From Ko Bulon Leh or Ko Lipe you can hire the services of a local fisherman to take you to the diving areas around Adang, Rawi, Batuang and Kata. Don’t miss the Seven Corals, where the coral bed is a veritable kaleidoscope of colour. A journey throug..

The narrow streets and shophouses of Chinatown still bustle with activity, although banks and boutiques have replaced the bars and cafés in Market Square or Medan Pasar. After nightfall, the stalls along Jalan Petaling are lit up and business conti..

To the southwest of Kuala Lumpur , the Klang valley, known as the Multimedia Super Corridor, demonstrates the modern face of Malaysia. Despite this, the shophouses and Sultan Suleiman mosque in Klang, a former royal capital, the huge blue Shah Ala..

The town of Sri Menanti, founded by the Minangkabau in the 16C, is home to a unique example of the local architecture – the magnificent Istana Lama, a wooden palace which was built in 1908 without using a single nail and which rests on 99 carved pill..

Carefully tended tea plantations extend as far as the eye can see along the hills of the Cameron Highlands, whose main resort, Tanah Rata, situated 300km from Kuala Lumpur , was built by the British in the 19C. The town’s cool climate and the numero..

Not far from Ipoh , the temples of Sam Poh Tong and Perak Tong are housed in limestone caves. Dozens of Buddhas, walls covered with paintings and a monumental staircase make the latter temple, which is striking for its beauty and grandeur, a unique ..

Georgetown owes much of its charm to its Chinatown. Chinese lanterns and rickshaws have survived the passing centuries and the shophouses are full of traditional skills and expertise. Little India, a small enclave in the heart of Chinatown, is do..

Khoo Kongsi, literally the house of the Khoo clan, in Georgetown , provides a good example of how the immigrant Chinese community once operated. The clan houses welcomed and supported all new arrivals of the same name. As the Khoo family was wealthy..

Make sure you take time to visit the largest archaeological site in the country, Lembah Bujang. Traces of a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom founded in the 4C have been found here, such as temples, jewellery, statuettes and weapons. The site’s archaeological m..

If you want to head into the heart of the virgin forest and enjoy an unforgettable experience, then take the Jungle train from Tumpat, near Kota Bahru . The train crosses through some extraordinary scenery and stops at various isolated hamlets. Loca..

Tasik Chini – twelve lakes covering an area of 20km 2 adorned with lotus blossoms and a circuit of canals running through the heart of a luxuriant forest inhabited by gibbons. The lakes are all the more stunning for being difficult to access. The Ja..

Situated in the heart of Malaysia, Taman Negara, the most important national park in the country, is an exciting place to visit. Observe the park’s wildlife from a hide, listen to the sounds of the jungle (the oldest in the world) or explore the fore..

Through information panels dotted along the boardwalks which cross the Matang Forest Reserve near Taiping , visitors can learn all they need to know about mangroves. Migratory birds gather further north in Kuala Gula.

To the north of Kota Bahru , the Tumpat district is a mix of Thai and Malaysian cultures. The vat – Buddhist temples – in the region bear witness to the Thai influence, with their magnificent Buddhas which attract numerous pilgrims from Thailand. D..

Considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Tioman has managed to resist the tourist hordes and still boasts some superb empty beaches, which can be reached by boat or by hiking through the jungle. A popular diving destination, t..

Diving enthusiasts and those who love picture-postcard scenery will be in their element on the Seribuat archipelago with its many idyllic islands, which are less busy than neighbouring Tioman Island . Head from one island to another, exploring their..

Less popular than Taman Negara , Endau-Rompin National Park is still home to the Sumatra rhinoceros. Covering an area of 900km 2 , the forest of endemic species can be explored by following paths of varying difficulty. Make sure you don’t bump into ..

A visit to the Abu Bakar Royal Museum in Johor Bahru is an absolute must! The old Victorian residence of the Johor royal family houses a superb collection of ceramics, furniture, trophies and other trinkets which give a good idea of the wealth enjo..

The native Batek are the only inhabitants of Kenong Rimba State Park, situated next to Taman Negara . Accessible by train and boat from Kuala Lipis, the park’s isolated location has preserved an extraordinary flora and fauna which can be discovered ..

Experienced hikers may like to tackle the ascension of Gunung Ledang, 1 276 m, in the national park of the same name – and will soon discover the difficulties of hiking in the tropics. Most visitors stop at the splendid waterfalls, and then return to..