DIVE MALAYSIA DIVE TRAVEL GUIDEMalaysia - Cyber Diver Top 10 Dive Destination >>  f you like your dive trips VERY hot and VERY humid, Malaysia is an excellent choice. Average humidity in this equatorial nation is a sweaty 90 percent and its monsoonal climate can bring heavy rain for weeks on end. If you are not accustomed to such sticky heat and humidity, consider air conditioning a prerequisite for survival rather than an option.
The country and its dive destinations are more or less equally divided between Peninsular Malaysia to the west and Sarawak and Sabah provinces on the north part of Borneo to the east. The Andaman Sea is to the west of the peninsula. The South China Sea is to the east. Sabah is surrounded by the South China Sea and the Celebes Sea, which has gained a reputation for lawlessness and piracy. On April 23, 2000, heavily armed Muslim terrorists attacked Sipadan Island off the northeast coast of Borneo and kidnapped 21 dive tourists and hotel staff who were held hostage for months. A Sipadan dive instructor still remains hostage almost eight months after he was kidnapped. Taliban inspired Muslim fanatics have banned bikinis in some parts of Malaysia. |
Although Borneo dive operators attempted to dismiss the kidnappings as an isolated incident, a second attack and abduction of three more resort staff at Pandanan Island revealed to everyone that the Sabah region of Borneo has serious security problems. In fact, the attacks on Sipadan and Pandanan are part of a pattern of abductions, extortion, killings and piracy that generates over US$100 million per year for gangs that operate out of hundreds of small islands in the region.Will you become the victim of terrorists if you go to Borneo? Hopefully not, but you will be at significantly higher risk than if you go to other areas in Malaysia that are safer, offer divers equally beautiful reefs plus more opportunities to explore the fascinating culture of Malaysia. There are many beautiful islands off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia including Tioman Island, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Redang and the Perhentian Islands. The renowned resort island of Penang off the peninsula's northwest coast also offers fine diving, excellent restaurants and abundant opportunities to experience Malaysia's unique culture. Best time to go? The monsoon season on the west coast of the Peninsula is between October and January. On the east coast and in Sarawak and Sabah, most of the rain falls between October and February. Click image to enlarge map |
Facts about Malaysia- Capital: Kuala Lumpur
- Area: 329,750 sq km
- Population: 22,229,040
- Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; (note: in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan)
- Literacy: 83.5% total, 89.1% male, 78.1% female
- Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; (note: in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia)
- Life Expectancy: 68.48 male, 73.92 female
- Government Type: constitutional monarchy
- Currency: 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
- GDP (per capita): $10,300 (2000 est.)
- Industry: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber;
Sabah - logging, petroleum production;
Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging - Agriculture: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice;
Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice;
Sarawak - rubber, pepper; timber - Arable Land: 3%
- Natural Resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
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