Semenanjung Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia) occupies most of the Malayan Peninsula between Thailand & Singapore, and is also known as West Malaysia or Malaysia Barat (Tanah Melayu). It is home to the bulk of Malaysia's population, its capital and largest city Kuala Lumpur (KL), & 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 oil 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. Partly 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 , nature reserves and the mighty Mount Kinabalu
Sarawak - jungles, national parks, and traditional longhouses
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 oil 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. Partly 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 , nature reserves and the mighty Mount Kinabalu
Sarawak - jungles, national parks, and traditional longhouses