After decades of exploring their own backyard, Malaysians are increasingly in favour of previously underrated destinations. According to a survey performed by Hotels.com, interesting dining, diving and off-beaten track destinations are driving up Malaysia travellers’ interests in locations like Japan, Indonesia and Indonesia.
In the past year, the amount of Malaysians that have travelled to Japan shot up by a whopping 607%. The jury is still out on whether the increase is thanks to Sapporo’s natural wonders, strong Japanese culture, or its famous miso-based ramen noodles.
Two islands in Thailand and Indonesia, Koh Lipe and Lombok, hold the 2nd and 3rd place in the running of Top 10 most underrated destinations. Located near the Malaysian border, little Koh Lipe is less commercialised than big names like Phuket and Koh Samui. Its clear blue waters is to die for, which explains the 620% leap in search volumes over the last year.
Travellers looking for an even more unique experience may find what they yearn for in Lombok. Searches for this island have grown by 455%, and there’s no wondering why. You’d still be able to lie on gorgeous, sandy beaches, without being pestered by peddlers – it’s a different sort of beach getaway you never knew you needed.
Even if Thailand has always been an alluring option for Malaysians, it is interesting to see more remote locations gaining more recognition. Destinations like Phuket have seen a 206% increase in searches, and the searches for Busan, Korea, shot up by 148%.
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