Malaysia Bagus!: Travels From My Homeland

Not many of us can claim to have pounded the streets of Kuala Lumpur as part of a 21km run, fallen off Mount Murud, Sarawak's tallest mountain (and survived!), or sailed down the Linggi River in Negeri Sembilan in search of crocodiles. But Sharon Cheah can! And that's only scratching the surface of her whirlwind tour of Malaysia. This was a journey that spanned five years as Cheah, a Malaysian journalist, set the goal of visiting every state in East and West Malaysia, to really get to know her homeland. The result? A fascinating series of travel essays spanning history, culture, religion, environment, food, and myth and archaeology. From a homestay in Kelantan to visiting one of the top three rainforest research centres in the world (in Sabah), come discover Malaysia as you've never seen it before. Malaysia Bagus!Reviews:“Why are there so many Malaysians abroad? That may be the subject for another book. In this one, Sharon gives the millions who make up the Malaysian diaspora a vicarious means of going home, and it’s a great book for non-Malaysians too.” — Clarissa Tan, journalist, The Spectator (UK) and winner of the Shiva Naipaul Prize for travel writing“An eye-opener for those of us whose understanding of Malaysia is limited to news headlines and the occasional sojourn to a JB seafood stall. There’s nothing like exploring a country with a knowledgeable friend by your side, and that’s exactly what Sharon does with this book. And like all good friends, she knows where to get the best snacks!” — Jaime Ee, Lifestyle Editor, The Business Times (Singapore)“A delightful series of travel essays that will impart a deeper understanding of the real Malaysia. If there’s such a thing as armchair travelling, then this is it.” — Meng Yew Choong, journalist, The Star“A series of vignettes which are as entertaining as they are illuminating. Equal parts history lesson, food diary and social commentary, Malaysia Bagus! eschews broad strokes for a more intimate approach, with a journalist’s careful eye for detail and keen nose for a good story.” — Tony Fernandes, AirAsia CEO“A truly engaging read, bursting with insight and local flavour!” — Geoffrey Eu, travel writer and former Editor of Insight travel guides