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Malaysia – The Ultimate 7 Day Travel Itinerary + Guide

The 7 Day Malaysia Travel Itinerary

Surrounded by beautiful beaches, lush greenery, high-towering skyscrapers and bustling metropolitan life, Malaysia is a wonderful multicultural paradise for all kind of travellers. Although many travellers treat Malaysia (and Singapore) as hop-over or pass-through countries for their south-east travel, Malaysia actually has a lot more to offer. Here’s our guide to planning your 7 days trip to Malaysia, including the Best Tours in Malaysia , so as to experience the best of everything! 

There actually are two different regions in Malaysia – Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo including Sabah ). In this travel itinerary, we have covered Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands and Langkawi. The best time to visit Malaysia is between March to October. Since Malaysia is a tropical country, the temperature and humidity are high all year round. 

Reaching Malaysia is very easy too. There are direct flights to Kuala Lumpur from all major international airport around the globe and the flight-frequency is particularly high if you are travelling from an Asian country. Malaysia also has relative easy rules for travel-visa. A vast majority of the country can avail visa-on-arrival and for others, travel visa to Malaysia can be obtained online, without any hassle.

PS – Natvisa.com is a popular service that provides superb visa processing services.

Another step that has been taken in Malaysia towards the digital future is introduction of eSIM. eSIM is an embedded SIM that is built directly into electronic devices rather than using a physical SIM card allowing users to activate and switch mobile plans directly from their devices instead of having to insert or replace a physical SIM card. It makes life a lot more easy for travellers travelling to Malaysia. At the moment, Malaysia eSIM is using the network of top operators like Celcom, Digi and Maxis, offering eSIM service for iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices, giving customers the flexibility and convenience of having multiple data connections activated on a single device.

Now, let’s dive into our Malaysia travel itinerary and find out the best way to explore this beautiful destination in 7 days.

PS – Useful Travel Resources to use while heading to Malaysia to tick off this 7 Day Malaysia Travel Itinerary –

• Book your Rental Car in Malaysia on Discover Cars and RentalCars.com
• Book the best Malaysia Tours at GetYourGuide or Viator or Klook
• Book your Accommodation in Malaysia on Agoda or Booking.com
• Book your train/bus travel tickets in Malaysia on 12Go.Asia
• Get the best flight deals on Kiwi.com
• Get an eSIM by Airalo to stay connected and Save on Roaming Fees
• Sign up for a Priority Pass before flying to Malaysia, and get access to premium Airport Lounges.
• Sign up for a Travel Insurance to enjoy a hassle free vacation in Malaysia.

Best Hotels in Kuala Lumpur

Day 2 – kl tower | bukit bintang | jalan alor food street, day 3 – putrajaya | kl china town | kl bird park, best hotels in cameron highlands, best hotels in ipoh, best hotels in langkawi, share this:, day 1 – kuala lumpur.

Just like most other Malaysian trips, ours too started from the capital city Kuala Lumpur, which is one of the Best Places to Visit in Malaysia . This skyscraper-filled metropolitan is not just about the Twin Towers. KL has many more amazing places and offers a plethora of pleasing experiences.

We started our first day by are heading straight to Batu Caves temple by cab. Although KL public transport is fantastic, a taxi or ‘grab’ makes life easier (trains are available and it takes 30 mins from KL Sentral). Batu Caves temple bears a gigantic golden statue of Murugan Swami at the gate. Also, these 140 feet (42.67m) tall statue is adorned with 270+ steps, which leads to the cave’s entrance. Be careful of the cheeky monkeys around you and it actually better not to feed them. 

There is no entry fee and you are free to explore the depths of this cave, as is an internal structure is comfortable, and shrines are lined up with rocky walls. 

Pro tip – Try to visit Batu caves early in the morning so as to get a free-from-crowd and Instagram-worthy photo of the colourful stairway!

Another advantage of starting the day early is you can also visit the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Center , only 90 km from Batu caves. Kuala Gandah is a tranquil Elephant sanctuary that allows visitors to come into close contact with one of the world’s most majestic creatures. You can see the Elephants taking bath in the wild and also feed them with your own hands. 

Also, the road trip from Batu caves to the Elephant sanctuary is full of lush greenery, postcard-perfect landscape with village homes and locals selling fruits by the highway. 

After a pleasant time at Batu Caves and Kuala Gandah, we returned back to KL city, because how can Day-1 be over without the icon of Malaysia. In the evening, it was time for the capital city’s most famous attraction – the iconic Petronas Towers !

These silver skyscrapers are 88 – storey tall and connected with a Skybridge on 41st and 42nd Floors, the observation deck is on the 86th floor. Since we had already bought the “skip the queue” tickets in advance (highly advisable), we didn’t have to wait long.

Pro-tip: Try to time your observation deck visit just before sunset, so that you can get the ‘light-view’ and ‘night-view’ both!

On the base of this stunning commercial place, there is a Suria KLCC, and Petronas Philharmonic Concert Hall. Also, don’t miss the musical fountain (once every 30mins) right in front of KLCC’s main entrance. 

Dinner near Petronas Tower can be checked out at best-rated KL restaurants at Petronas towers. The popular one’s Little Penang Café, Lai Ho peen, Madam Kwans.  If you are small budgeter, enjoy the Food trucks present in open space. They have the best of international dishes with superb variety.  You will also find the Petrosains Museum and Kuala Lumpur Aquarium, Kids Water Park, and it’s free for all. 

PS – Grab the Klook Kuala Lumpur Pass to save up to 30% on attraction costs in Kuala Lumpur.

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur |  EQ Kuala Lumpur | The RuMa Hotel and Residences |  Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur | Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

On the 2nd day, it’s time for the KL Tower and the area surrounding it. KL Tower is another tourist attraction which specifically, is a communications tower.  This is 7th tallest freestanding tower, which has a high-speed elevator to take visitors from the base to top. The observation deck offers a 360-degree view of KL city and also has a revolving restaurant. At the base, there is an Upside-Down House, forest park, F1 experience and a mini-zoo. 

KL Forest Eco-park , a great family-friendly destination, is few meters from KL tower. There is 100-yr old Jelutong Tree standing alongside the tower which actually in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve. It is a natural rainforest, that too right in the centre of the city. Rather than taking every trail, I would recommend taking a Canopy Walk that allows you to enjoy the experience from the treetops. 

Next on our list was the Bukit Bintang district. This is the heart of KL city , where you will see malls everywhere. Here, you can shop for souvenirs, trinkets, and ever-changing fashionable clothing, electronics and accessories.  All the shelves are stuffed with international brands and knockoffs too!! This is a haven for the shopaholics!!.  Check out Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Lot 10, Sungei Wang Plaza, Starhill Gallery, Berjaya Times square. 

Towards to end of Day-2, we headed to Jalan Alor Food Street – must-visit for a complete KL experience. This street is the hub of street food in KL .  Here, you can try dimsums, grilled skewers and handcrafted famous fried-ice-creams, which are some of the Best Things to Eat in Malaysia . BBQ chicken and satay sticks are too good at Wong Ah Wah , is a famous eatery on this street.

On the third day in KL, we visited the spectacular Blue Mosque and Putrajaya – the administrative office town of Malaysia. But both these places are outside KL and if you are not keen on going out of KL, below are some of the options to visit in KL itself.

KL China town is one of the most exciting and no one is going to hassle you. Petaling Street is a well-known bargaining place with colourful markets, impressive bars around, sophisticated cocktail joints and best backpacker hotspots –The Berlin KL. Both, day as well as night walking tours are entertaining. 

Amongst the 5 most popular gardens, Asean Sculpture Garden features numerous sculptures and it is a peaceful place surrounded by botanical gardens. Butterfly Park Garden is a beautiful home to more than 5000 species of butterflies. Entrance fees are applicable.  

KL Bird Park is a world full of spectacular birds and a tropical paradise not to be missed by all. It is also the world’s largest covered bird park. 

Brickfields and Little India is also a must-visit district, which is the centre of colonial architecture, harmonious multicultural communities. Little India is an “another world” homely place for Indians, where you can browse around Indian restaurants, textile shops, dancing and singing with Indian Bollywood music. 

Pro-Tip: For hiring a cab in KL, we highly recommend that you download the Grab App . We noticed that it was more frequent and less price as compared to Uber.

Day 4 – Cameron Highlands

After completely enjoying KL, we took a bus from KL Central and headed to Cameron Highlands.

Cameron Highlands is of the most favoured places to visit in Malaysia. We started our day early at BOH plantations, for hiking among greenery and watching tea leaves picking activity is one the most favourite experiences in the entire trip. This is the largest producer of flowers and Tea in Malaysia. 

Cameron Valley Tea House 1 and 2 are beautiful locations where you can enjoy a yummy lunch, with panoramic views of the tea plantation s. We preferred Tea House 1 because it has a lovely waterfall, only a 5-10 minute walk up the hill.

Day 5 – Cameron

A beautiful way to start your 2nd day in the hill of Cameron is Time Tunnel Museum. It is the first memorabilia museum in Malaysia. Here you can check out over 4000 items on display about the way of life in Malaysia during the pre-War years, many historical photographs, and relive childhood memories. 

Cameron highlands also offer many strawberry farms and flower gardens for a leisurely evening stroll.

Additionally, Ipoh is just an hour’s drive from Cameron highlands. Ipoh is another unique place, especially for its streets filled with spectacular wall art. 

Pro Tip: When you visit Malaysia you can find exclusive discounts on your hotel bookings at Booking.com and Agoda and the best tours on Klook .

Day 6 and Day 7 – Langkawi

The last 2 days of our Malaysia trip was spent on the pristine islands of Langkawi. For us, Langkawi was love at first sight – primarily because of the view from the flight-window. Although being an archipelago of small islands, there are plenty of interesting places to visit and things to do in Langkawi .

We started our first day in Langkawi by visiting its most famous icon – the Sky Bridge and Sky Cab. Langkawi Sky Bridge is a cable-stayed 125-metre long curved walking bridge in Malaysia which is 2170 feet above sea-level. For me, the best part of the entire experience was the cable-car-ride – Sky Cab. It is by far the most exciting cable-car-ride I have ever done!

Pro-tip : If you are going during peak season, you can buy tickets in advance to avoid long queues .

After enjoying the spectacular panoramic views from the Sky Bridge, you can come down to experience many more interesting SkyGliding things at the base. Attractions like SkyRex (ride simulations), SkyDome (360 degrees 3D image projection theatre) and 3D Art Gallery will definitely fill you will excitement. 

While returning, don’t forget to visit the beautiful black-sand beach, which is only a few kilometres from Sky Bridge.

On the second day in Langkawi, take the Langkawi Mangrove tour – a speed boat ride through the Kilim Geoforest Park. The speed boat ride (usually 3 hours), which is one of the Best Tours in Malaysia , will take you through the different mangrove islands of Langkawi. A major attraction of this boat ride is watching eagles hunt for fishes – it is a sight like no other.

And, then the last afternoon and evening of your wonderful Malaysia trip can be spent at the beautiful Pantai Cenang Beach and also shopping around anywhere on Langkawi.

Pro-Tip: T he entire island of Langkawi is duty-free shopping! So, we recommend you can save all your shopping for Langkawi!

PS – Grab the Klook Langkawi Pass to save up to 30% on attraction costs in Langkawi.

In the end, we are sure that this 7-day travel itinerary for Malaysia will definitely help you to have a great vacation and you will be able to make the best of your time. Having said that, don’t forget to Pin this One Week Malaysia Travel Itinerary , for ready reference in the future.

You can also enhance your experience by taking the time to learn the basics of the language before your trip. You can take Malay lessons online, so this is something that you can do with ease and convenience – and it can help you to enjoy a more enriching experience when you visit Malaysia.

If you enjoyed reading this 7 Day Malaysia Itinerary and Travel Guide , you might want to check out some other 7 Day Travel Guides and Itineraries , for other Asian / South East Asian destinations as well.

• 7 Day Phuket Dive + Travel Itinerary
• 3 Day Chiang Mai Travel Itinerary
• Weekend in Bangkok – 3 Day Travel Itinerary
• 7 Day Japan Travel Itinerary
• The 7 Day Myanmar Road Trip Itinerary
• 7 Day Road Trip to Bhutan – The Last Shangri La
• One Week in Kerala – God’s Own Country
• The Epic 7 Day Leh Ladakh Road Trip Itinerary
• One Week in Cambodia – Travel Guide and Itinerary

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Places In Pixel is a Travel and Photography Blog run by Mainak and Siddhida , wherein the share their travel-planning ‘how-tos’ and travel-photography tips and hacks. They love a little bit of luxury-travel, but on a tight budget and hence they share the same luxury travel planning tips while maintaining a tight budget.

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Dive Into Malaysia

The Ultimate Malaysia Itinerary For The Ultimate Trip✅ 5 Days To 2 Weeks+ [2024]

Looking for the perfect Malaysia itinerary for your perfect vacation in Malaysia?

You are in the right place!

Between living in Malaysia and now travelling to Malaysia a couple of times a year, I have been to most corners of this awesome country. There are fabulous beaches, a bustling capital, an interesting history, some of the best food in world and so much more!

In fact, there are so many great options for where to travel in Malaysia that this can cause problems when it comes time to plan your Malaysia travel itinerary.

With limited time, where should you go?

I can help you answer this! Below, you will find my detailed Malaysia tour itinerary. It is perfect whether you are looking for a Malaysia 5 day itinerary, a Malaysia 7 day itinerary, a Malaysia 10 day itinerary, a 2 week Malaysia itinerary or anything in between!

This article will work whether you are looking for a backpacking Malaysia itinerary or a luxury travel itinerary – you can easily adapt it to your needs. I start by walking through a Malaysia 7 days itinerary and then give you suggestions for slightly more or less time. I then extend this into a 10 day itinerary and a 2 weeks in Malaysia itinerary before giving suggestions for longer periods.

So if you are lucky enough to have two weeks to explore Malaysia, keep reading through all the itinerary suggestions below!

If you have just 2 – 4 days in Malaysia then click here for all our 2 – 4 day Malaysia itineraries.

Travelling to Malaysia? Click here to download your free Malaysia Trip Planning checklist . We’ll help you get ready for your trip!  

Planning a trip to Malaysia? Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired!

Malaysia Trip Planner

Before I dive into my Malaysia trip itinerary, I want to point out that if you are currently planning your whole Malaysia trip and wondering about flights, how to get around, how to book accommodation, what time of year you should go, etc etc then I highly recommend you read my detailed guide here to how to plan a trip to Malaysia.

It steps you through everything else you need to think about in addition to the itinerary for Malaysia trip below. In this article here, I’m strictly talking about the best Malaysia tour plan.

If you prefer to listen than read, you can also find a great Malaysia itinerary for 1- 2 weeks in my podcast here.

You can also save a ton of time and have a great trip by letting me plan your itinerary…🥰

Let Me Plan Your Perfect Malaysia Itinerary!

Want to save time and have the best Malaysia trip ever? Let me create your itinerary for you.

I’ll use my insiders knowledge gained over years of Malaysia travel to help you craft the perfect trip.

Find out more here >

Malaysia Itinerary: 7 Days

The following 1 week Malaysia itinerary is exactly what you should do if you have that long. If you are looking for a longer or shorter itinerary, I’ll tell you what edits to make below.

A week is a great length of time to explore two of the best parts of Malaysia – the beaches and island scenery, along with the dynamic capital, Kuala Lumpur. These are the best vacation spots in Malaysia. The highlights of this Malaysia itinerary 1 week:

• Discover the best of Kuala Lumpur
• Visit the tallest twin towers in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers
• Learn the history of Malaysia
• Enjoy the best Indian, Chinese and Malay food in Kuala Lumpur
• Explore some of the most beautiful coastline in Malaysia
• Relax at the best beaches

You’ll spend three nights in Kuala Lumpur and four nights in Langkawi.

This would also work great as a Malaysia honeymoon itinerary, staying in the luxury choices noted below.

It’s also great for a family. Depending on your kids’ ages and interests, you may just want to cut down the itinerary a little and add some chill out pool or beach time to make it a bit easier.

Day 1 Kuala Lumpur

Three days in Kuala Lumpur is a great amount of time to get a good taste of this city in this Malaysia 1 week itinerary.

On arrival at the airport, book a transfer , catch a taxi or the express train into Kuala Lumpur so you aren’t wasting any time.

The itinerary below is based on my detailed 3 day itinerary for Kuala Lumpur here. Click here to get more detailed information or see an overview below. It assumes you hit the ground running and have three full days in Kuala Lumpur. If you don’t, edit out the attractions that seem least interesting to you.

• Start the day at Merdeka (independence) Square where the Malaysian flag was raised for the first time
• Take a look at the nearby Jamek Mosque
• Enjoy lunch at Brickfields, KL’s Little India. Take a stroll and soak it all in
• Visit the Skybridge at the famous Petronas Twin Towers. I recommend you buy tickets in advance
• Wander through KLCC Park
• Have sunset cocktails at SkyBar and enjoy unmatched views of Petronas
• Watch the Symphony Fountain Light Show at KLCC Park

Day 2 Explore Kuala Lumpur’s Variety

Today, you get to enjoy a great mixture of attractions which will show you why Kuala Lumpur is such a great place to visit. Starting at the famous Batu Caves, you’ll also be surrounded by rainforest, enjoy great views of KL and shop at modern shopping centres. Finish the day eating great food and hitting up the infamous drinking street.

• Start the day at the enigmatic Batu Caves. Walk to the top of the coloured stairs, check out the temples and look back over KL
• Visit the tropical rainforest in the heart of KL at KL Forest Eco Park
• Get high in KL at the KL Tower for fabulous views
• Shop in Bukit Bintang
• Eat fabulous food at Jalan Alor Food Street
• Have a drink at Changkat Bukit Bintang Street

Day 3 Kuala Lumpur’s Museums, Islam And Food

Today is a great mixture of enjoying how beautiful Kuala Lumpur can be combined with learning more about its history and Islam. Finish the day with an amazing food tour through Chinatown.

• Start the day at the beautiful KL Bird Park . Enjoy both the birds and the gardens
• Visit the impressive National Mosque
• Learn at the Islamic Arts Museum
• Discover Malaysia’s history at the National Museum
• Enjoy an amazing food tour through KL’s Chinatown. Find it here

Where To Stay In Kuala Lumpur

Here are our best options for each budget. Pick the one that corresponds to yours.

LUXURY – Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

For awesome views of the Petronas Twin Towers in a central spot with direct access to KLCC Park, you can’t go wrong at the Traders Hotel. There are a range of room types with huge windows for great views. You can also choose to stay in a room with Club Lounge access where you get special food and drinks.

There are also many other facilities including the Sky Bar which forms part of your Kuala Lumpur itinerary for excellent sunset views of the Towers. There is an indoor swimming pool, gym and day spa all for a very affordable price.

Click here for the latest prices or here to read my full review.

MID RANGE – Berjaya Times Square Hotel

The Berjaya Times Square Hotel has one of our favourite locations for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur thanks to being directly above the huge Berjaya Times Square shopping centre. This means easy access to hundreds of shops, restaurants and even a big indoor theme park.

It’s also home to one of the biggest swimming pools I have seen in a city hotel and many other facilities. Room types vary and include apartment-style rooms making this an extra good choice for families or groups. Prices are excellent and we have stayed here many times.

Click here for the latest prices or read our full review here .

BUDGET – Hotel Olympic

For bargain seekers, the Hotel Olympic is a solid choice central to many of Kuala Lumpur’s attractions. It is moments away from the new Merdeka 118 and two metro stations. It is also just a short walk from KL’s fabulous Chinatown.

Rooms are all air-conditioned (you will need it!) with private bathrooms and TVs. They also have a kettle and free wifi. Rooms range from double/twin to quad configuration. There are also suite options including a fabulous junior suite for families with a double bed and super cool bunk beds (built to look like a house) with a slide.

It’s also colourful and modern with a restaurant and convenience store on-site.

Click here for the latest prices.

If you would like something cheaper and don’t mind staying in a room without a window, also consider the Big M Hotel here . This is also conveniently located in Chinatown.

If you would like more options, read our full guide to the best accommodation in Kuala Lumpur for all budgets here.

Day 4 Fly To Langkawi

Today, you take the short flight to Langkawi leaving the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur behind. You can read more about travelling from KL to Langkawi here.

Langkawi is a beautiful tropical island off the north west coast of Malaysia near the border with Thailand. It has stunning scenery, great beaches and many fun attractions and activities. Many of Malaysia’s best resorts are located here and some time in Langkawi is the perfect accompaniment to Kuala Lumpur in a Malaysia one week itinerary.

• Take a flight to Langkawi in the morning. Find the best prices here
• On arrival in Langkawi, take a taxi to your hotel or book a transfer here to make things extra easy
• Enjoy the afternoon at your hotel or at the beach
• In the early evening, head to Pantai Cenang for sunset drinks and dinner. Yellow Cafe is a good place for sunset drinks
• If you want to party tonight, this is the area to be

Day 5 Explore Langkawi

Today, you are going to explore the island of Langkawi. Hire a car or taxi for the day and get going!

• There are many attractions in Langkawi but they can be quite spread out. I recommend you go through this list and pick out your favourite
• I particularly recommend the zipline adventure and the kayaking Mangrove tour. Ignore any cruising and the SkyCab as they are coming up next!
• In the evening, head to one of Langkawi’s night markets. They change location every night of the week. See the schedule here

Day 6  Langkawi Nature

Langkawi is famous for its gorgeous natural attractions and today you will explore them.

• In the morning, head to Langkawi SkyCab and SkyBridge for some of the most beautiful scenery in Malaysia
• In the afternoon, if you are staying at a luxurious resort, it’s time to enjoy it! Relax and enjoy what it offers. Otherwise, head to Pantai Tengah for a beautiful beach with services but without the huge crowds

Day 7 Langkawi Cruising

For your final day in your one week Malaysia itinerary, it’s time to enjoy Langkawi from the sea! This is the most beautiful and enjoyable way to explore this part of the world.

• Explore the Langkawi archipelago on a half day Langkawi Island Hopping adventure. These tours include beaches, optional snorkelling and eagle watching. Click here to book a good one now or read our full guide to Langkawi island hopping tours here
• Relax in the afternoon or go shopping at Cenang Mall and Zon Shopping Paradise in Pantai Cenang
• Finish your final day in Langkawi with a stunning sunset cruise. Click here to book now

You can read more details on all of the activities mentioned in Langkawi here.

Where To Stay In Langkawi

Luxury – the datai langkawi review.

This 5-star resort is a luxurious favourite. Not only is it located in a beautiful setting between the rainforest and a private beach, but it has all the facilities of a top resort. It’s perfect for nature lovers who want luxury.

There are three pools (one for adults, one for families and one for toddlers), water sports, a health club and many nature activities both for children and adults. There are many room types, but the downside is that it is removed from most attractions so factor in lots of taxi rides if you want to explore the island.

The Datai also has four restaurants and two shops. Rates include breakfast and minibar and the villas also have a private butler service.

Click here for the latest prices .

MID RANGE – Camar Resort

If you like being close to the action, this beachfront hotel in Pantai Tengah is close to the main area of Pantai Cenang. In addition to the beach, there is a huge pool, gym and on-site restaurant.

There is a huge range of room types including private villas and family suites. It’s very good value given the location.

BUDGET – Adya Hotel

The Adya Hotel Langkawi is a great choice for bargain hunters who love being in a central spot (it’s located in the main town, Kuah) but don’t mind being away from the beach. The Adya Hotel has a shopping centre next door and has two swimming pools (one is ladies only). It also has a gym and restaurant.

With all of this and solid room standards with air-conditioning, private bathrooms and flatscreen TVs, this is a great mid-range hotel at a budget price tag.

You can find more options for where to stay in Langkawi here .

Final Notes

Instead of a 7 days Malaysia itinerary, you could turn this into a Malaysia 6 days itinerary by removing one day in Langkawi. Pick which day least appeals and remove it. Or, if you prefer to be active on trips, you could remove the relaxing on day 6 in the afternoon and do the day 7 activities then.

If you are looking for a Malaysia itinerary 8 days, you have two choices. Pick whether you would like more time in Kuala Lumpur or Langkawi and add a day to that destination and then simply do less each day in that destination to spread it across an extra day.

If you would prefer to see an extra destination in Malaysia instead, I recommend spending an extra night in Kuala Lumpur and doing this day tour to Melaka . Melaka is an interesting place quite different to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi and you are sure to enjoy it.

You can also get to Melaka very easily by booking our taxi service here.

Malaysia Itinerary: 5 Days

If you are looking for a Malaysia 5 days itinerary, I recommend you don’t go to Langkawi. You still can if you don’t mind moving fast but with just a couple of nights, I would focus on Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding area instead.

So for a 5 days trip to Malaysia, I recommend doing days 1 – 3 above. Day 4, I recommend you visit Batu Caves and follow the bonus 4 day mentioned here. Then on day 5, head to Melaka on a day trip. You can book that here.

If you are looking for a Malaysia itinerary 6 days and aren’t much of a beach person, you could also follow this 5 day Malaysia itinerary and spend an extra day returning to whatever you loved most in Kuala Lumpur.

Looking for the ultimate Malaysia Itinerary Planner for your trip? Click here to get it now!

Malaysia Itinerary: 10 Days

The following 10 days in Malaysia itinerary is exactly what you should do with a week and a half.

This timeframe is perfect to really get a good introduction to Malaysia by adding two more of the best tourist destinations in Malaysia to the one week itinerary. You don’t just get to see the capital and beaches but also UNESO-listed George Town and get to eat some of the best food in the world. The highlights of this Malaysia holiday itinerary are:

• Enjoy the best Indian, Chinese and Malay food in KL
• Eat the best food in Ipoh and Penang
• Explore the historic centres of Ipoh and George Town
• Enjoy the most beautiful coastline in Malaysia

Let’s start this Malaysia vacation guide!

Days 1 – 3 Kuala Lumpur

Follow the 3-day Malaysia city tour itinerary for Kuala Lumpur above.

Day 4 Explore Ipoh

Today, you leave Kuala Lumpur for the pretty city of Ipoh just over three hours bus journey north-west of Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh has a gorgeous Old Town area with fun street art, beautiful surrounding scenery and is known for having some of the best food in the country. You are sure to love your quick stopover!

• Take a morning bus to Ipoh ( book it here ) or take an easy taxi transfer ( book it here )
• Take a taxi to your hotel and drop off your bags
• Have one of Ipoh’s famous white coffees and egg tarts at Nam Heong White Coffee Shop .
• Spend the afternoon walking around the Old Town following the Ipoh Heritage Trail. You can download the map and more information on the sights here
• Take your time and keep a look out for Ipoh’s famous street art and gorgeous laneways
• Have dinner at the Tong Sui Kai Hawker Centre and try as many dishes as you can. Ipoh’s specialty dishes, like Ipoh laksa, ayam garam (salted chicken) or any of Ipoh’s special noodle dishes like Gai Si Hor Fun (shredded chicken noodles) or Chee Chong Fun, are especially recommended

Want the Easiest (and BEST) Way to travel around Malaysia?

We can book a taxi for you between anywhere in peninsular Malaysia. Travel straight from one hotel to your next without any fuss or sweat.

You can pick your own departure time, relax and know everything will go to plan.

Click here for prices and online booking.

Where To Stay In Ipoh

Regalodge is a solid mid range hotel option not far from the Old Town of Ipoh. There’s a restaurant and day spa, and the service is great.

There are a variety of room types from standard double hotel rooms to family suites. They are all a good standard with air-conditioning, private bathrooms and flatscreen TVs. It’s an amazing price for this standard of hotel.

You can find more options for where to stay in Ipoh here .

Day 5 Temples And Beaches

Today, you finish exploring Ipoh by visiting the surrounding temples and then take a bus on to Penang.

• Grab a taxi to visit a couple of Ipoh’s cave temples at Sam Poh Tong Temple and Kek Lok Ton Temple. Make sure you cover your shoulders and knees and wear sturdy footwear
• Eat a quick lunch before catching a bus or private taxi to Penang. This journey takes just over two hours and you can book a ticket here for the bus or make it super easy and book your private taxi here.

Penang island is one of the most popular Malaysia vacation destinations off the west coast of Malaysia. It has long served as a link between Asia’s two halves and, as such, has a more diverse culture. Its capital, George Town, has a UNESCO World Heritage listed centre. Penang isn’t just about tourist cities in Malaysia though. There are beaches, mountainous jungle and the best food in Malaysia.

• Drop your bags at your hotel before heading to Batu Ferringhi, the popular beach area. If you like water sports, go parasailing. Otherwise, relax with a drink on the beach at the Bora Bora by Sunset bar
• Eat dinner at Long Beach Kafe. This hawker centre has many delicious food choices
• Visit the surrounding night market

Day 6 Explore Penang

Today, you are exploring Penang particularly its UNESO-listed centre.

• Head to the funicular tram for a ride up Penang Hill for great views. Read more about Penang Hill here
• Visit nearby Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. Consider doing this morning tour to make it easy and to learn more. Otherwise, take taxis
• Have lunch in Little India in George Town
• While in George Town, visit Peranakan Mansion and learn about Penang’s original people. Then head to Fort Cornwallis and the museum at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. I recommend you walk around if the heat will allow it so you can take everything in and to keep a look out for Penang’s famous street art
• Consider taking this amazing food tour of George Town which starts around 4pm. You’ll see more of George Town and really get to enjoy and know the food. You can see my full review of this tour here (including what we ate)
• Otherwise, walk via Love Lane to Kapitan Keeling Mosque. You need to dress modestly to enter, and there are gowns on site you can borrow (if you do the food tour, you’lll visit all these places on the tour)
• Stroll down Armenian Street, once the home of Chinese clan-houses and secret societies. Today it has been gentrified and is home to many shops and cafes. This is also where you will find the famous “kids on a bicycle” mural
• You could also do this sightseeing tour instead to make things easier
• For dinner, head to another hawker centre. Some good options are New Lane Hawker Centre, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre and Sri Weld Food Court – pick whichever is most convenient for you.

Where To Stay In Penang

Luxury – shangri-la’s rasa sayang resort and spa.

The 5-star Rasa Sayang is set in a beautiful spot by one end of the beach in Batu Ferringhi. It’s only a short walk from the action of Batu Ferringhi where you can relax and feel a world away while lounging by the pool or in its spacious gardens. There are countless facilities here including multiple pools, restaurants, gym, kids club and golf course.

There are a variety of room types from doubles to family rooms. For a treat, book a room in the Rasa Wing which includes special benefits such as breakfast, afternoon tea, cocktails and pre-dinner canapes.

MID RANGE – Bayview Hotel George Town

This business style hotel is in a great location in George Town. It offers a pool, gym and a 360 degree revolving restaurant!

You will find a variety of room types including family options and suites for extra space.

This is all at a great value price given the location.

BUDGET – Chulia Heritage Hotel

If you are on a Malaysia backpacking itinerary. you will appreciate this budget friendly option in a central part of George Town. This is a simple hotel with bicycles available but without extra facilities and services.

Despite the low price tag, all rooms are a good standard with air-conditioning, flatscreen TVs and tea and coffee making facilities. Depending on your budget, you can pick a private or shared bathroom. There are family room options as well as regular twins and doubles.

You can find more great places to stay in Penang here.

Day 7 Head To Langkawi

This morning, it’s time to leave Malaysia’s cities behind for one of the best holiday spots in Malaysia, Langkawi.

I recommend you fly between the two places as travelling overland is a lot more mucking around. You can read about your transport options here.

If you fly, you can book a transfer here to your hotel.

• Travel to Langkawi in the morning
• In the afternoon, take it easy in your resort or on the beach at Pantai Cenang
• In the evening, head to Pantai Cenang for sunset drinks and dinner. Yellow Cafe is a good place to sit for sunset drinks.
• If you want to party tonight, Pantai Cenang is the place to be

Days 8 – 10 Enjoy Langkawi

Follow days 5-7 in the 7-day itinerary above.

Malaysia Itinerary: 2 Weeks

When designing a Malaysia 2 week itinerary, I recommend basing it on the 10 day itinerary above but with extra time everywhere and visiting Melaka on a day trip. Read through the 10-day itinerary before going through the Malaysia two week itinerary as it is more detailed.

Below, I quickly share this Malaysia 2 weeks itinerary.

Days 1 – 5 Kuala Lumpur

Follow the 3-day Kuala Lumpur itinerary above for the first three days.

On day 4, pick one of the bonus 4th day activities you can find this in this Kuala Lumpur itinerary . This includes visiting either the Genting Highlands , Putrajaya or Sunway Lagoon for theme park fun.

On day 5, do a day trip to Melaka .

Day 6 Travel to Ipoh

Take it easy in the morning returning to any favourite spots in Kuala Lumpur. After lunch, take a bus to Ipoh ( book it here ) or treat yourself to an affordable private taxi ( book here ) to save some time. After checking in, enjoy a quick wander in the Old Town before dinner.

Day 7 Exploring Ipoh

Ipoh has a gorgeous Old Town area with fun street art, beautiful surrounding scenery and is known for having some of the best food in the country. Today, you explore the best it has to offer.

• Start the day with one one of Ipoh’s famous white coffees and egg tarts at Nam Heong White Coffee Shop
• Spend the morning walking around the Old Town following the Ipoh Heritage Trail. You can download the map and more information on the sights here
• In the afternoon, grab a taxi to visit a couple of Ipoh’s cave temples at Sam Poh Tong Temple and Kek Lok Ton Temple. Cover your shoulders and knees and wear sturdy footwear

Day 8 Penang’s Beaches

Today, it’s time to move on to the awesome island of Penang!

• Catch a bus to Penang. This journey takes just over two hours and you can book a ticket here . Alternatively, a taxi from Ipoh is very affordable and is faster and easier. Book it here.
• Drop your bags at your hotel before heading to Batu Ferringhi, the popular beach area. If you like water sports, go parasailing or you can try a banana boat ride
• Late afternoon, relax with a drink on the beach at the Bora Bora by Sunset bar

Day 9 Explore Penang

Follow day 6 of the 10 day itinerary above.

Days 10 – 13 Enjoy Langkawi

Follow days 7-10 of the 10 day itinerary above.

Day 14 Final Day

For your final day in this Malaysia itinerary 14 days, repeat anything you have loved in Langkawi so far, relax at your resort or visit some more places in this list of best things to do in Langkawi.

Malaysia Itinerary: 3 Weeks+

With three plus weeks in Malaysia, you have plenty of time to add in another region of Malaysia.

I recommend you follow the two week Malaysia itinerary above or you could follow the 10 day one instead if you like to move fast and see a lot.

If you are looking for a Malaysia 3 week itinerary, you can then spend the rest of your time following an itinerary east coast Malaysia or head to Borneo to explore a very different part of Malaysia.

If you have 4+ weeks, you could consider doing all of the above!

Here are some suggestions for an east coast Malaysia itinerary and a Borneo Malaysia itinerary for 7 – 10 days.

East Coast Malaysia itinerary: 7+ Days

This itinerary takes you to the best islands and most interesting cities on the east coast.

Day 1: Fly to Kota Bharu . This will take two flights. Click here to find flights. Check in to your hotel and take a walk around the attractions in Kota Bharu.

Days 2 – 3: Leave early for Kuala Besut and then a ferry across to the Perhentian Islands ( read how to do this here ). Stay 2 nights on the Perhentian Islands enjoying what these islands have to offer. This is primarily enjoying the beach, hiking and snorkelling/diving.

Days 4-5: Catch a boat to Redang Island ( see how here ) for more gorgeous Malaysia Island time for the next two nights. Read more about Redang Island here.

Day 6: Take a ferry to Kuala Terengganu. Explore this city

Day 7: Finish exploring Kuala Terengganu and fly back to Kuala Lumpur

With an extra three nights, you could spend longer at the locations above or also head to Cherating Beach and Kuantan and catch a bus or flight back to Kuala Lumpur from here.

A long-distance taxi is a great way to speed up your exploration of the region and is affordable. Find out prices and book here.

If you are trying to work out which east coast island to visit, read our guide here to whether Perhentian Islands, Redang Island or Tioman is best!

Borneo Malaysia Itinerary: 7+ Days

This Malaysia trip guide takes you to the best of the state of Sabah. Another alternative would be to spend a whole week in Kuching doing day trips to the jungle and surrounding attractions.

Day 1: Fly to Kota Kinabalu. This will take two flights from Langkawi. Click here to find flights.

Day 2: Explore Kota Kinabalu. Consider visiting Gaya Island or the surrounding islands or the Mari Mari Cultural Village. Read our guide to Kota Kinabalu here.

Day 3:  Climb Mt Kinabalu or take the easy option and enjoy Mount Kinabalu from some hot springs on this tour.

Day 4: Catch a bus or fly to Sandakan. Arrive as early as possible as there are some great things to do here. Explore the amazing wildlife attractions around this city. Head to the famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary and the Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre if you can fit it in. (You will have to push this to day 5 if you climb the mountain.)

Day 5: Visit Turtle Island for an amazing overnight experience getting to enjoy a tropical island then viewing a female turtle laying her eggs and other turtle related activities. More information here.

Day 6: Arrive back in Sandakan and take an overnight tour to explore the awesome wildlife at Kinabatangan River . Read more here

Day 7: Return to Sandakan and fly back to Kuala Lumpur

With an extra three nights, you could spend longer at the locations above or fly onto Miri and explore Gunung Mulu National Park.

I hope with these suggestions, you can make the best 3 week itinerary Malaysia for you!

Map Of Malaysia Travel Itinerary

The following map shows the 10 day and the 2 week trip for Malaysia. The one week trip is a simplified version of this with Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur.

Click here to download your free Malaysia Trip Planning checklist . We’ll help you get ready for your trip!  

Have any questions?  Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now!  It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired!

I hope this has helped you create your best itinerary Malaysia! To help you plan your whole trip, click here for our ultimate guide or find all our planning guides here . If you plan to visit Singapore as well, find our best Singapore and Malaysia itineraries here . You can also find our best road trip itineraries here .

Related posts:

By Sharon Gourlay

Sharon is a certified Malaysia travel expert and can't get enough of travelling and talking about Malaysia since she first visited 21 years ago. She travels around Malaysia multiple times a year both alone and with her kids. She used to call Penang home and especially loves this food paradise. Sharon also has a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies, a Certificate III in International Travel Sales and has been certified by Tourism Malaysia as a Malaysia Travel Expert. Through this site, she'll help you have the perfect trip to this amazing destination.

Malaysia Travel Guide

Last Updated: September 12, 2024

Malaysia is one of the most underrated destinations in Southeast Asia . While the country does see a fair share of backpackers, it sees only a fraction compared to popular neighbors Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

In my opinion, people are missing out.

From the dense urban jungle of Kuala Lumpur to the pristine beaches of the Perhentian Islands , from the jungles in the interior to the delicious food, Malaysia has a ton to offer travelers.

Explore tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands , trek through the vast national parks of Gunung Mulu and Taman Negara, and admire incredible wildlife, including tigers, elephants, sun bears, and more.

Or head to Borneo to look for wild orangutans, hike through the rainforest, and marvel at the knife-sharp peak of Mount Kinabalu.

All too often, travelers breeze through Malaysia on their way to places like Thailand or Singapore. I’d encourage you not to make that same mistake as there is a ton to see and do here — and it’s all super affordable.

This Malaysia travel guide will give you the best places to visit, help you save money, and ensure you make the most of your time in this incredible destination!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• How to Stay Safe
• Where to Stay
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• How to Get Around
• Best Places to Book Your Trip

Click Here for City Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in malaysia.

1. Visit Kuala Lumpur

Chances are you’ll be spending at least a few nights in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur . Visit the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, see the famous Sri Mahamariamman Temple, explore the Batu Caves, and see the colorful butterfly garden. It’s a great foodie city too.

2. Dive in the Perhentian Islands

These islands are hugely popular with snorkelers and divers because of their reefs and crystalline waters filled with a wide variety of coral, turtles, sharks, and reef-fish. They are getting more popular every year but are a beautiful respite from the tourist-packed islands in Thailand.

3. Visit George Town

George Town is Malaysia’s most enchanting city, with Chinese temples next to mosques and colonial British Raj architecture amongst modern skyscrapers. George Town’s crisscrossing streets teem with bustling shops, historic buildings, and busy cafes.

4. Hike Mount Kinabalu National Park

Mount Kinabalu is Malaysia’s tallest mountain and a popular hiking trek in which you make your way through dense jungle to reach the summit. Admission is 15 MYR, a climbing permit is 200 MYR, and mandatory insurance is 7 MYR. There are only a set amount of permits allowed per day and you must make go with a guide so plan ahead!

5. Tour the tea plantations

The Cameron Highlands are covered in tea plantations. Visit the factories to learn about the production process or just relax with a cup of tea and an obligatory cake or scone. Spend a few days here to cool off from the heat of the rest of the country and hike the trails that dot the area.

Other Things to See and Do in Malaysia

1. go wildlife spotting.

Malaysia has a rich diversity of wildlife. Orangutans, Malaysian tigers, Monitor Lizards, and Sumatran Rhinos are all indigenous to the country (Borneo and Sumatra and the only places in the world with wild orangutans). Malaysia’s national parks and wildlife reserves are the best places to go to see wildlife, including Taman Negara and Bako National Park. For Orangutans, go to Borneo. Most day tours cost under 500 MYR, while multi-day tours start around 1,500-2,650 MYR.

2. Dive Sipadan Island

Sipadan Island is one of the world’s best dive sites. The famous French explorer Jacques Cousteau declared the island an “untouched piece of art” — and he wasn’t wrong! Barracudas, manta rays, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and greenback and hawksbill turtles fill these crystal waters. Only 176 permits to dive at the island are issued each day, costing 140 MYR per person. The resorts (located on neighboring islands) each get a specific number of permits per day and require divers to stay with them for a few days, diving the surrounding areas, before they can get a Sipadan permit. A 3-dive package at Uncle Chang’s, a budget-friendly dive lodge, costs 550 MYR.

3. Explore Taman Negara National Park

At an estimated 130 million years old, Taman Negara is the oldest rainforest in the world. You can embark on the world’s largest canopy walk, take a 4×4 safari to look for elephants and tigers, go spelunking, or visit some Orang Asli villages (belonging to the country’s Indigenous peoples). Admission is 1 MYR, and 5 MYR if you want to take photos within the park.

4. Relax at Pulau Langkawi

Featured in thousands of different magazines, websites, and articles, Pulau Langkawi is a picturesque retreat on an archipelago of more than 100 islands made up of white sandy beaches and endless sunshine. Pantai Cenang is the most popular beach area, especially for its strip of restaurants, bars, and shops. For something slower, visit some of the area’s traditional villages, go snorkeling at Payar Island, or check out the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls on the northwest side of the island. This is one of the best places in the country to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy a slower pace of life.

5. Go whitewater rafting

Outside of diving, Malaysia is also known for its challenging whitewater rafting conditions. You can find all grades of rafting on the rivers here, and prices start around 200 MYR for a half-day excursion. Kuala Kubu Bharu River and Ulu Slim River are two popular options.

6. Understand Malaysia’s colonial roots

Malaysia has a tumultuous colonial past. The country was annexed by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British before finally gaining independence. For a deeper understanding of this history, visit Malacca (Melaka). Located just two hours from Kuala Lumpur, the city center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 and the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum offers an in-depth overview of Malaysia’s colonial past. Admission to the museum is 16 MYR.

7. Tour Borneo

Just to the east of Malaysia is Borneo, the third-largest island in the world and home to some of the most diverse rainforests on the planet. Pair that with unlimited wildlife viewing opportunities (including endangered orangutans and proboscis monkeys), and rich Indigenous culture, and you’ve got the makings of a once-in-a-lifetime trip. If you’re an experienced climber, you can also climb Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Malaysia at 4,095 meters (13,400 feet) high.

8. Visit the temples

Malaysia has countless beautiful Hindu and Buddhist temples scattered all around the country. Some of the most impressive temples include the Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur), Sri Mahamariamman (Kuala Lumpur), Thean Hou (Kuala Lumpur), Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani (George Town), and Sam Poh Tong (Ipoh). As most temples are still practicing centers of worship, appropriate dress is required to enter. Admission is always free.

9. Dine on street food

Malaysia’s mix of cultures means that there’s an incredible variety of delicious and cheap street food to enjoy here. Markets and roadside stalls are great places to pick up hawker food and dine on a budget. Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Alor, Little India, and Chinatown all have tons of inexpensive food stalls with prices starting at 2-4 MYR. You can also take a street food tour to dive in-depth into food culture and history for around 260 MYR.

10. Celebrate Deepavali

Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights and is one of the biggest Hindu celebrations in Malaysia. Also known as Diwali, Dipavali, Dewali, Deepawali, or the Festival of Lights, it’s celebrated in October or November for five days. Traditionally, people host open houses, light candles, have fireworks displays, and serve Indian delicacies. In Kuala Lumpur, the biggest celebrations are in Brickfields (Little India).

11. Go jungle trekking

Don’t miss out on exploring Malaysia’s lush landscapes and dense forests while you’re here. The Cameron Highlands are a great place to go trekking, with 14 trekking routes heading out from the main town of Tanah Rata. Most of the hikes lead to waterfalls and scenic views, but if you want a more challenging trek, you’re required to hire a guide and obtain a permit. Eco Cameron Tours offers 4-hour group tours for 80 MYR per person, including a visit to the famous Mossy Forest (a lush forest with ferns, moss, orchids, and a pedestrian boardwalk).

12. Shop at the markets

Indoor and outdoor markets, operating both morning and night, are everywhere in Malaysia. You can get everything at the markets, from prepared food and produce to clothing and souvenirs. They’re also a great way to experience local culture. Don’t be afraid to barter and haggle – it’s what the locals do! If you don’t want to shop, come here to people-watch and take in the local pace of life.

13. Visit Masjid Negara

Malaysia’s national mosque, this huge house of worship in Kuala Lumpur has the capacity to hold 15,000 people. Opened in 1965, its bright blue star-shaped dome represents the 13 states of Malaysia and the five pillars of Islam (over 60% of Malaysia is Muslim). Non-Muslims are welcome to visit the National Mosque outside of prayer time. Be sure to dress modestly, although there are robes available to put over your clothing as well. It’s free to enter.

14. Help the sea turtles

Malaysia’s islands are great places to see turtles, either by diving, snorkeling, or volunteering. In the Perhentian Islands, the Perhentian Turtle Project accepts volunteers for multi-week stays from April to September. A two-week volunteer program costs 3,621 MYR, with food and accommodation. All money raised goes toward helping the turtles, who face extinction due to climate change, habitat loss, and pollution.

For more information on specific cities in Malaysia, check out these guides:

• Cameron Highlands Travel Guide
• Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide
• Perhentian Islands Travel Guide

How to Stay Safe in Malaysia

Malaysia is safe place to backpack and travel — even for solo travelers and solo female travelers. Violent attacks against foreigners are rare.

Petty theft (including bag snatching) is the most common type of crime in Malaysia. When out and about, always keep your valuables secure and out of reach just to be safe. This is especially important in crowded tourist areas and on busy public transportation. Don’t leave anything valuable unattended at the beach either.

Solo female travelers should feel comfortable here, though walking alone a night should be avoided just to be safe.

There are some common scams here, especially in Kuala Lumpur, such as taxi drivers trying to rip off passengers. Make sure the meter is on or negotiate your fare before getting in a taxi (or take a Grab to avoid this altogether).

If you’re worried about getting ripped off, read about common travel scams to avoid here .

If you are eating out, keep your backpack on your lap or place your foot or a chair leg through your strap. That will prevent would-be thieves from snatching your bag quickly while you’re busy eating.

When out in nature, don’t feed the monkeys! They get aggressive and are not afraid of people. Do not approach monkeys quickly or give them treats, as they grab anything within reach.

If you experience an emergency, dial 999 for assistance.

Additionally, avoid tap water unless you have a water bottle with a filter. Travelers should also note that Malaysia is a modest country, so revealing outfits attract more attention. To be safe and blend in, dress conservatively.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Where to Stay in Malaysia

Looking for budget-friendly places to stay? Here are my suggested places to stay in Malaysia:

• Akinabalu Youth Hostel (Kota Kinabalu)
• Kitez Hotel & Bunks (Kuala lumpur)
• Sunshine Bedz Kuala Lumpur (Kuala lumpur)
• Birdnest Collective Cafe & Guesthouse (Kuala lumpur)
• The Bed Klcc (Kuala lumpur)
• Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel (Penang)
• Traveller Bunker Hostel (Cameron Highlands)
• Westwood Highland (Cameron Highlands)
• De’Native Guest House (Cameron Highlands)
• Hikers Sleep Port (Cameron Highlands)
• Anis View Perhentian (Perhentian Islands)
• Senja Bay Resort (Perhentian Islands)
• Besut Guesthouse (Perhentian Islands)

Malaysia Travel Costs

Accommodation

• Hostel dorms – 20-70 MYR per night
• Hostel private rooms – 105-130 MYR per night
• Budget hotels – 75-90 MYR per night
• Airbnb apartments – 100-160 MYR per night
• Campsite – 10-35 MYR per night
• Street food – 2-15 MYR
• Traditional restaurants – 10-20 MYR
• Western restaurants – 50 MYR
• Fast food (think McDonald’s) – 14 MYR
• Beer – 13-17 MYR
• Glass of wine – 20-27 MYR
• Cocktails – 20-45 MYR
• Cappuccino/latte – 8-12 MYR
• Groceries for a week – 90-150 MYR

Malaysia Suggested Budgets

Backpacker – 115 myr per day.

If you’re backpacking, this budget covers staying in a hostel dorm, eating street food for all your meals, taking public transit to get around, skipping alcohol, and sticking to mostly free activities like walking tours, hiking, and relaxing on the beach.

Midrange – 295 MYRPer Day

A midrange budget covers a private Airbnb or private hostel room, enjoying some more drinks, taking the occasional taxi to get around, eating street food and the occasional sit-down meal, and doing more paid activities like museum visits, food tours, and diving.

Upscale – 520 MYR Per Day

On a “luxury” budget, you can stay in a hotel with a pool, eat at restaurants for all your meals, have more drinks, visit the islands, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury, though.

Malaysia Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

A little goes a long way in Malaysia, but it’s still easy to wreck your budget here if you splash out on fancy meals and tours. Here are some ways you can save money in Malaysia:

Pack a water bottle – The tap water here isn’t always safe so bring a water bottle with a filter with you to avoid buying single-use plastic. My preferred bottle is LifeStraw , which has built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Barter with your taxi driver – Taxis aren’t usually metered in Malaysia (even though it’s required in bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur), so make sure to agree on the fare before you set off. Ask your hotel/hostel staff what you should pay so you don’t get ripped off.

Camp – It’s possible to camp in places like Taman Negara and the Cameron Highlands to save on accommodation. Expect to pay around 10-35 MYR per night for a basic plot.

Eat the street food – Street stalls are the place to go for delicious hawker food and meals that cost just a few bucks. The street food is the best food in the country — and the cheapest!

Don’t drink – As Malaysia is a Muslim country, drinking is frowned upon, but it does happen. However, to restrict it, the authorities have made drinking very, very expensive so skip the booze.

Take a free walking tour – A free walking tour is a great way to explore Kuala Lumpur on a budget. You’ll not only get to see the sights, but you’ll connect with a local guide who can share their insider tips and advice.

Travel in the off-season – Traveling during the monsoon season (late November to mid-February) is an easy way to save money on flights and accommodation. With significantly fewer visitors, everything is cheaper. To avoid the worst of the rains, skip the east coast.

Use Grab – Grab is like Uber and often cheaper than both taxis and tuk-tuks, especially if you’re getting a ride from the airport in Kuala Lumpur. Just download the app and go!

Escape the city – Much of the popular areas in Kuala Lumpur are designed for tourists and can be expensive. Skip the crowds and head to somewhere like Pataling Jaya, a smaller nearby city that has all the perks of KL with none of the downsides.

How to Get Around in Malaysia

Public transportation – Most cities in Malaysia have excellent public transport, especially Kuala Lumpur with its buses, light rail, commuter rail, and monorail that all connect every part of the city. A ride costs between 1-15 MYR. If you plan on mostly using public transit, pick up a Touch ‘n Go (TnG) card to use on all modes of public transportation, saving 20% per ride. You can also load unlimited transit passes onto this card.

In Kuala Lumpur, try to use the free GO KL City Bus. It’s a free service that covers most of the tourist hotspots, like Bukit Bintang and Chinatown.

Other cities, like George Town (Penang), are full of city buses that run all over the island. The KOMTAR complex and the Weld Quay jetty are the two primary bus stations. You’ll have to tell your driver where you’re headed, but a typical one-way fare is 2-7 MYR. There are also free buses that go to significant sites in the city, just look for buses labeled “Free CAT Bus.”

Bus – Buses are an easy and efficient way to get around Malaysia. Expect to pay around 5-15 MYR per hour for a bus trip. The main bus companies include:

• Transnasional

Aeroline and Super Nice are high-end services that come with air-conditioning and sometimes even meal service, but they’re still affordable. The 5-hour bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur costs around 35-45 MYR, while the 3-hour bus from Kuala Lumpur to the Cameron Highlands costs about 44 MYR.

Train – Mainland Malaysia has 1,849 kilometers (1,149 miles) of rail, with the main line connecting Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to Thailand.

There are two types of service: express trains, which are air-conditioned and have three different classes; and local trains, which usually only have economy class and are much slower than the express trains. All are operated by Keratapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), the national railway service.

You can use the KTMB.com.my website to look up schedules and to book tickets. Reservations open 30 days in advance.

A train from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (where you’d catch the ferry to Penang) costs 66 MYR, while the 2.5-hour journey from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur is 30-45 MYR.

In East Malaysia, there is a round-trip sightseeing train that runs from Kota Kinabalu to Papar, with a stop in Kinarut. The North Borneo Railway runs the entire trip, and it takes four hours. The cost is 345 MYR, which includes breakfast and lunch.

Flying – The two leading domestic airlines in Malaysia are Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. Kuala Lumpur’s airports receive the most flight traffic, followed by Kota Kinabalu and Penang. There are several smaller airports around the country as well.

A flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur can be found for as little as 100 MYR, while a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok ranges between 220-600 MYR. Flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu cost around 225-300 MYR.

Hitchhike – It is common for people to hitchhike in Malaysia, and the locals are eager to pick up travelers. HitchWiki has additional information on hitchhiking in Malaysia.

Car rental – Car rentals usually cost around 85 MYR per day for a multi-day rental. I’d skip the car rental as public transportation is faster and cheaper and accidents here are common. Be aware that traffic flows on the left here.

When to Go to Malaysia

Malaysia’s two peak seasons occur from the start of December to the end of January, and then from June to mid-September. The first tourist peak season occurs during Hari Raya Puasa (Eid al-Fitr), which celebrates the end of Ramadan. Check ahead to see when this occurs as the dates vary every year. Malaysia’s Muslim population celebrates by taking the week off so your travels could be disrupted if businesses are closed.

Late November to mid-February brings the arrival of the northeast monsoon, affecting much of the east coast with heavy rainfall. September and October are the wettest months on the west coast, with downpours sometimes going on for hours. This is also true in mountainous areas like the Cameron Highlands.

Overall, the best time to visit is from March to early November when it’s drier and less humid. Visiting just after the rainy season isn’t a bad idea either, as it’s still warm, the countryside is lush and full of waterfalls, and tourism is still not overly busy.

Temperatures do not fluctuate much across the country. The daily average is 22-32°C (73-90°F), while in the hills the temperature averages 21°C (67°F). Humidity is high year-round.

Malaysia Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Agoda – Other than Hostelworld, Agoda is the best hotel accommodation site for Asia.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.

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• Where To Stay
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3 Weeks in Malaysia Itinerary

DISCLAIMER: This post might have links to travel services and products that we enjoy. We might make a commission from it at no extra cost to you.

Malaysia is one of my favourite destinations in Southeast Asia. Compared to its neighbouring countries, Malaysia is less crowded and offers very different features . In this country, you will be stunned by the massive skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur.

Then you can also hike the highlands of Cameron, where the weather is simply fantastic. Lastly, there are many areas where you can enjoy the beach.

3 weeks in Malaysia is plenty of time. Since so many domestic flights and buses will connect the popular destinations to one another, you don’t have to waste too much time transporting from place to place. Malaysians also speak incredible English. Hence, communicating with the locals will not be a problem.

In this itinerary for Malaysia, I will show you how you can spend 20 days here covering popular destinations without making your itinerary too busy. You will have plenty of time to explore each location and visit many must-see attractions in Malaysia.

CHECK OUT: 3 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia or 3 weeks in Thailand

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO MALAYSIA

Before we dive into the day-to-day things to do, let’s first discuss basic things you should remember before booking your flight. If it’s your first time here, these travel tips will help you prepare and learn about your next holiday destination.

When is the best time to go to

Malaysia’s seasons can vary depending on the region. The West Coast and East Coast have different dry and wet seasons, not to mention the Borneo region of Malaysia (Sabah). The best time time to visit Malaysia depends on where you want to go.

For example, the best time to travel the West Coast is from December to March, and the East Coast is from April to October.

I personally went all over mainland Malaysia from June to July, and the weather couldn’t have been better. I also went during the month of April, only in Kuala Lumpur. It was a little cloudy, but no rain.

To avoid the crowd, go to Malaysia from the end of January until the middle of March . Although Malaysia’s population of 60% is practising Islam, the Christmas season is still one of the busiest times of the year.

First, due to its excellent weather but also because the country observes this time of the year as a public holiday. In comparison, Ramadan is celebrated sometime from March to April .

Are 3 weeks enough for Malaysia

Spending 20 days in Malaysia is an ideal amount of time. Of course, it won’t be sufficient if you want to visit every city and every island. But it’s enough to start with. With three weeks in Malaysia, you can visit 3-4 major cities , go hiking, explore the beaches, and discover cultural sites.

With this much time, you can travel both on mainland Malaysia and the Borneo (Sabah) side of Malaysia . Make sure you have a travel itinerary though, so you can visualise how much time to spend in each place and how to get from point A to point B and not waste your time with unnecessary hassle.

Average cost of 3 weeks in Malaysia

Malaysia is an affordable destination to explore. a budget of $1,200 for 20 days in Malaysia is a good one which will allow you to stay in private rooms, eat out, and travel mostly by air. This is around a $60 per day budget. Most a ccommodations will cost you $25-$35 , and eating out is about $5-$10 . The rest will cover transportation and tours.

You can do Malaysia on a $700 to $900 budget for a 20-day trip if you’re on a tight budge t. You will stay in hostel dorms, consume affordable but tasty street food, and book a more budget-friendly tour.

For those who want to treat themselves, plan to spend around $2,500, which will house you in luxury hotels and dine you at more excellent restaurants.

These budgets are calculated per person and don’t include your flight to and from Malaysia.

What to pack

It is advised to dress moderately while travelling around Malaysia. Of course, you wear swimsuits at the beach, but remember that you must not go in total nudity.

Make sure to pack a long and lightweight cardigan or jacket to cover your legs and shoulders, especially when visiting religious or sacred places. Some areas will also require women to cover their heads. Hence, a lightweight scarf is something you should pack.

Check our what to pack article for a 3-week trip . We also have a summer packing list that might be helpful.

How to get around

Getting around Malaysia is relatively easy. Kuala Lumpur has buses and metro rails that go around the city . There are also ride-hailing apps that you can download and use. In contrast, many bus companies can take you from one city to another.

Flying domestically is also easy . It’s affordable, and pretty much all tourist destinations have an airport. So let’s say you want to hit all the top cities, you can fly from KL to Penang or Langkawi, or even Sabah (Kinabalu).

Unlike other parts of Southeast Asia, you can use your IDP (International Driver’s Permit) in Malaysia or your international driver’s license without converting it to a local one . You can rent a car here and drive on your own, but remember that the Malaysian driving side is on the left side (just like the UK, AU, and NZ).

Malaysia offers free visas to nearly everyone for 12-90 days except for some countries in Africa, South Asia, and China. Travellers with a passport from China and most of South Asia will have to apply for an evisa valid for three months for a maximum stay of 30 days.

Package tours

For people who prefer a hassle-free trip and would rather have someone make the arrangements for you, you should look into package tours. This is the kind of service where you book the tour and the tour host will arrange accommodation, activities, food, guides, and even porters to make your trip convenient.

Other travel tips

One last thing you should remember is that alcoholic drinks are legal and can be obtained anywhere in the country. However, it’s costly. When it comes to arranging your booking, here is a list of websites and tools I use when travelling to book accommodations, tours, and more.

MUST-SEE PLACES IN MALAYSIA (pinned map)

Click the enlarge button on the top right corner. Credit: map data: Google

ALSO READ: 3 weeks in Vietnam itinerary

3 WEEKS IN MALAYSIA ITINERARY

You can spend 21 days in Malaysia and be able to visit Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Langkawi, and Perhentian Islands. Y ou might have to track back in some areas to get to the next destination , but that’s fine, I will walk you through it.

Day-to-day overview

• Day 1 : Arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. You can use the bus shuttle as a budget option or book a private transfer for comfort and to save time to get to your hotel in downtown KL. If you arrive early, get a local sim card with data.
• Day 2 : Explore Kuala Lumpur’s top attractions; perhaps book a city tour including Batu Caves
• Day 3 : Day trip to Genting Highlands or Port Klang.
• Day 4: Travel from KL to Cameron Highlands by bus, you can fly to Ipoh then a van or bus to Cameron Highlands
• Day 5 : Travel around Cameron Highlands, visit tea plantations
• Day 6 : Hike around Cameron Highlands
• Day 7 : Get from Cameron Highlands to Penang by bus , takes around 4-5 hours
• Day 8-9 : Spend time discovering Penang street art and food
• Day 10 : Go to the beach
• Day 11 : Transfer from Penang to Langkawi by boat or plane , travel time is 40 minutes to 3 hours
• Day 12 : Rent a motorbike and go to Langkawi SkyBridge
• Day 13 : Book a mangrove or boat tour
• Day 14 : Do paragliding and explore downtown Kuah
• Day 15 : Travel from Langkawi to Perhentian Islands by plane and bus , then transfer to a ferry. Fly to Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu, then a bus or minivan to Besut , then a ferry to the islands
• Day 16 : Relax on the beach
• Day 17 : Sign up for snorkelling, boat tour, or diving
• Day 18 : Enjoy the islands
• Day 19 : Travel from Perhentian Islands back to KL or where you’re catching your flight home, souvenir shopping
• Day 20 : Flight home

Kuala Lumpur for 4 days

Kuala Lumpur is most likely where you will land . Some people love this city, some don’t, and I totally understand. The bustling city, skyscrapers, and hot and humid weather are not a great combination.

However, there are many things to see and explore in Kuala Lumpur. Besides, while you are here, you can gather yourself, buy items you might need, and finalise your next destination.

The best way to get to the city is from the airport by taxi or booking a car. If you are on a budget, you may also use the airport shuttle bus, which you can book at the arrival area. You can skip Cameron Highlands and book a day trip from Kuala Lumpur.

Things to see in Kuala Lumpur

• Petronas Twin Towers – Twin Tower observation deck and Batu Caves combo tour
• Malacca/Melaka – you can enjoy a full-day trip from KL
• Menara Kuala Lumpur
• Genting Highlands – get on a day tour from KL that includes Batu Caves
• Dataran Merdeka
• KL Tower – buy your admission ticket to skip the line
• Central Market
• Try local street food – book a night tour
• Thean Hou Temple
• Batu Caves – you can book a half-day tour or combine Batu Caves with the National Mosque tour
• Ilham Gallery
• Kuala Selangor – see the glowing Kuala Selangor firefly tour
• Buffet Dinner at Atmosphere 360

Accommodations in Kuala Lumpur

• Affordable: Space Hotel in Chinatown or Amethyst Dorm in KLCC
• Mid-range: Ceylonz Suites by Five Senses or Queens Service Suites at Times Square
• Luxury: The Kuala Lumpur Journal Hotel or Eastern Suites at Platinum KLCC

Cameron Highlands for 3 days

You can drive your own car or take the bus from Kuala Lumpur. It’s about a 3-hour drive to Cameron Highlands from Kuala Lumpur. This region is famous for its cooler weather, massive green areas, and lots of outdoor activities you can do, such as hiking.

Simply put, Cameron Highlands is the opposite of Kuala Lumpur . A visit here will give you a glimpse of Malaysia’s tropical forest.

Things to see in Cameron Highlands for 3 days

• Jungle Trail 1 (Gunung Brinchang)
• Mossy Forest
• Tringkap Hiking Trail
• Lavender Farm
• Strawberry picking at Kampung Taman Sedia
• Boh Tea Estate Habu
• Day trip to Taman Negara
• Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge No. 5
• Lata Merkor or Geruntum Falls

Accommodations in Cameron Highlands for 3 days

• Hostel: Traveller Bunker Hostel 1 or Bricks Backpackers Sleeper Box
• Apartment-style: Peony Square Residences or TR Homestay

Penang for 4 days

You can reach Penang by bus from Cameron Highlands, which is about 250 km (155 mi) or a 3.5-hour drive. Penang is an island west of Malaysia connected by the Jambatan Pulau Pinang and the Second Penang Bridge. You can also get to the island by taking a short ferry ride from Butterworth.

3 weeks in Malaysia is incomplete without visiting this island. Penang is well-liked for its unique 3D street art, delicious food scene, diverse culture, and incredible place for a dip . Although an island, Penang has low-rise buildings and a lot of greenery and hiking trails.

Things to see in Penang

• Walk around and find Penang Street Art – there’s a full-day tour for this
• Fort Cornwallis
• Dark Mansion Museum – book a tour
• Hawker Centres – to try local street food
• Penang Hill – combine this with Temple Tour
• Masjid Terpung Tanjung Bungah
• Kek Lok Si Temple
• George Town Street Food – enjoy a 4-hour tour or an evening food tour
• Penang Little India
• Countryside Cycling – read the tour reviews
• Penang National Park
• Explore the colonial architecture of Penang: Queen Victoria Tower, City Hall, and St. George’s Church
• Orangutan Island – join the half-day tour
• Upside Down Museum
• Escape Penang Water Park
• Cheong Fatt Tze’s Blue Mansion – visit with a local guide
• Wonderfood Museum
• Explore George Town with a local guide visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Accommodations in Penang

• Affordable: Cocoa Mews Cafe and Homestay or Tony’s Guesthouse
• Mid-range: Modern Hotel or Gallivant Hotel
• Luxury: Eastern & Oriental Hotel or Maritime Suites by Comfy

Langkawi for 4 days

Langkawi is an island north of Penang, right at the border of Thailand. Getting to Langkawi is quite fun, well, unless you get seasick. You will arrive on a duty-free island by taking a 3-hour ferry or a 35-minute flight . This means that compared to other places in Langkawi, it is a little cheaper.

IMPORTANT UPDATE : You can’t take the ferry from Langkawi to Penang (and vice versa) anymore. The service has stopped since the pandemic and still unsure when it will be back in operation. The best choice is to book a flight between these two islands.

You can make your transportation from the airport to your accommodation if you book a private airport transfer or use ride-hailing apps. There will also be taxis if you prefer that.

Things to see in Langkawi

• Langkawi Skybridge Cable Car – get on a private tour
• Pulau Payar
• Pulau Lembu
• Kilim Geopark Mangrove – check this tour or this Mangrove Safari boat tour , you can also do a Kayak tour
• Eagle Square
• Mahsuri Tomb and Museum / Kota Mahsuri
• Galeria Perdana
• Tanjung Rhu Geoforest Park – get there on a sunset kayak trip
• Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls
• Dayang Bunting Island – visit this place and the Langkawi archipelago on a jet ski tour
• Gunung Raya
• Langkawi Countryside – go on a bike tour
• Langkawi Wildlife Park & Bird Paradise
• Parasailing on Langkawi Beach
• Private island tour – visit all must-see attractions and will save you time as well

Accommodations in Langkawi

• Affordable: Motordorm Backpackers Hostel or Dar Yasmine Motel
• Mid-range: Cloud9 Holiday Cottages or Chill Suites
• Luxury: Villa Molek or Ombar Villa

Perhentian Islands for 5 days

Relaxing on Malaysia’s most beautiful beach is a great way to end your 3 weeks in Malaysia vacation. Perhentian Islands are located on the west-east side of Malaysia near Kelantan. It’s your dream crystal clear water, fine white sand beaches, and serenity . Even though these groups of islands are undeniably stunning, not many tourists get to reach this area.

To reach this magnificent location, you will have to travel back to Penang (or Kuala Lumpur), where you can take a direct flight to Kota Bharu (which is Kelantan). From the airport, take a taxi that will take you to Kuala Besut. From here, you will take a ferry to the islands.

You can also fly to Kuala Terengganu, take a taxi to Kuala Besut, and then take a ferry to the islands.

Things to see in Perhentian Islands

• Scuba Diving
• Snorkelling
• Jungle Trekking
• Turtle Beach – you can simply take a look or volunteer at the sanctuary
• Adam and Eve Beach
• Terengganu Marine Park
•  Tupai Beach Bar

Accommodations in Perhentian Islands

• Affordable/Mid-range: Samudra Beach Chalet or Perhentian Chomel Chalet
• Luxury: Bubu Resort or Aluna Resort

SUMMARY OF 3 WEEKS IN MALAYSIA

You should spend your 3-week holiday in Malaysia for many reasons, but what makes it worth the visit is how welcoming the locals are and how easy it is to travel around. You can easily hop from one place to another.

Whether you like cities with high-speed trains and tall buildings or are looking into spending time on the beach and hiking, Malaysia has something to offer you.

I hope that you found this itinerary for 3 weeks in Malaysia helpful. Enjoy your trip, and don’t forget to pack some sunscreen!

SAVE THIS TRAVEL ITINERARY ON YOUR PINTEREST:

Malaysia Travel Blogs

These are all of my malaysia travel blogs.

From exploring the beaches of Langkawi to sampling delicious Malaysian food and even riding the SkyCab cable car to the top of the mountains, find out the best places to travel to in Malaysia here, in my latest Malaysia travel blogs.

Happy exploring!

Best Time To Visit Langkawi, Malaysia

From the beautiful warm and sunny summer season to the cooler, rainier climate of the winter months, find out the best time to visit Langkawi.

Where to stay in langkawi for all budgets.

Whether you’re visiting for a relaxing beach break or planning some exciting adventures, find out where to stay in Langkawi with this handy guide to the island’s best hotels.

15 things to do in langkawi, malaysia.

From the cable car and a magical sky bridge nestled in the clouds, to spas, mangrove tours, island hopping and markets, there are plenty of things to do in Langkawi, Malaysia.

MALAYSIA Travel Guide: Trip Highlights, Itineraries, & Tips

Welcome to Malaysia!

Malaysia is an amazing and diverse country that has something to offer everyone.  If you’re looking for amazing food, gorgeous islands, and beautiful landscapes — Malaysia is a destination you should highly consider for your next holiday.  I have traveled pretty extensively through Peninsular Malaysia, and it has grown to become one of my favorite countries in entire world!  I’ve compiled this Malaysia Travel Guide as a source for people planning trips to this amazing country.

This guide will go over trip highlights, how to get around Malaysia, Malaysia itineraries, and general travel advice!

Hope you enjoy reading my Malaysia Travel Guide and favorite photos from my travels!

Note:  This Malaysia Travel Guide will focus entirely on Peninsular Malaysia.  I have never traveled to Sabah or Sarawak, and am not too well informed about those areas of the country. 

Traveling to Malaysia soon…?  I’d definitely recommend purchasing the Malaysia Lonely Planet Travel Guide !  I pretty much always travel with a LP guidebook, and it can definitely a huge asset on the road!

Pulau Kapas, Malaysia

 Malaysia Trip Highlights

Kuala lumpur.

You’ll most likely be starting your Malaysian holidays in the amazing capital city — Kuala Lumpur.  This is truly a special place with friendly people, beautiful sights, and delicious food (just like the rest of Malaysia).  During my travels in South-East Asia , I was lucky enough to call this city home for awhile.  The first time I visited Kuala Lumpur I actually didn’t enjoy the city too much, but after spending more time there I discovered how special the city really is.

Check out the following blog posts I’ve written:

• 10 Amazing Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
• Heli Lounge, Kuala Lumpur; Drinks + Sunset on a Helipad
• The Absolute Best Thing To Do in Kuala Lumpur

TOP KUALA LUMPUR TIP

Sign up for AirBNB , and stay at the REGALIA CONDOMINIUM .  I used to live there, and it’s by far the best place to stay in Kuala Lumpur.

It’s luxury complex that has all the amenities you’d want, perfectly located, and  has the most amazing infinity pool.   There is a mall right next door with a grocery store, movie theater, and tons of other shops.  Also, if you sign up for AirBNB with this link , you’ll get $38 off your first visit!   Which is easily a free-nights accommodation at The Regalia!   Trust me.  You want to stay here!

Best Hostel in Kuala Lumpur

Reggae Mansion

  Perfect location, amazing rooms, and wildly crazy rooftop parties every night!  If you’re backpacking around Malaysia, than you have to stay at Reggae Mansion!  This place does sell out, so check rates & availability !

Penang is the cultural hotspot in Malaysia!  You’ll fall in love with it’s busy streets, beautiful artwork, and enchanting history.  Oh, and the food is absolutely amazing.   Most people come to Penang only planning a few day stay, but end up staying much longer than they expected.  You can spend a day on Batu Ferringi beach, hike through the National Park, and take the journey up to Penang Hill for spectacular views of the entire city.        

Best things to do in Penang:

• Beach day and sunset on Batu Ferringi Beach
• Spend some time hiking through the National Park
• Take a visit to Penang Hill for spectacular views of the city
• Stroll through Georgetown and check out all the artwork
• Eat at Penang’s famous hawker stalls

Best Hostel in Penang

Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel :   This is a recently opened hostel in Penang,and has excellent affordable rooms, very well-located in George town, and a really cool Japanese theme.  It’s got terrific reviews by everyone, and you’ll love your stay here!   Check rates & availability .

Officially known as Langkawi the Jewel of Kedah, Langkawi is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, around 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia.  It’s right at the border of Thailand, and is a popular place to visit for traveller’s going north/south between Malaysia and Thailand.  It is truly an amazing island with amazing things to do, cheap accommodations, tax-free booze, and beautiful landscape.

Check out some of my blog posts on Langkawi:

• A Backpacker’s Guide to Langkawi, Malaysia
• Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Langkawi
• Berjaya Resort Crashing in Langkawi
• Chasing Waterfalls in Langkawi

Best Hostel in Langkawi

Langkawi Dormitorio :  

Just footsteps away from the beach, this perfectly located hostel had comfortable rooms, great prices, and an excellent atmosphere!   Langkawi Dormitorio .

Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands is a stunning hill station in central peninsular Malaysia, and has become a popular destination for visitors in Malaysia. Roughly the size of Singapore, the Cameron Highlands covers a large stretch of land, and there’s tons to see, do, and explore.  You’ll fall in love with the beautiful green tea plantations, and will leave you speechless when you visit the highest peak in the Cameron Highlands

For more information on the Cameron Highlands, check out the guide below!

• A Backpacker’s Guide to the Cameron Highlands

Best Hostel in The Cameron Highlands:

CH Traveler’s INN :  

A newly opened hostel in the center of Tanah Rata, and simply the best place to stay on a budget for traveler’s visiting the Cameron Highlands!   Check rates & availability .

Taman Negara

Teman Negara National Park is the perfect place for travelers who love wild life viewing, jungle trekking, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, camping and many more. It is well established as one of the most popular ecotourism in Malaysia.  Popular activities include the canopy walk, jungle trekking, rapid shooting, cave exploration, and boat cruises.

Recommend days spent here:  1-2 days max

Check out the Teman Negara National Park website for more information

The Perhentian Islands

Welcome to paradise.  The Perhentian Islands consist of both Perhentian Kecil & Perhentian Besar.  They are both absolutely stunning, and the minute you step foot on of the two islands you’ll never want to leave.   I’ve visited Perhentian Kecil on two different occasions now, and I definitely would not mind going back for a third.  The beaches are gorgeous, the atmosphere is relaxing, and the nightlife can get pretty crazy.

Perhentian Kecil is more for a younger crowd.  It’s much more lively at night and has an incredible fireshow.  Perhentian Besar has a lot more resorts, and is a bit more family oriented.

If you’re going to Malaysia — you’d be mistaken to skip the Perhentian Islands!

Check out my blog posts on this paradise island!

• A Backpacker’s Guide to the Perhentian Islands
• The Perhentian Islands: Perfectly Picturesque (Photo Essay)

Pulau Kapas

Pulau Kapas is an idyllic island escape for those looking for a bit more of a remote location.  You won’t find any big crazy resorts, fast wi-fi connection, or luxury restaurants.  What you will be rewarded with is amazingly beautiful water, suburb underwater life, and an extremely laidback atmosphere.  Pulau Kapas is truly a Malaysian gem, and I guarantee if you go for a couple days you won’t regret it!

For more information about traveling to Pulau Kapas:

• The Ultimate Guide to Pulau Kapas, Malaysia
• Longsha Beach Camping on Pulau Kapas, Malaysia
• Pulau Kapas: The Most Beautiful Island in Malaysia (Photo Essay)

Tioman Island

If you’ve looking for some more island action, than definitely make your way over to Tioman Island.  It isn’t as gorgeous as the Perhentians or Kapas, but it has some of the best scuba-diving sites in the whole country.  The island is pretty massive, and is a 2-hour ferry ride from the mainland.  It is a DUTY-FREE island, which makes drinking on this island pretty cheap!  It’s a popular destination for weekend trips from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, so book in advance if you plan on being there on a Saturday & Sunday.  If you do plan on going, I’d definitely recommend staying on ABC Beach.

When I was there, I happened to catch really bad weather, and had some transportation issues.  I still had a great trip.  Read about it below:

• A Weekend Trip to Tioman Island

Melaka is just a short bus ride away from Kuala Lumpur, and can be a great place to spend one night.  It’s small enough to walk around, explore, and try some delicious food.  There’s not a whole lot to see here, but it’s definitely worth the visit.

To plan your visit, check out this post titled:

• Top 15 Places To See in Melaka

Getting Around Malaysia

The Malaysian transportation is some of the best I’ve found in all of South-East Asia.  Prices are relatively low, there’s tons of options, and they are all relatively comfortable.

Flights / Airfare

Malaysia is actually a really easy country to book extremely cheap domestic flights.

• Malindo Air

If you know your exact dates, you can actually get great flight deals.  Malindo Air is really great and includes 1 20kh checked bag.  These are particularly useful for flights to/from Kuala Lumpur.

Perhentian Islands

Traveling around Malaysia on the bus transport is actually really easy, budget friendly, and comfortable.  There are loads of different companies that offer a ton of different routes.  None of the journeys take that long, and the busses can actually be really nice.  For bus schedules, routes, and fares, check out the website below.  I’ve booked online tickets with them, and made the process extremely easy.  You can just show the email confirmation at the bus station, and receive your ticket.

• EasyBook.com

• Hitchhiking in Malaysia

Just like in any destination, you should be careful when hitching a ride alone.  With that being said, Hitchhiking in Malaysia can be done, and it’s actually not too difficult.  I met these Spanish girls on Pulau Kapas who found a ride all the way from Teman Negara – Kuala Terranganu.  It’s not that it saves a ton of money, but it’s a great way to meet some local people, and have a unique travel experience.  For more information on Hitchhiking in Malaysia check the website below:

Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur

• Trains in Malaysia

I’ve actually never taken a train in Malaysia, but I have heard that the system works out.  I almost boarded a train from Penang – Kuala Lumpur, but ended up extending my stay in Penang, and finding a flight that was cheaper than the train!  I honestly think that dealing with trains on other routes would just get complicated, so I’d just personally recommend Flights and Busses over taking trains in Malaysia.

Sunset on Tioman Island

Renting A Car

I’ve never rented a car and explored Malaysia on my own (mainly because I’m a solo budget traveler), but I have had some friends rent a van and go on weekend trips from Kuala Lumpur.  It’s definitely not the best option for everyone,

Jeep Excursions in the Cameron Highlands

Malaysia Trip Itineraries

If you look at each of these locations on a map, you can see that it actually fits pretty well

One Week Malaysia Itinerary

If you are only in Malaysia for a brief visit, than you want to enjoy your holiday.  My advice would be to enjoy 2-3 days in Kuala Lumpur, and fly to either Penang for 3-4 days.  You don’t want to rush around each destination, because you will want enough time to enjoy each place and do all the activities.

Two Week Malaysia Itinerary

Days 1-3 — Kuala Lumpur

Take a morning bus to Teman Negara

Days 4-5 — Teman Negara

Book the early bus ticket to the Cameron Highlands

Days 6-7 —  Exploring the Cameron Highlands

Book the early departure bus to Penang

Days 8-10 — Penang

Catch the two hour ferry to Langkawi

Days 11-13 — Langkawi

Catch a domestic flight from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur

Day 14 // End of Trip — Kuala Lumpur for your outgoing flight..

Island Hopping Boats in Langkawi

Three Week Malaysia Itinerary

Book transportation to Marang Jetty for access to Pulau Kapas (Close to Kuala Terranganu)

Days 8-10 — Pulau Kapas & Gem Island

Book early morning boat back to mainland, and get to main bus station.  Book transport to Perhentian Islands

Days 11-15 — The Perhentians Islands

Book Domestic Flight from Kuala Terrananu Airport – Penang.  Cheap fares available if booked in advanced. 

Days 16-17 – Penang

Days 18-20 — Langkawi

Day 21 // End of Trip — Kuala Lumpur for your outgoing flight..

Water & Lights show at KLCC

One Month in Malaysia Itinerary

If you have a full month in Malaysia, I honestly would just recommend to follow the 3-week itinerary, but travel slower.  This will also allow flexibility with the domestic flights, and also spending less time on travel.  I would also recommend staying in Kuala Lumpur for an extra couple days, and doing a one-day trip to Melaka.  If you want to see it all, you can switch up this itinerary to add Pulau Tioman, but I would honestly skip it.  I found it to be really touristy, difficult to get to, and there are much better islands and beaches in Malaysia.

If you have even more time in Malaysia, look out for cheap domestic flights over to Borneo.  You could scuba-dive off the coasts of the world famous Sipadan island, or hike the highest peak in Malaysia — Mt. Kinabalu!

General Malaysia Travel Advice

Eat as much as you possibly can!  The food in Malaysia is absolutely incredible.  When you get to Kuala Lumpur, check out a Nasi Kandar and try the various curries, Roti Canai, and Nasi Lemak!

Interact with the locals!  Malaysian people are extremely friendly, and generally speak really great English!  They are very open and welcome to tourism, and can be a great experience.

Understand you are in a Muslim country!  Be respectful with your clothing!

Get a local SIM card!  Malaysia has a wide variety of phone plans, and it will come in handy to have 3G / 4G internet when your traveling.  I’d recommend Tune Talk.  There are great prices and deals, and it’s good coverage.

Download my Free E-Book — 77 Amazing, Helpful, Money-Saving Tips for Backpacking South-East Asia .  This goes over a ton of valuable information for Malaysia!

If you haven’t figured it out by reading this post, I have traveled pretty extensively throughout Malaysia.   I think it’s an amazing country, and am always thinking about going soon and exploring different parts.  I’m actually dying to get over to Borneo, but I’m sure that time will come eventually.

If you’re ever planning a trip to Malaysia, feel free to Contact Me with any questions!

Thanks for reading!

Share the Malaysian Love!  

What a great resource! Malaysia is toward the top of my travel list…hopefully I’ll have the time to do the 3 or 4-week itinerary!

Thanks for the great info!

Glad you like it Sarah! :) When you do go to Malaysia, I guarantee you’ll love it! It’s such an amazing country, and so much fun to travel around! Enjoy!

Glad I could help out man! It really is an amazing country! I can’t wait to get back and explore even more.

Thanks for the information. It is really helpful. I am planing to go to Malaysia next month but i only have a week. Perhentian islans sounds like an amaizing place. I am between going there or visit Bali. What do you reckon? Thanks

Regards Gara

Hmm. Bali or Perhentian? Tough Decision. TO be honest, I’d probably choose Bali because you can do a whole lot more in one week. Bali is kinda small, but packed with stuff to do. Perhentian is more of a chill-out, diving destination. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hello, I am crazy about looking for amazing food, gorgeous islands, and beautiful landscapes ans Malaysia is my dream destination. your blog has very rich content which includes numerous photographs of spots, Island, culture..and many more. Nicely organized and detailed blog.

Thanks so much Jesse! Awesome to hear my site is helping you out! :-)

Hey thanks man for giving this list.I will go Malaysia with my friends in next years.But i don’t know which place to start travel.But after read this i got a brief idea.I will go for 15 days tour.Hope you list will fulfill my journey.Can you give me a list of affordable hotels of Malaysia?

Hey Tina, I normally stayed in hostels because I was a super budget traveler in Asia, lol. I’d just check booking.com and read reviews and everything. :-)

Hi if u wanna come to malaysia and need me to guide you just whatsapp me – +601129293631 or dm me on instagram @hakimzakaria98

What an awesome blog! I’m heading to KL tomorrow from Sebah, I only have a week and at abit of a loss with figuring out what i can squeeze in and what not to miss. This is really helpful, so much info all in one place.

Thankyou! :)

So happy to help! Enjoy Malaysia! :-)

Hi! I’m Thien from Vietnam. I was in Malaysia a couple of years ago. Your sharing strongly reminds me of my traveling experiences when in Malay. Thanks greatly for that!

Would you like to try out some wonderful places in Vietnam? Check out this Things to do in Vietnam for various useful suggestions.

Hope that you can visit and explore our country one day.

Wow! Nice post! I love KUALA LUMPUR in Malaysia. It is my favorite place! Me and my Keymalaysia team already visited there!

Been in love with Malaysia ever since our first visit. Their beaches and rich culture is outstanding! Definitely coming back soon. So many more islands and sites to explore. Such a detailed and informative post you have! Kudos!

Hey, this blog is so helpful!!

We’ve got 2 weeks in Malaysia, we’d like to go to Penang, Langkawi, Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Kapas and of course Kuala Lumpur which we fly in and out of. Could you give me any info on how to get from each place please?

Any advice would be great thankyou!

Do u have a travel agency ? or just a traveler ?

Nice Malaysia Travel post author. Thank you. Keep it up.

Nice post author.Thank you.

I adore Malaysia – the beaches, food, street art and culture is the best, not to mention the scuba diving! Your guide has inspired me to return when I can, thanks Jones!

Thanks so much for this! Very useful guide  

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Malaysia | A tropical paradise for island hoppers, jungle lovers and street food junkies

Tasty street food on every corner with scents combining the best of Asia’s different cultures. Islands with glistening white sand and shallow, turquoise water. Fresh coconut water cooling you down from the humid heat. Vast, lush rainforests surrounding you. People haggling on night markets for tropical fruits. The sound of evening prayers filling the street. Hospitality. Honesty. Generosity. That all is waiting for you on your Malaysia itinerary.

Table of contents

Malaysia travel tips | Good to know before you go

The thing about the weather – when is the best time to visit malaysia.

Sunny & rainy days in Malaysia

Language & currency

• “Welcome”  – Selamat datang
• “Good morning” – Selamat pagi
• “Good afternoon/evening”  – Selamat petang
• “Hello” – Helo
• “Thank you” – Tarima kasih
• “You’re welcome” – Sama sama
• “I want …” (e.g. fried rice) – “Saya nak…” (e.g. nasi goreng)
• “Without meat/chicken/fish” – Tak mau daging/ayam/ikan
• “Not spicy” – Jangan pedas
• “A little bit spicy” – Sedikit pedas
• “How much is it?” – Berapa harga nya?

In case you’re curious about learning more Malaysian, check out the Ling App *.

Food heaven

• Kuey Teow – fried rice noodles with egg, seafood, and chilies
• Nasi Lemak – a dish traditionally wrapped in a banana leaf: coconut rice served with sambal (a chili sauce) and crispy ikan bilis (fried anchovies). In Malaysia, you usually eat it for breakfast but trust me it’s awesome any time of the day.
• Roti Canai – Roti in Malay basically means “bread” but is usually used for a dish with a savory kind of pancake served with curry to dip into. It’s so good, believe me!
• Popiah – The Malaysian version of a fresh, fully packed, yummy spring roll
• Penang Prawn Mee (or called Hokkien Mee in Penang) – one of my favorite dishes on earth. It’s a noodle soup with yummy broth, prawns, eggs, and veggies.
• Nasi goreng – which basically means “fried rice” in Malay (there are different kinds – with veggies, with meat, or seafood).
• Banana Leaf Rice – a southern Indian dish with rice and curries served on a banana leaf which you traditionally eat with your hands. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved banana leaf rice. For an authentic experience, try to eat it with your hand (your right hand only and only with the tip of your fingers, to be precise in terms of tradition!). Initially, it may feel kind of strange, but it’s a completely different experience. They say you truly ‘feel’ the food when you eat it with your hand which makes it taste even better. In my opinion, it’s true!
• Murtabak – kind of a generous wrap filled with curry (often with meat) and eggs, folded and fried.
• Kuih – a dessert made from sticky rice, combined with either a filling or topping of coconut and brown sugar. Usually, you see it in different colors as the rice is naturally colored. It doesn’t taste as artificial as it looks.
• Durian is part of the true Malaysian experience. It’s also called stinky fruit, as it really has a very unique smell that many people don’t find pleasant. The taste and creamy texture are unique and hard to compare to anything else. Give it a try, even if just once.
• Teh Tarik – a sweet tea with condensed milk (“tarik” means pull – as it’s the traditional way the tea is prepared, originally to mix and cool the tea)

While many of these dishes are originally with meat, you can find vegetarian or vegan versions at local veggie food courts or restaurants. I was curious how easily I could find my favorite dishes without meat/fish, when I first got back to Malaysia after going vegetarian. But it wasn’t hard at all. I had the same delicious experiences as before, but without any animals harmed. That made me so relieved.

Nasi Lemak | Kuey Teow | Banana Leaf Rice

Customs & religion

Buddhist & Hindu temples in Malaysia

Sustainable travel in Malaysia

Malaysia’s beautiful wildlife and nature

• book local guides on your Malaysia itinerary
• select eco-tour operators who operate with respect for the environment, such as Asian Overland Services throughout the country, or  Borneo Adventure in Sarawak
• support the national parks and rehabilitation centers with a donation, so Malaysia’s rare species can be protected
• stay and eat at locals places in order to support the local economy
• join a beach clean-up or pick up trash yourself when you see some plastic bottles or other trash on the beach
• interact with locals to learn about their cultures
• Volunteer to support local environmental organizations, such as Ecoteer for turtle conservation, marine reef research, and educational/teaching projects

More on volunteering ethically abroad

The perfect malaysia itinerary, two weeks in malaysia itinerary.

• Kuala Lumpur (3 days) with a day trip to Cameron highlands
• Malacca (2-3 days)
• Penang (4 days)
• One island for a beach stay (3-4 days, e.g. Langkawi, Perhentian islands, or Tioman – depending on the monsoon season)
• back to Kuala Lumpur for your flight back

Malaysia itinerary 2 weeks (click for more details)

Three weeks in Malaysia itinerary

• Kuala Lumpur (2-3 days)
• possible add-on: Singapore (4 days – it’s just a 3-hour bus ride from Malacca)
• Cameron highlands (2-3 days)

More than three weeks in Malaysia itinerary

Malaysia itinerary more than 3 weeks (click for more details)

How to get around Malaysia?

From the airport to kuala lumpur.

• The easiest & most comfortable is  Grab (the Asian Uber) – it’s around 70-90MR (15-19 US$) and takes you right to your accommodation. The trip is around an hour, depending on traffic and on where in KL you’re staying.
• There’s also a highspeed train which costs 49MR per person – so when you’re two people, a Grab is already cheaper.
• And then there’s the cheapest option: the bus . There are several bus companies offering shuttle buses from the airport to KL Sentral (the old station where the train also terminates). The buses run regularly and 24 hours a day, and it’s only 12-15 MR (2.50-3US$). From KL Sentral you can take a Grab or the metro to your destination (the metro network in KL is great). You can buy tickets here online or rectly at the airport. Just check if your plane arrives at KLIA1 (where the most major airlines operate) or at KLIA2 (mostly AirAsia) when booking your bus ticket.

Getting around the country

Getting around Malaysia walking, on the road and by boat

Getting around Malaysia on the road & by boat

Places to see on your Malaysia itinerary

Kuala lumpur, to do in kl.

• Free Walking Tour – To get a good feeling for the city and experience a great mix of interesting facts and a fun morning, check out this  Free Walking Tour with Ian , a passionate Guide who leads you through some of the best areas of KL.
• Petronas Towers – Called “Twin Towers” by the locals, they used to be the world’s highest building until 2004. They’re still the tallest twin skyscrapers at almost 500 meters. Visit the towers’ gardens just before sunset (before 7 p.m.) for the best view.
• Thean Hou Temple – An impressive Buddhist Temple a bit outside of the center. From here, you also get a great view of the KL skyline in the distance. Remember to bring something to cover your shoulders and knees or wear long sleeves.

China Town / Petaling Street – There’s so much more to explore in China Town than the bustling market stalls selling all kinds of stuff (nowadays mostly counterfeit products) in Jalan Petaling. In Jalan Thun H S Lee, you can dig into Malaysian culture as there is a Buddhist temple as well as a Hindu Temple.

• Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) – Walk along the stream and cross the bridge in order to reach the historic square and the beautiful Sultan Abdul Samad building.
• Kuala Lumpur’s Old Railway Station – The Old Railway Station is quite a beautiful building and is just a short walk from China Town.
• Pasar Seni (Central Market) – This used to be KL’s place to go when you were looking for authentic souvenirs and household stuff. However, in my opinion, it has lost its charm due to the growing number of touristy stalls.
• Lake Gardens – KL’s beautiful botanical gardens are the lung of the city. Perfect for a stroll and to see many tropical plants of the rainforest, listen to exotic singing birds and maybe meet a monkey or an iguana. When you walk all the way up to the top of Lake Gardens, you get a nice view over KL.
• Batu Caves – Malaysia’s highest statue of the Hindu god watches in front of the entrance to the 272 steps that lead up to the temple within the limestone caves. Refresh yourself with a cold coconut afterward that are sold everywhere on the square. Mhhh those are childhood memories for me!
• Pasar Malam (night markets) – Well, actually night markets are popular all over Malaysia (when the sun has set it finally gets bearable to do some shopping). In KL, the location differs every night. Here you can buy tropical vegetables and fruits, and find lots of yummy street food stalls and all kinds of stuff (from household to clothing you can find everything here).
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia & Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve – Just 30 minutes outside of KL, this is the perfect place to escape the city and get some jungle feeling. Here you can go camping, visit their canopy walk or try bird watching.
• Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque – The country’s largest mosque (and also the second-largest mosque in Southeast Asia) inspired by the architecture of the Taj Mahal and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
• Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower) – From up here, you can enjoy a view all over KL since it is located on a hill and therefore is almost as high as the Petronas Towers.
• Bukit Bintang – If you fancy some shopping, there are more shopping malls than you can count in KL – such as those high-class malls around Bukit Bintang

Merdaka square | Petaling Street (China Town) | Petronas Twin Towers

• Jalan Alor is a bustling food street, where you’ll find all kinds of dishes, as well as fresh fruit, young coconuts, and juices.
• You’ll find good food in many food courts, such as in the basement of Lot10 where you’ll find a big choice of different food (Indian/Malay/Chinese).
• Blue Boy Vegetarian Food Court – Directly next to Jalan Alor, this food court offers vegetarian versions of many classics such as Kuey Teow (fried rice noodles) and Laksa (curry noodle soup).
• Sweet Veggie (Pudu) – Also located quite central in KL, this Chinese restaurant has the best vegetarian Paos (buns) and many yummy classic dishes
• For some fancy dining, you’ll find many places around Bukit Bintang – which is also the place to go if you fancy some drinks or bar hopping. Around the area, I can recommend Kusa Vegan  for amazing Asian vegan food and Palillos  for Japanese-Spanish fusion.
• If you’re up for a drink or bar-hopping, there are lots of bars around Changkat Bukit Bintang – a place loved by expats as well as locals
• A great place to have Banana Leaf Rice in KL is Acha Curry House for an authentic experience. It’s loved by locals.

Stays in KL

• Tiang Jin Hotel – a beautiful small hotel for a more authentic, traditional stay in the heart of Kuala Lumpur
• CitizenM – A stylish, but affordable hotel right in the central area around Bukit Bintang.
• Momo’s – A small, minimalist design hotel for budget travelers.
• Penthouse on 34-The Highest Hostel in Kuala Lumpur – an awesome hostel with a rooftop pool. A backpacker’s dream!
• 1000 Miles – You probably won’t find a hostel with a better location, as 1000 Miles is right in the heart of Chinatown.
• Ohana – Scenic skyline views and a stylish, clean hostel. What else do you need?

Batu Cave | The old train station | Street food markets

Malacca (Melaka)

To do in malacca.

• Free Walking Tour – Explore the historic side of Malacca’s center, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in this Free Walking Tour with Imrahn
• A’Famosa – Malaysia has a historical past as it used to be a Portuguese, Dutch, and eventually British colony. Among the leftovers from colonial times is A’Famosa, a Portuguese fortress. The only part still standing is the Porta de Santiago, a small gatehouse of the fortress.
• St. Paul’s Hill – A’Famosa is located at the foot of St Paul’s Hill on top of which lie the remains of St Paul’s Church. A church in the strictly Muslim country Malaysia? Right, the Dutch and the Portuguese also brought Christianity to Malaysia during its colonial past.
• Enter ‘The Ship’ –  Malacca’s Maritime Museum is quite a landmark, as it’s a replica of Flora De Lamar, a Portuguese ship that sank at the coast of Malacca. The small museum inside is fascinating, as it shows Portuguese history and its impacts on Malaysia. I still remember me and my brother playing in front of it as small children.
• Jonker Street – This street springs to life with its weekend night market that takes place from Friday to Sunday after the sun has set. Due to its proximity to the equator, sunset is at around 7 p.m. in Malaysia.
• The riverfront bars and cafes – The perfect place for a drink are the many bars and cafes along the channel.
• Food markets – Don’t leave Malacca before strolling across the food markets (see below).

Christ Church | Malacca river | The town by night

Food in Malacca

• Street food on Jalan Kee An – When the day comes to an end in Malacca, you should indulge yourself with some street food in one of the many street food stalls. Here you’ll get the typical local fare and a large range of different traditional Malay, Nonya, and Chinese-influenced dishes.
• Wild Coriander – a beautiful restaurant by the riverfront that looks like a garden on the inside.

Stays in Malacca

• JonkeRED – A stylish budget hotel in a traditional house, typical for Malacca.
• The Rucksack Caratel – A charming little and affordable hotel where you can even sleep in a caravan. What a cool concept with a nice pool (which you’ll love in the Malaysian heat)!
• Liu Men Melaka – Malaysian high class at its best! This lovely hotel combines traditional architecture and modern style.
• Yote28 – A super clean and cozy hostel right in the heart of Malacca.
• Ringos – A welcoming hostel that makes you feel like you just arrived at a friend’s place with a lovely rooftop space to hang out.

Cameron Highlands

To do in cameron highlands:.

• BOH tea plantations – To see where the tea plants grow and how the traditional tea is produced – a stunning view of green hills everywhere
• Visit the top of the hill (among Mossy Forest) – From here, you can see all over the jungle across two states: Pahang & Perak
• Go hiking – There are many hiking trails in Cameron highlands where you can inhale the clear, fresh air and get mesmerized by the green landscape

Stays in Cameron Highlands:

• Gerard’s Place – A cute and affordable guesthouse with a lush garden
• Cameron Highlands Resort – for a luxury stay with a British feel
• You’ll find a handful of nice hostels on Hostelworld , such as Traveller Bunker Hostel

Tea plantations and mossy forest in Cameron Highlands

To Do in Penang:

• The Clan Jetties / Penang Chew Jetty – This is one of six wooden waterfront settlements built on stilts (so-called “Kampong houses”). It’s like a village in front of Georgetown’s coast at Weld Quay. It was built decades ago by Chinese clans trying to save taxes (as technically speaking they weren’t living on the island).
• Street art (Georgetown Heritage walk) – What started off with a street art project in 2012 completely transformed the image of George Town. If you search for street art in Georgetown on Google Maps, it shows you many of the spots. But it’s also nice to just stroll through the town and get surprised by some amazing art around many corners.
• Taman Negara Pulau Penang – “Taman Negara” means national park – so it’s the perfect place to dive deep into Malaysia’s stunning nature.  Jungle trekking is always fun and full of surprises. There are many trekking routes that you can explore by yourself. You probably end up at a beautiful, natural beach – the most beautiful hidden gems in Malaysia.
• Kek Lok Si temple – Already as a small child, I loved coming to this huge site with several Buddhist temples on top of Penang hill. But I have to be honest, it used to be in better shape. However, you can see more and more restorations, e.g. at its huge Pagoda that watches across the island.
• Batu Ferringhi & Pasar Malam – Do you feel like beach time? While Batu Ferringhi is another place full of childhood memories for me, I want to underline once more, that Penang doesn’t have the most beautiful beaches. There are more stunning islands when it comes to beaches. But a quick swim at Batu Ferringhi is always fun. After sunset, there’s a large night market (“pasar malam”) along the main road of Batu Ferringhi.
• Try all the food – Although you’re about to read all insider tips for the best street food places in Penang, I have to emphasize that you’re in a melting pot of cultures, spices, and mouth-watering influences. So you have to try it all! Food over here is very unique due to Penang’s culture mix and the major influences of Hainanese communities.

Street art and Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang

Food in Penang:

• Chulia Street Hawker (starting at 7 p.m.) – A popular food hunting place in George Town. Here you’ll find all the popular dishes such as Curry Mee, Wantan Mee, Satay, and fresh fruit juice for cheap prices.  My highlight was the Apom lady (“Apom” are Malaysian mini pancakes). It’s so much fun to watch how she prepares Apom in her many tiny pans.
• Sri Weld – One of the most famous food courts in Penang. You can stop by to grab a banana leaf-wrapped Nasi Lemak or try one of the many other food stalls.
• Cecil Street market – A food court loved by locals with a great choice of authentic, local dishes.
• 888 Hokkien Mee – For a very local, authentic street food experience you have to try Hokkien Mee (also called Prawn Mee) at Lebuh Presgrave. There are also some other street food stalls, but the Hokkien Mee is a must-try.
• CY Choy Road Hokkien Mee – Once recommended by CNN Travel and is located in one of Penang’s heritage houses along Beach street. They’ve been selling Hokkien mee for over 50 years.
• Laska Bisu – Laksa is Penang’s signature dish. You can find really good at Laksa Bisu, served by a mute owner.
• Air Itam Laksa – Right next to Laksa Bisu there’s another authentic place. You can perfectly combine a lunch break there if you visit Kek Lok Si temple or Penang Hill.
• Sister Curry Mee – Directly nearby you also get to Air Itam Sister Curry Mee where you find true Penang street food with historical charm, as they’ve been selling Curry Mee (one of my favorite Malaysian dishes) for over 70 years.

And here are some Spots if you’re looking for the best vegan restaurants in Penang :

• Neko Vegan House – Probably the best vegan restaurant in George Town, close to Chulia Street. Try the Nutmeg Tea!
• Yun Shan Ge Vegetarian House – Here you get the best Laksa, cooked by a wonderful old grandma which makes it a very special and authentic place
• Kafe The Leaf Healthy House – Delicious, fresh & healthy food
• Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant – Authentic Indian food

Stays in Penang:

• Kooning Hotel – For budget travelers. We had a great stay in this beautiful hotel, with its small but stylish rooms. What else do you need? You’ll spend most of your time outdoors anyway.
• SAVV Hotel – This is the perfect option if you’d like a modern hotel with a pool where you can cool down from the heat
• The Frame Guesthouse – You couldn’t get a better location than on Chulia Street! This means you’re only one step away from all the yummy food!
• House of Journey – Of course, I love the name. But it’s also a cozy hostel run with love – perfect to meet fellow globetrotters.

Penang Prawn Mee | Dim Sum | Veggies on a market

To Do in Langkawi:

• Unesco Global Geopark (Mangroves & Kilim river) – Admire the exotic life and do a boat trip or a kayak trip through the spectacular mangroves and Kilim river
• Tanjung Rhu Beach – my absolute favorite beach in Langkawi. You can get fresh coconuts right by the beach & locals open them for you
• Pantai Pasir Tengkorak
• Black Sand Beach
• Pantai Tengah
• Seven wells waterfalls – An easy hike starting close to the Skybridge parking brings you to these beautiful waterfalls.
• Night market (“pasar malam”) – Every night, Langkawi’s night market (or “pasar malam” in Malay) is held in another village on the island. Vendors sell a wide range of local food and many other items, such as clothes and souvenirs. Even though it’s a meeting place for locals, expats, and tourists, there’s a local atmosphere and the prices are cheap.
• Cable car up to the Sky Bridge – This is a very touristy thing to do in Langkawi, and the prices have gone up like crazy during the last few years. However, on a clear day, the view from the top is amazing. But you shouldn’t be scared of heights, as the cable car is the world’s steepest, and the bridge is made out of glass.

A beach in Langkawi | Cable car | Seven Wells Waterfalls

Food in Langkawi

Stays in langkawi.

• Singgahsana Villa – A wonderful house with a large garden and a few affordable rooms to rent
• Kunang Kunang Heritage Villa  – For a high-class stay in an authentic old Malaysian villa
• Rembulan – With a cozy common area just a few minutes from the main road with many food options
• Bed Attitude – A relatively new hostel with capsules in the lively area around Pantai Cenang

Street food market in Langkawi | Fruit stalls | Watermelon by the beach

Perhentian Islands

To do in the perhentian islands.

• Coral Bay on the western side and Long Beach on the eastern side. But besides, you’ll find several beautiful small, remote beaches with crystal clear water. You can easily walk from one bay to another through some small jungle treks. It’s also quite fast to cross the island, but there’s just one path connecting Coral Bay and Long Beach.
• Mira beach is one of the empty beaches and my favorite. It feels just like paradise: An untouched beach where you can lean back and dig your feet into the white sand. There is only one small local cafe where you can have lunch or a cold fresh fruit juice.
• Diving – A few diving schools have settled down on the Perhentian islands. It’s super cheap to do your diving license over here and there’s a high chance of spotting sea turtles.
• Snorkeling – You can find offers for snorkeling tours everywhere on the island. We tried it but I have to admit it was not very satisfying. Sadly, you’ll see quite a lot of dead corals. Besides, all those snorkeling tours include a stop at “shark bay”. But be aware that those sharks don’t come here naturally. They regularly feed the sharks to attract them. So you won’t see the sharks in their natural habitat. That’s why I recommend renting snorkeling gear and exploring the water by yourself.

The paradiasical beaches in Perhentian Kecil

Food in the Perhentian Islands

• Keranji Beach Cafe on Mira beach – directly on one of my favorite beaches on the island with super nice owners. They also have nice, authentic beachfront huts where you can stay
• Sunset Cafe on Coral Bay – for a cheap, yummy breakfast with Roti (Malaysian pancake)
• Crocodile Rock Bistrot – for a jungle experience with a super nice wooden terrace, a short jungle walk from Coral Bay (a bit more expensive – is dinner around 30 – 40 RM)
• Ewan’s – for affordable authentic food between Coral Bay and Long Beach
• Z&Z Kitchen – for many great vegetarian and vegan options in a beautiful setting right by the beach
• Ombak Cafe – a pretty place but with very touristy prices – on some evenings they have an Open air cinema where you can enjoy your dinner and drinks while watching a movie

Stays in the Perhentian Islands

• Keranji Beach – My recommendation! They offer a handful of cute, basic beach huts right by the seafront. And the staff is incredibly lovely. What else do you need when you’re already in paradise?
• Crocodile Rock Villas – Hidden in the jungle, like a secret spot on Perhentian Kecil, but a true gem with their cute bungalows.
• BuBu Villa – if you feel like getting really pampered and enjoying some luxury at the end of your trip.

Keranji & other beach view bungalows on the Perhentian Islands

More Islands

• Tioman – You can reach it by taking a boat from Mersing (further south than Kuala Besut). I visited once with a friend and we shared a basic wooden bungalow right by the beach. Waking up in this empty paradise in the morning felt like heaven.
• Rawa – A secluded, tiny island in front of the coast of Mersing with only a few paths and white beaches. The perfect place to escape the everyday hassle and to truly calm down (and only 20 minutes by boat from Mersing).
• Redang – Crystal clear water and white sandy beaches are waiting for you in Redang. It’s a more upscale beach destination with a handful of really nice resorts and a marine park that can be explored diving or snorkeling.

Malaysia’s beaches

Places to visit in Borneo

Bako national park.

Bako National Park in Borneo

Wildlife camp

Spotting wildlife in Borneo

Orangutan sanctuary

Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary

Kota Kinabalu & Mount Kinabalu

Malaysia – a wrap-up

Did you know? The word “orangutan” stems from the Malay language, meaning “human of the forest”

Favorite food: Hokkien Mee in Penang

Are you excited about your Malaysia adventure? Is there something missing in this Malaysia itinerary that you highly recommend? Let me know and leave a comment below.

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12 comments.

oh I’ve heard so many great things about Malaysia already and this article makes me want to go there even more! Thanks for sharing so much information about it. :)

Oh yes, Malaysia is indeed a wonderful country with so many hidden gems just waiting to be explored. So glad that my article inspired you!

I love this comprehensive Malaysia itinerary! You’ve packed so many inspiring ideas in here! I’d love to visit the Perhentian Islands…that water looks so inviting! Thanks for the great guide!

Thanks Hannah! You definitely have to go to the Perhentian when you visit Malaysia. It’s for sure one of my favorite places in the country.

I would especially add Sarawak laksa to the Malaysian dishes because I almost cried when I tried it the first time because of how good it was! LOL I know it’s debatable on whether Penang or Sarawak laksa is better, but my stance is Sarawak laksa is the best and I wouldn’t stop advocating it for what it is! :P

Thanks for your addition, Mayra! So glad you loved the food in Malaysia :) I’m a huge fan of Penang food, but Sarawak Laksa is indeed super yummy as well. I’m always happy to add recommendations to my posts.

Very comprehensive guide and the travel tips section is so useful! Thank you for creating this! I will save it for when I get to visit Malaysia!

Thanks, Elina! So happy that you like this guide and I hope it helps you with creating your own Malaysia itinerary once you go.

[…] are a delicious dish found in many Asian countries with Cantonese-influenced cuisine, such as Malaysia and of course Vietnam – where they’re called Báhn Bao. You can find them at Vietnamese street […]

[…] Town and Melaka are two historical colonial towns in western Malaysia. They are full of traces of the historical trade routes connecting Europe with Asia. With a long […]

Such a beautiful Article. Great information. Thank you for sharing with us and cannot wait to read another blogpost.

Thanks! So happy to hear that you liked it :)

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The perfect 2 week Malaysia itinerary and travel guide (2023)

This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Malaysia is an amazing country with a fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian cultures and rich colonial heritage. We have visited Malaysia 3 times and have created an idyllic 2 week Malaysia itinerary where you’ll enjoy modern cities, beautiful beaches, tea plantations, wildlife, temples, rainforests and some of the most delicious cuisine we’ve ever tasted. It is one of our top south east Asian destinations and we find the people are super friendly and welcoming there.

Table of Contents

2 week Malaysia itinerary

The 2 week Malaysia itinerary starts and ends in the capital city Kuala Lumpur, and focuses on the top 5 most popular west coast destinations: Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Cameron Highlands, Penang Island and Langkawi Island.

We have featured a few of the must visit places for each destination and a bit of information on how to travel to each one.

All images are our own photography.

Transport for your Malaysia itinerary

This 2 week Malaysia itinerary uses a combination of buses, ferries and planes to get around. Use 12Go Asia for finding the best bus and ferry transport fares, and Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights.

We generally found that public transport in Malaysia is reliable, comfortable, easy to use and inexpensive. Occasionally some bus routes will offer luxury coaches for a slightly more expensive fare with extra legroom, personal entertainment system and WIFI on board.

Grab taxi is the best way to get around all the towns on the itinerary (except the Cameron Highlands where they do not operate) and the fares are really cheap! Pick up a local SIM card and download the Grab app  here .

Kuala Lumpur: 3 nights

This 2 week Malaysia itinerary starts in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur – where your international flight will most likely arrive into. Take the metro or airport coach to the city centre or book a private transfer direct to your hotel >

Having internet on the go in Malaysia is recommended and local SIM cards are pretty cheap with generous data allowances. You can purchase them from airports, malls and convenience stores (bring your passport along for identification purposes).

To save time you can prepay online and collect   a SIM from your arrival airport – just remember to make sure your phone is not locked to your local network provider before purchasing one.

Alternatively if you do not want to change your SIM card then renting a  pocket WIFI device  might be for you. We’ve used them multiple times on our travels and love that we can both connect our phones to it. Pre-order one online with Klook  for collection (and drop off) when you arrive at either KLIA or KLIA2 airport in Kuala Lumpur. 

Things to do in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city filled with gleaming skyscrapers and a skyline dominated by the famous Petronas Twin Towers.

The city is also home to lots of British colonial architecture, glitzy shopping malls, local markets and fabulous street food. There is so much to see and do here but these are our recommendations of top things to do:

Batu Caves This is one of the most iconic Malaysian attractions and should be high on your Kuala Lumpur itinerary. Batu Caves is a Hindu temple and shrine located at the top of a limestone hill comprising of three major caves.

A large statue of the Hindu God is located at the entrance, besides a steep and brightly coloured set of steps. You can reach Batu Caves by taking a 40 minute train journey out of the city centre or by booking a half day tour .

KL Tower Many visitors head up to the top of the Petronas Towers, but we prefer going to the KL Tower instead.

Whilst the view from Petronas Towers is indeed awesome, the view from the top of KL Tower actually includes the Petronas Towers in the skyline, plus the viewing deck is outdoors with a 360 degree panoramic view!

Extra bonus points for having a yummy revolving buffet restaurant as well. Book a KL Tower Ticket and read our KL Tower blog post >

Eco Forest Park At the base of the KL Tower lies the free to enter Eco Forest Park – one of the oldest permanent rainforest reserves in Malaysia. There are several nature trails and a photogenic forest canopy walkway. Read our Eco park blog post >

Jalan Alor Street This long street comes alive at night and is filled with seafood restaurants and hawker stalls selling a variety of Malay, Chinese and Thai cuisines. The outdoor plastic tables and chairs sprawl onto the street and are packed every night with both locals and tourists.

Jalan Alor street is easy to reach as it is just a short walk from all the big shopping malls in the Bukit Bintang area, and most of the vendors are open from 5pm until midnight. Also check out nearby Changkat Bukit Bintang street for happy hour drinks.

Read more in our Jalan Alor guide >

YOU MIGHT LIKE: A Taste of Kuala Lumpur: Private Tour

Chinatown This lively and colourful neighbourhood is one of Kuala Lumpur’s most historic districts with many temples, Chinese eateries, markets and hipster cafes.

Check out the souvenirs and local handicrafts in Central Market, and visit Petaling Street for cheap knock-off clothing and snacks.

The area gets super busy at night with many street food stalls opening up and restaurants expanding their dining areas into the streets (similar to Jalan Alor Street).

Read more about Kuala Lumpur Chinatown in our guide >

YOU MIGHT LIKE: 4-Hour Kuala Lumpur Authentic Local Markets and Event Tour

Read more in our things to do in Kuala Lumpur guide >

Kuala Lumpur accommodation

BUDGET – Sunshine Bedz KL  Small and friendly hostel with with free breakfast, bar, pub quizzes and organised pub crawls. 

MID RANGE – THE FACE Suites   Spacious and modern apartments with infinity pool, fitness centre, bars and restaurants. 

LUXURY – Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur  Luxurious 5-star hotel with outdoor swimming pool, 3 on-site restaurants and bar overlooking the Petronas Twin Towers. 

For more places to stay in Kuala Lumpur, you can  check out all the accommodation options here >

Melaka: 2 nights

How to get to melaka from kuala lumpur.

Bus duration: 2.5 hours

The best way to reach Melaka from Kuala Lumpur is by bus and there are several departures a day from Kuala Lumpur costing between RM10 and RM20 for a one way trip. The journey takes 2-2.5 hours to get there – check 12Go Asia for bus times and prices:

Things to do in Melaka:

Melaka is a small UNESCO world heritage riverside town rich in Dutch, British and Portuguese colonial history, and very compact so easily explored by foot.

You’ll find heaps of wonderful heritage buildings, ancient landmarks, quirky street art and cute cafes.

We would recommend visiting here for at least 1-2 nights to enjoy everything Melaka has to offer, but if you are really pushed for time you can visit Melaka as a day trip from Kuala Lumpur >

Here are some suggestions of things to do in Melaka:

Jonker Street night market This open air night market is one of the best in south east Asia and runs every Friday to Sunday along Jonker Street (try and time your visit to Melaka so it coincides with the weekend).

You’ll find a wide variety of stalls selling souvenirs, handicrafts and street food, and a stage with entertainment such as Karaoke and line dancing.

Make sure you try the famous refreshing coconut shakes or Nyonya Laksa – a rich and creamy coconut-based noodle soup that is a Melaka speciality and a mix of Malay and Chinese influences. Read more about Jonker Street night market >

Melaka Red Square This iconic and historic red square is home to several Dutch colonial style terracotta red buildings built between 1660 and 1700. Located in the centre of town, the square is also the meeting point for Melaka’s amazing collection of kitsch and colourful cartoon trishaws!

Menara Taming Sari This revolving gyro tower lifts passengers to a height of 80 metres and rotates for about 7 minutes giving you great views of the city. Tickets are 23 MYR per person and you can book them online in advance >

River cruise A scenic river cruise is a great and relaxing way to see the many beautiful historical buildings and interesting sights around Melaka’s old town including Kampung Morten – one of the few remaining traditional villages in the area.

The 45 minute round trip runs daily from 9am to 11.30pm and tickets costs 30 MYR.

Read our top things to do in Melaka for more ideas >

Melaka accommodation

BUDGET – Jalan-Jalan Emas  Newly renovated guest house with plant-filled inner courtyards and free WIFI.

MID RANGE – Timez Modern Heritage Hotel Boutique hotel located in a side alley just off Jonker street. 

LUXURY – The Majestic Malacca  Boutique hotel set along the banks of Melaka River featuring elegantly decorated guest rooms, spa and outdoor pool. 

For more places to stay in Melaka, you can  check out all the accommodation options here >

Thanks for checking out our blog! We are currently digital nomading / travelling for the next few months around London and Asia (Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Singapore). Check out our travel diaries on Instagram – @.c.k.travels , Tik Tok – @cktravels and our Asia travel Facebook page .

Cameron Highlands: 2 nights

Bus duration: 6-7 hours

How to get to Cameron Highlands from Melaka

To reach Cameron Highlands involves a long day of travelling with 2 bus journeys totalling 6-7 hours.

If you do not fancy doing both these journeys in one single day then maybe swap Melaka and Kuala Lumpur around on the itinerary so that you only have to endure one single bus journey from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands (this is what we did).

To reach Cameron Highlands from Melaka you will need to take at least two buses as there is no direct route, and Cameron Highlands does not have an airport or train station.

There are several different journey combinations but the most popular is to take the bus back to Bersepadu Selatan Bus Station in Kuala Lumpur, then change onto a bus that goes to Tanah Rata Bus Terminal in Cameron Highlands.

The roads on the bus journey to Cameron Highlands can be a bit windy so if you usually get a bit queasy then remember to bring your motion sickness pills. Check 12Go Asia below for the best fares – it will probably cost around 50 MYR to reach Cameron Highlands from Melaka.

If you do not fancy taking a public bus and have some cash to splash then you can book a private transfer between Cameron Highlands and Kuala Lumpur >

Things to do in Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is situated over 5,000 feet above sea level on the main mountain range of Malaysia and famously known for its many tea plantations (70% of all the country’s tea is produced here).

The area has a much cooler climate than the rest of Malaysia (bring some warm clothes with you) and has many fantastic hiking trails, strawberry farms and other nature based tourist attractions. You will also spot evidence of Cameron Highlands colonial history with several quaint English Tudor-style houses dotted around.

The two biggest towns in Cameron Highlands are Brinchang and Tanah Rata, but we recommend staying in the latter as it has the most accommodation options, restaurants and the main bus station.

Grab taxis are not available in Cameron Highlands but you can hire a local taxi to explore the area for around 25 MYR per hour (taxi terminal is located next to the main bus terminal).

Note: The Cameron Highlands are very busy during the weekends so try and plan your trip to avoid this part of the 2 week Malaysia itinerary falling on a Saturday or Sunday if possible.

BOH Tea Plantation BOH is the largest black tea manufacturer in Malaysia and their plantation spans over 465 hectares. Their estate is open to the public where you can enjoy a cuppa on the restaurant’s outdoor terrace with stunning panoramic views of their tea fields.

Other things to do here include taking a tour around their factory, viewing the exhibition of BOH’s history or browsing the gift shop where you can buy some BOH teas to take back home.

Hiking There are 14 different hiking trails in the Cameron Highlands that either start or end in Tanah Rata with various levels of difficulty. Most of the trails will take you through tea plantations, past waterfalls and offer panoramic views of the Titiwangsa Mountains. You can walk many of these independently but for safety reasons we would only recommend doing a hike on a guided tour >

Pick strawberries Because of the cooler climate, the Cameron Highlands is the centre of strawberry production in Malaysia, and there are many strawberry farms located in the area. Most will allow you to pick your own or you will find several road side stalls selling punnets of them very cheaply. This is a really fun activity to do if you are visiting Malaysia with kids .

Afternoon tea at Cameron Highlands Resort Inside the 5 star Cameron Highlands Resort is the Jim Thompson Tea Room with charming English colonial decor set amidst tea plantations and rolling hills. Their English Afternoon Tea is available daily from 3pm-6pm, and costs 75 MYR per person. If you are on a budget then head to Old Smoke House Hotel Restaurant for a tea and scones set for just 25 MYR.

Cheap day tour If you are keen to see as many of the Cameron Highlands attractions as possible in one day then there are a variety of companies that offer affordable group day tours for around 80 MYR per person.

Tour ticket offices are dotted all over Tanah Rata town so our tip is to stop by a few of them to pick up their brochures, and then compare the different itineraries before making a decision. We found some of the attractions on our day trip a little disappointing so you do get what you pay for – read more about our cheap day tour in Cameron Highlands >

Read our top things to do in Cameron Highlands blog post for more ideas >

Cameron Highlands accommodation

BUDGET – Traveller Bunker Hostel Highly rated hostel located a short walk from restaurants in Tanah Rata with cheap private capsule dormitory style rooms.

MID RANGE – Heritage Hotel Cameron Highlands Tudor-style boutique hotel situated on a hill surrounded by the vista of Tanah Rata with landscaped gardens, on-site restaurants and large rooms with a private balcony.

LUXURY – Cameron Highlands Resort Five star hotel set in a colonial building with sweeping views of the golf course and surrounding hills, plus an in-house spa, restaurant and bar.

For more places to stay in the Cameron Highlands, you can  check out all the accommodation options here >

You might like – Guide to things you can buy at Malaysia’s 7-Eleven stores >

Georgetown, Penang: 3 nights

Bus duration: 4.5 hours

How to get from Cameron Highlands to Penang

There are 4 direct bus routes a day from Cameron Highlands to Penang and the journey time is around 4.5 hours (you will need to book these in advance online as it is a popular route). The bus will drop you off at Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal in Penang or KOMTAR in Georgetown.

If you find these routes are sold out then take a bus to the nearby town of Ipoh (2 hours away), and then transfer onto one of the many bus routes going to Penang from there.

Things to do in Penang:

The island of Penang is Malaysia’s culinary capital and a food lovers paradise (seriously – it’s amazing). The main city Georgetown is a mix of old and modern with skyscrapers, shopping malls, British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses, mosques and an exceptional art scene.

We would recommend you stay in the main city Georgetown and skip the coastal resorts in Penang as the beaches are not really that nice (you are best to wait until the next destination Langkawi for amazing beaches).

Here are some suggestions of things to do in Georgetown:

Street Art There are loads of superb and quirky street art pieces dotted around the city by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Some of the murals involve physical objects such as swings and motorbikes, encouraging you to interact with the art piece.

Head to the tourist information centre to pick up a free dedicated map to show where every mural is located.  Read our Penang street art blog post >

Kek Lok Si temple Kek Lok Si is a stunning and enormous temple situated on a hilltop at Air Itam just outside of Georgetown. It is the country’s largest Buddhist temple and every year thousands of people from across South East Asia visit Penang to worship here.

The temple comprises of a series of monasteries, prayer halls, a tortoise pond, gift shops, beautifully landscaped gardens and an impressive seven-storey Pagoda of Rama VI.

At the very top of the temple complex you will find a 30.2m high bronze statue of Kuan Yin (the Goddess of Mercy) with amazing views across the island. Book a Penang Hill and temple sightseeing tour and read our Kek Lok Si temple blog post >

Hawker centres There are a number of great hawker centres in Penang serving up cheap and tasty south east Asian street food in an informal setting. Dishes usually cost between 3 MYR and 10 MYR and it’s generally obligatory to order a beverage whilst you are there (there’s a waiter who comes round to take your drink order).

The best hawker centres to visit in Georgetown include Red Garden Food Paradise , CF Food Court and Sri Weld Food Court. Top dishes to try include char kway teow (stir fry noodles) and oyster omelette.

Check out our guide to the best Penang foods >

Little India This colourful neighbourhood is located in the heart of Georgetown and covers around 3 streets. Here you’ll find vibrant clothing stores and some great eateries selling delicious Indian dishes – we always order a tandoori chicken and naan set and mango lassi whenever we visit.

If you are vegetarian then you’ll find a handful of highly rated Indian vegetarian restaurants located here.

Food tour A Penang food tour is a must do for any foodie and a great way to check out local hidden gems you might not find by yourself. You’ll get to sample some of Penang’s most famous dishes from street food stalls, hawker centres and restaurants in a 3-4 hour tour. Read our Penang food tour blog post for more information.

TOURS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

• 4-Hour Georgetown Food Tour
• Private Half Day Penang Tasty Local Street Food Tour

Read our top things to do in Georgetown blog post for more ideas >

Penang accommodation

BUDGET – Old Penang Guesthouse hostel Charming heritage guesthouse a stone’s throw from Penang’s major historical landmarks and tourist attractions. 

MID RANGE – Chulia Mansion Comfortable and highly rated hotel located in the centre of town with rooftop bar. 

LUXURY – Seven Terraces Stylish hotel with swimming pool and rooms with balconys. 

For more places to stay in Penang, you can  check out all the accommodation options here >

Langkawi: 4 nights (final destination of your Malaysia itinerary)

How to get to langkawi from penang.

Flight duration: 40 minutes / Ferry duration: 2 hours

The two best ways to get to Langkawi from Penang are either by plane or by ferry.

The flight from Penang airport will take 40 minutes and if you book with budget airline Air Asia prices will start from 35 MYR without luggage.

The ferry to Langkawi leaves Georgetown at 8.30am and 2pm every day and takes around 3 hours to arrive at Kuah Jetty in Langkawi costing 60 MYR per person.

Things to do in Langkawi:

End your 2 week Malaysia itinerary with a relaxing stay in Langkawi – an archipelago made up of 99 islands with lush ancient rainforest, white sandy beaches, warm turquoise waters and an abundance of nature.

We recommend basing yourself on the west coast of Langkawi where there is a wider choice of accommodation and more dining options (Pantai Cenang is the most busiest area with many beachside bars and watersport activities).

However if you are looking for a more luxurious stay then treat yourself to one of the beautiful resorts located on the more quieter beaches on the north coast.

Here are some recommendations of things to do in Langkawi:

Langkawi SkyBridge Climb aboard a cable car to take you to the top of Mount Machinchang for epic views of the ocean, islands and rainforest from above. For an additional 6 MYR fee (purchased from the ticketing counter at the top) you can walk on the SkyBridge – the longest free span and curved bridge in the world. Book a Langkawi Skycab Cable Car ticket >

Island hopping Visit some of the most popular islands on a half day tour including Beras Basah island and Dayang Bunting island, where you can go swimming, paddle boarding or kayaking. Book an island hopping tour and read our Langkawi island hopping blog post >

Mangrove tour Explore the famous mangrove forest and see native wildlife in their natural habitat such as macaque monkeys, eagles and snakes, with lunch on a floating restaurant. Book a mangrove tour and read our Langkawi mangrove tour blog post >

Sunset cruise Many companies offer an evening cruise experience on a spacious yacht with open bar of beer, wine, spirits, cocktails plus a BBQ buffet dinner. You can also relax in a natural jacuzzi in the sea on the back of the boat which is quite fun! Book a Luxury Sunset Dinner Cruise and read our Sunset dinner cruise blog post >

Read our top things to do in Langkawi for more ideas >

Langkawi accommodation

BUDGET – Bed Attitude Hostel Brand new stylish hostel with capsule style dormitory rooms, common area and shared kitchen space.

MID RANGE – Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa Langkawi Large resort with private beach, landscaped gardens, 2 outdoor swimming pools and 4 dining options.

LUXURY – The Ritz-Carlton Fancy hotel surrounded by nature with private beach area, tennis court and in-house restaurant.

For more places to stay in Langkawi, you can  check out all the accommodation options here >

Where to next after your Malaysia itinerary?

The 2 week Malaysia itinerary has come to an end! From here you can fly from Langkawi airport back to Kuala Lumpur for your international flight home, or alternatively you could take the ferry over to Koh Lipe in Thailand to start a Thai island hopping adventure!

Another option is to fly from Langkawi to Singapore (flight duration 1 hour 40 minutes) and explore the city for a few days before heading home. Check Skyscanner for the best flight prices.

Found this article useful?

Did you enjoy our two weeks in Malaysia itinerary   blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing the blog on social media.

You can follow CK Travels on:  Instagram Facebook TikTok   YouTube Pinterest

Other Asia posts you might like

• Hong Kong 3 days itinerary – the perfect Hong Kong layover
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• Chiang Rai itinerary – the perfect 1 or 2 days in Chiang Rai
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• Things to do in Ao Nang Beach, Krabi, Thailand
• Foods and drinks to try at Gwangjang Market, Seoul
• Things to do in Insadong, Seoul
• Things to do at Railay Beach and Phra Nang Cave Beach, Krabi
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10 Comments

This is such a helpful blog thank you!!!!

Hi Keely – glad you found it useful! Have a great time in Malaysia 🙂

Fabulous guides will now look you whenever we need inspiration….planning a trip for my wifes 70th birthday for 2025 wanted to do Penange KL and a good beach stay prob on Langkawi

Hi there, thank you for the kind words and how exciting about your trip! We are back in Malaysia in a few weeks time so will have some brand new KL posts up by the end of the year – stay tuned!

Thank you so much for this! Best guide I have seen, I am using all your recommendations for our trip

Glad you found our guide helpful! Have a fantastic trip!

Hello! I really enjoyed reading your blog and think I will end up following something similar in March when I head to Malaysia. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on going to Malaysian Borneo?

Hi Nathan, glad you enjoyed our blog post! We have never been to Malaysian Borneo I’m afraid so don’t have any advice to give. Hope you have a fantastic time in Malaysia!

Hi guys thanks for writing up this awesome travel guide it’s been our go to for planning our Malaysia trip. Just to let you know there’s no ferry from George Town to Lankawi anymore. Flying is the easiest option however there are other ferrys from the mainland.

Hi Matt, so glad you found the post helpful! Yes thank you for letting me know about the ferry, I did read about it a while ago and have been meaning to update the article, so you have reminded me to do it! Enjoy your Malaysia trip 🙂

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Malaysia is such a brilliant  Asian country to visit. Malaysia is a great  destination for either couples, friends or for families.

You can read all our best posts in this Malaysia travel blog section.

Malaysia with kids

A Malaysia trip with kids is always a good idea! Many family travel bloggers rate Malaysia, together with Singapore, as the top country to visit if you are traveling with younger kids.

Malaysia is an easy country to travel to with kids and there are plenty of kids’ play parks, museums, and centers available to keep the kids busy and occupied.

You can find all the best places to visit in Malaysia with kids here.

We love how welcoming the Malaysians are to kids. It is also easy to visit this country due to the fact that English is so widely spoken.

We visited Malaysia with our 2 old year, so whipped up a video that you can watch about how to travel in Malaysia with a baby/toddler .

There is a wide range of family hotels in Malaysia; plenty of which offer excellent pool facilities and kids club options.

Malaysia Travel Guides

Malaysia is one of the best Asian countries to visit for your first trip to Asia.

You can read our Malaysia holiday guides to:

• Kuala Lumpur with Kids Travel Blog Post
• Best Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur
• Best time to visit Langkawi Island
• What to do in Langkawi for 3 Days
• Best things to do in Penang in 3 Days
• Top 10 things to do in Melaka
• Best Hotels in Melaka
• How to get from Langkawi to Koh Lipe (or Vice Versa)

Find all of our Malaysia Travel Blog Posts Below

10 Rules of What Not To Do in Kuala Lumpur

Planning a trip to KL and wondering what not to do in Kuala Lumpur to make sure your trip is enjoyable? We’ve got you covered! Kuala Lumpur, or KL as … CONTINUE READING

20 Best Langkawi Hotels With Private Pools (+Villas)

Are you planning a trip to Langkawi in Malaysia and looking for the best hotels and villa options with pools? The good news is that there are several incredible Langkawi … CONTINUE READING

17 Best Hotels in Melaka Malaysia 2024 Guide

Are you looking for the best Melaka hotels? Then our guide to the best hotels in Melaka Malaysia has got you covered! We have compiled a list of 17 amazing … CONTINUE READING

12 Best Penang Hotels With Private Pools

Come to Penang and experience luxurious accommodation with the added bonus of a private pool! Penang is one of Malaysia’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its rich culture, diverse … CONTINUE READING

Top 20 Things to do in Kuala Lumpur with Kids

Kuala Lumpur is a fabulous city in Malaysia, known as an amazing cultural melting pot. This city is perfect for families looking for a culturally-rich vacation. There are some great … CONTINUE READING

Top 10 Things To See In Melaka, Malaysia [Travel Guide]

While Melaka, formerly called Malacca,  is not often thought of as one of the top holiday places in Malaysia, it’s actually quite a stunning place to visit. Especially for those interested … CONTINUE READING

Best Things To Do In 3 Days In Penang (An Itinerary)

Are you organizing your Penang itinerary? Are you wondering what to do in Penang in 3 days? We got you covered! Penang is a destination that offers one of the … CONTINUE READING

Best Places To Visit In Malaysia With Your Family

Are you planning a family holiday in Malaysia? Wondering what are the best places to visit in Malaysia with your family? Everything about Malaysia screams diversity. A melting pot of … CONTINUE READING

How To Get From Langkawi to Koh Lipe (& Vice Versa)

Are you searching for the best way of how to get from Langkawi to Koh Lipe? We got you covered! With its stunning white beaches and opportunities for exploring the … CONTINUE READING

Best Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

If you’re in Kuala Lumpur, things can get pretty exciting even in a day! Kuala Lumpur (KL) is a famous tourist destination and one of the most renowned Asian cities. … CONTINUE READING

Best Time to Visit Langkawi Island in Malaysia

From lush green forests to beautiful white-sand beaches, Langkawi in Malaysia is what comes closest to the textbook definition of a tropical paradise! This archipelago comprising of 99 islands is … CONTINUE READING

What To Do In Langkawi For 3 Days (An Itinerary)

Langkawi is currently one of the hottest destinations for travelers looking for a dose of tropical adventure, and this little archipelago in Malaysia promises a hell lot of it! With … CONTINUE READING

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The Perfect 2 Week Malaysia Itinerary And Travel Guide

By: Author Lotte

Posted on Last updated: July 24, 2024

Categories Malaysia

Malaysia is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia that is home to a mix of cultures, multiple languages, many different (and delicious) cuisines, and tons of interesting places to visit.

This Malaysia 2 week itinerary will help you plan your trip around Malaysia. From tropical islands to historic Melaka or buzzing Kuala Lumpur, this post got you covered!

Malaysia 2 week itinerary

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). We're very grateful when you use our links to make a purchase:-).

Malaysia in 2 weeks

Malaysia is a large country and as I said above, there are many things to see. This 2 week Malaysia itinerary focuses on Peninsular Malaysia and doesn't cover any sights in Borneo.

I made two trips to the Malaysian peninsula, during my first Malaysia 2-week trip I visited Tioman , Kuala Lumpur, and Langkawi .

During a different trip, I spent another two weeks in Malaysia and visited the Perhentian Islands and Penang.

Two fellow travel bloggers have kindly provided their personal travel recommendations for Melaka and the Cameron Highlands.

So you'll have plenty of options to choose from and create your own customized Malaysia itinerary based on the information in this post!

Plan your Southeast Asia trip like a pro with these tools: ✈️ Find the best flight deals on Kiwi.com . ? Book your transport tickets (train, bus, ferry, minivan, and more) via 12Go.Asia ?️ Find your dream accommodation on Booking.com or Agoda . ? Book the best tours with Klook and Get Your Guide . ? Plan your journey with the  Lonely Planet . ?️ Travel safely and get reliable travel insurance from Safety Wing .

Malaysia itinerary and travel map

In the map below you can find my suggested itinerary, where to stay, and highlights to visit during your 14 days in Malaysia.

Click here for the interactive map

2 weeks in Malaysia itinerary

Day 1-4: tioman island, day 5-6: melaka, day 7-9: kuala lumpur, day 10-11: cameron highlands.

• Day 12-14: Langkawi

Where to stay in Malaysia

In the table below you can find the best places to stay in Malaysia. Further down in the post you can read more details about these hotels.

Note: Prices for these hotels depend on the time of year and how far in advance you book. Therefore, the prices mentioned above are a rough indication of the price per night to help you compare the different options. Check the latest prices on Agoda and Booking and book ahead to get the best deal.

Important things to know when planning a trip to Malaysia

The best time to plan a trip to Malaysia depends on the destinations in Malaysia you want to visit. Malaysia has two distinct climates on the east and west coast. On the east coast, the best time to visit is between June and August. For the west coast, the weather is generally the best between December and February. Please note that the islands on the east coast, such as the Perhentians, Tioman, and Redang, are often inaccessible during the monsoon season. The east coast monsoon season is from November and March. We visited Malaysia twice, once in April and once in May and personally, I feel these are great months to travel to Malaysia as well. The weather was good during both of our Malaysia trips (quite hot but no rain). Another benefit of visiting outside of peak season is that accommodation prices are generally lower and there are fewer crowds.

The currency in Malaysia is the Malaysian ringgit, abbreviated as MYR or RM. 1 USD and €1 are approximately 4.7 MYR. Check the current exchange rates here . While ATMs are widely available in cities and usually don't charge withdrawal fees, they can be difficult to find (or non-existent) on smaller islands or in tiny villages. Be sure to bring enough money with you when visiting those more off-the-beaten-track destinations in Malaysia, you don't want to get stuck somewhere without any cash.

There is a pretty good chance you don't need a visa as there are almost 100 countries that are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia. However, to check which situation applies to you and whether or not you need a visa, check the Malaysian government website .

Malaysia is an easy country to travel to, there are many cheap flights as well as an extensive (and well-organized bus network) and a train line running from North to South. Flights are very cheap, for example, I only paid €15 for a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, including checked luggage! I booked this flight just one day before departure, so even if you are traveling last minute you may be able to find a bargain flight. Trains are a great option for those exploring the west of Malaysia, a train line runs all the way from Thailand to Singapore . The service is (generally) reliable and the trains are quite modern. Read more about train travel in Malaysia on Seat61. Buses are modern (compared to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) and generally leave on time, even when there are only a few people on the bus (a major difference from other countries in Southeast Asia ). Click here to book online train and bus tickets

Malaysia in two weeks: the perfect itinerary

Tioman is a beautiful tropical island and while it's not a large island (just 10 km wide and 20 km long), there are many fun things to do on Tioman Island.

There are 5 villages along the west coast of Tioman: Kampong Genting, Paya, Tekek, Air Batang (also known as ABC), and Salang. Located on the east side of the island is Juara village, which is accessible by road (from Tekek).

We stayed at the villages Salang and ABC and walked to Tekek as well. Of these three, I personally preferred Salang, as it's the most secluded and least developed.

Tioman truly is a tropical paradise, one of the prettiest islands in Southeast Asia , with monkeys crossing the ‘main street’ of the village and giant lizards lurking in the river.

The ocean around Tioman is a National Reserve and Tioman is a great place to go scuba diving, because of the beautiful corals and rich marine life.

During one of our dives, I saw a shark, a giant moray eel, and a turtle in just one dive!

Other things we did on Tioman were walking the coastal path between Salang and Tekek, snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, and sampling the delicious Malaysian cuisine at the local restaurants.

Read more about scuba diving on Tioman .

Where to stay on Tioman Island

Ella's place in salang .

In Salang, we found a cozy little bungalow at Ella’s Place , located at the northern end of the beautiful beach.

There is no warm water for showering, but Tioman is a hot and tropical island so that wasn't an issue for us. The accommodation is very basic but clean.

The bed has a mosquito net and there's a fan for some fresh air at night (there are aircon bungalows as well). The views from the property are lovely and the sunsets are spectacular…

We paid 75MYR (€19/$21) per night for a bungalow with a fan. You can't find the property online and therefore cannot book ahead.

If you are visiting Tioman during the week outside of peak season, you can take your chances and hope there is a bungalow available at this awesome little spot in Salang!

Bamboo Hill in Air Batang (ABC)

We spent two nights in Salang and another two nights at the village Air Batang (ABC). We were very lucky to stay at the very popular (and often fully booked)  Bamboo Hill .

These beautiful wooden bungalows are built against a rock and surrounded by trees. Needless to say, the views from the bungalows are splendid…

We had monkeys peeking into our room and a cat who hid her three tiny kittens in our room to protect them from the lizards! I highly recommend Bamboo Hill, it's a lovely place to stay, and the family who runs it is very kind.

We paid 100MYR (€25/$28) per night. You can find this place online, this is their official website. You can also make a booking by sending an email to booking @ bamboohillchalets dot com.

Be sure to make a reservation as soon as you know your trip dates, as I mentioned above this place is very popular and often fully booked.

The luxury option: the Berjaya Tioman Resort

Both accommodations mentioned above are absolutely lovely, but they are pretty basic. If you prefer to stay at a more luxurious hotel, consider staying at the Berjaya Tioman Resort .

The resort is located near Tekek village, and a pickup and drop-off service from the jetty pier in Tekek is included when booking a room at the Berjaya. There are different room types, such as Garden en Seaview chalets and a Junior Suite.

There are many activities offered at the Berjaya Resort, ranging from an 18-hole golf course to a children's playground and a tennis court. Views from the Beach bar are wonderful and the staff is kind and welcoming.

Check prices on Agoda | Check prices on Booking

Tioman to Melaka

From Tioman, take a jetty back to the mainland (Mersing) and go to the Mersing bus terminal.

There are daily buses operating a direct route between Mersing and Melaka. Check the online schedule to make sure there is a bus available on your desired travel date.

You can book a ticket online as well, to secure your seat.

Caroline from CK Travels: Melaka, formerly called Malacca, is located south of Kuala Lumpur and is a small riverside town.

Rich in British, Dutch, and Portuguese colonial history, Melaka proudly carries its UNESCO world heritage status.

Melaka is very compact so easily explored by foot and is full of wonderful heritage buildings, ancient landmarks, and quirky street art. 

There are many fun  things to do in Melaka  but below you can read about the three main highlights.

Jonker Street weekend night market

This open-air weekend night market is one of the best in Southeast Asia and runs every Friday to Sunday from the river to the far end of Jonker Street.

You’ll find a variety of stalls selling unique souvenirs, local handicrafts, and amazing street food, plus there is a huge stage offering fun entertainment.

Make sure you try Nyonya Laksa, a rich and creamy coconut-based noodle soup that is a Melaka specialty and a mix of Malay and Chinese influences.

Melaka Red Square

This iconic and historic red square is home to many terracotta red buildings in the Dutch colonial style built between 1660 and 1700.

This photogenic square is located in the center of town and is also the meeting point for Melaka’s collection of kitsch cartoon trishaws which are really fun and colorful!

Melaka River Cruise

Taking a river cruise is a great and relaxing way to see many beautiful historical buildings and interesting sights around Melaka’s old town, including Kampung Morten, one of the few remaining traditional villages in the area.

The scenic round trip takes 45 minutes and runs daily from 9 am to 11.30 pm. The tickets cost 30MYR per adult.

Consider booking this UNESCO highlights tour if you love to learn more about the historical city of Malacca and its key landmarks

Where to stay in Melaka: Majestic Malacca Hotel

One of the best places to stay in Melaka is the Majestic Malacca Hotel . This boutique hotel housed in an impressive heritage mansion dates back to 1920.

The colonial-style rooms are spacious with comfortable beds and beautifully designed bathrooms. There is a (small) swimming pool, a spa, and even a library to relax and read a book after enjoying a day of sightseeing in Melaka.

Altogether, the splendid architecture, as well as the wonderful staff, will make your stay at the Majestic Malacca Hotel a memorable one!

Melaka to Kuala Lumpur

From Melaka, the easiest way to travel to Kuala Lumpur is by bus. There are several departures a day and the journey takes 2-2.5 hours. Check the bus schedule and book online here .

One of the things I love about Malaysia is its diversity and a great example of this is Kuala Lumpur.

The capital of Malaysia is home to 1.67 million people. 44% of the people living in KL are Malay, 43% are Chinese, 10% are Indian and the rest of the population has nationalities from all around the world.

There is an almost endless list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur and you could spend weeks or even months exploring this interesting city.

However, for those of us who only have limited time, here are some of the places you can't miss during your Kuala Lumpur itinerary .

Get lost in Chinatown

Chinatown is a slightly chaotic part of the city and can feel like a maze with no escape. Along Petaling Street vendors are selling all kinds of food and fake designer goods like bags, sunglasses, and watches.

Chinatown is a fun place to walk around for a couple of hours and the Central Market is a good spot to pick up a souvenir or two for friends or family back home.

Wander around Brickfields (Little India)

Another worthwile neighborhood to visit in Kuala Lumpur is Brickfields, home to Little India and a vibrant and exciting place to explore.

Explore the shops for authentic Indian goods, taste delicious Indian cuisine and take a tour of the local Buddhist and Hindu temples such as Sri Kandaswamy Kovil and Maha Vihara.

KLCC and the PETRONAS Towers

One of the places you can't miss during a trip to Kuala Lumpur is a visit to KLCC. KLCC is one of the more expensive districts and home to a lot of shopping malls and the famous PETRONAS towers.

The best place to admire the PETRONAS Towers is from the Sky Bar of the Traders Hotel (located across the towers). From the bar, you'll have an excellent view of the city and the iconic Petronas Towers.

Insider advice: plan your visit to the Sky Bar just before sunset. You can watch the sunset while enjoying a drink, and see the towers both by day and by night.

While the Batu Caves are located a 30 minutes trip (by public transport) from the city center, they are absolutely worth visiting!

These huge caves and the imposing statue 43-meter-high statue of the Hindu god, Lord Murugan, are important pilgrimage sites for Hindus.

Therefore, behave and dress respectfully (bring a scarf or sarong to cover up before entering the caves).

Opening times are 6 am until 9 pm and there is no entrance fee for the caves. You can easily reach the Batu Caves by public transport, but if you prefer you can also book a half-day tour including transport and a guide.

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Budget option: the lantern hotel .

The Lantern Hotel is located in Petaling street, in the midst of Chinatown, and very close to an MRT station (Pasar Seni). I stayed here twice and would gladly return for a third stay.

While the rooms are small, they are comfortable and clean. WiFi is good and proper coffee is served in the communal area on the first floor.

And I mean actual coffee bean coffee, not the 3-in-1 instant drab that's supposed to be coffee that you're often served in Asia. Altogether a good place to stay for budget travelers looking for a very central location!

Click here to book

Luxury option: the Traders Hotel

As I mentioned above, the best place to see the Petronas Towers is the Traders Hotel .

If you don't mind paying a bit more (and I say a bit more, because while the Traders Hotel is a 5-star hotel it won't cost you a fortune), you can enjoy the view of the iconic towers from your own room.

Be sure to select a Twin Towers Room when making a reservation to avoid disappointment!

Besides splendid views, the Traders Hotel offers excellent facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, 2 onsite restaurants, a gym, and a spa.

Looking for more Kuala Lumpur travel inspiration? Also read about the best  things to do in Kuala Lumpur and check out this  48 hours Kuala Lumpur itinerary.

Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands

Traveling between Kuala Lumpur and the Cameron Highlands is best done by bus. The bus journey takes around 5 hours and there are several bus companies operating this route (with multiple departures a day).

Check the bus schedule and make an online booking here.

Vicki from Vicki Viaja : Cameron Highlands was definitely the greenest place I have ever visited and one of the highlights of our trip to Malaysia.

Located east of the Malaysian town of Ipoh, the Cameron Highlands is an absolute must-see when traveling between the North and the South of the country (or vice-versa).

The most important thing you should know about the Cameron Highlands is that it's a bit cooler than the surrounding area, due to the altitude of the Highlands.

Be sure to bring some warm clothes ( long pants and a thin jacket ) if you are visiting the area.

The highlights of our Cameron Highlands itinerary were definitely the tea plantations and the Mossy Forest.

If you want to learn more about the history of these sights, the individual plants, and tea production, we strongly recommend booking a half-day tour .

A tour is around 60MYR and includes transport, a knowledgeable guide, and a fantastic half-day of sightseeing around the most famous spots in the region.

Click here to book a Cameron Highlands tour

Tea Plantations

During the tour, your guide will explain to you everything about tea production in this region.

Our guide also made sure every tour participant received the perfect souvenir photo of their trip to the Cameron Highlands. Of course, you can also try the delicious tea that's produced at the plantation.

Mossy Forest

The Mossy Forest is another highlight of any trip to the Cameron Highlands. There are so many different green plants waiting to be discovered!

There are some excellent photo spots as well. Simply walk along the marked path and enjoy the beautiful views.

Strawberry Farm

As a perfect end to your tour, I recommend a stop at Strawberry Farm. Here you can find freshly picked strawberries in all their forms. We especially liked the juice.

If you prefer to discover the Cameron Highlands without a tour, of course, you can do so as well. For example, you can rent a car and drive the same route by yourself. We recommend starting early in the morning before all tourists begin to roam the tea plantations.

Where to stay in the Cameron Highlands: the Heritage Hotel

My recommendation is to stay in Tanah Rata during your time in the Cameron Highlands. Tanah Rata is the largest township in the area and buses from Kuala Lumpur stop at the Tanah Rata bus terminal.

A good place to stay is the Heritage Hotel Cameron Highlands , which is approximately a 10-minute walk from the town center.

I recommend booking one of the Deluxe Wing rooms, which is the newer part of the hotel. Rooms are spacious and clean with comfortable beds.

There are two onsite restaurants (the Jasmine Garden Restaurant and the Rainforest Restaurant) as well as the Vintage Bar and the Vintage Lounge, serving Cameron Highlands tea, cookies, and cake.

Cameron Highlands to Langkawi

Traveling from the Cameron Highlands to Langkawi will take a full day, no matter your chosen mode of transport. There are several options:

• Take a bus back to Kuala Lumpur and catch a flight to Langkawi. While this may feel like backtracking, it's actually the most comfortable option. The bus journey is the shortest one and the airport in Langkawi is close to Pantai Cenang, the best place to base yourself in Langkawi.
• Take a bus to Butterworth and change to another bus going to Kuala Perlis. At Kuala Perlis, catch the ferry to Langkawi (Kuah).
• Take a bus to Ipoh and change to another bus going to Kuala Perlis. At Kuala Perlis, catch the ferry to Langkawi (Kuah).

If you have a couple more days to spend in Malaysia, I highly recommend adding Penang to your itinerary before heading to Langkawi. Not only will it break the long journey between the Cameron Highlands and Langkawi, but Penang is also a wonderful place to spend a couple of days. You can read more about Penang below.

Day 11-12: Langkawi

Another wonderful island in Malaysia and a great place to end your Malaysia trip itinerary is Langkawi.

Langkawi is located just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia and, unlike the islands on the east coast, can be visited year-round.

While Langkawi is much more developed than Tioman Island, you'll find beautiful white-sand beaches here, as well as a dense green jungle.

There are also several wonderful luxury resorts in Langkawi, making it the perfect place to end your Malaysia holiday in style. These are some of the best 5-star hotels in Langkawi:

• The Datai ☆☆☆☆☆ (pictured below)
• Casa del Mar ☆☆☆☆☆
• The St. Regis ☆☆☆☆☆

You can read more about Langkawi in my Langkawi trip itinerary, but here are my top 3 things to do in Langkawi.

Langkawi Sky Bridge

Two of the most famous attractions in Langkawi are the Langkawi Cable Car and the Langkawi SkyBridge.

The cable car will take you to a height of 708 meters above sea level. From the top station, it's only a short walk to the SkyBridge.

The bridge is about 100 meters from the ground, something you'll find quite scary when walking across the transparent section of the floor about midway on the bridge (pictured above).

Click here to book your online ticket .

Tanjung Rhu Beach

Tanjung Rhu is a secluded beach on the northeast side of Langkawi. Unlike the main beach in Pantai Cenang, this beach is usually very quiet.

With splendid views, soft white sand, and shallow water, this is a perfect beach to spend an afternoon.

Watch the sunset on Pantai Cenang

This busy but beautiful beach in Pantai Cenang is an excellent place to watch the sunset and a perfect way to end your two-week Malaysia itinerary.

You can enjoy the view from the beach or opt for dinner or a drink at one of the restaurants located along the beach.

Either way, the views will be stunning. Don't forget to take a picture that will forever remind you of your amazing Malaysia holiday…

Where to stay in Langkawi on a budget: NR Langkawi Motel

The NR Langkawi Motel  is a lovely place to stay. It's a small family-run hotel just outside of Pantai Cenang, perfect if you've rented a car or a scooter for your Langkawi trip.

The room is large, clean, and comfortable, and has a little porch where you can relax. The owner is very welcoming and friendly, altogether we had a nice stay here.

If you have more time to spend in Malaysia…

If you have more time to spend in this beautiful country, consider adding the Perhentian Islands or Penang (or both if you have another week or so) to your Malaysia trip plan.

Georgetown (Penang)

Penang is another island just off Malaysia's west coast and is known for its incredible street food scene. Don't come to Penang expecting tropical beaches and palm trees.

While you will see palm trees and there are some beaches, that's not why you should visit Penang. The reason why Penang is highly worth visiting is because of Georgetown, the capital of the island.

The old town of the city is a UNESCO heritage site, where you'll find colonial buildings, colorful Chinese shophouses and mansions, beautiful temples, and old mosques.

George Town is also known for its street art and you'll undoubtedly have come across one of the famous murals on Instagram.

In Malaysia's Lonely Planet you can find a self-guided street art walking tour, making it easy to locate the most famous murals.

However, also allow yourself plenty of time to wander around and discover lesser-known but equally beautiful and original pieces of art!

Another reason why you should visit Georgetown is for the food. Often named the food capital of Malaysia or even the world, there is no better place to sample as much street food as you possibly can than Georgetown.

Grab a bowl of Hokkien Mee at CY Choy Road or Roti Canai at Transfer Road. If you prefer Char Koay Teow , visit Siam Road and if it's Teow Chew Chendol you're craving head to the small stall on Penang Road.

More Penang street food dishes and where to eat them can be found here .

Alternatively, indulge your taste buds and eat like a local on this 4-hour street food tour . Step off the beaten track and mingle with the locals buying fresh snacks from 4-5 food hawkers (with your guide). Click here to learn more about this excellent food tour.

Other worthwhile places to visit in and around Georgetown are Fort Cornwallis, Kek Lok Si Temple, and Penang Hill.

Where to stay in Georgetown: Campbell House

There are many hotels and other types of accommodation in Georgetown, suitable for any budget. We stayed at a couple of different hotels in Georgetown but our favorite place was Campbell House .

This lovely boutique hotel is housed in a meticulously restored building dating from 1903! The rooms are beautifully decorated and offer all the comforts you can expect from a 4-star hotel.

However, what really sets this hotel apart is the dedication of the staff to make your staff the best it can be.

From the many small complimentary extras (drinking water, fresh lime ice tea, and even milk in case you want to make coffee in your room) to accommodating our requests such as an extra towel, a map with sightseeing spots in Georgetown, or recommended places to eat around the hotel.

The hotel staff will do anything they can to make sure you have an amazing stay at the hotel and in Georgetown.

The Perhentian Islands

There is no shortage of heavenly tropical islands in Malaysia and the Perhentians are no exception.

The Perhentians are a cluster of small islands about 20 kilometers off the Northeast coast of Malaysia. There are 2 main islands: Perhentian Besar (Besar means big) and Perhentian Kecil (Kecil means small). 

One of the best things to do on the Perhentians is scuba diving (or snorkeling), the ocean around the islands is a designated marine park and the underwater world is amazing.

If you stay on Kecil as we did, there are also some nice little trails through the lush green jungle if you are into hiking. When heading out for a hike, be sure to carry plenty of water as well as sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

You can walk from Long Beach to Coral Bay (1km), from Long Beach to Fisherman Village (3,2km), and from Long Beach to the Wind Mills on top of the hill (2km).

Read my extensive guide to the Perhentian Islands for more information.

Where to stay on Perhentian Kecil: BuBu Resort

This lovely hotel can be found in Long Beach (Perhentian Kecil). We very much liked our room at BuBu Resort : the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was modern and clean and the towels were soft and fluffy.

The best thing about the room was the view from our balcony (pictured above on the right).

Each morning the smell of freshly baked croissants and Italian coffee lured us to the breakfast buffet. The food menu for lunch and dinner was excellent as well.

While prices were higher than at the other restaurants on the island, the quality of the food was also much better and the portions were very generous.

BuBu also operates a sister hotel, BuBu Villa , on the opposite side of Long Beach. These beautiful villas are perfect for a honeymoon or a family vacation.

2 week itinerary Malaysia: in conclusion

I hope this post will help you build your itinerary for Malaysia! Malaysia is a wonderful country to visit, you'll experience different cultures, eat lots of delicious food, meet many friendly people and get to admire beautiful nature.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have by leaving a comment or  sending me an email !

Do you want to read more about Malaysia ? Check out these posts as well:

• Malaysia travel budget
• Reasons to visit Malaysia
• Things to do on Langkawi with kids

This post was updated in January 2023.

Tuesday 21st of January 2020

The best itinerary, I’ll add it to my list for the next visit:-)

Friday 24th of January 2020

Thank you Joe, happy to hear you liked the post:-)

Friday 6th of December 2019

Great 2-week itinerary trip thanks for the blog.

Thank you Joe, happy to hear you enjoyed the post:-) Have a great trip around Malaysia!

David Turley

Sunday 15th of April 2018

I love reading your website and all of your itineraries. It is really helping me with planning some of my trips. My girlfriend, Leanne, is going traveling in October for a year but unfortunately I am not going with her. However, I will be going out a various half terms to go and see her. I have already used your website to help us plan Malaysia in December, so I am ready and excited for that! Your website has helped give me an idea of how much we would spend per day and good places to go. We are doing it a slightly different way round, going from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi. I booked the Lantern Hotel based on your recommendation and I can’t wait to spend 3 nights there. Is transport in Malaysia expensive at all?

In terms of Bali, I am looking to go out there for 2 weeks next Easter. Which places would you definitely recommend? And also, how much was that villa you stayed in for your honeymoon? It looked amazing!

Then next summer we are looking to do 6 weeks in the Philippines. This is another one I am really excited about. Is there any spots you think we 100% cannot miss? This would really help us again.

Thank you for reading my blog and I'm happy to hear my posts are helping you plan your travels:-). You'll be traveling to some great places, Malaysia has beautiful coral, the Philippines has the most amazing beaches and Bali is so relaxed...

Transport in Malaysia is not expensive, flights are cheap (we flew to Langkawi for €15 per person) and buses are cheap too (Mersing to KL is around €10-12). You can book online and check in with a digital ticket.

About Bali, you can find my 2 week itinerary here: https://www.phenomenalglobe.com/bali-2-week-itinerary-first-visit/. I would definitely visit Nusa Penisa, go diving and get a little off the beaten track (north of Ubud). I was lucky enough to work with Jamahal Resort and received free accommodation. You can find prices here: http://jamahal.net/reservation/#content.

For the Philippines you can check out my itinerary here: https://www.phenomenalglobe.com/a-complete-itinerary-for-a-three-week-trip-to-the-philippines-luzon-palawan-and-bohol/. I can highly recommend each of the places we visited, if you have 6 weeks I would add Siargao island and Malapascua to your places to visit list. I haven't been here myself but these places were recommended by friends of mine.

I hope this helps! Enjoy your travels:-). Lotte

Monday 5th of December 2016

Hey Lotte thanks for sharing this post with me. Going to follow it in my 7 days trip to Malaysia next month.

You are very welcome! Happy travels around Malaysia:-)

Thursday 20th of October 2016

It is actually TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan/Southern Integrated Terminal) located at Bandar Tasik Selatan. From here you can go to Chinatown by taking a rapidkl train to Plaza Rakyat Station and walk to chinatown

Sunday 23rd of October 2016

Thanks for the addition Abdul!!! Are you from KL?

• Destinations

Wild Junket

Malaysia Travel Guide: Where to Go, Eat and Stay in 2024

Last Updated on September 4, 2024

Malaysia travel often involves visiting empty beaches, hiking in lush jungles and spotting rare wildlife. Here’s my Malaysia travel guide to help you plan the perfect trip to Malaysia.

Growing up in Singapore , I always thought of Malaysia as my second home. At every chance we could, we hopped across the causeway, to explore its colonial towns and feast on its cheap and amazing food.

From the colorful cities of Penang and Kuala Lumpur to the empty beaches of Terengganu and the lush jungles of Borneo Malaysia has SO much to offer to travelers.  Y et the entire country has somehow slipped off the well-trodden trails across South East Asia .

In comparison with other parts of Southeast Asia , Malaysia has well-developed infrastructure that makes traveling easy especially for first-time visitors to the region. The majority of Malaysians speak some English and r oads are rather well built, so is the public transport network.

This Malaysia travel guide will show you the best things to do in Malaysia, how to get around Malaysia, what to eat when visiting Malaysia.

Table of Contents

Visa for Malaysia

How to travel malaysia, when to travel malaysia, travel safety in malaysia, travel malaysia independently or on guided tour, kuala lumpur: traders hotel kuala lumpur, penang: cheong fatt tze – the blue mansion, cameron highlands: cameron highlands resort, kota kinabalu: nexus resort & spa karambunai, what to eat in malaysia, cost of travel in malaysia, language in malaysia, religion in malaysia, soak in the vibrance of kuala lumpur, see orangutans in the wild, climb the world’s highest via ferrata, experience caving in the world’s largest known cave, trek in the oldest rainforest in the world, scuba dive in borneo, relax on the stunning islands off terengganu, visit the batu caves, explore the tea plantations of the highlands, immerse in malaysian culture in penang, admire colonial architecture in malacca, malaysia travel guide.

Traveling to Malaysia is easy as most nationalities don’t need to apply for a tourist visa beforehand. Citizens of EU countries, US, Canada and Australia can stay in Malaysia for 90 days without a visa. Certain nationalities that require a visa can apply for an eVisa online, those include Chinese and Indian nationals.

Click here for details on Malaysia’s visa policy . Those planning a trip to Malaysia should apply for a visa at least 1 month before.

The main gateway into Malaysia is the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), which is well-connected to the rest of the world. The best airlines to fly from the US to Malaysia are Emirates and Qatar Airways. They usually do stopovers in Dubai or Doha. No-frills low-cost carrier AirAsia also offers cheap airfares to many parts of the region.

Return flights from New York to Kuala Lumpur cost around US$750 with layovers in Doha, Qatar. Flights from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur cost around the same also with a stopover in the Middle East.

From Europe, British Airways and Malaysia Airlines fly direct from London to Kuala Lumpur for around $800 return.

Search for Flights to Malaysia

Most part of the country experiences tropical climate, with high humidity all year round. Temperatures generally range from 89.6 ºF (32°C) in the day to about 78.8 ºF (26°C) at night.

The only time to avoid traveling Malaysia is during the north-east monsoon (October to February) that affects Borneo and the east coast and often causes flooding. The west coast (particularly Langkawi and Penang) is usually not affected. The milder south-west monsoon (April to October) reverses the pattern.

The southern parts of peninsular Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, are exposed to both. Even during the rainy season, though, the showers tend to be intense but brief.

How to Get Around Malaysia

If you’re tight on time, the best way to get around is by plane. L argely thanks to budget carrier AirAsia, Malaysia is crisscrossed by a web of cheap flights.

Besides Kuala Lumpur, there are also airports in Kota Kinabalu and Penang. Flying is the only practical option for traveling between peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.

A flight from Kuala Lumpur to Penang (1-hour journey) can be as cheap as $30 one way, while a flight between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu   (main gateway to Borneo) cost around $70 for a 2.5-hour journey.

Book Your Domestic Flights here!

Traveling Malaysia by car is another fast and easy way to get around the country. Malaysia has an excellent highway network, culminating in the North-South Expressway along the West Coast from Singapore all the way to the Thai border.

You can rent a car in Kuala Lumpur for as cheap as $23 a day ($160 for one week). It’s easy to drive around Malaysia with signs in both Malay and English.

Rent a Car in Malaysia

Mainland Malaysia is covered by more than 1,149 miles (1,849 kilometers) of train tracks. The main line connects Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to Thailand. It’s an excellent way to travel between the three countries if you’re not in a rush for time.

Train schedules and reservations are available on the KTMB website . Trains in Malaysia are generally punctual and cheap, though the economy trains can be slow.

A train from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (where you’d catch the ferry to Penang) costs about $19 each way.

Buses are a cheap and efficient way to get around Malaysia, especially to destinations not served by train. Malaysia travel is often the cheapest when traveling by bus. The major bus companies include:

• Transnasional

I recommend buying your bus ticket online and save yourself the time and energy of visiting a bus ticket counter. This also happens to be an eco-friendly of booking bus tickets and traveling anywhere since all you have to do is show the ticket on your phone and not actually travel with a physical copy of the ticket.

Most parts of Malaysia are incredibly safe to travel in. The only exception are the islands off the coast of eastern Sabah from Kudat to Tawau, as there has been an increase in kidnappings on the coast in this region. Steering clear of that area, you should be able to have a safe and enjoyable stay in Malaysia.

In big cities like Kuala Lumpur, pickpocketing and petty theft can be a problem, so keep your belongings close. There are also tourist scams from time to time, especially on taxi cabs. Make sure the meter is on, or negotiate your fare before getting in.

Otherwise, people are friendly and helpful, and you’re unlikely to get into trouble. Here are some things to know before you go to Malaysia .

As Malaysia is safe and easy to travel around,  I recommend traveling Malaysia independently and booking day tours or interesting experiences to enhance your experience. For instance, this Sabah wildlife tour and Penang food tour are excellent ways to meet people and learn about Malaysia.

If you’re an active traveler looking for company, check out this Experience Borneo adventure trip with G Adventures . The tour allows you to go caving, trekking and diving with a group of fun-loving travelers.

Alternatively, check out this 21-day Bangkok to Singapore trip that includes Malaysia in the itinerary. G Adventures is a Canadian adventure tour operator I’ve worked with many times and can highly recommend!

Where to Stay in Malaysia

In general, hotel rates in Malaysia are very reasonable. Even the fanciest 5-star hotels cost less than $150 per night.

One of the best hotels in the city, Traders Hotel has rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out directly to the Petronas Towers. You can’t get better views than that. It’s also home to the rooftop Sky Bar with spectacular night views. Check the latest rates.

This was definitely my favorite hotel in Malaysia. Housed in a Chinese courtyard-style mansion, The Blue Mansion is a unique boutique hotel tastefully furnished with antique fittings. It is located in the heart of Georgetown’s UNESCO district. Check the latest rates.

Ridiculously romantic, perfect for couples! Poised amidst tea plantations, this luxury resort is housed in a colonial building with high-end furnishings. The white-and-black exterior of the hotel contrasts with the polished wooden interior. Check the latest rates.

An excellent beach resort with affordable prices, Nexus is located on the beachfront, with three outdoor pools. Rooms have a tropical resort feel, with wooden floors and rattan ceilings. Excellent for families! Check the latest rates.

Malaysia is a food paradise — there’s so much variety to choose from, and each dish and platter is deeply rooted in traditions.

As a result of historical migrations and ethnic diversity, Malaysia’s culinary style in the present day is primarily a melange of traditions from its Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and ethnic Bornean citizens. This resulted in a symphony of flavors, making Malaysian cuisine highly complex and diverse

Head to Kota Bharu’s night market to eat the national dish, Nasi Lemak (coconut rice with fried fish and chili). Eat the way locals do: with your hands! Go to the colonial streets of Penang for the island’s famous Penang Laksa (spicy coconut-based soup with vermicelli).

Or head to Kuala Lumpur’s Little India for a simply yet exceedingly satisfying breakfast of Roti Canai (crispy crepe eaten with curry).

The currency used in Malaysia is the Ringgit (RM). Currently the exchange rate is at US$1 to RM4.

Most visitors will find Malaysia quite cheap, although it is noticeably more expensive than neighboring Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. You can stay in three-star hotels and feast on hawker food for less than $30 per day.

Food is generally very cheap here. A meal at a hawker centre (large food court local style) can be as cheap as $2. However, there are high taxes on alcohol here, so drinking is much more expensive here in other parts of Southeast Asia. 

The official language of Malaysia is Malay. English is widely spoken as well, though, so it’s easy enough to get by without knowing how to speak Malay. That’s what makes traveling Malaysia so easy for visitors.

It definitely helps if you pick up some basic Malaysian words. Phrases like “Terima kasih” (thank you), “bagus” (good or tasty) or “makan” (eat) will go a long way in Malaysia.

Malaysia is a Muslim country. While Malaysians are generally less conservative than other Muslim countries, it is important to respect local traditions and customs at all times. Be aware of your actions to avoid offending their culture or religious beliefs.

It is acceptable to dress in singlets and dresses, but you should still be mindful of local cultural practices and beliefs. Cover up when in rural areas and entering religious sites. Attitudes are more liberal in bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur.

In particular, take extra caution during religious festivals. During Ramadan, it’s not polite to eat and drink on the street during daylight hours, while most are abstaining.

Best Things to Do in Malaysia

Most travelers start their journey the capital Kuala Lumpur — for good reasons. It’s vibrant, colorful and rich in flavors and traditions. You’ll find sprawling markets, upmarket shopping malls, skyscrapers and a melange of Buddhist temples, mosques, and Hindu temples. It is a great place and there is nothing you won’t be able to find in this melting pot of cultures.

The city’s modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The towers also offer a public skybridge and observation deck. Book your skip-the-line tickets here !

The city is also home to British colonial-era landmarks such as the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

Book Your Tickets:

There are only two places in the world to see wild orangutans and one of them is Malaysia!

Malaysian Borneo is where you’ll be able to see orangutans in their natural habitats. Rehabilitation centres usually adopt and train the orphaned and young so they can return to the jungle.

Sepilok Rehabilitation, located approximately 16.2 miles (26 km) west of Sandakan in East Sabah is probably the number one place to see orangutans in Malaysia. The reserve houses between 60 and 80 of which approximately 25 are babies living in the nursery.

Semenggoh Nature Reserve, 17.4 miles (28 kilometres) from Kuching in Sarawak, has been an active rehabilitation centre for more than 20 years. Young or orphaned primates who are either rescued or brought to the centre are taken care of until they learn jungle survival skills. Visit during feeding between 9:00am and 10:00am and again from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

It comes as a surprise to many that the world’s highest via ferrata is found on Mount Kinabalu , the highest peak in Malaysia at 13,438 ft (4,096 m) above sea level.

For the uninitiated, a via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”) is a protected climbing route that comes with steel cables and harnesses. If you are afraid of heights then this adventure may not be for you as you will be walking on vertical surfaces as well as crossing valleys on cable lines. 

 The Kinabalu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. There are 6000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species identified. Check out this post on what to do in Kota Kinabalu .

Book Your Tour here:

Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak is Malaysia’s adventure capital and it’s here where you can find the largest known cave chamber in the world. It’s 700 meters long, 400 meters wide and at least 70 meters high and was only discovered in 1981.

Other notable caves in this area are the Benarat Cavern, the Wind Cave, and the Clearwater Cave. The latter contains parts of one of the world’s largest underground river systems and is also believed to be one of the largest caves in the world.

Choose to mountain-bike around Mulu, swim or raft the rivers, climb the ‘Pinnacles’ or Mount Mulu. You could even hike the once feared ‘Head hunter’s trail’, burrow deeply in adventure caves or search out wildlife. Or choose to do it all at a leisurely pace.

Malaysia’s Taman Negara, literally translated to mean “National Park”, has a reputation as the oldest tropical rainforest in the world.  It is estimated to be more than 130 million years old and accommodates a lot of very rare animals.

Taman Negara is home to many species of monkeys, elephants and also a very critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros. It is one of the last places on Earth to find the Asian rhino, whose numbers are estimated at only around 200 animals left.

For those looking for short treks, head to Sarawak’s Gunung Gading where you can also see the world’s largest flower, the elusive Rafflesia. Another rainforest worth visiting is the Similajau National Park, with over 7,064 hectares of virgin forest along the South China Sea.

Scuba-diving in Malaysian Borneo is extremely rewarding and relatively cheap. Whether your interest lies in macro diving or coral reefs, the range of dive sites sprinkled around the country will impress even the most experienced divers.

The best dive sites in Malaysia can be found in the southeastern region of Sabah (on the island of Borneo). The most accessible dive sites are along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This region is, though, prone to the yearly monsoon season between October and March.

Sipadan is known as one of top scuba diving destinations in the world . During our dives, we spotted black finned sharks, hawksbill turtles and baracudas just to mention a few different aquatic species. The island can only be reached by boat and is under heavy environmental protection.

Thailand isn’t the only country in Southeast Asia with pristine beaches. Malaysia has dozens of tiny islands on both the east and west coasts to rival them. Beaches in Malaysia have the added advantage of being relatively unknown (read: cheaper, less crowded, more unspoiled).

Terengganu on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is dotted with small, pristine islands and is home to some of the best beaches in Southeast Asia . Redang Island is very famous among the locals, while Perhentian Islands just north of Redang are quieter and perfect for budget travelers.

Prices for a PADI certification course here are very affordable, so it’s a great place to earn your license. But as mentioned, these islands cannot be visited between October and March because of monsoon. 

Consisting of three huge limestone caves, this area is actually a cave temple. There are 272 steps to get up to the temple, but most people will agree that the sights are worth it.

If you’re in Malaysia for the Hindu Thaipusam celebration , you can glimpse thousands of devotees carrying offerings to the temple. They recently painted the steps of the Batu Caves, making it even more popular than ever.

If you want to get photos of the place, we recommend going really early in the morning so it isn’t too crowded. Alternatively, you can also check out this Batu Caves half-day tour which is super convenient. Or combine it with a visit to Genting Highlands.

Book Your Visit here:

The highlands of Malaysia are such a unique part of the region that you’ll have to visit to see for yourself. Because of its high location, Cameron Highlands is cooler than the rest of Malaysia with temperature dipping down to 68°F or 20°C.

The highlands are named after William Cameron, a British expedition leader. He discovered the location during an expedition in 1885. English colonists settled at the Cameron Highlands mainly because the climate resembled the English climate better.

Because of this, hotels around Cameron Highlands often have colonial characteristics. They soon discovered the area was great for cultivating tea, which is why tea plantations dominate the scenery. It is also home to the very rare mountain Peacock-Pheasant.

You can’t visit Malaysia without spending some time in vibrant and colorful Penang. This island is the best place to go to learn more about Malaysia’s culture and traditions, taste its amazing food and experience the old and new of Malaysia.

George Town is the energetic, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques.

Foodies will also be happy to hear that Penang is the food capital of Malaysia. Join a food tour to go under the surface and learn about their culinary culture.

Beyond the old town, George Town is a modern city with skyscrapers and shopping malls. Verdant Penang Hill, with hiking and a funicular railway, overlooks it all. A

Book a Tour:

Because of its long colonial history, Malaysia is dotted with small little colonial towns that still display hints of its past.Malacca is a little pearl located along the Strait of Malacca. It was under occupation ever since 1509, first by Portugese settlers and then later by Dutch, French and British.

Every occupant ended up contributing a little bit into what Malacca is known for today: a colourful and vibrant place, full of cultural heritage that has even been recognized by UNESCO in 2003. Its colonial architecture is what put the label on this former fishing village.

The Dutch Square or the Christ Church are the centers of attention of many visiting tourists from all over the world. Don’t miss out on a walk along the Malacca River just as soon as the sun begins to set!

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Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is the founder of WildJunket. Originally from Singapore, Nellie has traveled to over 150 countries across 7 continents. As an accomplished travel writer, she has written for BBC Travel, CNN and Rough Guides . She is also the author of five travel books, including the latest Lonely Planet's Mexico guidebook. Read more about her here and follow her on Facebook and Instagram .

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The Comments

After visiting Malaysia earlier this year, I have been wondering the same thing. It feels like SE Asia’s best kept secret. The beaches, the National Parks, and the food. Not to mention its so affordable! Glad you are letting people know how great it is. Loved reading about all your tips for great adventures!

Good to hear that there are people who agree (it’s the contrary on my Facebook Page)!

I had a great time exploring Malaysia though I visited the country only once. I’m with my boyfriend that time and we went to the beach. It’s not too crowded and the locals are nice.

Malaysia has so many beautiful neighboring islands! Lovely article!

Hi Nellie, thanks for the great article :)

I also travelled to Malaysia this year. At first, Malaysia didn’t really attract me but since I’ve been here, I find the country extremely exciting. It is culturally very diverse and there is so much to discover. I especially liked Penang very much. The many beautiful street art corners of the city are beautiful.

The island Langkawi is also beautiful. From great beaches to beautiful waterfalls there is so much to experience here.

All the best :) Laura

I love your blog post. Very comprehensive. Thank you.

Thank you for the kind words Qian Hong!

This Malaysia travel guide by Wild Junket is incredibly detailed and informative! It covers everything from top destinations and cultural highlights to practical travel tips, making it a must-read for anyone planning a trip to Malaysia. I especially appreciate the insights into local cuisine and off-the-beaten-path spots. Thanks for sharing such a comprehensive resource!

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Here you will find all my articles on Malaysia

Malaysia, a country which really surprised us! Most people only visit Kuala Lumpur during a transfer to another destination, but Malaysia is so much more and definitely worth a visit! From old cities such as Melaka to the highlands with tea plantations like the Cameron Highlands. But also wonderful islands and the Borneo jungle!

We traveled around Malaysia for 35 days, visiting among others the island of Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur and Borneo. On this page you will find a lot of information about Malaysia and all the blogs I wrote about this beautiful country.

The ultimate itinerary for three weeks of backpacking in Malaysia

Below you will soon find an example for the perfect Malaysia itinerary.

Our itinerary for Malaysia was the following : Kuala Lumpur – Melaka – Cameron Highlands – Langkawi – George Town – Kota Kinabalu – Tip of Borneo – Danum Valley

All of our blogs ánd the most important blogs on Malaysia

We wrote a lot of articles about Malaysia. Scroll down to see all the blogs on Malaysia and look here to go directly to the most popular Malaysia articles!

• Malaysia Budget : What does a trip to Malaysia cost?
• The ultimate Malaysia itinerary for 3 weeks!
• Malaysian Borneo itinerary for 2 weeks!
• All you need to know about the Danum Valley !

Facts on our trip through Malaysia:

Period:  December and January Hotels: click here for an overview of the best hotels in Malaysia!   Flight tickets:  click here for the most actual flight deals to Malaysia. How long: 35 days   

Below you will find all my blogs on Malaysia

Melaka trip: the eight best things to do in melaka, malaysia, itinerary malaysian borneo: 2 and 3 weeks of traveling through sabah & sarawak, visit danum valley in borneo: bornean orangutans and a primary rainforest, george town, penang in 3 days: the best activities in this vibrant city in malaysia, langkawi: all you need to know about this beautiful island in malaysia, cameron highlands: three days at the teaplantations of malaysia, kuala lumpur: eight awesome free activities in the capital city of malaysia, malaysia itinerary: the ultimate itinerary for 3 weeks of backpacking in malaysia, budget malaysia: prices and costs of travel and backpacking in malaysia, diary blog malaysia: our time in kuala lumpur, melaka and langkawi, hotel guide malaysia: the best, nicest and coolest hotels and hostels, tip of borneo travel guide: the most beautiful beaches of malaysian borneo, kota kinabalu in borneo: all about this city in sabah, malaysia.

Stories of Southeast Asia: Traveling Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary . Kuala Lumpur is that kind of place where 3 days makes a sweet itinerary covering the most sought-to places. But more days let you explore the hidden gems of the city. I visited KL for only 2 days and regretfully it wasn’t enough.

Here goes my itinerary along with my Kuala Lumpur travel blog .

Malaysia, as a country, offers several days of exploring like its beaches, offbeat island hopping , the revered Genting Highlands, and even week-long forest excursions. With Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of Malaysia, there are a number of places to experience here!

From Singapore , a cheaper alternative is via road – more or less a 6 hours drive. It typically costs SGD $25 – $35 for a direct bus from Singapore to KL (terminals at Berjaya Times Square, Terminal Bersepadu, and KL Sentral). You can book your preferred bus from sites like Redbus.com.

Table of Contents

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

Thank god I didn’t miss the must-visits of Kuala Lumpur like the Petronas Towers and Batu Caves (though outside KL). But over the decade, the city has grown much in terms of tourism.

In this Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary, I’ve squeezed in the unique places to see while considering authentic foodspots for luncheons. Unlike an itinerary to Bali , many attractions are clustered together in a place – only a handful lay far from the rest.

For budget travelers, MRT and bus transits are actually reliable to get around Kuala Lumpur. But don’t hesitate to hail a cab if you’re off the itinerary track! For taxis I recommend the Grab mobile app for the best taxi fares. Afterall, they’re cheaper and safer than local cabs.

Now let’s dive into this Kuala Lumpur travel blog of mine:

Day 1: Land in Kuala Lumpur

The quickest way to Kuala Lumpur is by flight via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) located 45 km south of the city. From Singapore, it’s a 1-hour flight to KUL.

As the airport lies on the outskirts, you can get to Kuala Lumpur by KLIA transit bus which stops at Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, and Selatan. However, the best way to KL is via the KLIA Ekspres Train . This is a non-stop express straight to KL City Air Terminal at Sentral that takes no more than 30 minutes.

It costs RM 55 (around SGD $15) for the train. Book your trip from the airport via Klook.com for discounted rates. Being a partner of Klook, our readers get better deals from here. Check it out below!

Start at Thean Hou Temple

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary . Considering you start early morning after you land in Kuala Lumpur, the first stop is the Thean How Temple. While the Temple of the Chinese Mazu Goddess boasts its night lighting till late 10pm, I suggest the mornings to avoid the crowds.

Located on a hilltop, the 1987 six-levelled striking red contemporary structure gives it an iconic stance. The place gets even more lively on special occasions. Witnss the city skyline from the top levels of the Temple – and it’s free to visit!

Breakfast at Brickfield

The nearest spot to Thean Hou Temple is Brickfield, Little India. You’ll find rows of street stalls and food hawkers selling all kinds of delicacies for cheap. Dosas are a must-have here.

Again, the evenings get crowded here. When you visit in the late morning, it’s great for street photograph with the vibrant hues of old buildings and streets themselves. Brickfield more or less remind me of Little India and Chinatown in Singapore .

Consider this place for your first meal of the day (brunch too perhaps). Expect yourself to spend a couple of hours at this marketplace.

Stroll the Merdeka Square

This is one of my favorite parts of the itinerary, the Merdeka (Independent) Square. Walk the large rectangular lawn area with the stretch of the Sultan Abdul Samad on one side and Plaza Dataran Merdeka adjacent to it.

Fun fact – the Sultan Abdul Samad was used as administrative offices during the British colonization and it housed superior courts. The Jalan Raja road, pavements, the diplomatic structures and the green square make it look something out of a John Wick movie!

Visit the National Mosque of Malaysia (Masjid Negara)

It’s only 15 minutes walk away from Merdeka Square! Also, swap these two spots depending on convenience. If it’s hot over your head, then hit the Masjid Negara first. Merdeka Square is more in the open.

With the National Mosque of Malaysia a popular place among tourists today, they allow non-muslims to walk around parts of the mosque from where you can observe the prayers. The mosque is centered amidst 13 acres of gardens with 73m high minaret.

Not to mention, with its capacity of 15,000 people – it’s quite something to see. People are hospitable here and gladly explain their culture if one doesn’t understand the significance of certain things here. They also provide in case of inappropriate dressing. Please look up the prayer timings as visitors aren’t allowed at the time.

Witness the Petronas Towers!

Getting to the Petronas Towers is only a 10-minutes drive from the Masjid Negara. Taking a Grab taxi shouldn’t cost too much. But taking the bus with some effort of walking is also an option.

Whether you missed out any of the places till now out of any inconvenience, that’s alright – let it pass. But you simply can’t miss the Petronas Towers. It’s the first thing anyone thinks of when it comes to Malaysia!

Though visitors aren’t allowed till the top, the swinging bridge at Level 41 and 42 between the towers is the key attraction here. If lucky, you’ll actually feel the bridge movement due to strong winds! Speaking of visiting, book your tickets with time slots a few days prior. The evening slots get filled out fast and the visiting hours close at 5 pm.

Relax at Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur travel blog. Your last stop is Bukit Bintang – a visible range from the Petronas Twin Towers . This place is known for its touristy evening vibe with range of accommodations. However, I should mention that Bukit Bintang leans towards luxury with its classy bars, live music clubs, and authentic seafood places.

While I wouldn’t touch a luxury spot when traveling to keep my pockets safe, I found Bukit Bintang alluring for their hotels. 4-star hotels like the Mercure KL Shaw Parade with a pool at the rooftop are priced around S$85 per night (280 RM). In Singapore, it’s impossible to find such deals.

Here are some of my favorite picks for luxury yet affordable hotels in Bukit Bintang:

• Mercure KL Shaw Parade
• Hotel Capitol
• CitizenM Kuala Lumpur

Day 2: Walk at the KL Forest Eco Park

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Let the second day begin with the KL Forest Eco Park. The morning is perfect way to begin while you avoid large crowds.

Malaysiaa does have large patches of forests but this – the KL forest eco Park lies at the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The canopy walks, the varieties of flora and fauna, and the city’s skyscapers is something to look forward to. Expect to spend 2-3 hours here in the morning.

Visit the Guan Di Temple

Another most heard of name in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is no doubt the Guan Di Temple. Only 15 minutes away from Forest Eco Park, this is a well-known Taoist temple, especially among Chinese. Guan Di is the name of the Chinese Soldier also referred to as the God of War.

Thus, some things to expect in this unique temple are the artifacts and weapons (though replicas) of Guan Dao spear and Guan Jie sword. If lucky during traditional occassions, visitors will be allowed to touch these relics.

Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth visiting!

Dine at Old Chinatown Street Food

Another happening place like Little India, Brickfield is Old Chinatown. Only a walkable distance from Guan Di Temple (also in Chinatown), it’s a place you shouldn’t miss. Unlike most of Malaysia where you see large commercial estates gobbling on tinier businesses, Chinatown’s maintained its authencity.

Many of the stalls here are run by the same families for generations selling their authentic cultural dishes. That’s what make Brickfield and Chinatown something worth visiting. Unlike Singapore’s Chinatown , you get more varieties of delicacies to try.

Some things to try are Madras Lane’s Song Kee’s Beef Noodles and Yong Tau Foo. Dao Bao (the Dao Bao Restobar) and rice balls at Madam Tang’s Muah Chee.

Check out Masjid Wilayah Mosque

Another fascinating Mosque in Kuala Lumpur is the Masjid Wilayah, also called the Federal Territory Mosque. There’s no upfront ticket price as such – but be sure to visit between to 10 am to 5 pm. Also keep in mind it’s closed on Fridays and the weekend.

The marble walls and the overall structure is something to admire. It’s exactly how it appears in the pictures. Simply photogenic with the Makrana marble carvings on walls, ceiling, and even the floor designs. More or less, it resembles Taj Mahal – one of the 7 wonders in India.

From Chinatown, it’s no more than a 15 minute drive away!

Take a trip to Batu Caves

I put this spot for the end of the day as this is the furthest from other places and yet closest to Masjid Wilayah (9 km away). Furthermore Batu Caves are open till 9 pm which gives you enough time to get around without rushing.

Either way, make sure not to miss the Batu Caves – one of Kuala Lumpur’s treasured attractions. There are quite many Murugan temples in Southeast Asia. But the 43-meter gold-tinted Arul Murugan Statue before the caves is something to remember.

When I visited, the 272 steps up the temple were ash-colored. Today the steps are splashed vibrant hues of many colors making it an Instagrammable spot. If not pictures, hire a guide for the caves to learn the rich history of the caves.

Day 3: Visit the KL Bird Park

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Only visit the KL Bird Park and Zoo Negara if you have the whole third day left for Kuala Lumpur. If you have lesser time, proritize the infamous Kuala Lumpur Tower before all.

Feel free to wake up without hurrying and have a good breakfast before making it to the KL bird park. The park, adjacent to Lake Gardens, opens at 9 am. Expect yourself to tour the 21-acre park by walk till lunchtime. It costs around RM 75 per adult (SGD $15).

The KL bird park boasts to have one of the largest free flight walk-in aviary. The looks of the Bird Park – the zones, open concept, and the structure amidst Perdana Botanical Gardens reminds me of the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore , though it isn’t as big.

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary: Then the Zoo Negara!

Have lunch at the KL bird park or Zoo Negara – both have their own themed restaurants. KL bird Park has the Hornbill Restaurant and Cafe. Back on our Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary, Zoo Negara is quite some distance from the Bird Park.

The 20 km takes around 30 minutes based on traffic conditions. Stay on track as the Zoo closes at 5 pm. The Zoo covers over 110 acres that majorly highlights tropical species here. It takes a good 3-4 hours to visit the zoo. Thus the time constraint.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Aquarium here exhibits the first ecological-based freshwater aquarium that sheds light on the Malaysian river and its wetlands. With its varieties of species and ticket price around RM 88 (SGD $22), this attraction is where many locals as well as KL visitors collide.

It’s a sweet getaway spot afterall!

Don’t miss on Kuala Lumpur Tower

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. The tower, still a vital part of telecommunication stations here, is popular for it being the 2nd tallest tower in Southeast Asia at 421 meters. There’s an observation deck and a sky deck (they’re both different) at the top that allows tourists to experience its edge 360-degree views.

Sky-deck here is something to experience with a clear glass bottom, offering views of the capital’s skyline. Some prefer to visit in the morning while I however believe that the night view is more magical with shimmering lights and cool breeze.

The closing time is 10 p.m. This finishes our Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Book your KL tower tickets on Klook below for the best prices:

Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog: My story

After food, the sun seemed to be preparing itself for a set. We had a bus waiting for us. We were going to Genting Highlands directly from the airport. One of the best highlands I’ve visited so far.

Well, at least among the ones that have a huge amusement park on the top. But just between you and me, the highland that I feel is the best is Mount Batur in Bali and its wonderful trek. 

And off we drove up the hill to Genting Highlands . Up we went and up we went – since I’ve named this blog- Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog, I shall stick to what I mentioned. But Genting Highlands is quite something to experience.

Stay in a Hotel

After we came from Genting Highlands back to Kuala Lumpur, our next plan was to visit the Petronas Tower. We came back to KL in the evening and we got a hotel somewhere near to an MRT station deep inside Kuala Lumpur… or at least that’s what it seemed like to me at the time.

To be honest with you, the hotel wasn’t very good. They had breakfast alright, but that was it. Luckily, we just stayed there for one night. The next morning, we had breakfast and checked out straight to visit the Petronas Tower.

I don’t quite remember if we made it there by taxi or train. What I do remember is I couldn’t help looking up every time I faced the Towers.

Petronas Towers

Apart from being the second tallest towers in the world, Petronas Tower has something else very unique. It’s its bridge. It is said to be the world’s tallest sky bridge. Fun fact, it took 3 days just to lift the bridge to its current bridge.

Yep, they lifted the bridge up there. In fact, the bridge hangs from both the ends of the tower with the help of two rod-like structures.

So in reality- if there’s wind over a particular magnitude, the bridge actually sways.

Apart from the bridge, the elevator was quite something too. Its top ascend speed is said to be 7 meters per second. I didn’t know if that was a lot – but I did as soon as it started lifting us up.

Going up – Petronas Tower Sky Bridge

Before we got in, we waited for hours for security check. While on the wait, there were informational boards about how the towers were built. How both the towers competed in who would complete building first. And how the winner would be the one to get a chance to build the bridge across the two.

After the long wait, we finally got onto the lift with other tourists. My parents asked me to hold my ears if I felt them paining. I didn’t understand them.

But when the lift started moving up, I got it. Due to the high speed, my ears started turning numb by the second. I looked at the display. It was moving about one and a half floors per second!

I turned around to look at a lean Caucasian lady whose face had turned pink. She held her ears tight. But it didn’t help anyway, her nose turned red. Luckily, before it got worse for any of us, the lift doors opened. We got onto the bridge.

Back and out

When we went up, there wasn’t wind so we didn’t experience the bridge moment which was kind of disappointing.

The view however was spectacular! I looked down at the road from the window on one side and so tiny yellow ant-like-objects moving slowly. They were actually taxis and cars in the traffic. The feeling was pretty exhilarating, I should say.

The visit to the bridge wasn’t very long. We had around 30-45 minutes to stay and then the lift would take us back down. And so we went down after a few great pictures. The taxi was waiting for us for our next stop- the Batu Caves.

Another must visit place in Malaysia is no doubt Batu Caves. Read all about it on my Batu Caves blog here.

Heading back to the Airport

This brings us to the end of this Kuala Lumpur travel blog . After our visit to the Batu Caves, we were completely exhausted. That was all our trip supposed to be and so we headed back. Thus back to the airport did we go to in the same taxi. The taxi driver became well-acquainted with us after a while.

He was originally Indian and turned out to be a pretty good guide as well. He didn’t speak our native of course, but we understood Malay. As it is close to Bahasa Indonesia, we had no trouble communicating.

For some basics of the language, I made a list of phrases that you’d need to keep in mind for it.

He told a lot about the city and his family and lifestyle as well. It was a pretty interesting conversation to listen to on our way back. And then we bid him goodbye and off we flew! Again, I didn’t remember a single thing on our way back. Just before we flew back, I made a very smart move.

I decided to have burnt noodles if that’s even a thing as I was hungry. Bad decision because I was nauseous on our entire travel back to Indonesia. But that’s just typically me, doing wrong shit at the wrong times, so I really can’t say anything about it anymore.

But anyway, that sums up for our trip to Kuala Lumpur. If you just finished reading this Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog, well hooray! Comment below if you’ve got something to add up.

Manas Patil

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Malaysia Travel Blog & Guide

This post may contain affiliate links.

This Malaysia travel guide will help you plan your trip to Malaysia and let you know what to expect. We cover how to travel in Malaysia, places to see, where to stay, food to try, and more. There are many interesting things to see and do in Malaysia, fun activities, and beautiful places in Malaysia’s cities, towns, countryside, and islands. We’ll help you figure out if Malaysia is for you and plan your itinerary! There are hundreds of posts about Malaysia on the World Travel Family blog, we’ll give you links to the ones you need.

This information is from our first-hand experiences visiting Malaysia many times, and visiting diverse areas of the country. We’ve actively tried to see as much of Malaysia as we possibly can, in both Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Malaysia’s islands.

To be honest, Malaysia is not our favourite part of Southeast Asia, we enjoy Thailand and Vietnam more, but Malaysia does have some incredibly interesting experiences to offer.

With plenty of cool things to see and do, along with some special and unique highlights, Malaysia can offer much to travellers or holidaymakers.

Kuala Lumpur is one of our favourite cities in the world and Kuching and Sarawak we think, are fabulous destinations. The Malaysian people tend to be some of the nicest on the planet too, very kind, helpful folk.

We’re able to share with you some Malaysia travel hints, tips, ideas, and suggestions, mostly positive but some negative because travel in Malaysia hasn’t always been plain sailing for us.

We’ve had a few bad experiences in Malaysia over the years including theft, terrible hotels, an environmental disaster, and a ferry breaking down half way between Penang and Langkawi.

We joke about our ” Malaysia curse” and really, you couldn’t make it up. Everything that can go wrong for us in Malaysia, does. 

We are not sponsored by Malaysia tourism so can share honest reviews and opinions.

On this page you can access the information you need to plan your holiday or vacation in Malaysia.

We’ll start by listing our individual posts on destinations in Malaysia, further down the page you’ll find general Malaysia travel information. We include links and tips from a few other travel blogs and travel bloggers too.

Malaysia Travel Blog

Places in Malaysia on the Travel Blog

If you’d like a general overview of what Malaysia offers, we have a post here called,  Malaysia with kids, it gives you the best destinations in Malaysia and practicalities of travel in Malaysia. Below we run through a few key places to see in Malaysia which you’ll probably want to include in your Malaysia itinerary.

We cover facts and personal experiences.

This is the oldest part of our website, you’ll probably be able to tell I was a very new travel blogger when I put together some of these posts.

We most recently visited Malaysia in 2020, when the pandemic was just starting. Malaysia was open to international tourists again in 2022 and at the time of writing facemasks were still required in public places. Check latest updates here, on the official website.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is a vibrant modern city where you can visit ancient temples in the morning, be in China Town for lunch, while away the afternoon in an up-market mall and watch a spectacular fountain display as the sun goes down.

There is much to keep all of the family busy and Kuala Lumpur with kids is a great choice.

Temples, shopping, architecture, food, art, cultures, history and colonial architecture are easy to find in bustling KL. Possibly Malaysia’s most well known tourist attraction, Batu Caves, is just outside KL (photo above, how to get to Batu Caves from KL here.)

There are some great museums to visit along with the must-see Petronas towers. Don’t miss the Botanic Gardens, the huge bird park is almost next door.

Kuala Lumpur was our first stop when we left Australia back in 2013 and we enjoyed it, it was good to be in a modern city for a while and we loved being able to access authentic Indian food in Malaysia.

We visited Kuala Lumpur again in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and always stay at one of our favourite places in the world, Back Home Kuala Lumpur.

It’s a solid base in the city with all kinds of accommodation from dorms to family rooms, great food nearby and always a warm welcome. Take a look at Back Home here on Agoda. (Agoda are Asia specialists, based in Singapore.)

This hotel is also within walking distance of the free KL buses and KL’s “green lung” KL Forest Eco Park.

We have a collection of posts on Things to do in KL below. If you’re lucky enough to be in KL for the annual Thaipusam Festival (usually in February), be sure to take full advantage of that, both in Chinatown and at Batu Caves. The Sun World waterpark is in, or near, KL.

Malacca or Melaka, an easy bus journey to the south of KL has some beautiful and well-preserved buildings in the old town and a wonderful mix of cultures. You can even book a daytrip to Malacca from KL here to see the sights , it’s worth doing if you’re short of time.

It has it all, Chinese, Indian and Dutch colonial, a remnant of this town’s massive importance in the sea trade routes.

The old town has something of a museum or theme park feel to it and becomes packed with tourists, mostly local, browsing the shops and large night market.

The museums in Malacca are very interesting, this is where you’ll find the museum shaped like a giant ship, it’s great for kids.

At night brightly-painted cycle rickshaws blaring modern pop music are popular with local tourists. The night markets or walking streets are not to be missed and there are good shopping opportunities in Malacca’s converted shop-houses.

Outside the old town is another modern city with modern conveniences. We have a full post covering Malacca with kids and where to stay in Malacca. (opens in new tab so you won’t lose your place). We also have a post on how to get to Malacca from KL.

Ipoh is north of Kuala Lumpur, inland, but on the bus route we took from KL to Penang. We really enjoyed Ipoh and will be back.

Ipoh is a world-famous food destination with visitors arriving for Ipoh white coffee, pandan pastries, tofu, and many other dishes.

Ipoh is also home to The Lost World of Tambun water park. We really enjoyed our day there.

If you have the time, there are dozens of temples, caves, and historic monuments to explore and the Ipoh waterfront walk is very pleasant indeed. Read all about Ipoh Malaysia and things to do in Ipoh in our dedicated post.

The memorial tower to Birch, is very interesting indeed. Read about the mysterious “missing” figure on the tower in our post above.

Ipoh is also, yet another, place in Malaysia filled with ancient shophouses and stunning street art murals. Near Ipoh you will find Kelly’s Castle and some caves to explore.

Penang comprises Penang Island, with its beachside resorts, as well as a section of the mainland. A bridge connects the two.

On the island you will find historic George Town , famous for street art, yet more colonial architecture, and food.

There are any number of tourist attractions on Penang, it’s a huge tourist draw. 

The resort area of Batu Ferringhi is popular for beach holidays. As with Langkawi, an island beach destination, this island is packed with man-made tourist attractions. You can read about the ferry between Penang and Langkawi , and how it broke down for us, in a separate entry.

Gems like Kek Lok Si temple , and Penang’s famous snake temple , are great to visit. But if you want water sports and Hard Rock Hotel, you’ll want to be in Batu Ferringhi where you can enjoy the famous Long Beach food court and other dining options . Check out our guide to where to stay in Penang.

There is also a nature park here, good for a walk and to spot wildlife, plus many fun attractions and places to visit in Penang and Georgetown.

We were robbed twice on Penang on our first trip. Once on a bus by a pickpocket and once from a hotel room. This was unfortunate, so do take precautions against pickpockets.

That said, on our 2nd visit to Penang we had a great stay in Little India, Georgetown, and enjoyed Indian food and the famous Snake Temple.

We can recommend Heritage 16 (click to see it here) modern, family-friendly hostel with large family rooms. One of the most famous Chinese restaurants in Penang is right next door.

• Things to Do on Penang for Families  T here is loads to keep you busy on Penang. The snake temple, Kek Lok Si, butterfly and bug parks, historic sites of Georgetown, modern shopping malls, and a National Park. There are beaches and more and more tourist attractions open all the time. A modern bus system will get you around the island or we found that Uber was good here. We were robbed on a bus, so beware of pickpockets.
• Where to Eat Out in Batu Ferringhi Penang  (for backpackers and travellers) There is McDonalds, the famous food courts, and plenty of upmarket restaurants. Our favourite was an Indian restaurant/food court.
• Penang Kek Lok Si Temple  This is a lovely Chinese-style temple, well worth a visit and the kids had a ball.
• Penang Huge Spiders, Photo of the Week We took the kids along to Penang’s butterfly and bug park. The boys loved holding a giant millipede. This will be great for you if you’re new to the tropics.
• Fort Cornwallis, Georgetown, Penang With Kids An interesting historic fort in Penang. Worth a look and great for the kids to have a run-around.

Legoland Malaysia (Near Johor Bahru)

Superb Legoland Malaysia (and Legoland Water Park Malaysia ) is our favourite global Legoland park by far, we highly recommend a visit and genuinely loved it. You can reserve tickets here.

It’s far to the south of Malaysia, almost on the Singapore border. (Our Singapore section is here)

We travelled by comfortable bus to Johor Baru then less-comfortable bus to the Legoland location where we stayed for 3 nights. It doesn’t make sense to stay in Johor Baru, it’s too far away.

Legoland is aimed at families and younger kids. If you want really big thrill rides and rollercoasters, head further south to Universal Studios Singapore. It’s not far and you can normally travel by bus over the border. We’ve done this. See where to stay in Singapore here.

The Perhentian Islands

The Perhentian Islands lie off Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast. They comprise two main islands, Perhentian Besar or Big Perhentian, and Perhentian Kecil or Small Perhentian. 

Kecil normally has larger volumes of tourists because of greater accommodation options and better prices.

There are a few smaller, uninhabited islands, all within the Perhentian Marine Park.

Tourism to the Perhentian Islands is highly seasonal, as we discovered to our cost, the eastern monsoon causing rough seas and murky waters, you really need to visit between March, maybe April, and October.

We were there too early in the year, February, this isn’t a good time to visit.

Boats run to the Perhentian Islands from the mainland departing Kuala Besut. The speed boat ride should be 30 to 40 mins, reserve a ticket here.

Cameron Highlands

We have visited Cameron Highlands. This area isn’t too far by road from Kuala Lumpur with the drive taking under 3 hours.

This area became popular because its elevation offers cooler temperatures, it is a typical tropical hill station.

This better weather makes the Cameron Highlands famous for tea plantations, strawberry farms, roses, orchards, waterfalls, and forests.

Expect big hotels, high rises, and much commercial activity here. We did find one very nice Chinese temple to visit along with a good Chinese vegetarian restaurant.

I wouldn’t say this was a must-visit in Malaysia, but if you have the time it’s worth a look. You could just book a tour to Cameron Highlands from Kuala Lumpur , there’s no need to stay overnight here as we did. This tour includes a visit to Batu Caves, making it good value and a great way to explore Malaysia from KL.

Malay Borneo – Don’t Miss Sarawak!

Borneo and Sarawak are where Malaysia totally won us round.

We were blown away by how lovely the city of Kuching Sarawak is and had wonderful experiences trekking in the jungle, staying in an Iban village longhouse and seeing orangutans and proboscis monkeys, along with the super-sized blooming Rafflesia flower.

You can do all of these things from Kuching plus dozens of other things to see and do in Kuching.

If the people on Peninsular Malaysia are nice, the good folk of Kuching blow niceness out of the water. I’m not kidding!

Kuching is also where we learned to enjoy Malaysian food, why? We finally found good vegetarian and vegan Malay dishes, now they are good!

Kota Kinabalu – Sabah Borneo

Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah, like Sarawak, Malay Borneo. This is where you need to come for Kinabalu National Park, Mount Kinabalu and the White Sandy Beaches Kota Kinabalu .

We have been to Sabah and unfortunately, didn’t enjoy it. This trip was so bad we left early. This was at the start of the pandemic and maybe the whole world was a little crazy at that time.

It was really disappointing and surprising after enjoying Sarawak and Kuching so much. Read about Sabah Malaysia , here.

Langkawi Island

We have been to Langkawi twice and both times found it a bit underwhelming. It is undoubtedly a very beautiful island with picture-postcard beaches and many and varied tourist attractions.

It was the ferry from Langkawi, back to the mainland which broke down halfway through the journey. We seem to attract bad luck in Malaysia!

We also had bad experiences with even top-end resort hotels being of a very low standard and hugely expensive for what they offered.

We were visiting for Ironman Malaysia and we had a lot of problems finding food to fuel our competitor.

I’ll also warn you that our kids had bad experiences with tiny jellyfish here, in Australia we call them sea lice and kids feel them far more than adults.

Stinger season is dependent on time of year in Australia, I guess it may be here too. We may just have been unlucky.

Try the   Ultimate Guide to Langkawi by Wagoner’s Abroad, they talk about family-friendly attractions, tours and watersports in Langkawi as sponsored by Tourism Langkawi.

Malaysia Travel Blog – Tips and Information

How to book hotels and find the best accommodation deals in malaysia.

Agoda are the leading online booking engine for Asia, they are Asia-based and as such have the biggest selection of hotels, resorts, guest houses and hostels, they can also often source the best deals.

We recommend you always check  Agoda  for Asia and certainly for travel to Malaysia.

Because this site finds best possible prices their deals will often be non-refundable. If you’re looking for a refundable reservation try  Booking.com.

To rent a house, condo or apartment in Malaysia for a longer stay give Stayz/ VRBO a try.

Be warned that you don’t get so much for your money in Malaysia. Standards in hotels are lower and prices higher relative to destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam.

The new tourist tax makes Malaysia more expensive again. A 10% AND 6% tax is payable to the hotel on arrival. The 10% seems to cover tips. You should probably read up on this before you go from official sources, it may change again.

Best Time of Year to Visit Malaysia

Malaysia is as tropical as you can possibly get.  Actually, we should call this climate Equatorial, for that is what it is.

Temperatures and humidity remain high all year round. Expect to see daytime heat in excess of 30º C at any time of year. All expect short, heavy, tropical downpours in the afternoons.

The duration of these downpours increases in the wettest months, September-October on the West Coast, including Langkawi and towards Sabah and November to February (the North East Monsoon) on the East Coast.

The East Coast has more of a cooling breeze than the West.

April-October is the wet season for Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and the Cameron Highlands, but really, this makes little difference.

The best time to visit is generally considered to be between March and October.

Be aware of seasonal air pollution intensification . Burning off crops causes copious smoke to drift over from Indonesia, the effects can be extremely severe. I was caught up in this natural disaster on my first trip to Malaysia.

What to Wear in Malaysia

Interestingly, there is not much pressure to cover up in Malaysia. I was surprised to find young girls with bare shoulders and short shorts. It was very much anything goes, it surprised me.

There’s no real requirement to cover up other than in formal or religious places. The mix of cultures here means that people follow various dress codes.

To visit mosques or other religious or sacred sites, you will, of course, need to be properly dressed.

We were given the correct clothing when visiting the mosques of Kuala Lumpur. I, as a woman, had to wear a long robe and head covering. Men and boys are sometimes given robes or sarongs. These mosques are well worth visiting and there are several to visit in KL and elsewhere in Malaysia.

You can also visit Chinese and Indian Temples in Malaysia, in these, you’ll likely need to remove shoes and hats.

Travel Costs in Malaysia

We feel that Malaysia works out more expensive than other countries in Southeast Asia (excluding Singapore) and that you get less for your dollar.

Sarawak, Malay Borneo, seems to us significantly cheaper than the mainland.

In 2017 we were seeing lower accommodation costs in Asia generally, it was noticeably cheaper than 2 years previously.

Buses in Malaysia are good value and often nice, modern buses. It depends on which bus company you pick though, we’ve had a couple of bad ones too.

You can catch a bus into Singapore from Kuala Lumpur or from the south.

Some food in Malaysia is ultra-cheap, street food, low-cost Indian restaurants, and so on will cost you cents, elsewhere you’ll pay a lot.

Food can be as cheap or as expensive as you’d like it to be in Malaysia. If you are a budget traveller watch out for heavy use of palm oil and sugar. Also drink prices can vary immensely, always shop around.

Beer is very expensive but available in many shops. We’re not the sort to keep detailed records of our spending, but these guys do. Travel Costs in Malaysia by Or Big Fat Travel Adventure.(couple).

When working out your costs for a Malaysia trip, always factor in your travel insurance and other health essentials. Visa, vaccine, and COVID 19 test requirements are fluctuating too fast for me to include them right now.

Backpacking Malaysia

We have backpacked Malaysia as a family with kids but if you’re looking for information on Backpacking in Malaysia geared towards young singles or couples, try  Backpacking Malaysia by Gamin Traveler.

If you’re used to backpacking in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. Malaysia is very different. We think it’s also a lot more expensive.

Malaysia offers a totally different vibe than other top backpacking destinations in Southeast Asia.

Scuba Diving in Malaysia

Yes, Malaysia is a destination for scuba divers, we are divers, but with kids, it’s hard to find time, check out  Scuba Diving in Malaysia : Tioman , by Phenomenal Globe.

Very soon we’ll be getting the scuba diving sites of Malay Borneo on the Malaysia travel blog, they’re high on our bucket list.

Wildlife in Malaysia

There is incredible wildlife in Malaysia. As you can see from the road sign above!

You may see wild elephants, even pygmy elephants, along with proboscis monkeys, orangutans, binturongs, mouse deer, many reptiles, hornbills, and stunning tropical butterflies.

Various tours exist to allow you to see all of these things.

If you’re only visiting KL, there is a butterfly (and bug) park, a huge bird park, and a central green oasis in the city itself. There is also a zoo which we haven’t visited yet.

Our best places to see wildlife in Malaysia would be the orangutan rescue place outside Kuching, and Bako National Park, also near Kuching, for proboscis monkeys.

Some captive animals we’ve seen in Malaysia aren’t kept so well and the orangutan situation with the palm oil plantations can be worrisome.

Food in Malaysia

You will find excellent Indian food, particularly southern Indian. We’re big fans of Indian food and as soon as we arrive in Malaysia, our first port of call will be an authentic Indian restaurant. We’ve never been disappointed.

If the town you’re in has a Little India, and most do, you’ll probably be best off looking there.

Nyonya cuisine is worth checking out and they say the Chinese is good but in our experience (admittedly limited) all the Chinese we’ve ordered has been not great, other than the Chinese vegetarian restaurant in the Cameron Highlands, which was outstanding. After a handful of bad experiences in Chinese restaurants, we’ve been reluctant to try more when we know we’re safe with Indian. We found nothing like the amazing food we ate in China and I don’t know why that is. Maybe, again, we’ve just had terrible luck.

Be very careful if you have a seafood allergy in Malaysia. I had a bad reaction to a vegetarian laksa in KL and literally had to run to a pharmacy for medication.

We finally started to love Malay food once we found vegetarian and vegan versions of popular dishes such as nasi lamak, rendang, and roti canai. The usual chicken, organs, and dried fish ingredients weren’t for us.

The coffee situation can be bad in Malaysia if you like your coffee black. Dried coffee premix containing powdered milk and sugar can be a regular feature, along with coffee bags. If you like your coffee sweet and milky you should be fine.

These days you can easily find a Starbucks or any number of other coffee chains in the big cities. This is one country where I would certainly take emergency backup tea and coffee or even something like an Aeropress. (see travel coffee makers here)

Malaysia Guide Book

Malaysia Travel Blog – What’s Next

Our Malaysia travel blog and guide is constantly evolving and growing. We’re arriving in Langkawi and travelling further in Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia soon, so a lot more Malaysia content to come. 

I don’t want to come across as negative about Malaysia, if we really disliked it we wouldn’t keep going back to explore more areas. Malaysia does have bags of charm and I always enjoy visiting Kuala Lumpur and long to visit Malacca and Kuching again. 

Unfortunately, we have had a lot of very bad luck in Malaysia, but is it luck? We’ve never been robbed anywhere else in 5 years. We’ve never been on a ferry that’s broken down anywhere else and we never normally struggle to find good food.

The people of Malaysia, the women particularly, have been super kind and friendly so I feel bad leaving less than glowing reviews, but as always, I’m honest. I can only report on our own experiences exploring Malaysia as professional travel bloggers.

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• Island Hopping, Ziplining, Sightseeing, & Duty-Free Shopping: This Malaysia Travel Guide Has It All!

Striking cityscapes, sandy beaches, and pristine islands were all that I had heard about Malaysia till I saw it all for real on a holiday there in October. I was pretty excited about my Malaysia trip; the itinerary of which was quite packed with lots of interesting and thrilling activities, all thanks to Tourism Malaysia. This trip was 6 days of unlimited fun and limited sleep. With flights in the air, scooters on land, and jet skis on the water, I traversed from India to Malaysia on one of my best trips till date. Have a look at this ultimate Malaysia travel guide and I bet you’d be already planning yours!

Itinerary Of 6 Days Trip To Malaysia

Day 1: Arrival at Kuala Lumpur and city sightseeing Day 2: Transfer to Genting and Genting attractions Day 3: Arrival at Langkawi and duty-free shopping Day 4: Island hopping via jet ski tour Day 5: Ziplining and sunset cruise Day 6: Arrival at New Delhi

Weather In Malaysia In October

I covered Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, and Langkawi on this trip to Malaysia, and the weather was different at all the three places. The temperature was moderate and humid as it was raining in Kuala Lumpur in October. Genting Highlands was much cooler in comparison to KL, but one didn’t really need thermals. It was a pleasant weather in Genting in October. While it was quite warm in Langkawi with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 31°C.

My Experiences On A 6 Day Trip To Malaysia

I visited Malaysia in October, and it was one amazing trip organized by Malaysia Tourism. With 9 other individuals on this trip, I had an amazing time seeing the best of Malaysia and staying at some of the most beautiful properties, enjoying the food at the best restaurants and a lot more. Read on to know what this 6 day trip to Malaysia had in store for me.

1. Kuala Lumpur Sightseeing

My trip to Malaysia began with a little over a 5-hour flight from New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and I was pretty excited about it. After settling at the hotel and having lunch there, I headed for the first attraction of my 6 day Malaysia trip which was Batu Caves . These were a series of caves and cave temples which had 272 colored steps to reach to the top. The first site of this attraction was the golden gleam of the beautiful Lord Murugan statue , which also happens to be the world’s tallest Murugan statue, standing tall at a height of 47.2 mts. The climb was a bit tedious but the temples and the views from atop were beautiful. The temple complex below and the openings above in the limestone caves, from where the light peaked in, looked lovely after the climb.

After Batu Caves, I headed to the Central Market , which was quite close to Chinatown. The first thing that I noticed around Central Market was the graffiti, both interesting and vibrant. The Central Market itself is a heritage building in Malaysia and houses over 300 shops that have art, culture, food, and experiences. My favorite stop at this market was the Fish Spa , which was a first time experience for me. Ticklish in the beginning, it was fun after the initial one or two minutes. The market also had Batik paintings, souvenirs and other artsy stuff including bundles of postcards in the form of old printed photographs.

The next stop was a crossroad from where I got the perfect view of the Petronas Twin Towers , the tallest building in the world till 2004, and the tallest twin towers till date. After clicking a few pictures with this beauty, I headed to another famous tower of Kuala Lumpur, Menara Kuala Lumpur . Here I had dinner at Atmosphere 360, which is a restaurant 282m above ground level and with the look of a spaceship. Later I also went to the observation deck from where I enjoyed breathtaking views of the city of Kuala Lumpur. This was all that Kuala Lumpur sightseeing had in store for us.

19 Best Places To Visit In Kuala Lumpur In 2022: The City Of Lights

2. A Day At Genting Highlands

No Malaysia travel guide is complete without a mention of Genting Highlands. And another highlight of my 6 day Malaysia trip was a day at Genting Highlands . A hill resort in Malaysia, Genting is a great add on to one’s itinerary. The winding roads and green sideways made the journey even more beautiful. Genting is another world in itself with loads of indoor and outdoor activities. The outdoor theme park was closed at the moment, but that did not stop me from having fun.

The tour started with lunch at Jom Makan Street Food , where I had tasty South Indian food. The next stop was the Sky Symphony show , which is also the only free thing to enjoy at Genting Highlands. It is a visual marvel, a storytelling in the sky with the help of thousands of balls that dance in the sky and is quite entertaining. Next, I headed to experience The Void , which was a thrilling virtual reality experience. Based on Hollywood storylines, there are different missions and one can experience it in teams of 4. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of the entire trip.

The day did not just end here, as I was still to experience the exciting ropeway of Genting. And soon I started the descend to Chin Swee Temple in Genting. It began to rain as soon as I took our glass-bottom gondola. The views of the dense green forest below and all around were terrific. The glass bottom of the gondola added to the thrill, and the environs turned misty and beautiful. By the time I reached the temple, the clouds cleared a bit, and I got amazing views of this 9 storey Chinese temple. This was one of the most picturesque sites of Genting.

The day at Genting ended with a visit to the Snow World where one could enjoy tobogganing & click pictures inside igloo houses.

7 Nature Suffused Soul Enchanting Hill Stations In Malaysia

3. Cenang Walking Tour

If you are looking for some duty-free shopping, then the duty-free stores at Langkawi are the best places to buy chocolates, liquors, and cigars . Liquor is quite cheaply priced and there is quite a variety of chocolates available. Right outside the duty-free stores which are located at Cenang street, there are a number of stores for street shopping in Langkawi. One can get s ouvenirs, local jewelry, craft items, clothes, perfumes and quirky bags at these stores. There is a sidewalk too with a number of food trucks in Cenang , where one can enjoy the local food of Langkawi.

A Complete Guide For A Trip To Langkawi Island In 2022

4. Island Hopping On A Jet Ski

Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands, is drop-dead gorgeous. The clear blue waters, white-sand beaches, and dense green environs, all add to the magnificence of this archipelago. 4 out of a total of 99 islands are inhabited here and on a 4 hour Jet Ski tour with Mega Water Sports , I went island hopping to some inhabited while some unoccupied islands. The first stop was the freshwater lake of Dayang Bunting which is also called the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden. A short hike took us to this beautiful lake that was surrounded by dense forests and had refreshing cool water.

After a swim here I proceeded to the mangroves and limestone caves and later stopped at a remote island before I finally headed back for the mainland. The instructor was quite patient and gave the instructions well before the tour began. All in all, it was quite an adventure and the best way to explore different islands of Langkawi.

27 Exotic Places To Visit In Langkawi For Soaking In The Soothing 2022 Malay Vibes

5. Sky High Langkawi Cable Car

Langkawi isn’t just about the blues and the depth of the sea, but it is also about the mountains and scaling heights. The highest cable car of Malaysia, Langkawi Cable Car takes one through the eastern cliffs of Mt. Machinchang, above the lush green forests. The observation deck offered views of the most pristine sunset. One can even have a wedding here, atop the world, in the clouds, and lock vows and promises forever and put a marriage lock at the bridge here.

The sunset scenes from atop were the most beautiful of this 6 day Malaysia trip. The Sky Bridge was closed for safety reasons as it was drizzling, but the mere sight of it was thrilling and exciting. I would love to go back to Langkawi, just to walk on the Langkawi Sky Bridge.

10 Best Things To Do In Langkawi That Make It A Traveler’s Paradise

6. Ziplining Through The Langkawi Rainforest

Another amazing experience in Langkawi was ziplining through one of the oldest rainforests in the world. And Umgawa Legendary Adventures made it possible with complete assistance, amazing guides, and entertaining time through the 12 ziplines and 3 bridges that took around 2.5 hours to finish. It was great fun soaring from one end to another at the highest being 80 meters above the ground and catching glimpses of the Andaman Sea faraway. The descent was made by abseiling which was equally fun.

8 Places Every Backpacker Must See On Their Trip To Malaysia

7. Music And Dance At The Sunset Cruise

The 6 day Malaysia trip ended with a lovely evening on a cruise ship. I rushed to the cruise ship in a smaller boat as I had missed it at the dock. The speedy boat ride was quite thrilling and once onboard, I was greeted with friendly smiles and drinks. The cruise took us around in the calm waters of the sea and as the sun went down, the energy levels on the cruise ship rose. There was music, dance, and food and as everyone danced to some Bollywood music, that evening, I ended the trip on a memorable note.

Hotels in KL, Genting And Langkawi

I stayed in 3 different hotels on our 6 day Malaysia trip. The first one was the Tamu Hotel & Suites in Kuala Lumpur . It was a nice property with helpful staff. The views from the rooms were amazing and I could see both KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers. The rooms were also quite spacious with air conditioning and WiFi facility. There weren’t a lot of food options for vegetarians the first day at lunch, but the manager was kind enough to specially get fried rice cooked for us, which was delicious.

The next place where I stayed on my Malaysia holiday was at Genting Highlands at Resorts World Genting . I got the Deluxe room which was later upgraded to Superior Deluxe. The Deluxe rooms though small with approx. 180 sq ft space had WiFi and no views available. The Superior Deluxe on the other hand with approx. 320 sq ft space, had beautiful views of the winding roads leading to Genting Highlands but no WiFi. So, get your priorities straight before you choose the room here.

The last place where I stayed was at The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa in Langkawi. I stayed in the Deluxe Rooms which were the most basic at this lovely property. The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa was a beachfront property where I didn’t get a lot of time to spend, but overall it was a beautiful and clean space. I was welcomed with garlands and a welcome drink, and everyone was helpful at the property.

Food In Malaysia

If you are a vegetarian, then food can be a bit tricky, especially when traveling during off-season periods because buffets do not have a lot of vegetarian options in Malaysia. But there are always options available. Also, coconut water is found in abundance here, and one can find it easily everywhere in Malaysia.

During my Malaysia trip, one place that really stood out for me was Huggin Hippo Langkawi . It was a chic restaurant with views of the sea. The owner of this place was very hospitable and everything I tried here was super delicious. It was no doubt the best meal of my entire 6 days Malaysia trip. Also, the desserts here were really tasty, and poured of love and warmth! Do try this place, on your trip to Langkawi.

Shopping In Malaysia

If one is looking for duty-free shopping, then Langkawi is the best place for it. One can buy chocolates and liquor here. For souvenirs and artsy stuff, I explored Cenang street and found really amazing places with earrings, bookmarks, and other aesthetic items. One can also buy clothes for the beach, perfumes, and more on this street here. If one is looking for more high-end shopping then, Genting Premium outlet is that place to shop at. Other than these two destinations, one can also check out Central Market in Kuala Lumpur was Batik and other authentic Malaysian things and Chinatown for street shopping.

What To Pack For Malaysia

I traveled to Malaysia in October and the weather was good for summer clothes. Genting Highlands was cold compared to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi but didn’t require a thermal.

Malaysia Travel Tips

I traveled to Malaysia for the first time, and these are a few things that I think would help any first-timer here:

• If you are traveling to Malaysia in October, then carry an umbrella as it can begin to rain anytime. The showers are light and it doesn’t rain for a long time, but an umbrella would always be handy.
• Keep a hard copy of the visa and itinerary as you might need it during immigration.
• Always carry drinking water with oneself. Refill your bottles at the hotel or wherever you find drinking water available as water is expensive in Malaysia.
• Carry a swimsuit if you are planning on trying the watersports in Langkawi.
• Apply sunscreen well, because the sun in Langkawi won’t just tan, but might give you burns, especially on longer tours like island hopping jet ski, under the sun.
• Make sure that you are properly covered when visiting Batu Caves or you’ll have to rent a sarong at the temple complex below. The dress or shorts should be below the knees, and one’s shoulders covered.
• Always carry dry food items with you, because at times you might not find the food of your choice.
• Carry an international adapter as the plug points might not function without it.
• One can only carry 1 liter of alcohol from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur, so buy wisely.
• Abide by the timings given by the guide or you’ll miss out on experiences.
• Langkawi resorts are beautiful and if you are planning to stay at one, then keep a day entirely free, just to enjoy the property and relax at the beach.

How To Reach Malaysia

One can take a flight to Kuala Lumpur from various cities in India like New Delhi and Mumbai. I took Malindo airlines from Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and back. There was no food available in the flight, for those who had pre-booked a meal, neither for purchase. So, if you plan to fly with Malindo, make sure you are carrying your own food as it is around 5.5 hours flight from one point to another.

21 Malaysia Islands You Must Visit In 2022 For Having The Best Vacation Ever

This 6 day Malaysia holiday was spectacular, all thanks to Tourism Malaysia for planning an amazing itinerary. If you want to experience both highlands and beaches together, plan a similar trip to Malaysia with TravelTriangle and have an awesome time in Malaysia.

Deepti Gupta

A writer by choice, a photographer by passion, a seasonal sailor preferably monsoons and a pilot when the wind is just right! When not in the city, I’m often found chasing sunrises in the mountains or sunsets at the beaches!

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2024 kuala lumpur malaysia travel guide blog with diy itinerary for first-timers.

Traveling to Kuala Lumpur this 2024? Check out this Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide Blog 202 with sample itinerary to help you plan a memorable Malaysia adventure!

2024 travel guide to kuala lumpur, malaysia for first-timers.

Finally! Makikita ko na ang Petronas Towers! Hahaha! 😂😂😂 #AirAsiaInKualaLumpur #Malaysia 🇲🇾 A post shared by Pinoy Adventurista (Mervz) 🇵🇭 (@pinoyadventurista) on Aug 3, 2017 at 2:29am PDT

How to Get There?

Singapore to kuala lumpur, klia2 to kuala lumpur city center, visa requirements, how to stay connected in kuala lumpur.

Where to Stay?

What to do in Kuala Lumpur?

Top 10 things to do in kuala lumpur for first-timers.

• Visit Istana Negara (National Palace)
• Relieve history at Tugu Negara (National Monument)
• Take a photo of the National Mosque of Malaysia
• Learn more about KL at Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
• Get a piece of history at Merdeka Square
• Be Amazed by the KL Tower ( Buy discounted admission tickets here )
• Visit Batu Caves
• Go up the Petronas Twin Towers Observation deck ( Buy discounted admission tickets + one-way transfer here )
• Watch a Cultural Show
• Food Trip and Shopping
• Take a historical walking tour of colonial British buildings
• Take a photo of Petronas Towers ( Buy discounted admission tickets + one-way transfer here )
• Gaze at art works at Galeri Petronas
• Visit Houses of worship
• Enjoy the Parks
• Visit the Central Market
• Explore Little India in Brickfields

TOP TOURIST SPOTS AND ATTRACTIONS IN KUALA LUMPUR

PETRONAS Twin Towers

Sunway Lagoon Water Theme Park

Ripley's Adventureland, Jurassic Research Center, 4D Trick Art Museum & Zombie Outbreak

KidZania Kuala Lumpur

Genting Highlands

Where to Eat in KL?

1. saloma theater restaurant, 2. restoran oversea, 3. canai 15 café.

Yesterday's #KualaLumpur #CityTour. ❤️❤️❤️ #AirAsiaInKualaLumpur #Malaysia 🇲🇾 A post shared by Pinoy Adventurista (Mervz) 🇵🇭 (@pinoyadventurista) on Aug 4, 2017 at 4:42pm PDT

Sample Kuala Lumpur Itinerary?

Here's our original 4d/3n kl itinerary:.

Here's what really happened...

• Istana Negara (National Palace)
• Tugu Negara (National Monument)
• National Mosque of Malaysia
• Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
• Merdeka Square
• KL Tower ( Buy discounted admission tickets here )

Travel Tips and Reminders?

• Travel time from KLIA2 to KL City Center is about 1 hour. Plan your trip accordingly.
• You can exchange your Philippine Peso or US Dollars in the money changers at the airport or at the city center. When I changed my PHP to MYR at the airport, exchange rate is about 0.078; but at the city center, exchange rate is 0.081. So, it's better to change your money at the city center.
• For electricity, most establishments use 3-pin square plugs and sockets at 220–240 V. Don't forget to bring a universal adapter.
• Some public toilets asks for a payment of 0.50 MYR, so be sure to always have 0.50 cents coins with you.
• Dress appropriately when visiting mosques, temples, and other houses of worship.
• To save on travel expenses, join group tours , walk if you can, stay in hostels or budget hotels , and take advantage of PAL, AirAsia and Cebu Pacific promos and flight seat sale .

I hope this Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide Blog for First-timers helped you in planning an awesome KL adventure. Please don't forget to SHARE this to your friends. Enjoy your trip to Malaysia!

Follow my adventures on youtube @pinoyadventurista, 1 comment :.

Hi. Im planning to visit KL for 4 days and 3 nights. Is 10,000 php is okay for my pocket money. Im travelling alone. Hear your reply thanks

Looking for Budget Travel Guide Blogs, Hotel Reviews, and Sample DIY Itineraries? Welcome to Pinoy Adventurista, "Your Next Ultimate Adventure Starts Here!" Pinoy Adventurista is one of the Top Travel Blogs in the Philippines and the World. In 2013, he visited all the 81 provinces in the Philippines.

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その使い方、無限大。期待の新商品「OneMo Travel」レビュー！

こんにちは、セキドの黒川です。先日アマゾンギフトカード付き先行予約を開始したPGYTECHの OneProシリーズ の、勢いが素晴らしいです！PGYTECHの「Pro」は世界中で大人気のようで、総代理店セキドとしても、ユーザーかつファンの私個人としても嬉しく思います。

そんな中PGYTECHが、またもや新しい種類のバッグを発売いたしました。その名も「OneMo Travel Backpack（ワンモートラベル バックパック）」です！

PGYTECH OneMo Travel とは？

新商品は名前からもわかるように、旅行者向けとして開発されました。しかしながら、PGYTECH のバックパックの中で最もメインコンパートメントへのアクセス方法が多く、持ち運び方法も多い変幻自在なバッグであり、ハッキリ言って使い方次第でどんな方にも相性が良いバッグとなっております。もちろん大容量カメラバッグとしても使用できますので、お持ちのカメラバッグに容量不足を感じる方や、カメラバッグを購入しようと検討されている方も要チェックです。

OneMo Travel Backpackのスペック

容量は35Lのみで、カラーは2色から好みのデザインに合わせてお選びいただけます。

OneMo Travel Backpack の特徴

1. シンプルで自由な収納力.

2. 豊富なアクセス方法

続いての特徴は、メインコンパートメントへのアクセス方法の多さです。OneMo Travel はOneMoシリーズ共通の背面アクセスのほか、フロント側からも大きく開けることができ、どちらも開けるとバッグが輪っか状になってしまうくらい取り出し口が大きく広々としております。

3. 移動や撮影に合わせた4通りの持ち方

その名の通りバックパックとしての持ち運びがメインとなっており、付属のウエストバンドを背面下部に差し込むとウエストベルトが追加できます。ウエストベルトが着脱式ですから、短時間の移動や頻繁にバッグを下ろす場合などウエストベルトが煩わしいなぁ・・・というときも手軽に使えます。

スペックに記載した通り、OneMo2 BackPack や OnePro Flex と同じく、OneMo Travel も拡張機能を搭載しております。いったいどこがどう拡張するかというと、こうです。

いかがでしたでしょうか。「カメラバッグとはこうあるべき」という考え方の枠を外し、いっそのことカメラバッグとして使わないときも使えるバッグである「OneMo Travel Backpack」に可能性を感じた方は多いのではないでしょうか。PGYTECHの良さがカメラバッグ以外でも発揮できるのかと思うと、これからも驚きと感心をもたらす新しいカタチの製品を開発してくれるのではないかとワクワクしてしまいます！実際に今作でも、社内で「あなたならどう使いますか？」と質問してみると、多種多様な回答があって面白かったです。 ひとつのバッグで無限の使い方ができるPGYTECHの新しいバッグ、ぜひおひとついかがでしょうか？

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