This week-long trip included two places: downtown Kuala Lumpur and the Perhentian Islands. We made this trip in 2018 during a school break.

We arrived in Kuala Lumpur and our first stop was to visit the KL Bird Park. Many of the birds are free to fly around as there is a huge netting system. This allows the birds to move freely. We got to see many kinds of unique birds. I think the Horned Bill was one of the most surprising up close as he seems top heavy!  Craig conversed with a lovely Tasmanian Galah (gray and rose coloured cockatoo).  The birds are very used to people, so they calmly move about the park. I really enjoyed the way the peacocks, egrets and cranes walked around among us.

We easily used public transport to explore the shopping areas. We also enjoyed our city tour to learn more about the capital’s landmarks. Another great aspect of this multicultural city are the excellent variety of food choices!

We then spent three days in the marine park called the Perhentian Islands. We arrived after taking a flight, a van ride and a boat ride from Kuala Lumpur. Here, we stayed at the Tuna Bay Resort. The staff were friendly and meals were tasty. There was a coral reef just steps from our beach-side cabin that we could explore at our convenience.

We took a couple of snorkel trips from boats as well to explore more reefs. The variety of coral was impressive and it was beautiful clear water. We got to see a couple of reef sharks, and the variety of different colourful fish were amazing. Snorkeling in warm waters was a real treat. One of our swims included the unexpected stinging sensation from sea lice also known as baby jellyfish. It was a strange feeling because it felt like there were tiny electrical shocks all over your body! Craig met a biting Trigger-fish 4x in the waist-deep waters at the beach while snorkelling. He advised/warned some other guests about the biting fish at dinnertime.  The following day, as we sat down for dinner, the Germans and the French travelers said, “we met your fish!”

We really enjoyed our bird and fish watching experiences that week in Malaysia!