Essence of Malaysia

A four-stop holiday that takes you from the capital city, to the mist-cloaked highlands and finally to the islands.

Mix city sizzle, misty tea hills, mural-splashed streets and hammock-worthy beaches on a route that hits all angles. Start with a sensory jolt in Kuala Lumpur, cool things off in the Cameron Highlands, add a dash of culture in Penang, and finish on Langkawi’s sands.

Tour type Multi-centre

Duration 12 nights

Itinerary overview

Days 1-3

Kuala Lumpur

Start in the capital, where glass towers sit beside temples. Cycle past mosques, markets and Merd...

Days 4-5

Cameron Highlands

Drive into the hills, stopping at jungle waterfalls on the way. The Highlands sit 1,500 metres ab...

Days 6-8

Penang

Head to Penang and the island city of George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site packed with art, ...

Days 9-13

Langkawi

Fly north for a change of pace on Langkawi, an island of beaches, rainforest, and easy luxury. Sp...

Highlights of trip

Included in price

Batu Caves Tour

Your day begins with a visit to the Royal Selangor Pewter factory, where you’ll see the different processes involved in working with pewter, such as casting, filing, polishing, soldering, hammering, and engraving. Afterwards, you’ll briefly stop at the Batik Centre, a craft centre selling local handicrafts, before heading to the Batu Caves. This famous Hindu shrine features 272 colourful steps leading up to the site, which includes five limestone caves and several temples. • Duration: half day (3 hours) • Daily departures • Times: 9am and 2pm • Operates year-round • Private experience

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Optional

Kuala Lumpur Highlights in Half a Day

Take to two wheels and immerse yourself in Kuala Lumpur’s rich cultural landscape. On this leisurely bike tour, you’ll cycle around the city’s inner and outer districts, taking in the harmonious landscape of temples, mosques and other cultural influences. See the colonial-era architecture around Merdeka Square close to the Klang River, where Malaysian independence was declared in 1957, and head to lively Chinatown to explore the buzzing markets. Visit Moorish-influenced Jamek Mosque – one of the city’s oldest mosques – and join locals going about their day at Central Market. Then venture north to Little India, with its colourful maze of jewellery and textile shops, and upmarket Bukit Bintang, which dazzles with its glitzy restaurants and designer malls. Keep your eyes peeled throughout to see how many times you can spot the iconic Petronas Twin Towers that tower over the city. • Duration: half day • Time: 8am to midday • Departing daily from Kuala Lumpur • Operates year round • Private experience

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Included in price

Kuala Lumpur Street Food

Enjoy the flavours of Kuala Lumpur on this mouth-watering evening street food tour. Your driver will expertly zigzag through the city as you experience the sights, sounds and tastes after dark as a passenger on the back of a Vespa scooter. Hang out with the locals at the best foodie spots away from the tourist trail, visiting a Malaysian night market and heading down to Brickfields: a vibrant maze of shops and street food restaurants serving dosa pancakes and Indian curries. Sample everything from hokkien mee and satay to the towering roti tissue. Then you can head back to your hotel or carry on to a local night spot to watch a live band. • Duration: evening • Time: 7pm to 11pm • Departing daily from Kuala Lumpur • Operates year round • Private experience

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Optional

Discover George Town’s Heritage

Spend a few hours exploring the beautifully preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town and its indigenous and colonial architecture. You’ll begin at Pinang Peranakan Mansion, which displays over a thousand pieces of Peranakan antiques and collectable items. Next, you’ll take a short walk to the colourful enclave of Little India, which sells colourful sarees and aromatic Indian spices. You’ll pass Penang’s oldest Hindu temple, then continue to Teochew Temple, with its ornate rooftops and intricately carved dragon pillars, before learning the history of Dr Sun Yat-sen at the Sun Yat-Sen Museum. You’ll hunt for Penang’s famous street art before continuing to one of Penang’s ancient traditional clan houses. The tour concludes with shopping for some local goodies at Cocoa Boutique. • Duration: half day • Time: 9am to 2pm • Daily departures • Operates year-round • Private experience

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Optional

Penang Street Food

Put on your walking shoes and leisurely taste your way through Penang’s rich history and heritage. You’ll meet a local historian, who will be your guide during this informative evening tour, and take in the island’s kaleidoscope of cultures. As you sample tasty street food, your guide will help you understand the influences behind each flavour, tracing its culinary origins through links to the East, West and the rest of South-East Asia. You’ll also have the chance to see Penang’s many heritage sites and colonial-era architecture. • Duration: evening • Time: 5pm to 8pm • Departing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from Penang • Operates year round • Private experience

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Included in price

Langkawi, Your Way

Join a private guide for a tour of Langkawi tailored precisely to your specification. Decide how long you want the time to last and where you want to go, and the driver will take you from place to place and offer expert commentary. • Duration: half day or full day • Daily departures • Operates year-round • Private experience

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