the families prefer Kuala Lumpur because of its shopping malls, parks, restaurants, nightlife, and excellent facilities. Peaceful and warm, it’s the perfect destination for families from the frozen European countries during winter months. There are plenty of activities to enjoy and places to visit. Here are 10 things you should do when in Malaysia with your family.
1) Find a Good Accommodation: Once in Malaysia you will need an affordable and tidy place to stay. After all, a nice sanctuary gives you positive vibes for the entire trip. The vacation rental must be spacious enough to accommodate your entire family and should have all facilities and items of regular use. More importantly, the vacation rental you choose should be situated close to local attractions and emergency services. The apartments in the middle of Kuala Lumpur are fully air conditioned with inner swimming pools. Twenty-hour security is available and the apartments are relatively close to shopping malls, banks, fine-dining restaurants, Prince Court Medical Hospital, and the PETRONAS Twin Tower.
2) Eating Out with Family: Traditionally, Malaysia has accommodated expats coming from different parts of the world. Apart from its heartwarming cultural diversity, the country is rich in cuisines. Even if your children are fussy eaters, you have nothing to worry about. Malay, Thai, Indian, Continental, and Chinese cuisines among many others are easily available. So, you can taste food belonging to different areas of the world in one country. The finest luxury restaurants in Kuala Lumpur are Bijan, which is an epitome of sophisticated dining, and Songket, which serves delectable food. The economical ones include Precious Old China and Nasi Kandar Pelita. You will also discover that the food prices in Malaysia are cheaper as compared to Thailand or Singapore.
3) Visit a Theme Park: Theme parks are Malaysia’s strong suit. One should keep a visit to some of these parks as the foremost priority on a family trip. One of the best theme parks in Johor, Malaysia is Legoland. It is a world-class family theme park with over 40 interactive rides and activities. Lego Kingdom, Aquazone and Technic twister are mostly preferred by children. Lost World of Tambun, and Sunway Lagoon are beautifully built water theme parks with giant waterslides, wave pool, Adventure River and many more exciting activities. If you’re more of an indoor person then Cosmos World is your ultimate getaway.
4) Visit a Wildlife Park: By visiting Malaysia, one gets to learn a lot about nature as there is a cluster of zoos and recreational parks in the country. The Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park is an exceptionally striking reserve where you can walk through the rainforest environment and gaze at the numerous butterflies that flutter before your eyes. KL Bird Park has one of the world’s largest walk-in aviaries that houses different species of birds. Other natural recreational sites are Aquaria, Zoo Negara, Batu Caves and Kuala Selangor.
5) Spend Time at Beaches: Any family trip is incomplete without a trip to the beach. Malaysia is famous for having the most tranquil islands and beaches. The 4600 km extensive coastline allows you to choose from an ample variety of beaches and islands. The sunny weather coupled with sandy shores and fresh water waves add to the beauty of Malaysian beaches, making them worth visiting with your family. Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian, Langkawi beaches, Crab Island and Sipadan Island have the best beaches.
6) Explore a Museum: Museums can tell you more about a country’s history and heritage than any other place. The museums in Malaysia include all categories. The National Automobile Museum and Sepang International Circuit are for people who love cars. Future scientists can get enthralled at The Science Museum. High Five Bread Town is a very different kind of a museum that showcases bread. Trick-art Museum, Red Carpet Wax museum and Planetarium are few of the top notch museums.
7) Go Shopping: When the weather isn’t suitable for you to go out, you can take your family on a shopping spree. The top shopping malls in Malaysia have cinemas, food courts, ten pin bowling, and ice-skating in addition to just shopping. For example, Empire Subang has recently installed Asia’s longest slide! Other entertaining malls include The Curve, Alamanda, Berjaya Times Square, and Mid Valley.
8) Attend a Festival: Malaysia is a multi-cultural country, which means that people belonging to different religions celebrate their respective festivals. Apart from the ethnic Malay festivals, the Muslims in Malaysia celebrate Eid whereas the Hindus celebrate Diwali. So, there is an on-going string of festivities in Malaysia throughout the year. The Kite Festival and The International Hot Air Balloon festival, with their vibrant display of colors and numerous attractions, give your family a truly memorable experience.
9) Visit a Monument: If you adore historical landmarks, don’t forget to visit Sarawak Cultural Village, Kek Lok Si, and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. On The St.Paul’s Hill, one can wander through majestic greenery and gaze at the remains of the glorious Malaysian past.
10) Go on a Cruise: An increasing number of families are starting to prefer cruises while on their vacation in Malaysia. The StarCruise Libra with its reasonable packages is highly recommended. It departs from Penang on a 3-nights cruise to Phuket and Krabi and a 1-night cruise out to the International Sea.
