Monuments to visit Malaysia

The iconic 88-storey Petronas Towers rise to a height of 452 m. Inaugurated in 1998 after 6 years of construction, they house the offices of Malaysian oil giant PETRONAS. They were the world's tallest towers until 2004, when they were dethroned by the Taipei 101 Tower. Among other things, they contain stores, a concert hall and a mosque, and have been used as the backdrop for a number of films, including Haute Voltige. They can be visited, but only 1,400 admissions are allowed per day. We recommend reserving your ticket in advance on the Internet, or arriving early in the morning to wait in line: in the afternoon, there's virtually no chance of getting in. You can stop at two different levels: the skybridge and the top. The skybridge is located on the ^41st floorandconnects the two towers, at a height of 146 m. The ascent to the ^86th floor in one of the 78 elevators takes 90 seconds. The whole tour takes just over 45 minutes. The best view, however, is from the towers themselves, not from them! We therefore recommend that you go to the top of the KL Tower, from where you'll have a magnificent view of the Twin Towers. The shopping center, Suria KLCC, at the foot of the towers is magnificent and well worth a visit, as are the gardens just beyond. On the^4th and^5th floors, you can visit Petrosains, an interesting and entertaining museum dedicated to science (daily 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., 6.30 p.m. at weekends).

One of Langkawi's major attractions. This cable car takes you 708 m up to the summit of Mount Mat Cincang. The view of the archipelago, the Datai Peninsula and the Andaman Sea is breathtaking. The SkyBridge, an impressive suspension bridge inaugurated in 2004, offers a 100 m walk over the void. A footpath leads to the Telaga Tujuh waterfalls, which can also be seen from the cable car.

In front of Butterfly Park, this ensemble is the only one of its kind in Malaysia. It may leave Western visitors indifferent: Its originality is to be constructed strictly following the principles of feng shui (fire and water, the art of Chinese géomancie). Each element has a precise place to be the most perfect in order to optimize the approval, the Qi (power) and the prosperity of the Resort occupants.

Built in 1870, this beautiful Chinese temple is located on the banks of the river and is the oldest temple in Sibu. Icon of the city with its 7-storey pagoda, it is the building not to be missed. Partly destroyed during the Second World War, it was rebuilt in 1957 with decorative objects from China and modified several times in the decades that followed. It is dedicated to Tua Pek Kong, a sailor from Fujian, considered as the incarnation of the god Fu, symbol of prosperity. Tua Pek Kong is revered only in Malaysia and idolatry began in Penang.

Opened in 1905, this school is one of the most prestigious elite institutions in ancient Malaya. Some of the leaders of contemporary Malaysia, including former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, were educated here. Anthony Burgess, author of The Malay Trilogy and Clockwork Orange, also taught here for a time. Sons of wealthy families receive a thoroughly British education at this school, which professes the precept of "a healthy mind in a healthy body". Studies in English and intensive sports are compulsory.

Filled with stalls, it really is worth moving, especially for blue or yellow rice displays.

Completed in 1879, at the same time as Fort Margherita, the Tour Carrée was originally a prison. Executions of those condemned to death were held here. The tower was transformed into a fort, and in the absence of vindictive enemies, it became a ballroom for Sarawak army officers. Today, the building facing the Sarawak River and the regional parliament is a restaurant, Le Magenta. Next door, you'll discover where the Rajahs disembarked when they crossed the river on their way from the palace to the court of justice.

This superb complex of colonial-style buildings was initiated by Charles Brooke in 1868. He wanted to provide better conditions for the members of his central administration. The building was in operation for over a century, from 1871 to 1973. The clock tower was added in 1883 and the memorial to Charles Brooke, which stands in front of the building's entrance, in 1924. The memorial was requested by the son of the second white Rajah, who ruled Sarawak from 1868 to 1917. Today, the complex is a tourist attraction.

This palace was built in 1933 after the royal palace was destroyed in the floods of 1926. The sultan chose a new location, a little further from the river and therefore less exposed to disasters. It faces the Istana Kenagan, which served as a temporary residence for the royal family. The immense building blends Western and Eastern influences: a rectangular floor plan and large bulbous domes. The palace was extended in 1984. More than a hectare was added to accommodate garages, a banquet hall and a new throne room.

Fort Cornwallis was built in 1786 on the very spot where Captain Francis Light, founder of the Penang colony, set foot on land. Initially built of wood, it was rebuilt in brick between 1804 and 1805. What remains is the enclosure, 3 m wide in places and around 3.50 m high, the cannons and, on the left as you enter, the cells, now renamed the Memorial Gallery. Here you can see photos, engravings and read vague historical explanations. The famous Sri Rambai cannon stands at the corner of the fort, and is easy to recognize: it's the only wheeled bronze cannon on the island. The cannon is famous in Malayan straw huts thanks to the following facts. Its builder, a Dutchman by the name of Jan Burgerhuis, arrived on the island in 1603, and offered it to the Sultan of Johor in 1606 to help him in his fight against Malacca. In 1795, the cannon passed into the hands of the Sultan of Selangor. When an English junk was attacked in the area and sunk, the English retaliated by raiding the island and seizing 29 cannons, which they loaded onto a ship named the Sri Rambai. The cannon was part of the cargo. Deemed useless as it was out of fashion, it was thrown overboard and remained at the bottom of the sea until 1800, when it was solemnly raised in the presence of the Vice-Sultan of Selangor. Since then, it is said that barren women flower it in the hope that this gift will turn the wheel of fertility. You can walk around the enclosure. The chapel in the right-hand corner is not open to visitors.