Itineraries
Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei cover such a spread-out area that it would be impossible to see everything in one trip, but each of the following routes makes a great way to spend two or three weeks in the region. While the Peninsula Circuit is the most varied, you can head east to Borneo if you prefer an outdoor-focused option. Singapore is more of a long-weekend destination, but a stay here could easily be tacked onto a wider trip north up into Peninsular Malaysia.
Peninsula Circuit
For a straightforward taster of everything the region has to offer, try this three-week circuit.
1 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia’s capital offers shiny malls, showcase architecture and a mix of Muslim, Chinese and Hindu districts, with some of the best street food in the country.
2 Cameron Highlands This former retreat for colonial administrators is now a rural idyll of tea plantations and forest walks.
3 Pangkor Island Kick back at this low-key resort island that’s a favourite with Malaysian families.
4 Penang Packed with historic guildhalls and streets, eccentric temples, surprisingly wild gardens and its own national park.
5 Kota Bharu One of the few places where you can see shadow-puppet performances of the Hindu epics.
6 Perhentian Islands Superb tropical hangouts with gorgeous beaches and splendid snorkelling and scuba diving.
7 Jungle Railway This slow-moving commuter train chugs past languid towns, tiny kampungs and market gardens along the way.
8 Taman Negara One of the world’s oldest rainforests features superlative wildlife-spotting and jungle treks lasting up to a week or more.
Singapore and Melaka
You can pack this round-up of the region’s great food and centuries-old history into a week.
1 Little India, Singapore Charismatic area of temples and shops selling gold and saris with the liveliest market in Singapore.
2 Chinatown, Singapore Amid the modern shophouses, restaurants and markets, don’t miss the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, full of dynamic statuary and the tooth itself.
3 Night Safari, Singapore The highlight of Singapore Zoo’s superbly displayed collection of native wildlife, the Night Safari section lets you see creatures such as tigers, leopards, elephants and rhinos.
4 Bukit Timah, Singapore The last patch of real rainforest left in Singapore offers an easy, leech-free introduction to jungle trails and colourful birdlife.
5 Eating, Singapore Indulge in one of the world’s gastronomic capitals, with varied menus of Indian, Chinese and Malay dishes.
6 Istana Kesultanan, Melaka An exquisite Malay palace, built without nails and founded during the fifteenth century.
7 Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum, Melaka An elegant row of traditional houses decorated with the tiles, lanterns and woodcarvings of the Chinese-Malay Peranakan culture, now – aside from its cuisine – virtually extinct.
8 Bukit China, Melaka Hilltop covered in many crescent-shaped Chinese graves, some dating to the seventeenth century.
Sarawak and Mt Kinabalu
Allow at least three weeks for this adventurous trip into Malaysia’s least-developed corners.
1 Kuching Find your bearings in Sarawak’s small, likeable capital: the museum’s ethnological collection is worth a browse, and the Semenggoh orang-utan sanctuary makes a rewarding day-trip.
2 Bako Sarawak’s oldest national park, this small patch of well-preserved coastal forest is home to waterfalls, proboscis monkeys and bizarre pitcher plants.
3 Batang Ai Take a boat through spectacular riverine forest in this often overlooked national park, and visit traditional longhouse communities such as Nanga Sumpa.
4 Gunung Mulu National Park Offers jungle scenery, particularly on the three-day trek out to a clutch of limestone towers and a network of rugged caverns.
5 Miri A stepping stone to the more remote corners of Sarawak and to Sabah. Don’t miss the caves at Niah National Park, inhabited by humans over 40,000 years ago.
6 Bario Set out on some demanding multiday trekking via remote Kelabit longhouses or up Mount Murud.
7 Kota Kinabalu Sabah’s capital has lively markets, a district of traditional houses built over the water and an interesting indigenous museum.
8 Kinabalu Park This small reserve surrounds wind-seared Mount Kinabaulu, which hosts one of the toughest hikes in all of Malaysia.