Events

Drum festival. © Richard I'Anson. Lonely Planet Images

With so many cultures and religions in Malaysia, there is almost always something going on. Visitors from Western countries will need to check the local lunar calendar for the exact dates of most events. New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Worker's Day (May Day) and National Day (31 August) are just a few of Malaysia's mind-boggling 44 public holidays. The festival of Ramadan is the major Islamic event of the year.

The Hindu festival Thaipusam--now banned in India--is celebrated in the most dramatic way in Kuala Lumpur with devotees attaching heavy metal frames to their bodies using skewers and hooks. The celebrations center on the Bata Caves.