Type of Malaysia Holiday

We can tailor make any Malaysia holiday to suit your exact requirements from single centre beach holidays in Malaysia to complex tailor-made tours of Malaysia.

Our Malaysia holidays can include just flights, hotels and transfers without any excursions or your trip can be tailored to include a mix of guided excursions.

Malaysia Beach Holidays

There are some superb beaches in Malaysia and a beach holiday to Malaysia is a great option for those looking for a tropical beach getaway.

Langkawi is one of the most popular Malaysian beach resort destinations, with balmy jungle fringed beaches, emerald water and some of the world's oldest rainforest.

Neighbouring Penang has a long stretch of beach but has been blighted in places by hi-rise resorts, although stretches of the beach are pleasant.

Pangkor Island and neighbouring Pangkor Laut are also great options for a Malaysian Beach holiday.

The beaches on the East Coast of Malaysia are some of the best in Asia, especially on Tioman and Perhentian Islands.

Further East, Borneo is a also a great option for a luxury beach holiday in Malaysia.

Family Holidays to Malaysia

Malaysia is very family friendly, English is widely spoken and there is plenty on offer to interest children of all ages. Borneo is great for a family holiday, with some of the worlds' best nature and wildlife experiences.

Jungle Canopy Walkways, cruising along jungle rivers, spotting snakes in the trees, coming face to face with an orangutan and snorkelling over coral reefs are just some of the highlights of a family holiday to Borneo.

Temples & Heritage

Those looking for culture and heritage on a Malaysia holiday will find plenty of interest in Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Penang.

Kuala Lumpur has old colonial buildings and a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European influences in a city which unashamedly embrances the 21st century.

Nearby Malacca hangs on to the past a little more strongly, and Penang offers heritage attractions in abundance as well as some superb colonial style boutique hotels.

The Cameron Highlands also offers a taste of the colonial era in the period buildings.

Malaysia Self Drive Holidays

Malaysia is the perfect destination for a self drive holiday, with good roads, sign-posts in English, driving on the left and petrol relatively inexpensive.

A straightforward route from Kuala Lumpur via the Cameron Highlands to Penang is many people's preferred route, although a self drive Malaysia holiday around the whole of Peninsula Malaysia is very easy and a great way to see the country.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (or “K.L.” as it is commonly known) is Malaysia’s vibrant and pleasant capital city, an ideal stopover for shopping, dining and a day or two’s sightseeing.

Sights in Kuala Lumpur include the impressive Petronas Twin Towers, the Hindu shrines at the Batu Caves, attractive Moorish style colonial buildings and some lively local areas. Kuala Lumpur is known as the “Garden City” and offers a pleasant stopover en-route to Malaysian beach resorts in Langkawi, Penang or Borneo.

Langkawi

A Langkawi holiday offers great beaches, superb scenery, some of the worlds oldest rainforest and an easy to get around island with plenty of things to see and do.

The best Langkawi beaches are at Tanjung Rhu and Datai Bay, the former in a picturesque setting overlooking some of Langkawi’s 99 islands, the latter backing onto the lush rainforest.

A Langkawi holiday is a great way to combine a wonderful beach location with some of Asia's finest scenery.

Penang

Historic Penang offers a compelling mix of heritage, dining and nightlife with a well preserved Straits Chinese heritage reflected in the shop-houses and temples of the island’s capital Georgetown.

The second largest city in Malaysia, Penang is an essential stop on any tailor made or self-drive tour of Malaysia or as a base for touring the island which has plenty of attractions for the whole family.

Cameron Highlands

A colonial feel pervades the Cameron Highlands, with timbered buildings more reminiscent of the Cotswolds than Malaysia.

Visitors to the Cameron Highlands today come for the lush landscapes, forest walks, colonial ambience, or to visit the villages of the indiginous Orang Asli.

The Cameron Highlands are easily reached by road from Kuala Lumpur and make an interesting midway point for those heading north to Penang.

Getting There

There are twice daily direct flights to Kuala Lumpur from Heathrow with Malaysia Arlines and several options for indirect flights.

Flying time direct is approximately 12 hours and at least a couple of hours extra for indirect flights.

There are plentiful onward flights from Kuala Lumpur and some destinations within Malaysia can also be reached via other gateways such as Singapore.

Visas

No visas are required for Malaysia for UK passport holders.

Please note that visa information is subject to change at any time, so please check you have the correct documents for travel.

Costs & Money

Costs within Malaysia are generally lower than the UK, but not as low as in many Southeast Asian countries such as neighbouring Thailand and Indonesia.

Kuala Lumpur and Borneo tend to be more expensive in general.

The Malaysian currency is the Ringgit and is not available to pre-purchase in the UK. We recommend changing some cash on arrival in Malaysia.

Almost all hotels and most restaurants and shops accept credit cards.

Some Cultural Considerations

Although multi-cultural, Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country although very westernised and tolerant in Kuala Lumpur and on the West Coast.

The usual considerations of travel to a Muslim country should be born in mind.

Generally things are more conservative and public drunkenness and excessive behaviour is frowned upon.

Alcohol in all forms is widely available with no real restrictions apart form in the very conservative north east.

Dress conservatively for visits to religious buildings. Topless bathing is definitely not an option. Most Malay women will swim fully clothed and headscarved.

On the East Coast of Peninsula Malaysia, especially further north towards the border with Thailand the religous influence is more pervasive, the culture very conservative and in certain areas quite extreme.

Ethnic relations and politics can be touchy subjects for conversation, so proceed with caution.

Orangutans love Snickers bars

Don't take anything into the orangutan Sanctuary in Sepilok that you shouldn't, which includes smuggled food in your day-pack, that you think no-one will notice!

We speak from experience - Orangutans have a very good sense of smell and aren't shy about snatching bags with hidden chocolate.

Where are the best beaches in Malaysia?

Everyone's view of the perfect beach destination is different. For white sand beaches with clear water,  the East Coast islands in Malaysia such as the Perhentian Islands and Tioman Island are hard to beat for a Malaysia beach holiday.

Langkawi has some of the most beautiful beaches in Malaysia such as the long stretch of casuarina fringed sand at Tanjung Rhu, or the beautiful arc of sand on the edge of the rainforest at the Datai. Emerald Bay on Pangkor Laut is very picturesque.

Batu Feringghi Beach on Penang is the most famous beach in Malaysia but in our opinion a little bit disappointing, although there are a couple of nice resorts to consider.

Where is the best place to see Orangutans in Borneo?

The three main options for seeing Orangutans in Borneo are at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary near Sandakan, at Semanggoh near Kuching and in the wild, particularly in the Danum Valley.

Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary is by far the most popular and well known and offers a great chance to get quite close to the orangutans in the semi-wild.

It's not like a zoo, but neither is it a totally 'wild' experience. There will be plenty of other people sharing the experience. Overall we think Sepilok is a great way to guarantee seeing orangutans in Borneo.

Semanggoh in Sarawak is quieter and less 'staged', although the orangutans are fed at particular times. The viewing platforms are a little further away at Semanggoh.

Seeing orangutans in the wild in the Danum Valley is a privilege. There is a high likelihood of seeing orangutans in the wild with a 2 or 3 night stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge but sightings certainly can't be guaranteed.

Another option is to stay at Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort where there is a small rehabilitation centre. This is a great way to get very close indeed to the orangutans.

Won't I get bitten to death in Borneo?

Not by Orangutans no. Take the usual precautions by wearing long sleeved shirts in the evenings, using mosquito repellant and wearing suitable footwear for trekking in the jungle and you should be fine.

Main Cities

Kuala Lumpur: Population 8 million

Penang: Population 3 million

Electricity

British 3 square pronged plugs are universal.

Communication

Free Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and resorts, with varying quality.

In public areas Wi-Fi is common in cafes in Kuala Lumpur.