Malaysia, your new home, is a wonderful land with amazing geographical and historical treasures, a place filled with tolerant and friendly local citizens, a solid infrastructure and an interesting diversity of cultures that is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Your first impressions of Malaysia will differ according to where you have arrived from, whether you have been to other parts of Asia and whereabouts you are staying. Whatever your first impressions, they are unlikely to adequately reflect all the different layers of life here. So don’t panic if you’ve been scared by the driving, struggle to find friends at first or if everything feels alien initially. This happens to every new expatriate arrival. You are not alone.

As Malaysia is a developing country, there are still plenty of frustrations for those of us that arrive from first world countries. However, these frustrations actually make very little impact on your life unless you let them get to you. Malaysia is in fact developing incredibly quickly, and you can literally see improvements happening all the time. The country is determined to become fully developed by 2020, and is well on course. The government is dedicated to providing good services and infrastructure to make the country one of the region’s hubs of excellence in various fields (such as oil and gas, communications, and Islamic banking). By and large they are succeeding and Malaysia is one of the most liveable countries in the region. Just ask other expatriates that have been stationed elsewhere in Asia!

The dominant religion is Islam, which affects much of everyday life. Listen out for the “call to prayers” and marvel at the incredible architecture of the plentiful mosques. Islam in Malaysia is arguably the most tolerant of any country in the world. There are also many other religions in evidence as a result of the large indigenous Chinese and Indian populations. Which means there are plenty of new, colourful, and interesting festivals to enjoy, right throughout the year. Malaysia is virtually unique in this regard as a genuine melting pot of people, races and religions. The harmony between all groups is hugely impressive, although a select few policies (such as entry to University) favour local Malays and at the time of writing, many of the status quo policies are being challenged by the non-Malay groups.

As well as a diverse group of people, Malaysia has a fascinating history. Having been ruled by the Dutch, Portuguese and British, there were huge celebrations throughout 2007 to mark 50 years since the country gained independence. From pirates on the Straits of Malacca to ghosts on Langkawi and from prisoner of war tales from WWII to the disappearance of Jim Thompson, there is no shortage of incredible stories to be told.

And that’s not to mention the travel opportunities here. Malaysia boasts many of the region’s tallest mountains, tallest waterfalls, largest rainforests and jungles, best dive sites and most stunning hills and valleys. Five-star hotels here are also kept deliberately affordable (they are amongst the cheapest in the world) by the government to bring in visitors to enjoy the country’s natural splendour.

Wherever you have been and whatever you have seen before, travelling Malaysia will amaze and inspire. This section introduces Malaysia in much more detail, focusing on the people, their culture and the country you have just decided to make home.