Malaysia map : a little geography

Malaysia map shows the diversification of this beautiful country.
Malaysia is a country where all cultures meet, a country of tolerance and harmony.
Malaysia is full of natural treasures that make it one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. If you want to know more about Malaysia, we invite you to read our article
Knowing Malaysia
.

Malaysia is located in Asia, more precisely on the south-east coast of the continent.
Map Malaysia is surrounded by four countries. Thailand in the north, Indonesia on the island of Borneo, Brunei on the island of Borneo and Singapore in the south.
If you want to know the map of Malaysia, this guide is for you.

Description of the map Malaysia

Malaysia map has 13 states, the largest is Sarawak, while the smallest is Perlis. The country has hundreds of islands along the coast.
The largest island of the country is Pulau Langkawi, Pulau means island in Malay.

The country is divided into two parts(Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia). Peninsular Malaysia is the western part of the country, while East Malaysia is located mostly in the northern part of the island of Borneo.

Mount Kinabalu is the highest point of the country with a height of 4,095 m.
I had the opportunity to have done a 2 days / 1 night trip to Mount Kota Kinabalu in 2013: an incredible experience, with a magnificent sunrise (if you are lucky enough to have a clear sky). This is an activity that we recommend to you, with your eyes closed, as long as you are physically fit.

The Rajang River is the longest in the country with 563 km.

The Mulu Caves on the island of Borneo are one of the largest cave systems in the world and home to millions of bats and swifts.
In Malaysia, there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the cities of Malacca and Georgetown.

Malaysia is also home to the largest and heaviest flower in the world, called the Rafflesia. This flower can reach 1 m in diameter and weigh up to 10 kg. Rafflesia has a foul odor that attracts insects. It has no leaves or roots, but is a parasite growing on a host vine. Rafflesia is named after the explorer Stamford Raffles.

The two parts of Malaysia are united politically, economically and administratively into one country. In fact, the distance between the eastern and western part is greater than the distance between the neighboring countries. You can only go from one side to the other by air. The good thing is that you won’t need another visa to reach the other coast.
However, as a foreigner, you will need your passport to travel between the two parts of Malaysia.
Immigration controls the entries.

West Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur and other cities

West Malaysia has been home to people from all over the world for thousands of years. This has turned this part of the country into a multi-ethnic kaleidoscope. For many centuries, kingdoms have risen and fallen in Malaysia. The western part is located on the southern land of Asia-Peninsula. It is a compact piece of land with several small islands on the east and west coasts.

West Malaysia is home to the Titiwangsa and Tahan mountains. Generally, the mountains in the western part are not high, the highest peak is Gunung Tanan with a height of 2187 meters. The rest of the western part of Malaysia is flat or hilly.

West Malaysia is located in the equatorial natural zone, it represents the home of the tropical equatorial forest. The largest of these jungles is the Taman Negara forest, which is also the oldest tropical forest in the world. One of the best places to see the natural areas of Malaysia is the Cameron Highlands. A beautiful place surrounded by lush vegetation.

The western part also includes tropical islands such as Tioman,
Perhentian
,
Langkawi
and others. You will find beautiful beaches with golden or white sand, turquoise waters, coconut trees and coral reefs.

East Malaysia: our favorite side!

Compared to the western part, East Malaysia is clearly the best part of Malaysia for us.
I had the opportunity to go there twice on Sabah in 2013 and 2017. Then, we went back three times in 2022, with family, solo (Ihsane) and with friends.

640 km separate East Malaysia from West Malaysia. The eastern part is home to the country’s two largest states, Sarawak and Sabah. These two states form the northern quarter of the large island of Borneo and share a land border with the Indonesian part (Kalimantan) of the island to the south.

The state of Sarawak is a small coastal enclave containing the Sultanate of Brunei. The eastern part includes 690 square kilometers of inland waters, it is a strip of land stretched over a distance of 1125 km. The coastline of the eastern part is estimated at 2250 km. Most of the coastline is composed of topographic relief. In Sarawak, the coastline is regular, the plain is on average 30 to 60 km wide. In Sabah, the coastline is rugged and deeply indented, it measures 15 to 30 km wide.

The second part of the topographic relief is in the region of hills and valleys. Elevations are generally less than 300 meters, but isolated groups of hills reach heights of 750 meters or more. The terrain of East Malaysia is generally steep hills and narrow valleys.

The third part of the topographic relief is the mountainous spine that forms the division between East Malaysia and Kalimantan. This area is higher and closer to the coast in Sabah than in Sarawak. It is composed of an eroded and ill-defined complex of ravines, gorges and mountain ranges. Moreover, the majority of these chains measure between 1,200 and 2,100 meters.

Malaysia is an enchanting country that encompasses a great cultural, historical and natural wealth.
Do not hesitate to visit Malaysia, it will not leave you indifferent.

Want to travel to Malaysia?

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