Malays make up approximately half of the population, Chinese make up roughly one quarter and there is a strong Indian community. In addition, the Orang Asli people, a group indigenous to Malaysia, still makes up 12 percent of the population. 

The weather in Malaysia is characterized by two monsoon seasons; namely the Southwest Monsoon from late May to September, and the Northeast Monsoon from November to March. The best time to visit is the dry season months from December to early February, if visiting the islands on the west side of Malaysia (e.g., Penang and Langkawi), or May through September if visiting Perhentian and Tioman Island, on the Eastern coast.

Given the flow of influences through this part of the world, Malay cuisine has been influenced by Chinese and Indonesian dishes. (Peranakan cuisine is readily available in Singapore as well as Malaysia.) We can provide a sense of the exotic cuisine in store with these dishes: Kaya toast is a great morning starter with strong coffee: coconut jam on warm toast with butter. Apam balik is a pancake-like snack stuffed with sugar and peanuts. A typical dish is rendang, meat that's simmered in coconut milk and spices. Ayam percik is bbq chicken cooked in spicy chili, garlic and ginger sauce mixed with coconut milk. Nasi lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk and served with sides like hard-boiled egg, peanuts, vegetables, lamb/chicken/or beef curry, seafood and sambal. Laksa is a spicy noodle soup often with fish or prawns. Roti jala is the net-like bread. Welcome to Malaysia!

We, the Survivors and The Harmony Silk Factory (T. Aw), Lord Jim (J. Conrad), The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy (Anthony Burgess), A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder (S. Flint), The Consul’s File (P. Theroux), Floating on a Malayan Breeze: Travels in Malaysia and Singapore (S.T. Vadaketh), And The Rain My Drink (H. Suyin), The Rice Mother (R. Manicka), The Garden of Evening Mists (T. T. Eng), Evening Is the Whole Day (P. Samarasan), The Jungle is Neutral (F. S.Chapman).