Alor Setar, or Alor Star, is the state capital and the largest city in Kedah. It is a nice, quiet town with 400,000 residents. Numerous rice fields, rubber tree groves, and oil palm tree plantations span the state. Sometimes, prospectors mine for tin illegally. 

Alor Setar does not attract many tourists. If they do visit, they head to the jetty to ride the ferry to Langkawi or take a bus or taxi to the southern Thai border. However, the city houses several museums, and the tallest tower, Menara Alor Setar, is in the downtown area. Residents and tourists can spot the Menara Tower anywhere within the city or ride up in an elevator to the observation deck. The tower is 165.5 meters tall.

Malaysia

• The country's area spans 127,355 square miles, making Malaysia the 67th largest country in the world.
• The currency is the ringgit.
• The capital is Kuala Lumpur, which has approximately 1.4 million residents. The capital is the second largest city in Malaysia.
• Malaysia's population was estimated at 28.3 million in 2010, making it the 43rd most populous country in the world.
• Malaysia is a newly industrialized country with a consistent GDP growth of 6.5% over the last 50 years.
• Malaysia is full of jungles with canopies supporting a diverse array of wildlife. It is estimated to have 20% of the world's species.
• The largest ethnic group is Malays (50.4%), while the second is Chinese (23.7%).
• The Malays are Muslim, while the Chinese are predominately Buddhist.

The Cameron Highlands refer to the mountainous area in central Malaysia. Although Malaysia is a tropical country with humid jungles and elevated temperatures, the Cameron Highlands is high along the mountains. The mountains are so high up that clouds caress the peaks. It feels like an eternal spring with cool, moderate temperatures.

The Cameron Highlands does not refer to a town. It is spread along the curved winding roads that snake along the mountains. The farmers grow various fruits and vegetables, making the Cameron Highlands the fruit and vegetable basket of Malaysia. The farmers even grow strawberries in moderate temperatures.

The Cameron Highlands is Malaysia's major tea producer. It was nice to enjoy a fresh cup of tea at cafes that bordered the tea plantations where the tea was picked. I am not a fan of sweet tea, but Malays brew a sweet hot tea with hints of a chocolate flavour that is quite good.

Changlun is a small town in the middle of the jungle in Kedah, Malaysia. If you blink your eyes while approaching the city, you will miss it. Nothing happens in this town except watching the monkeys dig through the garbage. So, I walked around and snapped some pictures while waiting for the bus.

I found it strange that people would stare and gawk at me when I strolled through the shopping mall. They act like they never seen a white person before. Changlun is not a major tourist destination.

Georgetown, the largest city in Penang, is a unique destination located on an island. Tourists can experience its charm by crossing the ferry, a journey that costs less than a U.S. dollar from Butterworth to Georgetown and is free in the opposite direction.

Georgetown is not my favourite city. City bus drivers rush by the bus stops without stopping. Many residents are not friendly, and abandoned buildings litter the downtown neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, Georgetown is the closest city. I come every two months to drink at Starbucks, grab some sushi at Sushi King, and woof down a whopper from Burger King.

If the residents fixed and renovated the abandoned buildings in the historic downtown, it would be a stunning city with architecture similar to that of historic neighborhoods in Singapore.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and has many attractions. Malaysians call it KL for short. Unfortunately, I live over 500 kilometres away and rarely visit this city. I always ride the night bus to downtown Kuala Lumpur and then a shuttle bus to the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) to fly on my favourite airline, Air Asia. The other main airport is the KL International Airport.

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia, with 1.6 million residents. It is also the country's financial centre and contains the stock market, Bursa Malaysia, and Malaysia's central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia. Most federal government offices moved to Putrajaya, 37 kilometres south of KL. However, the Malaysian Parliament and foreign embassies are headquartered in Kuala Lumpur.

Langkawi Island is a resort island in northern Malaysia. The island has scenic beaches and beautiful shores, perfect for a family. No ladyboys, prostitutes, or old white males chasing after young Asian women. (Tourists must go to Thailand for that). A ferry ride is about an hour from Kaula Perlis to Langkawi. The central city is Kuah, but hotels and resorts are scattered across the island. The Malaysian government has granted Langkawi duty-free status to foster economic development. Tourists buy suitcases of liquor, chocolates, and cigarettes. I visited several duty-free shops in Malaysia and was quite surprised to see how cheap merchandise was in Langkawi.

Malacca is one of the oldest cities in Malaysia that Europeans influenced. The Portuguese conquered it in 1511, the Dutch captured it in 1641, and the British seized it in 1824. 

It is a tiny town with a few attractions. A river cuts through the old section of Malacca, dividing Chinatown from the historic downtown. Tourists and residents can stroll along the river, along sidewalks and piers filled with cafes and small beautiful parks. In the historic downtown, tourists can visit the fort ruins, restored Portuguese ships, churches, and museums. 

Around the corner, within walking distance, the residents and tourists can visit the new malls and restaurants.

Sintok is not a town or city but a university campus located in the middle of the jungle. It is home to the Northern University of Malaysia (UUM). I mistakenly thought that UUM was a suburb of Alor Setar, but Alor Setar is 45 kilometres southwest.

I love how jungle life creeps across campus. I came across a family of wild boars, walked around snakes slithering along a path, and how could I forget the monkeys? The monkeys acquired a taste for student junk food, and they looted the trashcans and garbage bins for food remnants.