Hotel Apartments Malaysia

Team Building Events Malaysia

2011-11-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

IMPRESSIONS EVENTS MANAGEMENT

Contact Number ++60193371015

Contact : Nick Tan

Website : http://www.impressions.com.my
Email: impressions@impressions.com.my

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Building-Events-Malaysia/236860916335151

The Main Links : Team Building MAIN PAGE

Team Building Programs and Activity Treasure Hunts Programs Paintball for Team Building

24hrs hotline 60193371015 Nick Tan Email: nicktan@impressions.my

The Packages on Team Building

Note : Please click to each link for individual hotels and venues on destination basis
ISLAND BASE
KAPAS ISLAND	LANGKAWI ISLAND	LANG TENGAH ISLAND
PANGKOR ISLAND	PEMANGGIL ISLAND	PENANG ISLAND
PERHENTIAN ISLAND	PULAU BESAR	REDANG ISLAND
SIBU ISLAND	RAWA ISLAND	TINGGI ISLAND
TIOMAN ISLAND		TENGGOL ISLAND

BY STATES
JOHORE	KEDAH	KELANTAN
KUALA LUMPUR	MALACCA	NEGERI SEMBILAN (Port Dickson)
PAHANG	PENANG	PERAK
PERLIS	SABAH	SARAWAK
SELANGOR	TERENGGANU

BY VENUES OF SPECIAL INTERESTS KNOWN FOR TEAM BUILDING PROGRAMS
BANDING ISLAND	BUKIT MERAH LAKETOWN	SELESA BUKIT TINGGI
EAGLE RANCH	ENDAU ROMPIN	JANDA BAIK BUKIT TINGGI
KENYIR LAKE	KINABALU PARK	SEA GYPSIES SIBU ISLAND
SEDIM RECREATION PARK	SUMMERSET ROMPIN	TROLAK COUNTRY RESORT
TAMAN NEGARA

THE BASICS

In any package, on arrival for any programs, the participants will be briefed on the entire program followed by ice breaking activities. At the beginning and end of each activities there will be briefing and de-briefing. The list of activities below are not complete and will be added on from time to time

INTRODUCTION

The basic concept utilized is experiential learning or learning through experience. Participants take part in various activities which initiate and enhance skills such as leadership, teamwork, and communication. These activities are facilitated by Instructors who ensure activities are adapted to fit the participants' capabilities to maximize learning. As the experiences are more vivid than normal classroom lectures, participants have a higher retention and transfer of the lessons learnt to working and personal life. This is a key strength of all activities.

TEAM PROBLEMS SOLVING

A wide variety of team dynamics activities are designed to encourage initiative, team work, planning, communication and leadership. Each activity involves varying degrees of both group and personal challenges.

Orienteering
Participants are divided into smaller groups, each consisting of a maximum of 3 persons. They will then be given a map of the venue ground. The idea is to look for as many markers as possible within a time limit.
Aims: To let participants do planning, teach co-operation among others, time management and self-reliance.

Ice Breaking

This is usually done when participants first arrive in a variety of short programs.
Aims: Generate group spirit, communication and increase group interaction and sharing of ideas.

Team Dynamics
Problems and scenarios are presented to the group as a challenge to be overcome. The wide variety of tasks all require creative thinking, leadership and close team work. eg corporate games
Aims: Encourage planning and leadership while working towards a single goal by a creative and fully involved team. Generate discussion on improvements in the working of the group and allow a progressively better performance.

Raft Building
Plan, construct, launch and race a raft in the river along rivers, lagoon or lake.
Aims: Planning, creative thinking, team work and leadership are all inherent aspects of this activity that can be organised as a compeition between groups.

6 to 18 feet Spider Net Wall
Group challenge to climb over a spider net wall. Safety ropes will be hooked on the participants.
Aims: Teamwork, confidence and creative thinking.

Night Jungle Walk
A rope or line is set-up in the jungle which is tied from one tree to another. The participants have to walk alone separated by a few minutes apart without a torchlight from the first point of the line to the end.
Aims: Increase communication level, teamwork, conquer fear and leadership.

CAMPING

It is done as part of any expedition. Participants will be given equipment such as "parang", tent sheet (tarpauline), karrimat, waterbottle, cooking pot, rucksack to name a few. They have to share the duties of making the shelter, cooking, collecting firewood and guard duty.

Selecting a good campsite is an essential part of the exercise here. Participants are not allowed to erect any campsite in a farm, near a river, on a hill slope and of course on a tree. A few aspects that should be looked into are such matters as the area, availability of water, threat from the strong wind and lightning, and fallen dead branches.

Aims:

to provide an opportunity to become more self-reliant, efficient and proficient in wilderness living.
to stimulate group's interaction by sharing tasks
to present situations which test sparticipants initiative, humour, sense of responsibilty and willingness to perform routine work even when tired
to instill attitude that one can live with enjoyment and comfort in a natural environment without harming it.

Solo
At certain times, participants will need some period of time to think about themselves and their commitment to the group and their level of understanding of each member in the group. The solo is introduced to give them time to think about this.

There are 3 types of Solo, namely,

Mini Solo or Time Out

Typically not planned and can happen anytime when the group needs a mental / physical break. It can be as short as few minutes only. It provides a chance of short period of time for participants to stop and think (to reflect) about their actions and attitude toward the program.

Short or Long Solo

This is an overnight solo or even longer. The added challenge of spending a night or nights camping alone adds many new dimensions to the solo experience. They are faced with being alone, having to build their own shelter and to cope with fears. A task will be given to them while performing this activity. Namely:

write a letter to themselves which will be mailed to them in 3 months time

list out the area of improvement and one noticeable strength for each group member

make gifts for each other

asked not to talk while being picked up from solo until they have reached base camp.

After Solo, we will give a chance to the participants to talk about:

what they think and feel about the experience,
what is the purpose,
are there any benefit,
general feedback.

ROPE CONFIDENCE COURSE

We has a series of rope and wooden bridges, platforms, nets and ladders designed to provide various levels of difficulties from the easy to the challenging. These are for personal challenge and test, building self confidence, teamwork and mutual trust and support.

There are two types of ropes confidence course

Low Ropes

A series of exercises which is set 1 ft. - 15 ft. above ground. Activities include Zip Wire, Burma Bridge, Wobbly Log, Tranges Tyre, Traverse Tension, etc.

High Ropes

A series of exercises which is set 25 ft. - 40 ft. above ground are activities such as the Circuit, Trapeze Jump, Abseil and Flying Fox to name a few.

Trapeze Jump

Climb a ladder and leap from a platform to catch a swinging Trapeze.

Abseil

Reach a platform along a rope bridge and then descend by using a rope and control the rate of descent using a device (figure of eight).

Flying Fox

Ride an exhilarating zip wire high up in the trees.

OBSTACLES COURSE

Participants will be race in teams between 4 - 10 elements. The course includes crawling, climbing, river crossing etc.

PAINTBALL WARGAMES

Participants will be divided into teams of between 5 to 7 persons and will then compete to capture a center flag within a given time

TREASURE / SCAVENGER HUNT

Participants will compete by teams to solve clues, complete tasks and look for hidden items. At the completion of each clue, the next puzzle or clue will be provided in order to reach the final results within a given time

TEAM BUILDING GAMES

Divided into teams participants will compete to accomplish the game within a given time

ROCK CLIMBING and ABSEILING (RAPELLING)

There are mainly two areas of operations for this activity. The artificial rock wall which is perfect for beginners.

The purpose of the rock wall is to provide a safe, educational and fun venue for climbing and abseiling (rappelling).Participants have to climb the rock wall safely using ropes, harnesses, belay device (ATC), Karabiners for protection. Descending (abseiling) from the top of the wall needs courage and a sense of adventure. Individuals have to control their own rate of descent using the device (figure of eight) and suspended by a safety line controlled by the instructor.

Aims:

increase self-confidence
generate trust
decision making involving risk and courage
break down previously held physical and mental limitations
to help group understand the importance of mutual support to an individual in overcoming problems and reaching goals.

Abseiling

For abseiling, we are using the rock wall and the high ropes circuit. On the rock wall, usually an exercise called Self-Programmed Abseil is often used with management courses and presented as a project to be managed with little help from Instructors except for technical and safety advice.

Aims:

careful interpretation of written instruction to successfully complete a task
management of multi-faceted project involving perceived risk
co-operation / team building
planning
trust
confidence in oneself and others
determination to succeed
communication skills
leadership
and of course... to have fun

WHITE WATER RAFTING AND WHITE WATER TUBE RAFTING

Rafting is usually used in one of the following ways:
• as part of the final expedition on Challenge Course
• as part of a one day jungle walk / one day raft combination on shorter course
• as a separate one day activity itself

• as a part of a program activity

Instead of a rubber boat, we used inner tube or inner and bamboo lashed together to form a raft that will be used on t river, lagoon or lake.. This practice is very beneficial for the participants as they will work together to build a strong and practicable raft for their own group. Everyone will be involved in this process which at the same time, will enhance the level of teamwork, brainstorming, decision making and leadership, to name a few.

Rafting is a good chance indeed for individuals to practice skills in sometimes stressful situations. It will also activate the initiatives of the group in deciding which way to go while tackling a rapids.

Raft Building Exercise
This exercise is done on the rive or lake site. Group will be given certain amount of time to discuss, plan and finally build their raft. The objective is to build a raft by using the inner tubes and bamboo or blue plastic barrels and wooden spars, that can accommodate all the members in the group and to cross the river safely.

Aims:

Management of multi-faceted project
planning
presentation skills
budgeting
creativity
Management of human resources, equipment, technical skills allocation, finances and time

JUNGLE TREKKING

Short expedition starting from base camp is usually done as a half day, full day or over two days and overnight stay in the jungle, whereas, the Long Expedition is done in 4 days 3 nights including a day of community service in one of thekampung (rural village). At the end of the walking day, the participants use their parang to cut wood from the jungle. They build a frame, tie it together with jungle veins, and place a tarpaulin over it. They sleep communally in their "longhouse" tents and cook over traditional campfires.

JUNGLE SURVIVAL

Based on the real life experiences of the instructors / motivators with no hunting or hurting of any wildlife! The emphasis on using the jungles as a friend . Suitable for anyone with good sense of humor and an open mind!

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

On arrival, immediate distribution of equipment and food rations Male and female participants sleep in separate quarters! Wake up call at 7.00am - light breakfast provided - Trek begins at 8.30am passing village houses, rubber plantations, fruit orchards and secondary forests.

Things to learn, record and practice along this trail before entering the lowland primary jungles ;
1. Making water bottles from Bamboo
2. Identifying/collection of edible/medicinal leaves " Senduduk " and " Selaput Tunggul "
3. Fashioning ropes from " Barok " and " Kelemedu " tree barks to secure the bamboo water container
4. Identifying drinkable wild vines " Mengkait " and " Mempelas "
There will several fixed rest stops along the trail before stopping at a checkpoint

The next class will be starting fires using available natural resources . Participants are to start and maintain their own for signaling and lunch preparation Skills in cooking/packing rice for dinner using wild leaves secured by wild vines will also be taught.

Immediate departure for the first camp, all litter should be carried forward to next camp and all fires be put out. Participants are to carry water as there is no water supply. The trail enters into the wild " Bertam " forest. Upon arrival, participants are to immediately construct their own shelters using the leaves, branches and fronds of the " Bertam " tree as roofs, walls and sleeping mates. They will also be taught making light sticks using " Bertam " branches and leaves as a replacement for flashlights.

For dinner, participants will be taught skills in cooking canned food and preserving it for several weeks in the jungle without going bad to be followed by a short lecture on survival essentials in the jungles, skills in predicting weather without using any modern equipment and night signaling.

Day 2
2. Collection of " Damar " or dried saps from the " Meranti " tree as fuel and medicine
3. Collection of dried wood to carry forward to the next camp.
4. Trail making skills through " Bertam " forest

Departure at 12.00 noon with a stopover for a short 15 minutes break. A class on identifying poisonous vines and plants will be done along the trail reaching the next camp.

Possible arrival at 4.00pm with an immediate set up of the shelters, collection of firewood and starting/maintaining of fires organized by participants. Camp is flanked by two running mountain streams with excellent washing and bathing areas. The waters are extremely clean, fit for washing and drinking.

For dinner, we will provide hot porridge and bread whilst participants are to boil their own drink. There will be a discussion on the previous 24 hours' activities.

Day 3

Wake up call from the gibbons at 7.00am - we will provide coffee only - the following practical classes will be organised at 9.00am
1. Primitive Jungle Navigation without using any modern navigation equipment
2. Trail making in lowland primary jungles
3. Signaling methods in the daytime

Departure for the next and final camp, at 3.30pm and arrival camp at 4.30pm
Participants will be required to practice what they've been taught namely
1. Set up their own shelter
2. Collection of firewood
3. Starting & maintenance fire for warmth, light and cooking.
We will do impromptu inspection every few hours to ensure that the shelters are built to certain specifications, fires maintained well and the participants' safety ensured.

Day 4

Wake up call at 7.30am. Participants will assemble at camp commandant shelter at 8.30am for a group assessment of every participant's shelter location with final comments and tips. Depart back for first base camp at 11.00am and expected arrival at 1.00pm noon with light refreshments provided.
Depart back for Kuala Lumpur at 4.30pm.

Team Building Update

2008-12-23T03:08:00.000-08:00

Corporate Incentives with Team Building Adventure Team Building Students Holiday Camps
Leadership Training Treasure Hunt Paintball Wargames Explorace White Water Tube Rafting

There is more in you than you ever dreamed ......

Consider the following statistics on retention. We retain:
10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we hear and see,70% of what we say, and 90% of what we say and do.

Basics of Team Building
Team Building is a process in which a work group examines how it is currently operating, identifies how it could improve its effectiveness, and implements the procedures and processes that enable it to get the job done in the best possible way. In this course, the participants will focus on how teamwork can impact positively on accomplishing tasks and on conflict resolution in work teams. They will define their roles in improving the quality of services/products that your company provides, and they will build teamwork skills.

Participants will Learn to
Link team efforts to department or functional goals
Recognize when a team is working well or not
Use techniques for helping a team assess how well it is functioning
Understand why people behave the way they do in groups
Use tools that result in more effective meetings
Create a plan for using the techniques they have learned on the job

Approach to learning
The participants will use a self-assessment exercise to better understand how they personally feel about working in a team, to recognize the issues affecting how people work together and how to handle conflict resolution in their work teams. Using their own experience, they create a tool and use it to assess the level of teamwork in their own areas. Through a series of group exercises, case studies, and role plays, they will learn a variety of techniques for making their teams more effective.

The Nature of Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is both exciting and challenging. It includes a range of different processes such as individual or team problem solving initiatives, physical challenges, games, simulation exercises, structured processes, sharing sessions, guided visualisations, and structured interactions. In all these events, students are actively engaged in the learning process and are able to generate meaningful, relevant insights from their experience.

The Nature of Experiential Learning has been defined as having four main characteristics:

The learner is aware of the processes which are taking place, and which are enabling learning to occur; the learner is involved in a reflective experience that enables the person to relate current learning to past, resent and future; the experience and content is personally significant: what is being learned and how it is being learned hold a special importance for that person; there is an involvement of the whole self - body, thoughts, feelings and actions, not just of the mind. In other words, the learner is fully engaged as a whole person.

Examples of topics to be covered
Improving team performance and the quality of our service/product.
Characteristics of high performing teams: Key factors in team effectiveness
Group dynamics: what happens in a group and why
Strategies for improving teamwork: Leadership skills
Problem solving in groups: directing ourselves to get things done
Feedback: a key element in opening up communication

Leadership Training Courses
Mastering Leadership requires continuous attention to a number of complex issues. True leadership is strategic, not tactical; that is to say that leadership addresses long-term issues, not short-term crises. Effective leaders also find that all members of a team must be ready to play critical leadership roles, reinforcing the idea that leaders teach others to be leaders, not followers. And, successful leaders know that the needs of the group guide the techniques and strategies that leaders use to guide and facilitate the activities of the group.

Participants will Learn to:
To instill teamwork spirit among participants.
To test participant's mental strength and self-endurance in achieving goals.
To encourage participants to realize the importance of planning in implementing a project in order to ensure success.
To inculcate the habit of adhering to rules and procedure and loving work at the same tim

Team Building Packages

2008-09-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

We have the following team building programs. Please browse the links below :

ISLANDS BASE
KAPAS ISLAND
LANGKAWI ISLAND
LANG TENGAH ISLAND
PANGKOR ISLAND
PEMANGGIL ISLAND
PENANG ISLAND
PERHENTIAN ISLAND
PULAU BESAR
REDANG ISLAND
SIBU ISLAND
RAWA ISLAND
TINGGI ISLAND
TIOMAN ISLAND
TENGGOL ISLAND

BY STATES
JOHORE
KEDAH
KELANTAN
KUALA LUMPUR
MALACCA
NEGERI SEMBILAN
PAHANG
PENANG
PERAK
PERLIS
SABAH
SARAWAK
SELANGOR
TERENGGANU

POPULAR VENUES
BANDING ISLAND
BUKIT MERAH LAKETOWN
SELESA BUKIT TINGGI
EAGLE RANCH
ENDAU ROMPIN
JANDA BAIK BUKIT TINGGI
KENYIR LAKE
KINABALU PARK
SEA GYPSIES SIBU ISLAND
SEDIM RECREATION PARK
SUMMERSET ROMPIN
TROLAK COUNTRY RESORT
TAMAN NEGARA

The team building primary link is http://www.impressions.com.my/tbuild/tbuild.htm

About Team Building
There is more in you than you ever dreamed ......

Consider the following statistics on retention. We retain:
10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we hear and see,70% of what we say, and 90% of what we say and do.
Basics of Team Building
Team Building is a process in which a work group examines how it is currently operating, identifies how it could improve its effectiveness, and implements the procedures and processes that enable it to get the job done in the best possible way. In this course, the participants will focus on how teamwork can impact positively on accomplishing tasks and on conflict resolution in work teams. They will define their roles in improving the quality of services/products that your company provides, and they will build teamwork skills.
Participants will Learn to
Link team efforts to department or functional goals
Recognize when a team is working well or not
Use techniques for helping a team assess how well it is functioning
Understand why people behave the way they do in groups
Use tools that result in more effective meetings
Create a plan for using the techniques they have learned on the job
Approach to learning
The participants will use a self-assessment exercise to better understand how they personally feel about working in a team, to recognize the issues affecting how people work together and how to handle conflict resolution in their work teams. Using their own experience, they create a tool and use it to assess the level of teamwork in their own areas. Through a series of group exercises, case studies, and role plays, they will learn a variety of techniques for making their teams more effective.
The Nature of Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is both exciting and challenging. It includes a range of different processes such as individual or team problem solving initiatives, physical challenges, games, simulation exercises, structured processes, sharing sessions, guided visualisations, and structured interactions. In all these events, students are actively engaged in the learning process and are able to generate meaningful, relevant insights from their experience.

The Nature of Experiential Learning has been defined as having four main characteristics:

The learner is aware of the processes which are taking place, and which are enabling learning to occur; the learner is involved in a reflective experience that enables the person to relate current learning to past, resent and future; the experience and content is personally significant: what is being learned and how it is being learned hold a special importance for that person; there is an involvement of the whole self - body, thoughts, feelings and actions, not just of the mind. In other words, the learner is fully engaged as a whole person.
Examples of topics to be covered
Improving team performance and the quality of our service/product.
Characteristics of high performing teams: Key factors in team effectiveness
Group dynamics: what happens in a group and why
Strategies for improving teamwork: Leadership skills
Problem solving in groups: directing ourselves to get things done
Feedback: a key element in opening up communication
Leadership Training Courses
Mastering Leadership requires continuous attention to a number of complex issues. True leadership is strategic, not tactical; that is to say that leadership addresses long-term issues, not short-term crises. Effective leaders also find that all members of a team must be ready to play critical leadership roles, reinforcing the idea that leaders teach others to be leaders, not followers. And, successful leaders know that the needs of the group guide the techniques and strategies that leaders use to guide and facilitate the activities of the group.
Participants will Learn to:
To instill teamwork spirit among participants.
To test participant's mental strength and self-endurance in achieving goals.
To encourage participants to realize the importance of planning in implementing a project in order to ensure success.
To inculcate the habit of adhering to rules and procedure and loving work at the same time.
Examples of topics to be covered:
Goals orientated programs that aim to improve:
Self-confidence Ability to reason Team Work Problem Solving Orienteering
Basic Survival Training Cultural Knowledge Religious Knowledge Geographical Knowledge
Environmental Knowledge

Safety and Service
Excellent Health & Safety and Safe Environments
Access to Good Medical Facilities
Excellent Service
Notes on Team Building and Leadership Training
(James Neill, 2005, Wilderdom) A team is a group of people who come together temporarily to achieve a purpose. There is no magic formula for "building a team". Teams are organic - they grow and change - so make use of the opportunities that change offers.
Team Building (or ‘teambuilding') refers to the process of establishing and developing a greater sense of collaboration and trust between team members.
Team Building Activities are stimulating problem-solving tasks designed to help group members develop their communication skills and capacity to work effectively together.
Team Building Exercises can be adapted for virtually any setting, young or old, large or small, and across cultures. Different team building activities facilitated in different ways with different groups can and will lead to a wide variety of different experiences and different outcomes. Even the simplest game can become a significant experience for participants; an important part of team building exercises is participants' reflection and discussion about the activity, how they approached the situation, and possible points of learning.
Outdoor expeditions are a fantastic way to give depth and understanding to the school-based learning experience. Seeing is understanding! Participants find themselves in new environments, out of their comfort zone, opening their minds to new ways of looking at life, leading to important advances in physical, personal and social education.
We does this in a fun and exciting way, using a method that combines learning and experience, otherwise known as experiential learning. Team-building, respect, integrity and self-development are all at the core of our training.
The trips are designed so that enjoyment is maximised. Accommodation is always good, food always plentiful and there is always a member of staff on hand to listen and help out if needed. Without ever realising it, participants are being educated and asked to analyse their responses and behaviours. Participants are included in their own analysis and it is this inclusive and honest approach that brings out the best in participants, maximising potential and bringing out mature responses to challenging situations.
Motivational team-building events and games, learning about new cultures, facing exciting physical and mental challenges, honesty and integrity, forging new friendships and discovering a world of opportunities.

Team Building and Leadership Training Malaysia

2007-07-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

Altough our main products are hotels and apartments we are also very strong in event organising for team building and leadership training at the various hotels all over Malaysia. The latest addition is at Telok Dalam Resort http://www.impression.com.my/Pangkormain/TelukDlmPkr/TelukDlmPkr.htm on the island of Pulau Pangkor. The webpage link is http://www.impression.com.my/tbuild/pkr/main.htm . The complete list is at http://www.impression.com.my/tbuild/pkr/main.htm - there you can see us to be very mobile and very versatile. We are able to handle up to three groups on any given weekends.

2007-07-02T04:40:00.000-07:00

Hi friends I forgot to provide you the necessary links for you to check on hotel reservations, travel information, car rental, adventure eco tourism etc. So here it is come and visit www.impressions.com.my and follow the various links. We have more than 10,000 pages for you to look at.

Travel, Hotel Reservations in Malaysia

2007-07-02T04:23:00.000-07:00

Malaysia is a country in South-East Asia, located partly on a peninsula of the Asian mainland and partly on the northern third of the island of Borneo. West (peninsular) Malaysia shares a border with Thailand, is connected by a causeway and a bridge (the 'second link') to the island state of Singapore, and has coastlines on the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. East Malaysia (Borneo) shares borders with Brunei and Indonesia.
Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) occupies most of the Malayan Peninsula between Thailand and Singapore, and is also known as West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat) or the slightly archaic Malaya (Tanah Melayu). It is home to the bulk of Malaysia's population, its capital and largest city Kuala Lumpur, and is generally more economically developed.
West Coast - the more developed side of Peninsular Malaysia, with the states of Kedah, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Selangor, and Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur and the new administrative centre of Putrajaya, all located within this region.
East Coast - more traditional and Muslim, the islands here are glittering tropical jewels. Made up of the states of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.
South - comprising just one state, Johor, two coastlines, and endless palm plantations.
Some 800 kilometres to the east is East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which occupies the northern third of the island of Borneo, shared with Indonesia and tiny Brunei. Covered in impenetrable jungle where headhunters roam (on GSM networks if nothing else), East Malaysia is rich in natural resources but very much Malaysia's hinterland for industry and tourism.
Sabah - superb scuba diving in Sipadan and the mighty Mount Kinabalu
Sarawak - jungles, national parks, the spectacular Mulu Caves and traditional longhouses
Cities
Kuala Lumpur - the capital
Malacca - the historical city of Malaysia
George Town - the cultural and cuisine capital of Penang
Ipoh - famous for its Chinese food, tin mines and limestone mountains and caves, it is the state capital of Perak
Johor Bahru - gateway to Singapore and state capital of Johor
Kota Kinabalu - the largest city in East Malaysia and capital of Sabah
Kuching - the capital of Sarawak state, Kuching is Malay for 'cat'
Putrajaya - the federal government administrative centre (Malay: pusat pentadbiran kerajaan persekutuan) of Malaysia, known for its lavish buildings, bridges and man-made lakes
The climate in Malaysia is tropical. The north-east monsoon (October to February) deluges Borneo and the east coast in rain and often causes flooding, while the west coast (particularly Langkawi and Penang) escape unscathed. The milder south-west monsoon (April to October) reverses the pattern. The southern parts of peninsular Malaysia, including perennially soggy Kuala Lumpur, are exposed to both but even during the rainy season, the showers tend to be intense but brief.
Most Western nationalities can enter Malaysia without a visa, and are normally issued 30, 60, or 90 day entry permit stamps. Some nationalities that are not eligible to enter without a visa can get a tourist visa on arrival; other nationalities must apply for a visa in advance. Most notably, holders of Israeli or Serbia-Montenegro passports are not allowed to visit Malaysia without separate, prior approval from the Home Ministry .
Malaysia is crisscrossed by a web of affordable flights with advertised "promotional" prices starting at RM9 for flights booked well in advance. Flying is the only practical option for traveling between peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, as well as reaching some of the more remote outposts of Borneo. Fly Asian Xpress (FAX}formerly MAS Rural Air Service, operates turboprop services in Sarawak and Sabah.