|
Destinations
/ South
East Asia / Malaysia
 The
outstanding characteristic of Malaysia's population today
is its highly varied ethnic mix, making it one of the prime
examples of a multiculturalism. The multiethnic character
of Malaysia's population has come into being over the course
of the last 150 years. Broadly speaking Malaysia's ethnic
groups fall into two main categories: those with culture
affinities indigenous and to one another, who are classified
as bumiputera; and those whose cultural affinities lie outside.
Those from the outside include a vibrant and interesting
fusion of Chinese & Indian peoples, cultures and customs.
Malaysia
is a multicultural nation of friendly, warm hearted people.
It has population of 17.9 million people. Peninsular Malaysia
has 14.6 million people while Sabah and Sarawak have 3.3
million people. Although Islam is the national religion,
the Malaysian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship.
Islam, Christianity, Hiduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Sikhism
are the main religions in Malaysia, and there are many mosques,
temples and churches throughout the country. Because of
its strategic position between the Indian Ocean and the
South China Sea, Malaysia has long been the meeting place
for the traders and travellers from west and east. Hence,
its history is one of continual interaction with foreign
powers and influences.
Resorts
 Malaysia
is over 800km long, has a mountainous centre with spectacular
limestone outcrops, a long neck and tapering tail. East
Malaysia comprises the Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah.
The total land area of the country is approximately 329,000
sq km. The high rainfall has produced a complex network
of rivers.
In recent years, it is this wonderful environment that is
driving the Malaysian tourism industry. To the divers, it
is the idyllic pearl-like drops of coral islands in the
South China Sea off Sabah & Sarawak that are the great
attractions.
How
to get there
Malaysia's major international airport is at Sepang, 50
km south of Kuala Lumpur. Direct flights are available between
Kuala Lumpur & Europe, North America, Australia, New
Zealand & almost all of Asia. Most tourists either fly
into Sepang or arrive overland from Thailand or Singapore.
Penang has international flights. The airports Kuching in
Sarawak and Tawau in Sabah have flights to and from Kalimantan
(Indonesia).
With
the advent of services with Australian Airlines from Cairns
in Australia to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, this now makes it
possible to combine two of many divers "must do"
list in one trip, the Great Barrier Reef & Sipadan Island.
 Climate
Malaysia has an equtorial climate with fairly uniform
temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures range from
32 C during the day to 22 C at night. It can be slightly
cooler in the hill country. (Rainfall is common throughout
the year, averaging 200-250cm a year.) Lightweight or mixed-fibre
clothing is normal with only medium-weight woollens being
required for visits to the cooler highland areas.
Malaysia
has striking climatic variation from east to west. The east
gets the full fury of the monsoon between November and February.
The west, sheltered by the Barisan Titwansa range, has most
rainfall between March and April. Borneo lies between one
and eight degrees north of the equator, so is hot and sticky
all year round.
Cultural
Background
 Malaysia
is a multicultural society, with Malays, Chinese and Indians
living side by side. The Malays are the largest community.
They are Muslims, speak Bahasa and are largely responsible
for the political fortunes of the country. The Chinese comprise
about a third of the population. They are Buddhists and
Taoists, speak Hokkein, Hakka and Cantonese, and are dominant
in the business community. The Indians account for about
10% of the population. They are mainly Hindu Tamils from
southern India, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, and some Hindi,
and live mainly in the larger towns on the west coast of
the peninsula. There is also a sizeable Sikh community.
Eurasians and indigenous tribes make up the remaining population.
Despite Bahasa Malaysia being the official language, when
members of these different communities talk to each other,
they generally speak English, which was recently reinstated
as the language of instruction in higher education.
 The
main indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak, who number
395,000. They are largely longhouse dwellers and live along
the Rejang and Baram rivers. The Bidayuh (107,000) are concentrated
on Sarawak's Skrang River. The Orang Asli (80,000) live
in small scattered groups in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally
nomadic agriculturalists, many have been absorbed into modern
Malaysia.
You
can go from a Malaysian kampung to a rubber plantation worked
by Indians to Penang's Chinese kongsi and feel you've travelled
through three nations. However, in cities like Kuala Lumpur,
you'll find everyone in a grand melange. In one house, a
Chinese opera will be playing on the radio; in another they're
preparing for Muslim prayers; in the next, the daughter
of the household readies herself for classical Indian dance
lessons
Perhaps
the easiest way to begin to understand the highly complex
cultural interaction of Malaysia is to look at the open
door policy maintained during religious festivals. Although
Malaysia's different cultural traditions are frequently
maintained by seemingly self-contained ethnic communities,
all of Malaysia's communities open their doors to members
of other cultures during a religious festival--to tourists,
as well as neighbors. Such inclusiveness is more than just
a way to break down cultural barriers and foster understanding.
It is a positive celebration of Malaysia's tradition of
tolerance.
Diving
 Malaysia's
best diving is found off Borneo. The names of the islands
are "must-do's", at or very near the top of every
seriously open-minded diver. The diving at Sipadan, Kapalay
and Layang Layang enarmour thoughts of swirling schools
of barracuda and jacks to divers the world over. In fact,
it has been said that's it's easier and quicker to point
out what you don't see at Sipadan rather than what do see
when consulting the fish guide book after a dive.
Sipadan
has 11 marked dive sites. All dives are wall dives. It is
however possible to dive shallow at the southern and eastern
part of the island. Sipadan is small, very small, so most
dive sites are so close that you enter at one site and exit
at the next site... Following is a brief description of
some the sites:
Drop
Off - is considered to be the best beach dive site in the
world. Just 5-6 metres from the shore, the wall plunges
a staggering 800 metres down and is rated as one of the
top 5 Beach Dives in the world. The wall is encrusted with
different varieties of coral, turtles abound and a multitude
of lion fish & smaller reef dwelling fish live on this
wall. The entrance to TURTLE CAVERN is also found about
22 metres down along this wall.
You are allowed to do all the beach dives you want, also
all night dives are at the drop off. At night you will see
the huge (1½ to 2 meters) Bump Head Parrot Fish sleeping
in the wall.
 Turtle
Cavern - Sipadan is famous for its population of both Green
Turtles and the smaller Hawksbill Turtles. It was at one
time speculated that the cavern was their mausoleum and
that they came to this site to die. However, a more accurate
representation, is that the turtles became lost in the caverns
at night and drowned. Sipadan's resort operators insist
that all divers to this system of interconnecting caverns
must be accompanied by a local dive master. Inside the cavern
you will see the skeletons of those previous entrants who
failed to find the exit and perished. Deeper penetration
of the system reveals the cavern as home to shoals of fish
specifically adapted to the low light environment of the
further reaches.
 Barracuda
Point - Great dive site with lots of variation. As the name
suggests, Barracuda Point is where a large concentration
of Pelagic's converge. Expect to see large shoals of Barracuda,
Jacks, Grey and White Tip Reef Sharks. The schools number
in the high hundreds. Current is super-strong. It is a fast
moving, high voltage dive site. There maybe no guarantees
in diving, but there's every chance that you can find yourself
in the middle of a swirling vortex of chevron barracuda
on this, one of Sipadan's most treasured sites. You may
see small critters too. Even a Leafy Scorpion Fish, Nudibranches
and the Clown Trigger Fish.
This dive normally starts quite deep at 25 metres plus and
ends with a lot of time at 8 metres. Cruise along the wall
dropping down as far as you wish here and keep an eye out
for a herd of bump head parrotfish and turtles in every
nook and cranny. Even without the barracudas this is a most
colourful and entertaining dive but just as you think it,
you may be engulfed in a tornado of barracudas - more than
the eye can possibly take in. A superb moment in an outstanding
dive. It is little wonder that visitors leave with so many
"Barracuda Point" entries in their log-books.
You should have one too.……
These
are just a few of Sipadan's sites, but rest assured, the
others, Coral Gardens, White Tip Avenue, Turtle Patch, South
Point, Staghorn Crest, Hanging Gardens, Lobster Lair, North
Point and West Ridge are equally stunning.
|
Independent
