A Taste of Malaysia
Itinerary
Do you want to travel at your own pace? Then ask us about the options for driving yourself. The roads are well-developed, signage is in English and they drive on the left-hand side of the road. The car rental company we work with in Malaysia is a reliable provider with good-quality vehicles and a wide network of rental locations. And our local partners are on hand 24/7 should you need assistance.
Days 1-3 – Twin Towers & chopsticks
Kuala Lumpur is a city of exciting extremes, where space-age skyscrapers nudge up against cluttered Chinese markets and timeless Indian restaurants. It’s easy to explore Kuala Lumpur independently, watching East bump into West with your own eyes. During your stay we’ll arrange a guided walking tour in a small group to explore historic and culinary Kuala Lumpur. Your guide knows the city well and this walking tour takes you to some lesser-known areas of KL. Along the way you will also stop at small street stalls where you can try some typical Malay food.
Days 3-5 – Canopy walk and jungle boat
You’ll need to make your own way to the bus station today where you’ll board the bus to Kuala Tembeling, which takes roughly 3 to 4 hours. From here you’ll take a boat ride over to Taman Negara, which takes roughly 2 hours.
Trek through the treetops, take a boat trip past jungle-flanked riverbanks and try a wildlife-spotting night safari during this relaxed adventure through Malaysia’s most famous national park. You’ll explore the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, and make sure you keep your eyes peeled for all the wildlife. By night, you’ll stay in a wooden bungalow in the jungle.
Taman Negara National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia, but you can experience Taman Negara without the crowds. We can arrange for you to enter the park via a lesser-known route, staying overnight in a simple guesthouse. Check out our Merapoh: hidden Taman Negara trip.
Days 5-7 – Time for tea
After breakfast it’s time to bid farewell to the jungle and cross the river where you’ll find your mini-bus waiting to take you to the Cameron Highlands, which should take roughly 5.5 hours.
Amble through the rolling tea plantations of Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands, breathing in the cool air and stopping off for steaming mugs of freshly brewed tea. You’ll learn about the local art of tea production at Malaysia’s premier tea estate. En route, you’ll stop at butterfly gardens and strawberry farms, giving you a taste of highland life in Malaysia.
Days 7-9 – Bites and bikes of Penang
Next, you’ll take an early morning bus to the cultural island of Penang. Your travel time today is between 3 to 4 hours.
Penang is a patchwork of Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures, there’s something fascinating happening on every street corner. The food here is famous throughout the world, a mouth-watering hotchpotch of Asian flavours that will get your taste buds dancing. During this trip you’ll take a bike ride around the UNESCO World Heritage site of Georgetown, the cultural heart of Penang and sample some tasty traditional cuisine.
Days 9-12 – Lazing around on Langkawi
Next, you’ll be collected from your hotel in Penang for the 2 hour journey north to Kuala Kedah. Here, you board the ferry to Langkawi, a journey of about 1 hour.
A cocktail of coconut palms, calm turquoise waters and soft white sand, Langkawi is a classic tropical paradise. It’s somewhere to stretch out in the sunshine, snorkel through coral reefs and sip coconut juice. While the secret about Langkawi is definitely out, the island has managed to keep plenty of colourful local character. Take the cable car up to the top of Gunung Machincang, search for hidden waterfalls or explore the traditional kampungs.
Today your holiday to Malaysia comes to an end. We’ll arrange for a driver to pick you up at your hotel and take you to Langkawi Airport for your onwards flight to Kuala Lumpur. Your short domestic flight will take approximately an hour and will normally be included as part of your international flight home to the UK.
Accommodation
