-
Malacca, Malaysia
For anyone looking to spend 3 weeks in Malaysia, flying into Kuala Lumpur
International Airport is the obvious first step. However, given the airport is a
distant 55 km from the centre of the Malaysian capital, you don’t necessarily
have to start your Malaysian adventure in Kuala Lumpur itself and for this
route, we’d suggest heading to nearby Malacca first and then working your way
north. Malacca is a good introduction to the cultural diversity that exists in
this country. Located in the very heart of the city, Chinatown is a good
starting point with the famous Jonker Street night market (open Friday, Saturday
& Sunday) a great place for food, shopping and evening entertainment. The city
is also home to a number of temples and quirky museums including the Malaysia
Prison Museum and the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum.
-
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is an essential stop on any Malaysia travel route and also features
in our main Southeast Asia itinerary. One of the largest and fastest growing
cities in the region, Kuala Lumpur isn’t quite as wild as Bangkok, but it has a
bit more personality and character than Singapore which some visitors find quite
sterile. The city’s most recognisable landmark, the twin Petronas Towers point
to its serious business side, but away from the financial districts, KL is a
city with plenty to see and do. Highlights include the Petaling Street flea
market and the Batu Caves, said to be around 400 million years old.
- Petronas Twin Towers (PETRONAS Twin Towers)
- Petaling Street (Chinatown) (Petaling St)
-
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
At between 1100 and 1800 metres above sea level, the Cameron Highlands is a
sizable region of Malaysia that offers a pleasant escape from the heat of the
cities and other low-lying areas in a country that is situated very close to the
equator. The region is known for its rolling green hills, tea plantations,
forests and waterfalls. Locals tend to flock here at the weekends but you can
often find the many trails and routes nearly deserted during the week.
- Cameron Highlands
- Big Red Strawberry Farm
-
Penang, Malaysia
The island of Penang is situated to the northwest of the Malaysian mainland, to
which it is connected by a couple of long bridges. At its heart is George Town,
one of the main cultural centres in Malaysia that is known for its diverse and
colourful history. Today, British, Chinese, Malay and Indian influences are all
very evident. Its old town is a curious mix of colonial era buildings, Chinese
stores, curry houses and mosques. It’s a busy place with over 200,000 people
living in the city itself and more than 2 million in the wider area, but you can
get a bird’s eye view of it all by taking the tram up to Penang Hill which also
offers trails into the surrounding rainforest.
-
Langkawi, Malaysia
The second half of this Malaysia itinerary is the more relaxing section with the
archipelago of Langkawi a great place to unwind on one of its many beaches or
resorts if your budget stretches to slightly higher-end accommodation, most of
which offer pools. Consisting of 99 islands, Langkawi is a duty free area which
has massively contributed to the rise of tourism in recent decades and there are
many shopping malls where you can find bargain goods. There are also many tour
companies here offering everything from island cruises and yacht voyages to
jungle treks and mangrove tours.
-
Kota Bharu, Malaysia
It’s a long old journey from Langkawi to Kota Bharu and you’ll first need to
make your way back to the mainland with ferry services to Kuala Kedah and Kuala
Perlis. Depending on transport schedules, you may need or want to stay an extra
night somewhere en-route as Kota Bharu is located on the opposite Eastern Coast
of Malaysia (South China Sea).
-
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
The Perhentian Islands is one of Malaysia’s best beach destinations with much
clearer and nicer waters than you find in Langkawi. Their relative remoteness
and lack of an airport ensures they don’t receive huge numbers of visitors so
you will be very much rewarded for making the effort to get here with the kind
of small island paradise that is harder to find in Southeast Asia these days.
There are two main islands – Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil.
The latter is smaller and more popular with backpackers in Malaysia thanks to
its greater range of budget accommodation whereas Besar is slightly pricier and
tends to cater more to families. This is very much a seasonal destination though
with Perhentian popular between February and October but severely affected by
the monsoon season from November to January when much of the island shuts down
and the choppy seas can make swimming dangerous.
-
Kuala Tahan, Malaysia
Unless you are heading north to Thailand (see our Thai backpacking route for a
bit of inspiration), you will most likely need to head back to Kuala Lumpur for
any onward travel and Taman Negara is a worthy stop along the way. This is a
vast national park which features rainforests and some amazing canopy walkways.
From those, you can get a glimpse of the wildlife in the area which includes
everything from water buffalos, sun bears and monkeys to the distinctive Malayan
tapirs which are native to the region.