This tropical country located in South East Asia is a home to 28.3 million Malaysians, with various religions and languages. Despite their difference in any aspects, the people in Malaysia has devoted their life in the protection and conservation of their natural resources and at the same time improving their economy without disturbing these natural wonders. Malaysia is now becoming popular for its tourist spots that offer variety of adventures for tourists that want to have a bit of challenge in their life, as well as to discover new wonders that Malaysia has to offer. Here are five of their famous natural wonders – from land formation, animal diversity and rich islands.
Ancient Rainforest: Taman Negara
As the oldest protected area in Malaysia, this 130 million years old rainforest has survived a lot of several human activities that could have lead to the destruction and extinction of species living in this forest. One of these activities is the proposal of building a dam on 1971, which was closed and re-opened a couple of times. Fortunately, the proposal won the case and is kept under protection for its biodiversity richness. According to research, Taman Negara contains over 14,000 plant species, 200 species of mammals, 350 kinds of birds, 67 different snakes, 55 frogs species and 109 freshwater fishes. This diversity is made by a long 130-million years of every species struggling to survive.
Sipadan Island’s Diving Spot
Marine biologists and divers alike always include this place in their itinerary. Why not? This island is surrounded with a body of water that is rich in marine species. Turtles, sharks, fishes and plants are some of the animals that reside in this place. Malaysia has one oceanic island, Sipadan Island, which is located in the Celebes Sea off the East Coast of Sabah in East Malaysia. The best place for divers to experience the thrill of swimming with millions of fishes is the Barracuda Point. As the name suggests, this place is filled with schools of barracuda and other fishes that forms a spectacular tornado-like formations. The best time to experience the best features of this place is from April to October.
Cameron Highlands
With an area of 712 square kilometers, this hill station is one of Malaysia’s top tourist spot destinations. There are six mountains in which the highest peak is the Mount Batu Brinchang. Tourists climb up to this place to get an amazing view with the help of its observation tower. Besides the scenic view that one can watch, the Cameron Highlands has is a refuge for a lot of animals and plants. Every season, migratory birds also seek place to stay in this highland. Its ecosystem is so diverse that there are different species found by just a difference of several kilometers. Waterfalls, jungles and clear fields are some of the wonders that this place has provided. The Cameron Highlands has already been declared as a reserve for deer.
Semporna’s Aquatic Biodiversity
Semporna is a town found in the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is home to a lot of aquatic species both plants and animals. It has been suggested that the marine biodiversity in Semporna has the highest in the world. This island on Borneo has recently been recorded 43 species of mushroom corals, which some are rarely found. It is also home for several new species of crabs and shrimps. With the increasing illegal activities on the marine environment, the government of Malaysia has made an effort to reduce or stop these activities so that the richness of their aquatic organisms will still survive
Firefly Courting
This country is also popular for the fireflies’ courting every evening. Less than two hours by train from Kuala Lumpur, an interesting event is happening every night. Colonies of this insect fills up the mangroves of the Selangor River to find their mate. This produces bright lights that seems to be moving, and it just gives one much amazement on how nature works. Tourists that visit Malaysia should not miss this magnificent natural wonder that these fireflies give. The lights emitted by these fireflies give an aesthetic benefit to people. But of course, it is for your eyes only so that these species of firefly will not be extinct.