To help inspire or plan your trip to Malaysia, some of its major attractions for travellers are shown below, including some of the best natural, historical, cultural and adventure sites in the country. These include all of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Malaysia which represent the best of the world's cultural and natural heritage.
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Go to Region of Malaysia-> Malaysian Peninsula - Borneo - Sarawak - Borneo - Sabah

Malaysian Peninsula - Wildlife attractions

Taman Negara National Park

Taman Negara National Park contains rainforest that is believed to be the oldest in the world, dating back 130 million years. The park can be explored through forest trails, boat rides or for a different perspective by walking along the 400 metre Canopy Walk, a rope bridge situated above the forest treetops. The diversity of species found in the park is predictably huge, from exotic plants to butterflies and birdlife such as kingfishers and eagles.



Borneo - Sarawak - Wildlife attractions

Semenggoh Orangutan Centre
Semenggoh Orangutan Centre
Semenggoh Orangutan Centre

Like Sepilok in Sabah, Semenggoh Orangutan Centre near Kuching in Sarawak helps to rehabilitate injured and orphaned orangutans before releasing them into the wild. Massive destruction of their habitat in recent years with the spread of palm oil plantations has had a devastating effect on orangutan numbers and centres like these are helping to preserve this beautiful and intelligent creature, the only great ape found outside Africa. At Semenggoh, you can watch semi-wild orangutans come out of the forest during feeding time, perhaps your best opportunity to see these amazing animals.

Bako National Park

Bako National Park is located on the beautiful Muara Tebas Peninsula. It is the oldest and smallest national park in Sarawak but with a variety of habitats and landscapes. There are beaches and sandstone cliffs along the coastline as well as rainforest, jungle streams and waterfalls with plenty of trekking trails for exploration. The wildlife living in the park include proboscis and silver leaf monkeys, long tail macaques, wild boars and monitor lizards.

Batang Ai
Batang Ai
Batang Ai

Perhaps the true highlight of a trip to Borneo is travelling deep into the Borneo rainforest and staying there with traditional tribes. Of the options available, Batang Ai, east of Kuching, is one of the best. This area is home to the Iban tribe, the largest and most vibrant of Sarawak's 22 tribal groups, who live with extended family groups in traditional longhouses by rivers on the edge of the jungle. In times past the Iban used to be known as head-hunters but today they live through fishing and ecotourism. Trekking through the jungle can be strenuous and humid but is a perfect opportunity to experience unspoilt wilderness and search elusive orangutans and or their nests. Bathing in the rivers or at Enseluai Waterfall offers ideal relaxation after trekking, in addition to learning about Iban customs and trying their rice wine.

Gunung Mulu National Park

Gunung Mulu National Park in eastern Sarawak covers 529 km² and is an area of remarkable biodiversity. It's best known for its karst features - pinnacles which are blades of rock that project through the rainforest canopy and underground caves, of which 295 kilometres have been identified, believed to be 2-3 million years old. Wind Cave has impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations and some of the longest tunnels in the world. Clearwater Cave has a river winding through its centre, which is over 100 kilometres long. The enormous Deer Cave is home to 32 million bats and watching them leave the cave in the late afternoon in search of food is an extraordinary site. The park also contains the world’s longest tree canopy walkway, allowing you to view the forest and spot some of the resident wildlife.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Gunung Mulu National Park



Borneo - Sabah - Wildlife attractions

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 1964 and covers over 4,000 hectares. It is one of only three orangutan sanctuaries in the world, designed to rehabilitate injured and orphaned orangutans and teach them the skills required for them to survive in the wild. There has been massive destruction of the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in recent years to make way for palm oil plantations and this has had a devastating effect on orangutan habitat and numbers. Orangutans are the only great ape found outside Africa and are beautiful and intelligent creatures who captivate all those who see them. Being solitary and shy animals, it is very difficult to spot orangutans in the wild, so centres like Sepilok offer a great opportunity to see these apes swinging through the trees at feeding time.

Sukau Rainforest

The Kinabatangan River is the longest in Borneo and as it meanders through the Sukau Rainforest it creates a flood plain that makes it an excellent environment for wildlife viewing. River cruises along the Kinabatangan enable spotting of proboscis and leaf monkeys, orangutans, Bornean gibbon, Asian pygmy elephants, long tailed macaques, sun bears, clouded leopards and barking deer, as well as over 200 bird species including frogmouth, hornbill, egret and oriole.

Danum Valley

The Danum Valley is the largest protected lowland rainforest area in Asia, measuring some 430 km². It is home to 274 bird species and 110 mammal species, many of which are rare and endangered. From a base at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, there are many trails through the jungle that allow you to look for orangutans, giant flying squirrels, gibbons, bearded wild boars, flying frogs, Asian elephant and the extremely endangered Sumatran rhinoceros. Night drives may enable spotting of nocturnal species such as civet, sambar deer, leopard cat, slow loris or clouded leopard.