Having visited Malaysia four times, (and will happily return again someday), it is my privilege to introduce readers to a country that offers visitors a myriad choices: adventure, culture, history, spectacular scenery, colourful bazaars, and so much more.

Take your pick: explore the jungles of Taman Negara Wilderness Resort, snorkel on the beaches of the South China Seas in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, watch baby turtles hatch along the shore, sample life in a tribal longhouse among one-time headhunters living deep in the forests of Borneo, catch a glimpse of the endangered Proboscis monkey with his Jimmy Durante snozzle, see close up the astonishingly human, and often mischievous, Orang-utans as they lunch on bananas and milk at the Orang-utans Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan.

Malaysia is a middle-of-the road Muslim country, which in addition to Malays, and indigenous tribal Bumiputras, (roughly translated as “sons of the soil”) also includes Chinese and Hindu communities. Apart from resplendent mosques, visitors are also welcome to drop into Buddhist shrines and Hindu temples. The Malaysian calendar is thronged with festivals celebrating each one of these cultures but probably the most flamboyant of all is their annual Chitrawarna, “Colours of Malaysia” parade in May. The parade boasts ethnic floats (Malay, Indian, Chinese and the country’s indigenous peoples) with dances, music and costumes to rival Brazil’s Carnival show. Fire up your cameras!

Want to shop? You’ve come to the right place. The Malaysian Ringett fares wonderfully well against the Canadian dollar, and Kuala Lumpur has swanky world class shopping malls to satisfy most addictive shopaholic. Food? Dine on superb cuisine in K.L.’s sophisticated air-conditioned restaurants; follow the siren call of nightclubs with their music wafting out onto the city sidewalks on warm evenings. Or if you are like me, get adventurous: sample Chinatown’s mouth watering street food cooked in steaming woks on sidewalks. Right next to the foodie stalls, is Chinatown’s bustling night market, where bargains abound. Sharpen your haggling skills and dive into the fray.

But above all, what is it that has taken me back time and again to Malaysia? It is the people. Gentle, smiling, warm, and genuinely welcoming, the Malaysians are proud of their country and want nothing more than to show you, their honoured guest, the best that it has to offer. Do take them up on it!