What Makes it Special?
- Stay in some of Peninsula Malaysia’s most exceptional hotels, from city skyscrapers to rainforest retreats.
- Enjoy expertly guided food experiences, led by the locals in the know.
- Balance vibrant cities with slower, restorative stays in lush rainforests and on pristine islands.
- Discover Malaysia beyond the headline sights, with experiences designed to get you digging a little deeper.
- Real variation: From modern Kuala Lumpur and colonial Penang to the ancient rainforest and white sand beaches.
- Finish in serious style on Pangkor Laut, one of Malaysia’s most celebrated island resorts.
Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point, a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our Malaysia experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect holiday to match.
Explore the essence of Malaysia whilst staying in some truly breathtaking properties. This itinerary highlights some of the amazing, both well-known and lesser-known, locations within the Peninsula. Packed with fascinating tours to really draw out what the country has to offer, you'll explore the top sights whilst tasting some of Malaysia’s finest food.
Malaysia can sell itself with its incredible countryside, amazing cities and fantastic culture, but what sets this trip apart are the 5* hotels you’ll be staying in. In Kuala Lumpur, you are just a short walk to the Petronas Towers, in Ipoh, you’ll be tucked away between ancient limestone hills; and then in Penang, a room with a view of the Strait of Malacca awaits. Your holiday finishes on Pangkor Laut for a bit of relaxation in serious style.
Flight time
- 13 hours from London
Average Temperature
- 29°C
Rainfall
- 180mm/month
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by Day
Here’s a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this Malaysia holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your trip will be tailored to suit you.
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You’ll leave the UK today for your overnight flight to Malaysia. Your flight will arrive the following day, ready for your adventure to begin.
Today you will start with a half day tour of Kuala Lumpur with a private guide. Your guide will take you through the city from the old Kuala Lumpur to the new gentrified parts of the city to really show you how it has transformed over a relatively short period of time. The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Enjoy a leisurely morning to explore the city or relax at the hotel. In the early evening, embark on a private food tour with your guide who will take you to Chinatown. You will explore the area before sitting down for an authentic Malaysia dinner and drink. At the end of the tour, you may even be shown a hidden speakeasy tucked away.
Wave goodbye to the capital and travel north to Ipoh. En-route, you will stop off at Batu Caves, a must-see on your travels. Arriving into Ipoh, you will stay in the Banjaran Hotsprings, nestled within limestone hills ready for a couple of relaxing days.
Enjoy two full days to relax and explore the facilities on offer at the resort. Explore the guided trail, have a steam in the cave sauna or sit in the geothermal pool, there is plenty on offer.
Today you will leave Ipoh and travel north to Georgetown in Penang. Arriving in the afternoon, you will have time to explore your surroundings or relax by the pool at the beautiful Eastern & Oriental hotel.
With your private guide, you have a morning tour of Georgetown today. Stating with some fresh dim sum for breakfast, dining alongside Penangites, it's an authentic way to taste the local cuisine. Learning about the culinary traditions of Malaysia, you will start your culinary trail. Heading to Chow Rasta, you will experiance a traditional wet market, seeing the locals haggle with vendors for the freshest food.
The tour will continue with an exploration of Georgetown's famous street art. Looking beyound the heritage buildings, you will find some amazing art dotted around the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Following the tour, you will have the afternoon at leisure. Perhaps take a stoll down Armenian Street or head for some more street food.
Enjoy a leisurely morning before you afternoon trip to Penang Hill, set on the fringes of 130 year old rainforest. Enjoy taking the funicular up the hill for 360° panoramic views of Penang where you will be met by a guide who will take you around the nature walks of the Habitat, finishing with a view of the beautiful sunset. If you are feeling brave, you may wish to walk around the Curtis Tree Top Walk which is set amongst the tree tops of ancient conifer trees, 800m about sea level.
Leaving Penang, you will travel to Marina Jetty where your boat will be waiting to take you to Pangkor Laut for some much needed rest and relaxation.
You have three full days to full rest on Pangkor Laut. The island is easily accessible with the use of the buggies. You may wish to undertake one of the trails or head to Emerald Bay for a spot of sunbathing.
Catch the boat back to mainland Malaysia and meet your driver for your journey back to Kuala Lumpur Airport for your onwards flight home.
Places you'll visit
We have hundreds of partner hotels across the world, with our tailor made trips you can pick from our range of beautiful hotels
What You're Saying
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Ian at Holiday Architects was an absolute pleasure to deal with, from start to finish. We decided on a trip to Singapore & Malaysia and were delighted with the hotels he chose and the itinerary. He was very patient with us as we changed things, and was always on hand to advise and guide. We had total confidence in him. There was a minor issue while we were away and he responded to my email very quickly. Highly recommended and we would definitely book with him/them again. Thank you Ian!!
Julie Lacey
Trustpilot
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Right from the very start Erin carefully listened to our interests and preferences and then put together an amazing itinerary. We then tailored it together so that every detail exactly met our needs. We have just returned from that wonderful 2 1/2 week trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The drivers, excursions, and hotels were all excellent exceeding our expectations. It was such a varied trip ranging from jungle immersion to five star luxury. Exactly what he hoped for! We will definitely use Holiday Architects again and highly recommend them.
Ruth Turnball
Trustpilot
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We have just returned from a wonderful holiday in Malaysia organised by Ian from Holiday Architects. Ian was very responsive to all our views when booking the holiday and managed to provide an amazing holiday within the budget we specified. The accommodation was all excellent especially the Eastern and Oriental Hotel in Penang, which was one of the best stays ever. Holiday Architects took all the stress out of travelling to 6 destinations within Malaysia and provided a memorable holiday.
Lucy Love
Trustpilot
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We have just returned from a wonderful trip to Malaysia. Ian Lowbridge on the Holiday Architects team worked brilliantly with us during our planning and everything fell into place as hoped. We started with a broad idea but by the end of the process had a comprehensive plan with hotels, flights and personal guide tours all sorted for us in advance. This resulted in all the stress being taken out of the trip. Having bespoke guides organised gave us so much local insight and added to the whole experience. This was a holiday we won’t ever forget and we would recommend anyone planning something a bit different to partner with the team! Thank you to all involved.
Julia Greenhough
Trustpilot
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Erin organised a truly fantastic holiday for us in Malaysia, listening to us on the places we wanted to visit and the kind of experiences we were looking for (mainly cultural and food-related). She helped us manage our budget effectively, which allowed us to spend time in the luxury of the Banjaran Hot Springs Resort in Ipoh whilst enjoying more modestly priced historic accommodation in Malacca, Cameron Highlands and George Town. Erin really thought of everything to make our holiday a trip of a lifetime.
Andrew
Trustpilot
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This is the first time we have used Holiday Architects but I hope it won’t be our last. Erin was amazing at tailoring a trip that incorporated everything we wanted and was always quick to come back to me to respond to any queries we had. The high spots were Georgetown in Penang and the Seven Terraces was an amazing place to stay as was Casa del Mar on Langawi. Everything worked perfectly, thank you for an amazing time.
Mary
Trustpilot
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Holiday Gallery
Meet our Malaysia experts
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our experts Erin and Ian are dedicated to all things Malaysia and are here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Erin Evans
Destination Manager
Erin’s Malaysia adventures have taken her from sizzling hawker stalls in KL to thick rainforest trails. With a passion for local culture and Southeast Asian travel, she’s got plenty of insider insights to help you explore it your way.
Ian Lowbridge
Destination Manager
Ian’s favourite kind of trip blends local culture, natural beauty and plenty of great food, so Malaysia is right up his street. He’s got the tips to help you explore it all, in a way that’s perfect for you.
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