Home to the world’s largest flower, the largest cave chamber in the world, and one of the highest towers in the world, there are many big reasons to visit Malaysia.
There’s an equally persuasive small one too – the low flight prices available since budget long-haul carrier Air Asia X started its daily Stansted-Kuala Lumpur service last July.
Nestled between Thailand and Singapore, the country has a long history of colonial rule from the Dutch and the British. These, combined with extensive immigration from China and Arab traders, have all helped to shape the Malaysia we see today.
The UK is the leading European destination to Malaysia and, according to the country’s tourism office, some 435,091 of us visited the country last year, a 17.4% increase on the previous year.
Kuala Lumpur
The capital is a thriving metropolis, great for shopping and eating. The city boasts an impressive modern skyline, including the sweeping Petronas Towers, but its past is equally evident in places such as the colonial Merdeka Square and vibrant Chinatown, home to the bustling Petaling Street market. Bukit Bintang is the main shopping hub, home to 30,000 shops.
The country is predominantly Muslim and it’s possible to visit the historic Masjid Jamek mosque. Also stunning are the Thean Hou Buddhist Temple, all golden-roofed pagodas and bright paintings, and the Batu Caves. These vast limestone caverns are about half an hour’s drive from the city centre, and the largest has been made into a Hindu temple. The 272 steps up to it are quite a climb, but worth it.
Langkawi
The island of Langkawi, off the northwest coast of Malaysia, is one of the country’s biggest draws, with a rash of five-star luxury resorts such as the Tanjung Rhu Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi. There’s a wide range of four-star options too, such as the Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa and the Berjaya Langkawi Resort.
Visitors can explore the jungle-covered interior and mountains, dive and snorkel in the sea, or just kick back on the beach or in a spa. The island twins well with Singapore, which can be booked this though operators such as Qantas Holidays.
For more adventurous clients, suggest a four-hour tour with Langkawi Canopy Adventures. A cheap ferry service links the island with Penang and Satun in Thailand and Medan in Indonesia.
Malacca
This rich heritage of this west coast port town, a former stronghold of the Portuguese and Dutch, is played out in its architecture, from the distinctive old red Dutch-style buildings to the shabby chic of its Chinatown.
Clients can relax in one of the nearby resorts such as Pulau Besar or Tanjung Bidara, or head to Ayer Keroh, which has attractions including golf courses and theme parks.
The Eastern & Oriental Express
Clients will love watching the country unfurl past the window of their luxurious train carriage.
The Eastern & Oriental Express winds its way up from Singapore to Thailand and offers a range of itineraries of varying lengths and costs and private tours to local places of interest, not to mention a taste of old-school pampering and attentive service from a bygone age. It’s a popular choice for couples and honeymooners.
The Cameron Highlands
Active customers will enjoy the lush green Cameron Highlands where they can hike and spot local wildlife on a wide range of guided tours. Luxury accommodation options include the 56-bedroom colonial-style Cameron Highlands Resort.
Alternatively, send clients to the country’s largest national park, Taman Negara, which is teeming with flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes.
Penang
Penang’s main centre, Georgetown, is served by a ferry from the mainland. The food is fantastic: visitors who work up an appetite walking around the bustling streets and checking out the beautiful colonial buildings are spoilt for choice with a vast array of market stalls and restaurants serving up tasty Chinese, Indian and Malay food.
Away from Georgetown, popular activities include a trip on the funicular railway or local temples such as the one at Kek Lok Si, with its Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
High-end accommodation is thin on the ground in Georgetown, but a choice of four and five-star options are clustered around the resort of Batu Ferringhi. For something new, suggest the Hard Rock Hotel Penang, which opened in September.
Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo)
A short flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Borneo is home to orangutans, pigmy elephants, birds and monkeys. The sanctuaries at Semenggok and Sepilok are very popular and jungle resorts and lodges offer a chance to get back to nature with varying degrees of pampering.
Visitors can cruise down the Rajang River and get a glimpse of local cultures such as the Iban, even overnighting in a traditional longhouse. Those up for a challenge can climb the 4,100-metre-high Mount Kinabalu.
Recent openings include the Kudat Riviera, an ‘eco-luxury’ resort in Sabah. The villas are located on a stretch of pristine, coral-fringed coastline nearly four miles long.
East Coast
More conservative than the west coast, the east coast is less visited but boasts some great places to see and stay, such as Cherating, which is home to some lovely beaches and staying options such as the Club Med Cherating Beach.
Offshore, Tioman Island is a nice place to unwind. For those who make it off the beach, activities include snorkelling, diving and boat trips, wildlife tours and jungle treks.
Sample product
Kuoni offers a 12-night Borneo Adventure escorted tour from £1,599 per person. The tour includes three nights at the Traders Hotel Singapore and, in Borneo, a night each at the Hilton Kuching and Hilton Batang Ai Lemanak River, two nights at the Damai Beach Hotel Damai, three nights at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Kota Kinabalu beach and two nights at the Dorsett Regency Kuala Lumpur. Price includes flights with Malaysian Airlines from Heathrow, in-resort transfers and sightseeing. agents.kuoni.co.uk01306 747008
