Outdoors in Southeast Asia: Three of Malaysia’s most unique outdoor experiences

Outdoors in Southeast Asia: Three of Malaysia’s most unique outdoor experiences
By Christian Fleetwood


With adventure travel expected to see an increase in popularity on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic, travellers will begin to seek out more unique experiences.

Home to a wealth of UNESCO awarded sites and rich biodiversity, Malaysia certainly fits the bill as a destination offering unique opportunities for adventure – close to home.

Here are three of the best experiences that travellers can enjoy outdoors across the country…

Walk the length of one of the world’s longest curved bridges

Langkawi Sky Bridge – Langkawi (source: Tourism Malaysia)

Standing more than 700 metres above sea level, the Langkawi Sky Bridge is built on top of the Mat Cincang mountain and provides an incredible viewing experience of the Langkawi archipelago.

Only accessible by one of Langkawi’s most popular attractions, the Langkawi Sky Cab, this impressive 125-metre long structure is considered one of the world’s longest free span and curved bridges, and is suspended by a single, 82-metre high pylon.

Travellers can soak-up incredible views over the lush Mat Cincang mountain, the thundering Telaga Tujuh waterfalls, and beyond to the tiny islets of Langkawi.

The Sky Bridge is capable of accommodation 250 people at a time and comes complete with two viewing platforms where travellers can stop to enjoy the breeze and views – if they’re brave enough.

Watch the sunrise from Mount Kinabalu

The summit of Mount Kinabalu, Borneo (source: iStock/edenexposed)

Rising to 4,095 metres high, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea, and is among Sabah’s most dramatic and alluring features for mountaineering travellers.

The peak resides at the West Coast Division of Sabah, and is the main attraction of Kinabalu Park, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site, which attracts climbers of all skill levels.

Provided travellers are healthy and physically fit for an adventure of a lifetime, Mount Kinabalu would welcome your clients to a climbing adventure at what is considered one of the safest and most conquerable peaks in the world.

Kinabalu is also home to some of the most exotic plants and animals in the world, which gives a wholesome wildlife experience for all nature lovers.

More than 5,000 species of plants have been identified here and a diversified list of birds and mammals also inhabit the slopes of this mountain. As there is a limit of 185 climb permits per day, climbers are recommended to book their guided trip six months ahead to avoid any disappointment.

Visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (source: © CEphoto/Uwe Aranas)

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is an inspiring, world-famous rehabilitation centre in Malaysian Borneo that welcomes orphaned and injured orangutans for treatment before returning them to forest life.

The facility, which was established in 1964, is found in Sabah, around 25 kilometres north of Sandakan, and covers some 40 square kilometres of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, where around 200 orangutans are thought to reside.

Travellers can watch the orangutan up close in their natural habitat, enjoy sights of the apes at feeding times, and explore the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, all the while learning about the conservation efforts to protect this extraordinary species.

To discover more about Malaysia and all it has to offer, click here.

Featured image: Reaching the summit of Mount Kinabalu (source: Tourism Malaysia)

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