Sharon Gourlay

Sharon Gourlay

Founder of Dive Into Malaysia

Expertise Malaysia travel, travel planning, travel booking

Education Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from Griffith University, Certificate III in International Travel Sales from AFTA Education and Training, Graduate Diploma of Education from Monash University

linkedin

Highlights:

  • Featured in many publications including USA Today, Qantas, Families Magazine Australia, Daily Mail and more
  • Speaker at numerous travel blogging conferences including Travel Blog Exchange (Tbex), Travel Blogging Summit and Travel Massive and is well known in the travel blogging community
  • Holds a BA in Asian studies including the Malay language, teaching and travel agent qualifications

Experience:

Sharon first fell in love with Malaysia in 2004 when she travelled up the west coast, eating everything available. This was further affirmed in 2015 when Sharon and her family, including two young kids, moved to Penang for a year. She doesn’t think anywhere could be better to live.

Sharon has travelled to 98 countries and spent many years of her life exploring the globe. This has lead to many skills from quickly working out the best way to travel from A to B to finding the best hotel. These days she primarily travels with her 3 children currently aged from 7 – 13 years old so she also has many family travel kid wrangling skills!

Sharon completed an arts degree majoring in Asian Studies at Griffith University. This included studying the Malay language and she loves learning more about the history and culture in this part of the world.

Her favourite part of Malaysia is Penang, closely followed by East Malaysia or Borneo as it’s often called.

When not writing for this site, Sharon is out exploring the world and everything Malaysia.

Education:

Sharon’s educational background enables her to share and teach you how to plan your own trip to Malaysia as easily as possible. Her travel qualification enables her to work as a qualified travel agent and has meant she has learned many tips and tricks for booking travel. Her teaching qualification helps her explain it all to you here.

Her humanities degree has helped her love of everything history, language and culture and grown her appreciation for this part of the world.

You can read more about Sharon and her family here.

Sharon’s Guides To Malaysia

Lake Gardens Taiping

17 Fun Things To Do In Taiping, Perak

Going on a Taiping trip and want to know exactly what to do in Taiping, Malaysia? We have you covered!…

View of Lake Gardens and Taiping from Novotel Taiping hotel room

Top 12 Best Hotels In Taiping, Malaysia

Heading to Taiping? Lucky you! It’s a beautiful part of the world. The next step after deciding to go is…

Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark best attraction Giant Wet Bubble

Worth It? Inside Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark Review🏊‍♂️

Want to have lots of wet fun? Visiting Orangutan Island and wondering if it’s worth stopping here too? In this…

Seats nside an ETS train between KL and Padang Besar

EXACTLY How To Go From KL To Taiping [2024]

Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s capital and is a city that you shouldn’t miss when you’re travelling in Southeast Asia. The…

Taiping train station

EXACTLY How To Go From Ipoh To Taiping [2024]

If you want to explore more of Malaysia, head over to the charming town of Ipoh. Found in between Kuala…

Tanjung Rhu Resort beach

Tanjung Rhu Resort Review: This Insta-Worthy Resort Revealed🤩

Looking for a gorgeous 5 star resort in Langkawi? Where you can soak up nature and relax in beautiful surroundings?…

Berjaya Langkawi

Berjaya Resort Langkawi Review: Incredible Location & More🏝️

Langkawi is a gorgeous tropical island, perfect for vacations enjoying nature and relaxing. But, there is one thing that can…

The pool area at The Andaman Langkawi

Top 13 Best Resorts in Langkawi [2024]

When you picture Malaysia, there is a great chance that you are picturing Langkawi. If beautiful tropical beaches are your…

Ferry from Kuala Kedah in Langkawi Island, Langkawi Ferry

EXACTLY How To Get To Langkawi: Quickly, Cheaply And Easily [2024]

Planning a Langkawi vacation? Fantastic! This is a great part of the world. Langkawi is made up of 99 islands…

Our ferry from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi

EXACTLY How To Get From Penang To Langkawi✅[2024]

If you are like many travellers and trying to work out whether to visit Penang or Langkawi, deciding to go…

Tea Plantation, Cameron Highlands

Exactly Where To Stay In Cameron Highlands [2024]

Heading to Cameron Highlands? Lucky you! It’s a great part of the world and a different part of Malaysia that…

Penang Hill views

Penang Hill: Full Guide To What To Do On Penang Hill [2024]

After exploring the streets of George Town, I’d say the next must-visit attraction in Penang is Penang Hill. It’s full…

Malaysia tourist sim card

How To Buy The Best Malaysia Tourist Sim Card📞[2024]

After a year living in Malaysia and multiple trips a year here, I feel that I know all about buying…

Kuala Lumpur at night

Exactly Where To Stay In Kuala Lumpur [2024]

Travelling to Kuala Lumpur (or KL) and wondering exactly where to stay in Kuala Lumpur? It’s a big city so…

Driving in Malaysia KL parking

Driving In Malaysia [2024]🚗: Everything You Need To Know

If there is something that always makes me nervous – it’s driving in a foreign country. However, when we moved…

top 5 hotels in Penang near street art

What To Do In Penang In 3 Days [Penang Itinerary] 2024

Heading to Penang? Great choice! It’s our favourite part of Malaysia and somewhere we used to call home. It’s home…

Batu Caves Looking back towards KL

Top Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur In 3 Days [Kuala Lumpur Itinerary 3 Days] 2024

Heading to Kuala Lumpur and wondering how many days in Kuala Lumpur is enough? Are 3 days in Kuala Lumpur…

Taman Negara Canopy Walk

Taman Negara Canopy Walk: Everything You Need To Know [2024]

Heading to Taman Negara? Fantastic choice. It’s great to see Malaysia’s ancient jungle interior. At 130 million years old, it’s…

17 Top Things To Do In Taman Negara, Pahang [2024]

17 Top Things To Do In Taman Negara, Pahang [2024]

Going on a Taman Negara trip and want to know all the best things to do in Taman Negara, Pahang?…

Jerantut Bus Station

EXACTLY How To Go To Taman Negara From KL [2024]

Want to visit Malaysia’s jungle interior and wondering how to go to Taman Negara from KL? We can help! While…

Central Market Kota Bharu

Top 13 Things To Do In Kota Bharu [2024]

Kota Bharu, Malaysia’s northernmost major city in the state of Kelantan, can often just be a blip on traveller’s radars…

Johor Bahru From Singapore

22 Top Things To Do In Johor Bahru✅[2024]

Going on a Johor Bahru trip and want to know all the best things to do in Johor Bahru? We…

Singapore to Desaru jetty

EXACTLY How To Go From Singapore To Desaru Coast: By Ferry, Bus And More! [2024]

Looking for a fun day trip or longer stay by nice beaches close to Singapore or Johor Bahru? The Desaru…

Sungai Lebam River Cruise views during the day desaru

EXACTLY How To Go From Johor Bahru To Desaru [2024]

Want to visit the beaches of Desaru and wondering how to go from Johor Bahru To Desaru? We can help!…