Malaysia  is a country in South-East Asia, located partly on a peninsula of the Asian mainland and partly on the northern third of the island of Borneo. West (peninsular) Malaysia shares a border with Thailand, is connected by a causeway and a bridge (the 'second link') to the island state of Singapore, and has coastlines on the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. East Malaysia (Borneo) shares borders with Brunei and Indonesia.

Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) occupies most of the Malayan Peninsula between Thailand and Singapore, and is also known as West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat) or the slightly archaic Malaya (Tanah Melayu). It is home to the bulk of Malaysia's population, its capital and largest city Kuala Lumpur, and is generally more economically developed.

• West Coast - the more developed side of Peninsular Malaysia, with the states of Kedah, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Selangor, and Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur and the new administrative centre of Putrajaya, all located within this region.

• East Coast - more traditional and Muslim, the islands here are glittering tropical jewels. Made up of the states of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.

• South - comprising just one state, Johor, two coastlines, and endless palm plantations.

Some 800 kilometres to the east is East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which occupies the northern third of the island of Borneo, shared with Indonesia and tiny Brunei. Covered in impenetrable jungle where headhunters roam (on GSM networks if nothing else), East Malaysia is rich in natural resources but very much Malaysia's hinterland for industry and tourism.

• Sabah - superb scuba diving in Sipadan and the mighty Mount Kinabalu

• Sarawak - jungles, national parks, the spectacular Mulu Caves and traditional longhouses

Cities

• Kuala Lumpur - the capital
• Malacca - the historical city of Malaysia
• George Town - the cultural and cuisine capital of Penang
• Ipoh - famous for its Chinese food, tin mines and limestone mountains and caves, it is the state capital of Perak
• Johor Bahru - gateway to Singapore and state capital of Johor
• Kota Kinabalu - the largest city in East Malaysia and capital of Sabah
• Kuching - the capital of Sarawak state, Kuching is Malay for 'cat'
• Putrajaya - the federal government administrative centre (Malay: pusat pentadbiran kerajaan persekutuan) of Malaysia, known for its lavish buildings, bridges and man-made lakes

The climate in Malaysia is tropical. The north-east monsoon (October to February) deluges Borneo and the east coast in rain and often causes flooding, while the west coast (particularly Langkawi and Penang) escape unscathed. The milder south-west monsoon (April to October) reverses the pattern. The southern parts of peninsular Malaysia, including perennially soggy Kuala Lumpur, are exposed to both but even during the rainy season, the showers tend to be intense but brief.

Most Western nationalities can enter Malaysia without a visa, and are normally issued 30, 60, or 90 day entry permit stamps. Some nationalities that are not eligible to enter without a visa can get a tourist visa on arrival; other nationalities must apply for a visa in advance. Most notably, holders of Israeli or Serbia-Montenegro passports are not allowed to visit Malaysia without separate, prior approval from the Home Ministry .

Malaysia is crisscrossed by a web of affordable flights with advertised "promotional" prices starting at RM9 for flights booked well in advance. Flying is the only practical option for traveling between peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, as well as reaching some of the more remote outposts of Borneo. Fly Asian Xpress (FAX}formerly MAS Rural Air Service, operates turboprop services in Sarawak and Sabah.