Undiscovered destinations in Malaysia

Pristine beaches, bustling cities, animated local markets, lush green rainforests are well-documented icons of Malaysian tourism. However, this vibrant, multicultural country also hosts many stunning, hitherto ‘unknown’ destinations which can be truly described as ‘off the beaten’ path.  Listed below are some of these destinations which have for now been spared the tourist hordes.
Perhentian Islands
Located off the coast of the Malaysian state of Terrenganu, north of the beach paradise of Pulau Redang is a small cluster of relatively untouched islands, known as the Perhentian islands. Perhentian Besar( Big Perhentian) and Perhentian Kecil(Small Perhentian) offer miles of virgin, white-sand beachfront which are dotted with a few beach shacks, bars and cafes, but none of the commercial tourism found on many other Malaysian beaches. The islands are part of a conserved area, so activities like fishing or collecting coral is prohibited. The Perhentian Islands abound with gorgeous diving and snorkeling spots and are a well-kept secret among the scuba diving community.
Gemia Island
Gemia Island is yet another idyllic island paradise which is situated off the coast of Terrenganu close to the better-known islands  of Pulau Kapas and  Pulau Redang. This tranquil, island paradise extends over only nine acres and is a nesting site for much native Malaysian fauna like the giant Leatherback turtles, sea eagles and reef herons. The island has a rugged, rocky terrain bordered by a white sand beach and hosts only one resort- the Gemia Island Resort and Spa.  Gemia Island can be reached via a 15 minute boat ride from the Marang Jetty, located at distance of 25 km from the town of Kuala Terengganu.
Belum-Temengor Rainforest
Much of Peninsular Malaysia is covered with lush rainforests. One such verdant enclave is the Belum-Temengor rainforest which is the largest continuous rainforest enclave in Malaysia. It is estimated that the Belum-Temengor rainforest has been in existence for over 130 million years, and  it is thus considered to be one of the oldest rainforest enclaves in the world. The bulk of this 300,000 hectare rainforest is located within the state of Perak but forest spills over into the neighboring state of Kelantan as well. This relatively virgin rainforest is home to numerous species of indigenous Malaysian flora and fauna, including the largest number of Malayan tigers.  Part of the rainforest is designated as the Royal Belum State Park and this verdant territory also hosts the Belum rainforest reserve which serves as an excellent base for rainforest explorations.