We visited Malaysia 3 times, the last one in the late summer 1999, after 3 week in Burma/Myanmar.
We went in the north-eastern island of Redang, recently opened to the tourism. (before it was the "house" of thousands of Viet boat-people).
There was only one hotel at that time, unfortunally it wasn't a normal guesthouse with simply bungalows on the beach, but a giant Resort of a famous Malaysian Company. Obviously they built hundreds of rooms, some restaurants, 2 swimming pool and a Karaoke bar for Japanese guests!
there was also a Golf Club!
But except that Redang in the 1999 was still very beautiful with a great sea and excellent reef for diving and snorkellig.
Outside the Resort area, that covered a small part of the island there was a well preserved nature, with small streets and trails that crossed the central hills and arrived at wonderful beach...where there were...no-one!
all the tourists are on the crowded 2 beachs of the Resort!
...and 500 meters from there ther's the paradise!
I took that pic in one of that beach; we were in four: me, my girlfriend and a couple of friends, some bottle of beer, the sunset and the sound of the sea
An unknow pleasure for who rested at the Karaoke Bar, at only 500 meters from the paradise!