Malaysia

March 3-5, 2026

We had three port stops in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and George Town. Three port days in a row is pretty hectic so I’m combining them in one post.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. The city is thick with high-rise residential complexes. Our first stop was a war memorial commemorating conflicts since WWI . One sculpture bears a resemblance to the Iwo Jima memorial in Washington, DC. The Malaysian PM at the time was an admirer of our country and he commissioned the same sculptor to create the Malaysian monument. Malaysia seems to have a fascination with tall buildings. The Merdeka 118 is currently the 2nd tallest building in the world. We also got an opportunity to visit the better known Petronas Towers.

Langkawi is much more laid back. Our guide, Joey, a former Ceylon Air flight attendant, retired here for that reason. Our driver must be a NASCAR fan given the white knuckle ride he gave us to the eco-park and back since we were running late. At the Geoforest Park we were treated to awesome scenery, an aerial display by endemic Brahminy kites (type of raptor) and a monkey-guarded bat cave. We also learned about the importance of mangrove forests and how they protect the area from cyclones and tsunamis.

George Town was a real treat for spice and butterfly fans. Guilty on both counts. The Tropical Spice Garden was located on the site of a former rubber plantation. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the spices and herbs on site and how their uses varied by culture. The gift shop was replete with spices, spice combinations and extracts. Overwhelming. Final stop was entopia. This butterfly farm in its design reminded me of the Flower Dome in Singapore but on a smaller scale. There were displays of other insect species but the butterflies were the star attractions.

Next: Sri Lanka

Kuala Lumpur