During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (or KL as it is fondly called) has grown quickly into a modern, bustling city of over a million people. Its booming skyline boasts a host of gleaming skyscrapers, including the world's tallest building, and yet despite all the recent developments it still retains its character in the form of old colonial buildings that stand out proudly right in the centre of town, and Chinatown, with its street vendors and night markets in the heart of the city. To complete the cultural mix, there's bustling Little India and the sprawling Malay-dominated Chow Kit-Kampung Baru market north of the centre.

City Centre
The heart of KL is without a doubt Dataran Merdeka, where the Malaysian flag flies proudly at the top of the world's tallest flagpole.

Chinatown
Chinatown is constantly a-buzz with activity and is the home of many traditional family businesses which go back many many years.

Lake Gardens
The city's most popular park is located behind the National Museum. Nearby is Parliament House, seat of the government.

The Golden Triangle
Bordered by Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Imbi, it represents KL's most expensive real estate - a hub of five-star hotels, multinational corporations and a glut of shopping malls.

Malacca

The hub of Melaka (or Malacca) since its earliest days is the Town Square, often called Red Square because of the distinctive hue of its buildings. It boasts some of the best examples of Dutch colonial architecture in the Far East.

The principal focus of the square, Stadhuys was the former home of the Dutch governors. Built between 1641 and 1660, it is one of the oldest Dutch buildings in Southeast Asia. Constructed on the foundations of a former Portuguese fort walls, the Stadthuys features solid masonry walls, and one room still contains an original carved-wood ceiling. Since 1982, the Stadhuys has housed the Historical Museum and exhibits from Melaka's 600-year-old past, including a blackwood cupboard bearing the monogram of the Dutch East Indian Company, 15th-century Portuguese costumes and coins dating from the Melaka sultanate.

Other landmarks in the Square are Christ Church, Malaysia's oldest Protestant church constructed between 1741 and 1753, the Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower, built by a wealthy Straits Chinese philanthropist in 1886 and the Queen Victoria Fountain of red English marble which was established in 1901 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee, or 60 year-long reign of the British monarchy.

Commanding a strategic position overlooking the Melaka River and the Straits of Melaka, St. Paul's Hill predates its Portuguese name by at least two centuries. Originally, this auspicious site was the site of the Melaka sultanate palace from its inception in 1403 by the fugitive Sumatran Prince Parameswara. At the top of the hill are the ruins of St. Paul's Church, which was built by the Portuguese in 1521. Opponents of Catholicism, the Dutch pulled down the roof to build catwalks for their soldiers and the altar was used as a cannon embrasure.

Porta de Santiago is all that is left of the great Portuguese fortress A Famosa, which once encircled the entire hill. Centre of the Portuguese administration, the massive fortress contained the castle, the Governor's Palace, the Bishop's Palace, the State Council Hall, the Hall of the Brotherhood of Mercy, five churches and two hospitals. The Dutch East India Company's coat of arms and the date '1670' which appear above the Santiago Gate were added by the Dutch when they were restoring the fort. The rest of the fortress was destroyed by the British to prevent the Dutch from using it against them. Only the efforts of Sir Stamford Raffles managed to spare the Porta de Santiago from being destroyed.

Next to the gate is a reconstruction of the Melaka Sultanate Palace, built at great cost and reputedly the largest wooden palace in Southeast Asia. Past the palace, the Old Dutch Cemetery contains graves from the respective colonial eras.

Hang Kasturi was one of the legendary five warriors attached to the court of Sultan Mansur (their fame can be likened to the fame of the 'Three Musketeers'). Hang Kasturi's Mausoleum can also be found here.

Other Attractions
There is the zoo, a crocodile farm, a maritime museum and a water theme park. Melaka is a good place to pick up gifts and souvenirs, especially Peranakan antiques.

Selangor

Industrialised and modern, Selangor is nonetheless more often seen as just the suburb of greater Kuala Lumpur but the state does have valid attractions of its own.

Negiri Sembilan

Meaning 'nine states' in Malay, Negeri Sembilan has a pleasant small-town feel.

Pahang

The largest of the Peninsula states, Pahang is famous not only for its vast expanse of rainforest but also for its numerous highland resorts.

Perak

Perak's very name means 'silver', it has its origins in the silvery tin, the source of the state's prosperity in the past. Today it is a mere shadow of its former self, though it offers plenty to history buffs.

Penang

The Pearl of the Orient, Penang, has been a favoured destination of travellers for over two centuries. A picturesque city with a lot of character and history, Penang is also booming in terms of development and technology.

Northern States

Malaysia's northern states includes Kedah, the rice-bowl of Malaysia, and Perlis, the gateway to Thailand.

East Coast

Malaysia's best beaches are located here so it's natural that the East Coast is the favourite destination for those looking for a relaxing tropical experience.

Johor

Peninsula Malaysia's southernmost state lies across the causeway from Singapore. Besides offering good shopping, Johor's wealth is her greenery, courtesy of the state's nature reserves.

Sarawak

By far Malysia's largest state, Sarawak has an incredible wealth of cultural and natural assets including the largest cave in the world and Malaysia's longest river.

Sabah

Sabah is known for being home to Southeast Asia's tallest peak, Mount Kinabalu, as well as its resident orangutans.

Island Getaways

What would be the tropics be without sun, sand and sea? Malaysia has plenty to suit all tastes and budgets. From urban pursuits such as shopping to nightly activities such as bar-hopping to more outdoor-oriented activities such as diving or trekking or rock climbing... the list goes on. Golf is becoming very popular and there are some outstanding greens around. Visitors should not miss out on exploring Malaysia's great outdoors and marvel at the great variety of flora & fauna.