Collecting a country, one stamp at a time — Norhafiza Roslan

SEPTEMBER 27 — Living and working in China as a Malaysian educator has been an amazing experience for me. 

Teaching has always been my number one passion, and I love my job every single day. But while I am here, I also fell deeply in love with a wonderful hobby, collecting souvenir stamps. 

China has made me fall in love with stamp collecting because you can find them everywhere you go, and the designs are so detailed, artistic, and colourful. 

Throughout my one year here, I have collected five full stamp books from different cities across China, and they are now my most prized possessions.

Before I moved to China, I already knew a little bit about stamp hunting because I used to do it back home in Malaysia. 

China has made me fall in love with stamp collecting because you can find them everywhere you go, and the designs are so detailed, artistic, and colourful. — Picture courtesy of Norhafiza Roslan

However, in Malaysia, collecting stamps usually only happens at a few specific spots, like heritage walks in Penang, certain transit hubs, local creative bookstores, or during short-term pop-up events. 

Once you leave those specific areas or when the event ends, the stamping stops. 

But here in China, stamping is everywhere you go. It is a huge trend, and it feels like a normal part of daily life.

Every single time I leave my apartment to explore, my stamp book is the very first thing I put in my bag. 

Leaving home without it feels like leaving my phone or wallet behind, because I know I will probably find a stamping spot somewhere. 

You can get stamps almost everywhere. Even at the university where I work, there are special university stamps to collect. 

When I visit ancient cities, public libraries, local parks, or museums, there is always a dedicated table or counter for visitors to stamp their notebooks.

What surprised me the most is that you can even find these stamping spots in the most remote or high-altitude places. 

When I travelled to Tianmen Mountain and went up to the very top, there was a stamping station waiting for me. When I visited the famous Avatar mountains in Zhangjiajie, I also found beautiful stamps right there in the mountains. No matter how high or far I travel, the stamps are always there.

So far, I have filled up five complete stamp books. Whenever I go out to see new places, bringing my stamp book is an absolute must. 

When my teaching time here ends and I finally return to Malaysia for good, these five books will be the best memories I take back with me. 

They are much more meaningful to me than buying normal plastic souvenirs or keychains from tourist shops.

Lately, as we celebrate the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign, I keep thinking about how stamping could be one of the most exciting tourism attractions to showcase the unique beauty of our home country. 

We are starting to see early hints of this trend back home, like stamp rallies in Penang or Melaka’s heritage trails. But I truly hope to see Malaysia take this experience to a whole new level.

No matter how high or far I travel, the stamps are always there. — Picture courtesy of Norhafiza Roslan

Stamping is a powerful way to promote tourism because it turns travel into a fun, interactive treasure hunt across the country. Imagine if every state created its own unique souvenir stamps to highlight its iconic landmarks and hidden gems. 

Travellers in Sabah and Sarawak can collect a majestic Mount Kinabalu peak seal, an Orang Utan sanctuary stamp in Sepilok, or a Hornbill heritage seal in Kuching. 

Beach lovers exploring our islands could stamp a sea turtle seal on Redang Island, a colourful coral reef design on Pulau Tioman, or a geopark eagle stamp in Langkawi. 

Meanwhile, culture and food enthusiasts could gather a Nyonya heritage house seal along Penang’s street art trails, a historical fort stamp in Melaka, or a vibrant street food stamp along Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur.

By placing dedicated stamping booths at major airports, train stations, national parks, and heritage landmarks across Malaysia, both local travellers and foreign tourists would be motivated to visit more places just to complete their stamp collection. 

It encourages tourists to slow down, explore hidden gems, and appreciate local culture in a deeper way.

Teaching brought me to China, but collecting these stamps taught me how a simple piece of ink on paper can capture the heart and soul of a country. 

As Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 invites the world to experience our wonderful nation, expanding this stamping culture would give every visitor an artistic, deeply personal souvenir of Malaysia that they will treasure for a lifetime.

* Norhafiza Roslan is a Foundation Lecturer at Pusat Asasi Sains Universiti Malaya, and can be reached at [email protected]

* This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.