As Malaysians, we have long shown our love and appreciation for many of the popular holiday destinations in our country. We also come to appreciate them even more when introducing them to tourists or when foreigners compare them to other countries.
Over the years, numerous content creators have made comparisons between Malaysia and other nations in terms of food, shopping centres, and lifestyle. This TikTok post recently went viral after a traveller claimed that one of Malaysia’s islands is far better than the ever-popular Maldives. Here’s what he said:
Russian content creator Dr Ekaterina Rashidin, who runs the Go Malaysia TikTok channel, posted a video of her interviewing her Scottish friend Lewis, who was visiting Malaysia. She asked him for his opinions on the islands he and his family had visited during their travels around the world, to which he replied, “My parents have been to the Maldives, and they said that [Pulau] Tioman is better.”
The tourist added that he fully recommends Pulau Tioman, located in Pahang, to anyone who is a fan of exploring islands, before listing his top three in Malaysia: the Perhentian Islands, Pulau Redang, and Pulau Tioman. “[Tioman] is fantastic. It’s so beautiful. It’s probably one of the most beautiful islands I’ve been to, and I’ve been everywhere,” he said.
The TikTok post garnered more than 219k views and attracted the attention of many Malaysians, most of whom agreed with Lewis’ views on Tioman. Some listed their favourite things about Tioman, as well as the fun activities they had tried there, while others recommended other popular islands in Malaysia for him and Dr Ekaterina to visit on their next holiday.
Here’s a fun fact for you: according to her official website, Dr Ekaterina moved to Malaysia in 2023 and was determined to put the country on the global media map. This is why she started her Go Malaysia TikTok channel. She has visited numerous places around the country, interviewing countless foreigners and even locals about their travels and what they love about Malaysia.
Check out her recent viral clip below:
@gomalaysia Do you agree with my friend Lewis from Scotland? #ExpatLife #Malaysia #Dilanda #Tioman #Maldives #Perhentian #VisitMalaysia #TropicalParadise #IslandLife #SoutheastAsia #BeachVacation #DivingSpots #Snorkeling #IslandHopping #MalaysianIslands #TravelMalaysia #NatureRetreats #ExoticDestinations #EcoTourism #backpackingmalaysia
Sources: TikTok, GoMalaysia
