Top 10 must-do experiences in Malaysia

Malaysia is a country of rainforest trails, lantern-lit heritage streets, tropical islands and some of the most lip-smacking food in Southeast Asia. From tea-sipping in the Cameron Highlands to river cruising in Borneo and snorkelling off Sabah’s reef-fringed islands, these are our top ten must-do experiences.

1. Frame up the Petronas Towers

For many, KL is the opening act to a Malaysia adventure: a cosmopolitan capital of sizzling hawker stalls, glossy malls and glittering skyscrapers, the most famous being the Petronas Twin Towers. These 88-storey icons stand like watchful guardians over the city, but you don’t have to go up them to get the full effect. Head to KLCC Park after dark for the full silver-lit spectacle, or bed down at Traders Hotel for a morning-to-night eyeful of the landmark.

2. Climb the rainbow steps at Batu Caves

Just outside Kuala Lumpur, the Batu Caves are part sacred Hindu temple complex, part natural limestone spectacle. Climb the technicolour staircase to reach the vast caverns above, passing cheeky macaques and the towering golden statue of Lord Murugan. Inside, shafts of light fall through the cave openings, illuminating shrines and rock walls that rise dramatically overhead. It’s an easy half-day trip from the city, and well worth the 272-step climb.

3. Try the phenomenal cuisine

Malaysia takes food very seriously, and frankly, so should you. In Kuala Lumpur, follow a heritage food trail through the city’s mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavours, from fragrant satay to rich laksa and flaky roti canai. Roll up your sleeves during a Malaysian cooking class in Kota Kinabalu, while Penang, often called Malaysia’s foodie capital, is the place to go when you want Malaysia’s street-food culture at full volume.

4. Cool off in tea country

Take a breather from Malaysia’s heat on our three-day Cameron Highlands experience, the perfect side quest to a city-and-beach holiday. You’ll stay at Cameron Highlands Resort, a Tudor-style hideaway with a touch of old England about it, set among rose gardens, strawberry farms and tea plantations. Expect cool air, rolling green hills, a mossy forest nature walk and a peek inside a working tea factory.

5. Stay on a private island

Pangkor Laut Resort makes a dreamy follow-up to a few days in Kuala Lumpur, swapping city lights for rainforest, swims and sea air. Set on its own private island, with rainforest on one side and the Straits of Malacca on the other, it has plenty of ways to lean into the slow lane, from jungle walks to Spa Village rituals. The icing on the cake? Booking a Sea Villa set on stilts over the water.

6. Try a Sucimurni spa ritual

Wellness in Malaysia has deep roots, with many treatments shaped by nature, ritual and traditional healing. At Tanjong Jara Resort on the east coast, Spa Village is guided by Sucimurni, a Malay philosophy focused on purity, relaxation and wellbeing. Set among lotus ponds and tropical gardens, treatments include heated sea sand therapies, warrior massages and wild ginger facials.

7. Meet the king of the swingers in Borneo

Borneo is famous for its orangutans, and these flame-haired great apes are every bit as charismatic as you’d hope. Visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to see vital conservation work in action, or head deep into the Danum Valley, prime wildlife-spotting territory where orangutans share the forest with Borneo elephants, tarsiers, slow lorises and hundreds of bird species.

8. Cruise the Kinabatangan River

A cruise along Sabah’s Kinabatangan River feels like being dropped into a nature documentary. Drift past tangled mangroves and dense rainforest as your guide scans the trees for proboscis monkeys, hornbills and crocodiles. Starting in Sandakan, aka “Little Hong Kong”, our three-day Kinabatangan trip includes on-water safaris, wildlife-watching strolls and the chance to watch village life unfold along the river.

9. Meet the marine life

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is a scattering of coral reefs and tropical islands just a short boat hop from Kota Kinabalu. Beneath the surface, this pocket of the South China Sea is alive with all sorts of fantastical marine life, from clownfish and butterflyfish to sea stars and turtles. Stay at Bungaraya Island Resort or Gaya Island Resort and you’ll have reef life right on your doorstep: Bungaraya has its own PADI-certified dive centre, while Gaya Island Resort’s marine centre focuses on turtle rescue, coral restoration and conservation education.

10. Spot hornbills in Langkawi

Langkawi is a dream for birders, with more than 260 species recorded across its rainforest, mangroves, rice paddies and hills. A guided birdwatching trip takes you out early, when the island is at its most active, in search of kingfishers, sea eagles, bee-eaters, hornbills and more. The Datai Langkawi makes a superb base, tucked between ancient rainforest and a beautiful curve of beach.

The information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication.