Kuching
Closed at the time of writing and scheduled to reopen in mid-2020 after extensive conservation work, the Sarawak Museum was established in 1891 by Charles…
Must-see attractions in Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei
George Town
The most spectacular clanhouse in George Town, Khoo Kongsi is an explosion of colour. Intricate ceramic mosaics of immortals, carp and dragons dance…
Malaysia
One of Malaysia's most intriguing temples, ornate Sansheng Gong was the first in the country dedicated to Guan Gong, sometimes referred to as the god of…
Batu Caves
No cave at Batu is more spectacularly embellished than Ramayana Cave, which boasts psychedelic dioramas of the Indian epic 'Ramayana'. Pass the green, 15m…
Kuching
The Old Court House was built in the late 19th century to serve as the city’s administrative centre. It now houses a cafe and bar, the excellent Ranee…
Ipoh
First discovered by a monk in 1890, this cavern, 5km south of Ipoh, is now a riot of religious statuary and pagoda tiles. The entrance pavilion is grand…
Pulau Langkawi
The highlight of this family-friendly amusement park is SkyCab, a cable car that whisks visitors to the top of Gunung Machinchang (713m). For an extra RM6…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Kuala Lumpur's oldest Chinese temple (1864) was built on the instructions of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy and is dedicated to Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya, two Chinese…
Singapore
The former Ford Motors assembly plant is best remembered as the place where the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. It's…
Malaysia
Between the golf course and Resorts World, on a forested cliff, stands a temple that's both awe-inspiring and blood-curdling. Chin Swee was completed in…
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
Designed by Israeli-born architect Moshe Safdie, Marina Bay Sands is a sprawling hotel, casino, mall, theatre, exhibition and museum complex. Star of the…
Kuching
Linking the northern and southern parts of Kuching, the city's spectacular pedestrian bridge (335m) is constructed to resemble the letter 'S' (for Sarawak…
Malaysia
An apparition in rosy-pink granite, Masjid Putra has a captivating delicacy of design. Capped by an ornate pink-and-white dome and starring a 116m minaret…
Sarawak
Housed in an airy, circular municipal complex built in 1960, this excellent museum explores the captivating history of Sarawak and Sibu. Panels, rich in…
George Town
Dedicated to Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy, this temple is the liveliest place of worship in George Town. The current temple was built in the early 19th…
Singapore
Just off Joo Chiat Rd, Koon Seng Rd and Joo Chiat Pl feature Singapore's most extraordinary Peranakan terrace houses, joyously decorated with stucco…
Singapore
Take time out from your shopping to wander up frangipani-scented Emerald Hill Rd, graced with some of Singapore's finest terrace houses. Special mentions…
Kuching
Closed at the time of writing and scheduled to reopen in mid-2020. This museum featured an exhibit called Urang Sarawak, which deftly and succinctly…
Melaka City
The focal point of the Unesco Heritage zone, this attractive and elegant square is surrounded by Dutch-era buildings that have been painted crimson, shady…
Kuala Lumpur
The artworks on display at the NVAG are worth a trip out of central KL for their inventiveness and sheer scale. In rotating exhibitions by regional…
Sabah
Borneo's loveliest beach is a long, almost-pristine stretch of white sand, lapped at by clear waters. The waves are gentle and great for swimming. You…
Kuala Lumpur
Resembling twin silver rockets, the Petronas Towers are the perfect allegory for the meteoric rise of the city from tin-mining shanty town to 21st-century…
Bandar Seri Begawan
When called upon to present a gift to the sultan of Brunei, you must inevitably confront the question: what do you give a man who has everything? At this…
Forest Research Institute Malaysia
Malaysia
A fresh green haven in easy reach of Kuala Lumpur, the 545-hectare Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) is an active centre of forest management…
Sentosa Island
Universal Studios is the top draw at Resorts World. Shops, shows, restaurants, rides and roller coasters are all neatly packaged into fantasy-world themes…
Kuantan
Located 26km north of Kuantan, the limestone karst containing Gua Charas towers high above the surrounding palm plantations. The caves owe their fame to a…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
The huge open square, where Malaysian independence was declared in 1957, is speared by a 95m flagpole, one of the world's tallest. In the British era, the…
Kuala Lumpur
At the heart of the mammoth KLCC development, this excellent park offers a 1.3km soft-surface jogging track, a great children's playground and paddling…
Malaysia
State history, from traditional weapons to blow-by-blow accounts of European invasions, is well presented at this museum 2.5km southwest of central…
Malaysia
A world away from the resorts is 80-hectare Cape Rachado Forest Reserve. A paved road (pedestrians only) leads through towering jungle to brilliant-white…
Kuala Lumpur
Housed in a 60-storey tower designed by British architects Foster and Partners, this impressive art gallery presents exhibitions spanning various media…
Melaka City
Touring this traditional Baba-Nonya (Peranakan) townhouse transports you to a time when women peered at guests through decorative partitions and every…
Galeri Diraja Sultan Abdul Aziz
Malaysia
Housed within a well-restored colonial-era building are treasures of the Selangor Sultanate, which dates back to 1766. The building, designed by prolific…
Taiping
With many of Perak's museums in dire need of more funding, Taiping's well-maintained Muzium Perak stands out. Parts of the pristine, whitewashed building…
Cameron Highlands
This scarlet-and-yellow temple complex, just south of Brinchang, about 1km off the main road, is stacked high with gleaming golden statues of Chinese…
Malaysia
Be prepared to get very wet on the exhilarating 1½-hour hike to Chiling Waterfalls, a 20m-tall, triple cascade. Register at the cabin by the small bridge …
Kuantan
This museum's collection is housed in an attractive colonial-era building just north of the Padang. The museum focuses on the state's culture, history and…
Pahang & Tioman Island
This abandoned and much forlorn (there's a tree growing from its roof) two-storey wood and stone palace was built in 1935. With unusual twin yellow…
Pahang & Tioman Island
One of Malaysia's historic polo clubs, this huge and verdant polo field is located next to Istana Abu Bakar; if you've a car, it's well worth driving…
History & Ethnography Museums Complex
Melaka City
The ground floor of the Stadthuys houses Melaka's most interesting museum, which focuses on the city's fascinating history and ethnography. Exhibits…
