Things to Do in Malaysia

One of the finest museums on the island of Borneo, the Sarawak Museum is also the oldest, opened in 1891 by Charles Burke, the second Rajah of Sarawak. Set inside a massive, rectangular, Victorian-period edifice designed to resemble a Normandy townhouse, the inside still has the feel of a museum constructed in the late 20th century as punctuated by the wood and bamboo flooring.

The need for interior renovations aside, however, the Sarawak Museum is home to a fascinating array of ethnographic and ecological artifacts relating to traditional tribal and environmental life in the state of Sarawak. In addition to small scale replicas of Iban longhouses, original tribal weapons, and mounted exhibits of exotic mammals and reptiles, of particular interest to many visitors are the displays of shrunken heads and human skulls which adorn various parts of the museum interior. Also on permanent display is a reconstruction of the prehistoric human settlement at Niah Caves, believed to be the oldest human settlement on the island of Borneo.

Across the street from the old museum is the Tun Abdul Razak Exhibition Hall, so named after Malaysia’s second prime minister and open to the public since 1983. Here visitors can peruse colorful, prehistoric pottery and gawk at a traditional Iban war boat, an ornately carved craft capable of transporting up to 25 people. Also on the grounds of the Exhibition Hall are replicas of mysterious rock carvings and structures found in a nearby mangrove swamp which, until their discovery, had only been encountered in the Kelabit Highlands deep in the Bornean interior.

The Sarawak Cultural Village portrays the varied cultures and customs of Sarawak’s ethnic groups. The village consists of authentic traditional buildings each displaying artifacts made by individual dwellers. Demonstration of arts and crafts like beadworks, wood and bamboo carvings, pua and straw weaving can be seen while visiting the Village.

The buildings – a Chinese farmhouse, a Penan Hut, a Melanau Tall House and Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu Longhouses - are set amidst a scenic 17-acre (6.8hc) site. As part of the living museum, members of Sarawak's many ethnic groups can be seen throughout the Village going about everyday activities such as carving, sago-making, crushing sugar-cane, and growing pepper.

You can learn how to throw a Malay spinning top, shoot a Penan blowpipe or pick out a tune on an Orang Ulu sape. It’s a touristy set up but does give you a deeper understanding of the culture and heritage of Sarawak’s many racial groups that is not available elsewhere.

A separate entity than the Kota Kinabalu city mosque, as the name implies the State Mosque is meant to be the principal place of worship for the Malaysian state of Sabah. Located on the outskirts of the Kota Kinabalu city center, the most immediately noticeable aspect of the State Mosque is the 215 ft. minaret which towers over the white and gold honeycombed main dome.

One of the most recognizable buildings in all of Sabah, the State Mosque combines contemporary architecture with traditional Islamic design. The minaret was inspired by those found in the Saudi Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina, and various other elements of the design are meant to draw parallels to the famous Blue Mosque of Istanbul. Covered in marble and resplendent in mosaics, the State Mosque is undoubtedly one of the architectural standouts for all of Kota Kinabalu.

Occupying 14.5 acres the mosque is able to provide worship space for 5,000 people, with a separate balcony able to accommodate groups of up to 500 women. International visitors are welcome to visit the State Mosque, though a strict code of conduct is rigidly enforced. All visitors must declare their presence and intention to enter the mosque and must do so through the front door only. Men are required to wear long pants when entering the mosque, and women must cover up with a sarong or robe and employ the use of a headscarf. Shoes are not permitted inside the mosque and visitors are required to maintain absolute silence. Though open on Fridays, non-Muslim visitors are discouraged from visiting as the mosque is frequently at capacity for weekly prayers.

Satang Turtle Island National Park consists of two islands Pulau Satang Besar and Pulau Satang Kecil just off Sarawak’s west coast. These protected islands, surrounded by the pristine waters of the South China sea, are a recognized sanctuary for Green and rare Hawksbill turtles who return to the islands each year to lay their eggs.

You can visit the turtle conservation and hatchery area and learn about the conservation program on the island. Park rangers collect the turtle eggs, count them and replace them in a beach hatchery. When the hatchlings emerge from their eggs after 40 to 60 days, their numbers are recorded before they are released into the sea.

The surrounding ocean contains an abundance of coral and marine life and it is possible to swim and snorkel here and to take a guided stroll through the National Park’s jungle-filled interior.