Malaysia has been ranked as among the top ten tourism destinations in the world to visit for 2014, by Lonely Planet Best in Travel List. Ratings were based on “scores for topicality, excitement and that special X-factor,” as determined by Lonely Planet’s inhouse experts and outside writers.
With its sights set on 28 million visitors to the country, Malaysia is rolling out an array of new attractions. The headline-grabbers are the largest bird park in Southeast Asia in Melaka (with 6000 birds featuring 400 species), and Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya and Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya, which are packing in both locals and Singaporeans flocking across the causeway.
Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya (KLIA2), catering mainly to the booming budget airline sector, is another major factor in attracting more visitors. Competitive fares offered by Malaysia Airlines, Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya, The new second terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and new operator AirAsia make getting around this widely spread-out country a cinch.
Amazing experiences await in Malaysian Borneo, from exploring off-the-beaten-track Kudat to indulging at the luxurious Gaya Island Resort on Pulau Gaya. And active travellers can discover the country on two wheels as cycle tourism takes off with guided tours in Sabah, a proposal to build a bike path around the coast of Penang, and a community project to map out cycle routes around Kuala Lumpur.