Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation of states in Southeast Asia split between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, bordering Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. With a population of around 34 million the country is notably diverse, home to Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Indigenous communities as well as dozens of ethnic groups in the Bornean states of Sabah and Sarawak. I visited in early 2013, splitting my time between Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and the wilds of Sabah on the northern tip of Borneo.