Pahang & Tioman Island
A far less visited alternative to Taman Negara, this sprawling area of lowland forest rises to the limestone foothills bordering Taman Negara itself. The…
Must-see attractions in Malaysia
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Founded in 1886, this atmospheric temple offers photogenic high ceilings, red walls, tiled eaves and pointy gable ends. It's dedicated to Guandi, a…
Kuala Lumpur
This heritage preservation society has its head office in a 1920s colonial bungalow. The building, once part of a neighbourhood of British officers'…
Kuching
Thought to date to around 1840, this fine Hokkien Chinese temple with intricate rooftop dragons was fully restored in 2004. There's a big celebration here…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Covering the side of a building and overlooking a parking lot, the subject of star Lithuanian street artist Ernest Zacharevic's first contribution to KL's…
Sepilok
The RDC, about 1.5km from SORC, offers an engaging education in tropical flora and fauna. Outside the exhibit hall filled with child-friendly displays, a…
National Elephant Conservation Centre
Pahang & Tioman Island
This is the base for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ Elephant Relocation Team, which helps capture rogue elephants from across Southeast…
Pulau Tioman
The backpacker haven of Kampung Salang is around the headland north of ABC, Monkey Beach and Monkey Bay. Come to snorkel off nearby Coral Island, do a…
Malaysia
The impressive Istana Lama, a black hardwood palace, was completed in 1908 as a temporary replacement for an even older palace that was razed by British…
Sabah
Near the top of the Crocker Range, next to the main highway, 20km north of Tambunan, this park is devoted to the world's largest flower. The Rafflesia…
Johor
According to legend, the highest mountain in Johor is the home of Puteri Gunung Ledang, a mythical princess whose presence is said to permeate the jungle…
Kuching Wetlands National Park
Sarawak
The only way to see the majestic mangroves of 66-sq-km Kuching Wetlands National Park is by boat. About 15km northwest of Kuching, the park has no office,…
Malaysia
It’s a short walk through landscaped parklands to the top of Bukit Malawati, with views across the mangrove-dotted coastline. Once an administrative and…
Kuala Terengganu
This is the largest island in the estuary. It is changing fast, with modern housing estates being built on reclaimed land, but there is still a sizeable…
Kuantan
Visit quiet Sungai Lembing in the hills to explore the informative regional museum (RM2) that covers the history of local tin mining to the collapse of…
Pulau Tioman
The moderately priced resorts here, offering all-inclusive packages, make Paya popular with Singaporeans, the mainland Chinese and the organised-tour set…
Sabah
About 15km northeast of Tenom and originally set up as an orchid centre, this vast park has become a major research facility and tourist attraction,…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
You can tour the first two floors of this grand mansion, originally built as a family home in 1928 by Chinese tin tycoon Chan Wing. From 1957 it served as…
Kuala Lumpur
Pakhruddin Sulaiman and his wife, Fatimah, have been amassing one of Malaysia's top private art collections since around 1996, when they bought two major…
Melaka City
More than 12,500 graves, including about 20 Muslim tombs, cover the 25 grassy hectares of serene 'Chinese Hill'. In the middle of the 15th century, the…
Kuantan
This fascinating museum charts the rise and fall of the 'El Dorado of the East', as Sungai Lembing was known after the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited…
Sarawak
Mixed dipterocarp forest, among the lushest and most threatened habitats in Borneo, is front and centre at this 22-sq-km national park, which more than…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Built for the declaration of independence in 1957, this open-air stadium is where Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, famously punched…
Malaysia
Life, death and daily rituals of Peninsular Malaysia's indigenous peoples, the Orang Asli, are well explained at this museum in Gombak, half an hour by…
Malaysia
Animal lovers may prefer to give all zoos a wide berth, but overall Malaysia's National Zoo is mindful of animal welfare and prides itself on educating…
Sarawak
A modest wooden structure existed on the site of this colourful riverfront Taoist temple as far back as 1871; it was rebuilt in 1897 but badly damaged by…
George Town
Looking splendid after a major restoration, Cheah Kongsi is home to the oldest Straits Chinese clan association in Penang. Topped by a tiled pagoda roof,…
Malaysia
On the estuary of Sungai Selangor, at the foot of Bukit Malawati, this 240-hectare park features three ecosystems to explore: secondary forest, an…
Kuantan
Try and get here early after lunch (or first thing in the morning) to have the eerie sensation of being alone in some of the longest and deepest tin mines…
Sarawak
This all-wood, 22-door longhouse has the traditional Kelabit layout. On the dapur (enclosed front verandah) each family has a hearth, while on the other…
Sarawak
Sarawak’s first marine park, established in 1999 to protect four species of endangered turtle, consists of the coastline and waters around four islands:…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
This museum offers a good primer on Malaysia's history, from prehistoric to present day. The country's geological features and prehistory are tackled in…
Kuala Terengganu
Touted as the world’s first ‘Islamic civilisation park’. Taman Tamadu Islam is divided into two zones. Zone A is free to the public and houses the Crystal…
Sarawak
Batang Ai National Park's dipterocarp rainforests have the highest density of wild orangutans in central Borneo and are also home to gibbons, langurs and…
George Town
The largest and most intact of the clan jetties, Chew Jetty consists of 75 elevated houses, several Chinese temples, a community hall and lots of tourist…
Lenggong Archaeological Gallery
Perak
The Lenggong Valley, 50km north of Ipoh, is the site of one of Malaysia's most exciting archaeological finds. The 11,000-year-old 'Perak Man', a rare…
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu’s main beach was once known as Pantai Cinta Berahi, or the Beach of Passionate Love. In keeping with Islamic sensibilities, it’s now known as…
Sarawak
Once you've paid your entrance fee you’re free to explore Annah Rais’ three longhouses (Kupo Saba, Kupo Terekan and, across the river, Kupo Sijo).
Kuala Lumpur
This glorious wooden stilt house, which was once the family home of a village headman in Kedah, was built in stages between 1910 and the 1930s and later…
Sarawak
Situated 5km southwest of Bau, Wind Cave is essentially a network of underground streams. Unlit boardwalks in the form of a figure eight run through the…
