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…
Must-see attractions in Malaysia
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
One of KL's most distinctive colonial buildings, this grand 1910 train station (replaced as a transit hub by KL Sentral in 2001) was designed by British…
Kuching
Kuching’s biggest and liveliest market is 9km west of the city centre. It's open every day, but the main event is the larger weekend market that begins…
Sarawak
The trail from Bario to Pa' Lungan is walkable without a guide. About halfway along you'll see Batu Arit, a large stone featuring bird carvings and…
Perak
Also known as the Palace of Memories, Istana Kenangan is made of wood (without a single metal nail) and bamboo woven into diamond-shaped patterns across…
Kedah
Muzium Padi is all about Kedah’s main crop: rice. It’s located 10km northwest of Alor Setar amid green rice paddies; a taxi costs RM25. The complex, which…
Pulau Langkawi
The busiest and most developed beach is the 2km-long strip of sand at Pantai Cenang. The beach is gorgeous: white sand, teal water and green palms. There…
Pulau Langkawi
This beautiful, secluded public beach, with its soft white sand, clear water, shady trees and jungle backdrop, is popular with locals on weekends; during…
George Town
Although this street is named for Penang's Armenian population (such as the famous Sarkies, who established the Eastern & Oriental Hotel), there's no…
Sabah
Well worth a peek, this museum showcasing traditional Dusun culture is located inside a traditional bamboo dwelling. Inside you'll find antique Chinese…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Seizing attention with its 41m clock tower, coppery domes and lacy arches, this was the first public building in Malaysia designed in the Mogul (or Indo…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
At Kundasang, beside the KK–Ranau Hwy, 10km east of Kinabalu National Park headquarters, is this poignant memorial conceived in 1961. It commemorates the…
Penang
Once a granite quarry, Penang's Botanical Gardens were founded in 1884 by Charles Curtis, a tireless British plant lover who collected the original…
Sarawak
About 9km southwest of Bau, Fairy Cave – almost the size of a football pitch and as high as it is wide – is an extraordinary chamber whose entrance is 30m…
Taiping
Consecrated in 1887, this timber church is one of the oldest Anglican churches in Malaysia and is still used as a place of worship. The Gothic-inspired…
Ipoh
The clock tower, with a 1.95m-diameter bell, was erected in 1909 in memory of James WW Birch, Perak’s first British Resident. Birch was murdered in 1875…
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque
Malaysia
One of the most striking sights in Putrajaya is metal-domed Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque glinting in the sun. It's Putrajaya's second-most important…
Johor Bahru
Got kids? Asia's first Legoland offers over 70 rides and attractions, plus a waterpark that can be visited separately or as part of a package. Nearly…
Pulau Tioman
ABC's beach is usually best at the southern and northern ends, although the sands are constantly shifting so this is changeable. Quite a bit of the…
Sarawak
After passing through the part of the Great Cave known as Gan Kira, you emerge into the forest and a section of boardwalk before arriving at the Painted…
Perak
Antique tin-dredging equipment isn't typically a tourist draw, but the TT5 Tin Dredge, 9km south of Batu Gajah, is a surprisingly interesting relic. Self…
Pulau Pangkor
The remains of a Dutch fort with a turbulent history are attractively preserved 2km south of Pangkor Town. Built in 1670 to store supplies of Perak's…
Taiping
Animals are always happiest in the wild, but Taiping's zoo is a well-maintained space managed by conservation-minded staff. Elephants have shade and space…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Strolling around KL's oldest public park, established in the 1880s, you'll admire native and introduced flora, including 800 species of orchid, mahogany…
Kedah
This fort, completed in 1780, is opposite Kuala Kedah town on the far bank of Sungai Kedah, a 10-minute taxi ride from the ferry terminal. It was once…
Kuala Lumpur
Founded in the late 1880s, this is Kampung Baru's principal mosque; it has been expanded and now sports a handsome gateway decorated with eye-catching…
Pulau Perhentian
Besar’s main beach stretches along the west coast of the island to the southern tip, interrupted by several rocky headlands – you can walk around them on…
Perak
Tin-mining ponds surrounded by tangles of forest have turned into a home for herons, egrets and 150 different bird species. Long ignored by all but the…
Kuching
Offers a pretty good introduction to Malay-Muslim culture and its long ties with the Muslim heartland far to the west. Displays range from Bornean-Malay…
Sarawak
Across the river from park HQ, this museum has displays on Niah’s geology, ecology and prehistoric archaeology, including an original burial canoe that’s…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
This excellent themed museum occupies an elegant Mogul-style building originally constructed for the railway works department. The lower floors cover the…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Set up to educate urbanites about gardens and plants, this NGO has given away over 21,000 trees since 2013. Its work is showcased at a lush compact garden…
Kuching
Housed in a ‘colonial Baroque’–style building constructed in 1909, this museum displays some superb examples of traditional Sarawakian textiles, including…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
The urban rejuvenation outfit Think City has taken over the elegant art deco OCBC building, originally designed in 1938 by British architect Arthur Oakley…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Housed in the beautifully renovated former telephone exchange building, this interesting museum has creatively designed displays on the history of…
Sarawak
At the western edge of Kubah National Park, Matang Wildlife Centre has had remarkable success rehabilitating rainforest animals rescued from captivity,…
Sarawak
Situated 300m above sea level and about a half-hour’s walk from park HQ, this artificial pool provides a breeding ground for numerous frog species. The…
Sarawak
Whereas the Iban traditionally hung head-hunted heads outside each family’s bilik, the Bidayuh grouped theirs together in the community’s panggah or baruk…
Sarawak
Niah’s caves have provided ground-breaking insights into human life on Borneo way back when the island was still connected to mainland Southeast Asia. In…
George Town
The industrial remains of this former bus station have become a vibrant hub for George Town's burgeoning contemporary art scene. There are cafes and pop…
