A journey through Malaysia
DAY 1 KUALA LUMPUR – MALACCA
We were going to start this trip in Singapore but as we had such a fantastic time in 2020, whilst it was deserted at the onset of Covid, we decided to just keep the great memories and commence the trip at Malacca.
The plan is to head up the western side of Malaysia, using Malacca, KL, Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, and George Town Penang as hubs to explore the rest of the area before ending with a chill out on Langkawi at the end.
The trip didn’t start off well as KLM cancelled our flight due to weather issues at Schipol and had no options for us so we had to rebook ourselves at last minute and pay accordingly. It felt like getting mugged. Apparently around 300,000 people have had flights cancelled by KLM and there were 1000’s of people camping out in Amsterdam Airport.
Both flights with Qatar were absolutely superb and we enjoyed the Q suites. It’s just a shame that Qatar don’t fly from Newcastle, if so it would be our airline of choice.
Although we were going to overnight in KL, due to the hassle we decided to head straight south to Malacca so we could have an extra chill out day. Therefore our first stop is the Casa del Rio Melaka, which, as the name suggests is right on the river and a brilliant central location. Although pretty tired we decided to have a walk and something to eat to try and get onto the correct time zone. What a lovely vibe this place has.
DAY 2 KUALA LUMPUR – MALACCA
Malacca
Malacca is one of Asia’s most characterful and historic treasures. Due to its location on the Straits of Malacca, the city became the regions greatest trading port back in the 15th century. Although no longer such an important trading hub, the rich blend of culture stemming from the medley of Chinese, Islamic, Indian and European traders that passed through is very evident, with many fascinating temples, mosques, churches and other architectural gems. The Baba Nonya cuisine found in Malacca has developed from many years of fusion from the original dishes of the Chinese immigrants using local Malay spices and ingredients.
Guided tour of Malacca: This afternoon we visited St. Paul’s Hill, where St. Francis Xavier was interned; Porta de Santiago, left behind by the Portuguese and Dutch during their colonial rule; Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, and several other places.
A walk down Joncker Street famous for arts, crafts and antiques finished off our city tour.
We found a seriously cool restaurant called The Baboon House, sort of rain forest meets steam punk.
In the evening it was again Jonker Street but at the weekends it comes alive with the night markets.
DAY 3 MALACCA
This morning was a wander through Little India and Chinatown
In the evening, we were due to go up Menara Taming Sari, Malaysia’s first revolving gyro tower, but there’s was an issue with it, instead we went up one twice as high for great views. Next was dinner at The Wild Coriander serving superb Nyonya cuisine then down to the jetty for a scenic Malacca River Cruise past traditional Malaccan houses and the Kampung Morten. Finally ending up at the “Gateway to Hell” for a drink.
DAY 4 MALACCA
After last nights trip into the “gateway to hell”, our guide decided that we needed to purify our body and soul, so we had a trip around the old town more specifically “Harmony Road” where five different religions have their churches synagogues mosques etc. She did however take us to see the old gambling dens and brothels………
Morning Malacca street art tour: street art is spread around the streets, alleys and river near Jonker Street, adding colour and character to the city. Each artwork has a different style and depicts the artists’ representation of Malacca.
Finally something to eat, we went for Malay Indian this time in a local restaurant. The food was served on banana leaves, Lynn opted for the rice set which came with rice and five smaller dishes and she teamed that up with someone chicken which was called chicken 65, no idea the significance of the 65 just hope it wasn’t a vintage one. As the food here is pretty spicy, I decided to play it safe with a biryani. Unfortunately, being a local restaurant hands were required.
DAY 5 MALACCA – KUALA LUMPUR
Road journey to Kuala Lumpur: After breakfast we set off for Kuala Lumpur en route we visited the city of Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia. Putrajaya is home to some striking architecture including the famous Pink Mosque.
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s capital city is a fusion of different cultures, which is today experiencing a renaissance with many new buildings, restaurants, excellent shopping and vibrant streets. To a food lover, Kuala Lumpur is a dream destination, whether you’re looking to taste the local Malay or Nonya grub or feast on some fine Chinese, Indian and European food, Kuala Lumpur offers it all in abundance and in different guises. You can mingle with the locals at a roadside stall or dine in one of the cities ‘super-chic’ restaurants. Spend time exploring Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle region, home to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, soak up the atmosphere in the bustling streets of Chinatown and Little India and visit the colonial district, where the influence of British colonial rule is very evident. Kuala Lumpur (or ‘KL’ to locals) has come a long way in the last 150 years. What began life as a small tin mining town has now become one of Asia’s most important cities.
Lynn chose our home for the next four nights Traders Hotel which is billed as one of the best views of the Petronas Towers. It didn’t disappoint.
DAY 6 KUALA LUMPUR
We decided to take a city tour to get an orientation of KL and visited the following: Thean Hou Temple, Kings Palace, National Monument, National Mosque, Merdeka Square, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Selangor Building, I love KL Statute, The River of Life, Kuala Lumpur Sentral Railway Station and also passed by so many other places I forget. Great VFM with Get Your Guide. As our hotel looked right onto the Petronas Towers there didn’t seem much point including them or Symphony Lake in the tour.
Evening culinary tour of Kuala Lumpur: Tonight was a culinary tour, first off we went through a big basement that had been converted for Chinese street walkers then it was unto the famous Jalan Alor. We nibbled along the way and then opted for Indians at the end which although different to the UK was absolutely superb.
DAY 7 KUALA LUMPUR
Today we did our own walking tour around Chinatown. Chinatown is alive with sounds colours temples and art.
City Lights at Night Tour:
We will have probably seen some of them during the day but at night they take on a different look so are visiting: Thien Hou Temple, King’s Palace, Independence Square, Mahamariamman Temple, River of Life, Saloma Bridge, Twin towers + Lake Symphony
City Lights at Night Tour:
Saloma Bridge, Twin towers + Lake Symphony
DAY 8 KUALA LUMPUR
Street Art: “Kwai Chai Hong” translates to Little Ghost Lane or Little Demon Alley in Cantonese and was once a neglected area that became a hangout for prostitutes and undesirables and thought to be named after the naughty children who lived there, the drunks that gathered in its shadows or the street gang members who called themselves Kwai Chai.
“Little Ghost Lane” is now a bright, colourful cultural spot depicting scenes from the 1960s in its beautiful murals
Childish shenanigans: as the art is interactive we decided to give it a go…..
Afternoon visit to KL Tower. It reminds me of Covid in Singapore, no crowds whatsoever. In fact you are generally only allowed 45 seconds in the Sky box but we were in both of them for 5-10 min until the next customers arrived.
DAY 9 KUALA LUMPUR – IPOH
Road journey to Ipoh: Today we hit the road and set off for Ipoh, a journey of 2-3 hours, stopping off at a couple of places en route:
Batu Caves, Rayaman Caves: We visited the Batu Caves, home to Hindu shrines and deities, surrounded by towering limestone hills and the magnificent golden statue of Lord Murugan. We climbed the 272 steps into the cave shrine, admiring the vivid murals of Hindu scripture and encountering the cheeky macaques along the lush cliff face. Inside the vast cavern, we were met by the sound of chanting and I’d like to say the scent of incense but in reality it was sweat
Rayaman Caves: Afterwards, we explored the famous Ramayana Caves, surrounded by vibrant statues and murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. We were welcomed by beautifully crafted sculptures of Lord Rama, Sita, Hanuman, and Ravana, with illuminated displays and detailed carvings offering fantastic photo opportunities. The giant statue of Hanuman outside the cave was a definite highlight.
Ipoh
Ipoh – Malaysia’s 4th largest city – is found around three hours north of Kuala Lumpur. Though not well-known as a tourist destination, Ipoh is an interesting city with a thriving food scene. Led by its majority Chinese-led community, there are a range of dishes unique to the city, including the famous ‘Ipoh chicken rice’ followed by a cup of ‘Ipoh white coffee’. On the edge of the city lie a couple of interesting Buddhist cave temple complexes, while slightly further out towards Tambun lies the Lost World theme park and the luxurious Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat. Ipoh’s location in the centre of the peninsula makes it a handy stopover between KL to the south, Penang to the north-west, the Cameron Highlands to the immediate north, or the jungle reserves of Belum and Taman Negara towards the border with Thailand.
After the busy time in KL we decided to book a spa hotel for a few nights enroute to Penang and chose the Banjaran Hot Springs just outside of Ipoh.
We decided to eat out, it was a challenge of two fronts, firstly trying to find somewhere that was open and secondly trying to find something that was edible. We did however find a quaint little alley way for a drink
DAY 10 IPOH
Morning tour of Ipoh: After breakfast we headed into Ipoh to have a look around, first stop was the Sam Poh Cave Temple, this was pretty impressive as once you got through the cave there was a full size temple not just a shrine like Batu Caves.
Next up was Perak Caves which is famous for the murals painted by Chinese artists.
Then a quick look at the sights in town on a walking tour.
Finally, it was a walk along Concubine Lane and a couple of other adjacent lanes including Market Lane to see how the markets were and also some of the street murals.
Murals of children playing hide and seek, a universal game as is skipping and everybody on the skipping rope is of a different nationality.
This afternoon was a chill out at the retreat. Swimming, spa-ing, aligning our crystals, generally relaxing and dining.
We then headed north to our next destination:
PENANG PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR TRAVELS
DAY 11 IPOH – PENANG
Road journey to Penang, via Kuala Kangsar: we left Ipoh and headed north-west towards the island city of Penang. En route make a quick sightseeing stop at Kuala Kangsar where we saw the majestic Ubudiah Mosque and the official palace for the Sultan of Perak.
Penang
Once known as ‘the Pearl of the Orient’, Penang is a fascinating fusion of East & West, embracing modernity while still retaining its traditions and old-world charm. The capital, Georgetown has been listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and is an energetic mixture of English, Chinese and Indian culture and has some fine colonial architecture. Behind the historic promenade and Fort Cornwallis lie busy streets with shops, markets and restaurants selling fresh food from around the world – Penang has long been regarded as one of South East Asia’s food capitals. Outside the town lies an island of beaches, fishing villages and green forest-covered hills.
Our choice in Georgetown is the Eastern Oriental Hotel or better known as “THE GRANDE DAME OF GEORGE TOWN”
As soon as we arrived we headed out to get our bearings and found a little cafe called Spitfires which was dedicated to all things to do with WWII planes, a bit quirky to say the least.
DAY 12 PENANG
Georgetown Street Tour: This morning we set out to explore Penang, the Pearl of the Orient and Malaysia’s oldest British settlement. We then took a short walk through colourful Little India, passing shops filled with vibrant sarees and the rich scent of spices. Along the way, we passed Penang’s oldest Hindu temple and the Teochow Temple, admired for its ornate rooftops and intricately carved dragon pillars.
We visited the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, which showcased the lavish home of a wealthy Peranakan family from over a century ago.
tonight we had a wander around Little India and the Armenian area of Penang
tonight we had a wander around Little India and the Armenian area of Penang
DAY 13 PENANG
Morning tour of Penang Hill & Temples: This morning we headed to the highest peak in Penang to enjoy panoramic views over George Town and the mainland. We visited Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia, also known as the Temple of Supreme Bliss. There we saw the towering bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy overlooking the temple complex and climbed the seven-storey pagoda housing more than 10,000 Buddha statues.
We then rode the funicular up to Penang Hill, the island’s highest point and the site of the region’s oldest British hill station. Finally we headed to Chew Jetty to see life on the water
Some fit people walked up the hill, we decided to take the rollercoaster both up and down, the downward trip was more fun
In the afternoon we decided to have a last street art hunt around Penang. The art is everywhere and you have to make sure that you look up left right and behind you if not you will miss some of the pieces.
Whilst walking through Little India, we came across this guy with his puppet playing the violin
We then flew on to our next destination:
LANGKAWI PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR TRAVELS
DAY 14 PENANG – LANGKAWI
Langkawi: The archipelago of Langkawi consists of 99 idyllic Islands. These beautiful tropical islands have inspired many local myths and legends and are dotted with secluded bays, white sand beaches, mangrove forests and colourful bird and sea life and the islands are surrounded by stunning turquoise coast. Langkawi also offers visitors some great trekking and a cable car that goes to the top of Gunung Machinchang, where one can enjoy breath-taking 360- degree panoramic views of the Langkawi islands and beyond.
After a busy few weeks travelling and sightseeing its time to unwind and what better place to do it than The Danna on Langkawi, which will be our home for the week.