Dive Into Malaysia Travel Sharon Gourlay

Looking for a beautiful island in Malaysia that will give you a local experience?
Located off the west coast of Malaysia in the state of Perak, Pangkor Island often sits in the shadow of other more developed islands like Penang and Langkawi which are located nearby. However, Pangkor Island offers its own unique experience for visitors. It’s a great place to have a relaxing getaway with fabulous beaches.
It’s a smaller island with a population of around 20,000 people which can only be accessed by ferry. This gives the island a feeling of isolation and community.
But despite this relative isolation, I found Pangkor to be surprisingly lively with a local feeling missing on most Malaysian islands I have visited. This is where people live and work and not just come to lie on a beach (although the latter is very easy to do!). I really loved this local feel.
Many people visit for the hornbills and stunning beaches, but there are more things you can add to your itinerary.
In this episode, I’m discussing why you should visit Pangkor Island, what to do when you’re there and where to stay. There’s not all that much information about Pangkor Island out there, and I am excited to share my experiences with you.
By the end of this episode, you’ll be all set for a visit to Pangkor Island.
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode22

Looking for a beach area close to Kuala Lumpur where you can have a great beach break? Or want a stopover location when flying into Kuala Lumpur International Airport?
Port Dickson (or PD to locals) is a coastal resort town about 90 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur. It’s even closer to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It has some great beaches and is the quickest and easiest beach place to reach from the inland city of Kuala Lumpur. Thanks to this, it is quite popular with locals, especially on weekends. It’s also quite easy to reach from Singapore.
Port Dickson generally refers to a lovely stretch of coast as well as the town itself. Along here, there are many beaches, calm seas and plenty of nature to enjoy.
It’s great for a beach break and is also a good alternative to a KL stopover if you are flying into KL and just have a night or two before flying elsewhere and would rather a beach and a pool to a big city.
In this episode, I discuss why you should visit Port Dickson, what to do when you’re there and where to stay. It’s our favourite quick stopover place in Malaysia thanks primarily to its great resorts, and I think you could love it too.
By the end of this episode, you’ll be all set for a visit to Port Dickson.
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode21

Planning your trip to Malaysia and want to know more about the types of accommodation you can book? Fantastic! But don't do it until you listen to this first!
The fantastic news is that Malaysia’s accommodation is very affordable. It also has everything from dorm beds to brilliant 5 star hotels for a fraction of what you may pay for them elsewhere. You can also stay in the middle of the rainforest, on a private island, in an over water villa with your own private pool and much more.
In this podcast, I run you through the different accommodation options you have in Malaysia as well as some of the amazing choices you may want to consider.
By the end, you'll know what you need to do to pick the right accommodation for your amazing trip to Malaysia.
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode20

Wondering if it’s worth visiting Sarawak on your Malaysian adventure?
Sarawak is the biggest of the two Malaysian states located on the island of Borneo or East Malaysia, as it’s known within Malaysia. It’s the place to go to discover the best parts of Borneo. This is the natural environment and wildlife as well as the indigenous culture with longhouse stays and cultural immersion being accessible to tourists.
From the absolutely amazing UNESCO World Heritage listed Mulu National Park to the longhouses in the Kelabit Highlands to my favourite city in Malaysia, Kuching, there is so much to love about Sarawak.
I hate that it took me so long to explore this state so don’t make the same mistake! A trip here is like nowhere else in Malaysia and you need to experience it to really appreciate it.
In this episode, I’m discussing why you should visit Sarawak, how to get there, what to do once you’re there as well as how long to stay.
By the end of this episode, you’ll be booking your trip to Sarawak!
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode19

Considering a day trip while you’re in Kuala Lumpur?
While there are many things to do in Kuala Lumpur (or KL as its often referred), there are also many great things you can do around Kuala Lumpur on a day trip.
Kuala Lumpur is centrally located in peninsular Malaysia which makes it easy to get to a lot of places.
For example, you can go shopping and enjoy the theme parks at Genting Highlands. You can see the culturally significant sites of UNESCO listed Melaka. You can enjoy the thriving food scene in Ipoh.
Or, you can escape the city and see the rural side of Malaysia in Cameron Highlands or trek in the jungle in Taman Negara. Malaysia is one of those places where there’s so much to see – and you can visit many places from KL.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know all your options and can hopefully narrow down your list of where is best for you to visit.
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode18

Wondering if it’s worth visiting Taman Negara on your Malaysian adventure?
A massive national park in the centre of Peninsular Malaysia, Taman Negara National Park is the perfect place to get outdoors and enjoy the natural attractions that Malaysia offers. From thick rainforest to deep caves, this park is a dream come true for outdoor enthusiasts. 
Taman Negara is calculated to be around 130 million years old and is home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests as well as the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia, Gunung Tahan.
This is the place to head to see the natural beauty of Malaysia. And it’s not far from Kuala Lumpur! In fact, you can even visit here on a day trip, although I highly recommend you stay longer.
In this episode, I’m discussing why (and when) you should visit Taman Negara, what to do when you’re there and where to stay as well as how to get there.
By the end of this episode, you’ll be all set for a visit to Taman Negara.
Read the show notes here: https://diveintomalaysia.com/episode17