Southeast Asia

Malaysia

Street-food steam in Penang, tea-covered hills and the ancient rainforests of Borneo — one country, two very different shores.

Photo: Ong Cheng Zheng / Unsplash

Malaysia is best understood through taste. In Penang a morning might begin with a fragrant bowl of assam laksa, lunch might be in Malacca, where Peranakan (Nyonya) cooking braids Chinese and Malay traditions together, and the evening in a Kuala Lumpur hawker centre, where office workers and whole families share plastic tables.

In the middle of the peninsula, the mountains rise into the cool Cameron Highlands, their slopes patterned with tea bushes, while to the east lies Taman Negara, one of the oldest rainforests on earth, explored by long river boats. The east coast has the Perhentian and Tioman islands, the west has Langkawi.

For many travellers, though, the strongest pull is Borneo. This vast island is shared by three countries: Malaysia's Sabah and Sarawak in the north, Indonesia's Kalimantan in the south and, between them, the small nation of Brunei. In the Malaysian part stand Mount Kinabalu, the Kinabatangan River winding past mangroves and forest, and in Sarawak, Kuching, the coast of Bako and the caves of Mulu.

Why go

01
George Town and Malacca
In George Town, on Penang, you'll find streets of shophouses, clan houses, stilted jetty villages and hawker stalls worth staying several days for. In Malacca, the old trading port, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and Malay heritage meet.
02
The Cameron Highlands
A hill station founded in colonial times, cool even when the lowlands are humid and hot. Mornings on tea estates, walks through mossy cloud forest and evenings with a pot of tea make a good pause between cities and jungle.
03
Taman Negara
The peninsula's ancient rainforest, explored by river boat and on foot. A canopy walkway, guided night walks and the sound of the river as you fall asleep — wildlife appears here unexpectedly, and on its own terms.
04
Malaysian Borneo: Sabah and Sarawak
In Sabah: Mount Kinabalu, the Kinabatangan River, whose banks are often home to proboscis monkeys and hornbills, the orangutan rehabilitation centre at Sepilok and the primary forest of the Danum Valley. In Sarawak: riverside Kuching, the coast of Bako National Park and the vast caves of Mulu.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Wildlife & nature
River outings on the Kinabatangan at dawn and dusk, guided walks in the Danum Valley and along the Bako coast — always at a respectful distance and with no promises about what you'll see.
Culture & discovery
The heritage streets of Penang and Malacca, with temples, mosques and clan houses side by side, and in Sarawak, longhouses and the traditions of Borneo's peoples.
Adventure & active travel
A guided climb of Kinabalu with a night on the mountain, the caves and canopy walks of Mulu, jungle treks in Taman Negara. At altitude, a steady pace and time to acclimatise matter.
Family journeys
Orangutans at Sepilok, snorkelling off the islands, river boats and street food children taste with curiosity — Malaysia is an easy country for families.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Lodges on the edge of the rainforest, restored shophouses in George Town and calm island hotels to rest in after active days.
Tailor-made journeys
Domestic flights between the peninsula and Borneo, transfers and boats arranged so that each part of the journey has enough time.

Malaysia

Journey inspiration

Illustrative ideas for how a tailor-made journey could look. Not bookable packages: no prices, dates or inclusions are implied.

0110–14 days
Flavours and highlands of the peninsula
Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, the Cameron Highlands and Penang, finishing with a few quiet days on Langkawi or an east-coast island.
Culture & discovery · Tailor-made journeys
Plan something like this
0211–15 days
Borneo: rivers, forests and a mountain
Kota Kinabalu and Kinabalu Park, Sepilok, a few nights on the Kinabatangan and the Danum Valley, then Kuching and Bako in Sarawak.
Wildlife & nature · Adventure & active travel
Plan something like this
0312–16 days
Malaysia as a family
Penang's streets and beaches, Sabah's orangutans and river boats, then an island with snorkelling straight from the shore.
Family journeys · Wildlife & nature
Plan something like this

Planning your journey

When to go

Malaysia is warm and humid all year, and the rains depend on which coast you're on. On the peninsula's west side (Penang, Langkawi) the drier months are generally from around December to March. On the east coast the monsoon runs from about November to March, when many islands largely close. Borneo's weather is changeable, though it is often drier from roughly March to October. Conditions vary year to year.

How long to allow

Allow 10–12 days for the peninsula and at least a week for Borneo. To combine both comfortably, plan on 16–21 days.

Natural combinations

Malaysia combines naturally with Indonesia (including Kalimantan, its part of Borneo), Thailand or the Philippines, and Kuala Lumpur makes an easy hub for the wider region.

Areas to explore

Kuala Lumpur and Malacca
The capital's neighbourhoods and hawker food, and the old trading port with its Peranakan cooking.
Penang
George Town's heritage, street food and beaches in the island's north.
The Cameron Highlands and Taman Negara
Cool tea country and ancient rainforest in the heart of the peninsula.
The islands
Langkawi in the west, the Perhentians and Tioman on the east coast.
Sabah and Sarawak
Malaysian Borneo: Kinabalu, rivers, primary forest, Kuching and Mulu.

General guidance only. Weather, seasons and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Sample journey