Malaysia Holidays

Petite and enormously versatile, Peninsular Malaysia packs a lot of temptation into its 50,400 square miles. Here, some of the world’s most biodiverse rainforest sits alongside a bustling capital city, where you can sample authentic dishes inherited from places as distant as China and Arabia.

Off the coast, you'll find beautiful tropical islands to suit just about any beach holiday style you might fancy, from excellent diving and secluded honeymoons, to tranquil low-key bays, and pristine sand just metres from some of Malaysia’s finest spas.

What else? Ah yes - the tea. When you’re tired of the tropical temperatures, head up into the Cameron Highlands tea-growing region, following the footsteps of heat-weary Victorian British Colonials, who retreated here a century before you. You’ll find their gorgeous stately buildings converted into tranquil modern accommodation, in a landscape lush and green with tea plants and mountain vegetation.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city, is a thriving modern metropolis where it’s fun to be out after dark, whether you’re exploring the streetfood markets, or surveying the skyline from a cocktail bar atop one of the city’s impressive towers. 

KL's modern bustle is balanced by a couple of historic counterpoints. A couple of hours south sits beautiful old Malacca - once the greatest trading port in South-East Asia, and responsible for importing many of the country’s diverse influences in centuries gone by. To the north, you’ll find Colonial Penang, the oldest British settlement in the country, part of which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Langkawi is probably the best-known of Malaysia’s islands, with its long sandy beaches, smart hotels and effort-free infrastructure, but there are many others, notably the laid back Perhentian Islands, with their picture-perfect beaches, the idyllic and versatile Tioman Islands, which are as good for families as they are for diving, and the height-of-luxury Pangkor Laut.