Travelers riding the "going green" wave ought to look toward Malaysia, which is steadily climbing to be a leading ecotourism haven.
The country is one of the 12 mega-biologically diverse countries in the world, home to over 15,000 species of flowering plants, 286 species of mammals, 150,000 species of invertebrates and 4,000 species of fish. The tropical rainforests of Malaysia span over 60 percent of the country, as well, and the ocean and seas surrounding the country shelter various marine life such as giant turtles that have migrated from across the world.
Several of Malaysia's national parks, such as the Gunung Mulu National Park and the Kinabalu Park, are named as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Similarly, Langkawi Island has been recognized by UNESCO as a geopark.
With global ecotourism expected to rise 4.17 percent annually until 2017, the Malaysian Government has recognized the importance of Malaysia's green aspect to tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has adopted a National Ecotourism Plan to provide policies and guidelines for the conscientious development of ecotourism.
Visit www.tourism.gov.my.
