RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN MALAYSIA
For more info on responsible tourism issues in Malaysia, read on and check out the links below or alternatively get in touch to find out what you can do to help and travel right in Malaysia.
Our Malaysia Holidays
Borneo orangutan holiday
Trekking, wildlife and beach adventure holiday to Borneo
Malaysia food and culture holiday
Discover many of Malaysia's culinary highlights
Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Explore bustling cities, lush jungles and paradise beaches.
Borneo tailor made holidays, wildlife & beaches
A luxury tour of the best wildlife & beaches of Sabah
Borneo tailor made tour on a shoestring
The Best of Borneo: Wildlife, Adventure, Idyllic Beaches
Kuala Lumpur and Sabah wildlife tour
Wildlife adventure in the heart of Borneo
Malaysia holiday, Kuala Lumpur & Tioman Island
Explore cosmopolitan Kuala Lumpur, relax on Tioman Island.
Borneo 8 day tour, the wild heart of Borneo
A unique experience in the untouched, beautiful Sarawak.
Malaysia holiday, rainforests and beaches
Explore Malaysia staying in sustainable hotels
Borneo and Malaysia small group holiday
Visit both halves of Malaysia
Borneo family volunteering holiday
Encounter orangutans and meet local tribes in magical Borneo
Borneo wildlife holiday, Sarawak
A light trekking and jungle adventure holiday in Sarawak
Malaysia holiday, highlights of the Peninsula
Malaysia old and new staying in eco-accommodation
Borneo holiday, Land below the wind
9-day tour of Malaysia's spectacular Sabah State
Borneo Mount Kinabalu climb holiday
Adventure holiday to see wildlife and climb Mt Kinabalu
Borneo and Malaysia holiday, trekking orangutans and rainforest
An active exploration of Borneo
Malaysia tour, Coast to Coast
Highlights and off the beaten track Malaysia
Family holiday in Sabah
Discover the best of Borneo in just under 2 weeks
Sabah holiday, land beneath the wind
Wildlife & culture in Malaysia
A taste of Sabah, Borneo holidays
Climb through dense jungles to explore Sabah's wild heart.
Borneo luxury holidays, tailor made
Rainforests, orangutans, beaches tailor made
Singapore and Sarawak holidays
A wildlife and Cultural Holiday to Singapore and Sarawak
Sarawak and Sabah tour, Orangutans & Ibans
Explore Borneo's unique culture, heritage and wildlife
Wild Borneo holiday, private departure
Highlights of Malaysian Borneo including Deramakot
Malaysia rainforest bungalows near Kuala Lumpur
A small orchard resort on the edge of the rainforest
Sarawak 5 day cultural tour
Explore Sarawak’s remote and fascinating coastal region
Penang to Singapore overland tour
From Penang to Lake Toba and finishing in Singapore
Borneo holiday, Highlights of Borneo
The highlights of Sabah, from Orangutans to Mt Kinabalu
Borneo activity holiday
Private trip exploring Borneo’s remote jungle & mountains
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Income disparity
From the prosperity oozing out of the Petronas twin towers to the designer boutiques and international food outlets to be found within any one of KL’s air-conditioned shopping malls, it’s pretty hard to believe that poverty still exists in the ex-pat haunts of Malaysia. Although the Malaysian government may insist that they’re bang on track to reach the Millennium Development Goals set out at the UN summit in 2000, the truth is a little harder to stomach. Families living in rural areas, especially, receive far less income than their urban counterparts with the younger generation drawn from a life of agriculture into the obvious wealth exuding from Malaysia’s towns and cities. Even when young Malaysians do find work in the city, wages pale into insignificance when placed alongside English-speaking ex-pats who continually keep costs for housing, shopping, entertainment and mid-range dining at a western-priced premium. Although poverty in Malaysia is considerably lower when compared to other Southeast Asian countries, it still exists, and the disparity between those living on the breadline and those spending mega-bucks in designer boutiques and 5-star hotels is not levelling out, no matter what the government might insist to the contrary.Source: UNDP in Malaysia
What you can do
Spending your hard earned holiday funds in street food markets instead of international food and coffee chains is one way to help alleviate the gap between those who have and those who have not. Getting out of KL allows you to explore in rural areas where village communities have started to benefit from tourism and in so doing encouraging offspring to stay local. Stay on an Iban longhouse in Sarawak or in homestay or small guesthouse accommodation in the Kota Bharu region as this will also help stem the tide of young people leaving rural areas in search of work. Volunteer to assist English teachers or work on community projects on one of the more remote islands; whatever you do, don’t forget that as a Westerner your money can go much further than you might at first think.

Ethnic tensions
Despite the perceived harmony of multiple cultures living side by side in places like Malacca and Kuala Lumpur, ethnic tensions do bubble beneath the surface with Chinese, Indian and Bumiputera (indigenous Malay) communities all sharing space on profitable city streets. Some of this stems from the perception that each community will offer a better price or service for someone from their own ethnic background. Religious ideology is also an area that increases tensions, with Hindu Indians, Christian Chinese and Muslim Malay all celebrating major calendar events, such as Diwali, Christmas and Ramadan, against an ever-diminishing sense of Malaysia having one true identity.What you can do
It’s hard to please everyone all the time but observing rules during Ramadan and dressing appropriately for temple visits or during cultural events is part and parcel of respecting the rights of all Malaysians and ethnicities. Travelling with a local guide is the best way to understand the reasons behind tensions as well as hearing more positive stories so visit with an open mind and don’t expect Western ways to be treated as the all-abiding cultural norm.
WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENT
Malaysia's zoos
In spite of Malaysia’s superb national parks, coral reefs and the globally renowned animal sanctuaries to be found on Sabah and Sarawak, there are still a number of zoos and aquariums to be found across the country. They exist for the entertainment of visitors – not for the conservation, rescue or rehabilitation of any of their resident wildlife. The continued existence of these facilities here, such as the one that used to feature a chain-smoking orangutan, is indicative of human entertainment being placed above animal welfare; if you’re looking for things to do in Malaysia we implore you not to visit a zoo or aquarium.What you can do
Take yourself away from the cages and concrete pits and head out to Belum National Forest or Taman Negara National Park where you’ll find wildlife flourishing in natural, protected environments. Places like Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and neighbouring conservation centre for sun bears are genuine sanctuaries for rescued animals, who are able to live in virtually wild conditions in extensive reserves as opposed to existing in prison-like conditions purely for the benefit of the public. Please visit our animal welfare issues in tourism page to read more about our stance on captive animals.
Deforestation
What you can do
Go out of your way to visit Malaysia’s national parks and nature reserves where park entrance fees can be channelled back into protecting the natural environment and supporting the continued existence of indigenous and local communities. Only by showing how rainforests and the natural environment is vital to promoting and developing a long term, sustainable tourist industry as opposed to the quick profit making palm oil plantations and logging companies, can we start to change the tide of government and public opinion. Avoid buying products where palm oil is in the ingredients or keep an eye out for products with a Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) logo. Also go for Fairtrade alternatives that further increase awareness when it comes to making money through the forest without the need for complete and utter devastation.
Source: WWF-Malaysia