FROM THE SOUTH OF THAILAND to the Singapore Causeway, Malaysia’s mainland sports a multitude of travel possibilities: the quite, laid-back east coast villages, off-shore islands like Tioman or Perhentians, serious jungle with plenty of wildlife, futuristic KL colliding with old school KL, historic trading towns, hill country.
Let’s not ignore the food. Chinese, south Indian, Malay, nyonya, north Indian, Lebanese, and plenty more. (I wish I had more food pics- something to work on perhaps?)

Sultan Ahmad Shah mosque, in the northern state of Pahang. Malaysia's east coast, particularly its northern states are more traditionally Malay and conservative than other areas.

Kota Baru, one of the last stops before the Thai border is also a stepping stone to some fine islands, as well as an interesting places to stop, look and eat.

A typical Chinese hotel, with a couple of floors of rooms and cafe/restaurant downstairs, Kota Baru.

The east coast has less of a Chinese or Indian influence, with many traditional Malay villages and towns.

Malacca is another trading town with a mixed Chinese and European history interwoven with its Malay culture.

Chinese families and ethnicities established societies for cultural, educational and econmic pursuits. This building has since been renovated, and the Send Cheong Society still functions in Malacca.

Malays and Chinese mixed in Malacca, with a dash of Portugese and Dutch, and the blend is known as "nyonya", with its own distinct cuisine.

Malay (and Indonesian) spelling is very straight forward: spell it hw you say it. One quite night in the Cameron Highlands, we applied the same rules to Scrabble. Try it.

Another fine old building in Malacca from European occupation. I have been unable to find what this was.