Highlights
- See the exotic sights in and around Kuala Lumpur on two guided tours
- Enjoy a breath of refreshing air in the lush green Cameron Highlands
- Tour UNESCO-listed George Town, the first British settlement in Southeast Asia
- Chill out on Langkawi's white-sand beaches and turquoise sea to end the trip
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Kuala Lumpur, City Tour | Kuala Lumpur |
| Day 2 | Visit Sekinchan, Batu Caves Tour | Kuala Lumpur |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Ipoh, City Tour | Ipoh |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Penang, George Town Tour | Penang |
| Day 5 | Visit Kek Lok Si Temple & Penang Hill, Tour a Durian Farm | Penang |
| Day 6 | Free Day in Penang | Penang |
| Day 7 | Fly to Langkawi, Free Time | Langkawi Island |
| Day 8 | Kampung Visit, Batik Masterclass, SkyBridge & Cable Car | Langkawi Island |
| Day 9 | Mangroves Tour by Kayak or Boat, Free Afternoon | Langkawi Island |
| Day 10 | Depart Langkawi |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur, City Tour
Welcome to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's bustling capital! Your driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in the city. After you've had some time to settle into your room, your driver will meet you again for an introductory city tour.
Modern Malaysia is a diverse blend of cultures, and on this tour, you'll gain an insight into the modern, historic, secular, and religious aspects of Kuala Lumpur. Highlights you'll see include various mosques (masjid in Bahasa Malaysia), Merdeka Square (meaning Independence Square), lively markets like Pasar Seni and Chow Kit, as well as Chinatown, the KL Tower, and the unmissable Petronas Towers, the tallest twin buildings in the world.
Day 2: Visit Sekinchan, Batu Caves Tour
If yesterday introduced you to the sights and attractions of central Kuala Lumpur, today's tour will take you out of the city to get a deeper insight into Malaysian culture. Start with a visit to Ah Ma House in Sekinchan, north of the capital. Ah Ma House is a bakery shop that sells traditional kuih kapit (egg waffles). Visitors will learn how to make these egg waffles and cook them in an iron mold over a charcoal fire during a short cooking class.
Continue to the Sekinchan Wishing Tree. People come here to tie or toss red ribbons onto the branches of a large tree in the hope that their wishes will come true. Now there are thousands of red ribbons all over the tree, creating quite an amazing sight. You can make your own wish and send it to the tree if you like.
Next, head to Kuala Lumpur's northern outskirts, where you'll see the amazing Batu Caves. These are a series of karst caves that have been transformed into a Tamil Hindu religious site, with temples and a huge golden statue of Lord Murugan benevolently guarding the entrance. Climb 272 steps to the top if you're feeling energetic and want to look around inside, or stay below if you prefer. The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, and if you happen to be visiting in late January, keep an eye out for the Tamil festival of Thaipusam.
Day 3: Transfer to Ipoh, City Tour
Leave the capital behind today and travel north to the town of Ipoh, the gateway to the Cameron Highlands. After you've checked into your hotel, explore the compact city on a walking tour. On one side, you'll find the Ipoh Railway Station, High Court, and Town Hall, built during the colonial era when Ipoh was one of Malaysia's richest cities thanks to the tin mining that occurred here. Ipoh is also famous for its food, and Malaysian and Singaporean foodies flock here for the tauge ayam (chicken bean sprouts) and kopi putih (white coffee), the town's signature drink.
Other highlights you can check out in and around Ipoh include the Gua Tempurung Caves, the unfinished ruins of Kellie's Castle, and the Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple and Zen Gardens. If you want to learn more about Ipoh and Malaysian history, follow the Ipoh Heritage Walk, which covers most of the historically important attractions in town.
Day 4: Transfer to Penang, George Town Tour
Leave the mainland behind today and head to Penang, an island just off the coast that is accessed by a bridge. After checking into your hotel, take an afternoon tour of beautiful George Town, the capital of Penang State. Founded as a trading post in 1786, it was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia. Over the centuries, the city has evolved into a melting pot and is now home to a cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic populace. Due to its colorful architecture, the old core of the city is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. George Town is also regarded as the culinary capital of Malaysia.
On your tour of George Town, check out the Penang Peranakan Mansion, a museum dedicated to Penang's Peranakan heritage. The Peranakan (or Nyonya) people are also known as Straits Chinese, people with mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage. The museum is housed within a distinctive green-hued mansion on Church Street, which once served as the residence and office of a 19th-century Chinese tycoon, Chung Keng Quee. The mansion contains thousands of Peranakan artifacts, antiques, and collectibles.Day 5: Visit Kek Lok Si Temple & Penang Hill, Tour a Durian Farm
Explore more elements of Penang's culture today. First on the agenda is the Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and an important pilgrimage center for Buddhists from Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, and other countries in Southeast Asia. The entire complex of temples was built between 1890 and 1930. The centerpiece of the complex is the striking seven-story pagoda dedicated to the late Thai King Rama VI, known as the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Continue to Penang Hill, a resort comprising a group of peaks near the center of Penang Island. It was a British retreat during colonial times and is still popular today due to its pleasant, cooler climate. Several individual hills are covered by the Penang Hill resort, the highest being Western Hill, which reaches 2,733 feet (833 m) in altitude. Enjoy some great views over the island and city from lookout platforms here.
Your last stop of the day is a durian farm. No doubt you have seen—or smelled—these large spiky shapes as you've walked around Malaysia's markets. Sometimes called the "king of fruits," the durian comes in a range of shapes, sizes, and varieties, which you'll learn about—and taste—during your visit.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 6: Free Day in Penang
Spend a free day in Penang today, choosing activities and sights to suit your interests and energy levels. Foodies might want to eat their way around Penang, stopping in at food courts and hawker food stalls, especially in the evening. You can also take a rickshaw tour of George Town and search for its famous street art (tourist maps show you where to find murals and sculptures) or shop for souvenirs and handicrafts in boutiques and craft shops. Alternatively, head to a beach along Penang's northern coast, such as Batu Ferringhi, where you can relax or enjoy some water sports.
Day 7: Fly to Langkawi, Free Time
Fly farther north today to Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 main islands around 18 miles (30 km) off the coast of northwestern Malaysia near the Thai border. You'll be staying on Langkawi Island, where there are several beaches and other sightseeing attractions to keep you occupied.
Day 8: Kampung Visit, Batik Masterclass, SkyBridge & Cable Car
Get to know Langkawi better today with a range of activities that will show you its history, culture, and natural beauty. Start with a morning visit to a traditional Malay kampung (village) house. These wooden houses have been constructed using local architectural methods and are fitted with original furnishings, tools, and ornaments. Visitors are invited to change into Malay clothing before weaving rice pouches from coconut leaves. You can also help grind chili paste for sambal and make a traditional Malay cake.
If you enjoyed getting creative this morning, you'll love the afternoon's activities. Head to Alam Batik Art Village, where you can see handmade batik art being made. Admire the artworks on display by local artisans, and take a workshop to try your hand at batik, if you like. The basic principle of batik is that hot wax is applied to fabric in freehand designs. Then the fabric is dyed, leaving different effects and colors in the areas where the wax was and was not applied.
Continue to one of Langkawi's most iconic attractions: the Langkawi Cable Car and SkyBridge. The cable car provides an aerial link from the Oriental Village at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, where you'll find the SkyBridge. The journey from the base to the top takes around 15 minutes, and the views along the way give you a taste of what you'll see at the lookout points at the top.
Day 9: Mangroves Tour by Kayak or Boat, Free Afternoon
Head back to nature today on a morning tour of Langkawi's mangrove forests, either by kayak or boat, depending on your preference. Paddle through the mangroves and enjoy the peace and quiet while looking for birds and animals such as red eagles, reptiles, squirrels, kingfishers, herons, monitor lizards, mudskippers, and fiddler crabs. Learn more about this region's biodiversity and why the Langkawi archipelago is recognized as a UNESCO Geopark. After the tour, watch a fish-feeding show at the local fish farm and have a tasty lunch.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Whatever your interests, you can't go wrong with an afternoon at the beach, perhaps followed by sunset cocktails.Day 10: Depart Langkawi
The day has come to say goodbye to Malaysia! Depending on the hour of your departure flight, you may have the morning to spend at the beach or shop for souvenirs. At the arranged time, your driver will pick you up from your hotel in Langkawi and transfer you to the airport. Selamat tinggal!
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