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THE COMPASS

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From lush rainforests teeming with amazing biodiversity to its dazzling skyscrapers in multicultural Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is one of the most fascinating and colorful destinations in Southeast Asia. This week we climb the world's tallest known tropical tree, see why the smelliest fruit might not exist without this giant bat, and discover how a chance encounter sparked a journey into the country's most colorful state.
Let's explore Malaysia.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

A team of scientists climbs one of the potential candidates for the world's tallest tree in Borneo in Malaysia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY UNDING JAMI

The world's tallest known tropical tree has been found—and climbed

A giant tree more than 330 feet tall was identified in Borneo from the air, and then climbed with a tape measure, at considerable risk.

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A young Bajau man named Dido fishes for coral fish and shells off Mantabuan Island.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

'Sea nomads' are first known humans genetically adapted to diving

For hundreds of years, the Bajau have lived at sea, and natural selection may have made them genetically stronger divers.

A man looks for plastic to recycle at a garbage site in Malaysia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MOHD SAMSUL MOHD SAID, GETTY

China's ban on trash imports shifts waste crisis to Southeast Asia

As plastic scrap piles up, Malaysia and others fight back.

ANIMALS

The island flying fox isn't hurting durian trees, researchers recently found. It's helping them.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO ARK

World's smelliest fruit might not exist without this giant bat

Camera traps confirm flying foxes in Southeast Asia pollinate economically valuable durian fruit trees.

WATCH 'MONSTER' ANTS ATTACK PREY FASTER THAN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

VIDEO BY ANDREW SUAREZ AND FRED LARABEE

Watch 'monster' ants attack faster than the blink of an eye

A closer look at two species of rarely seen ants in tropical Malaysia has revealed their surprising anatomy.

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At dusk, a swarm of bats disperses to hunt in the rainforest surrounding Deer Cave. One of the planet’s largest underground passages, it holds more than two million bats.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CARSTEN PETER

Step inside this massive cave labyrinth hidden under Borneo

Beneath the island’s rainforest, explorers search for new discoveries deep within some of the Earth’s largest, longest, and wildest caves.

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TRAVEL

DREAM NOW, GO LATER

Kuala Lumpur is well known as a melting pot of Southeast Asia where many different races and cultures make the city of Kuala Lumpur a vibrant place to visit.

PHOTOGRAPH BY AFRIANDI, GETTY IMAGE

Kuala Lumpur travel guide

Kuala Lumpur is well known as a melting pot of Southeast Asia where many different races and cultures make the city a vibrant place to visit.

RELATED: DISCOVER THE BEST OF KUALA LUMPUR +

Traditional Chinese steamed buns are for sale at a street stall in Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ELENA ERMAKOVA, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Savor the diverse flavors of Malaysia

From street stalls to smart restaurants, Malaysia provides a rich and colorful culinary experience.

Mangroves fringe the tip of Peninsular Malaysia, in Johor, the southernmost reach of mainland Asia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN GUARIGLIA

Johor: Jewel of Malaysia

A chance encounter on a train sparks a journey into Malaysia's most colorful state.

WHERE WILL WE JOURNEY TO NEXT?

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