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Introducing Malaysia

Diverse food, varied landscape along the South China Sea, and a refreshing lack of other tourists compared to other Southeast Asian countries make Malasia a very attractive destination.

When is the best time to visit?
Malaysia is hot and humid year-round. The dry season on the west coast lasts from November through February, although the east coast is wet and stormy that time of year.

Where to go in Malaysia?
From the urban hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur to the traditional way of life found still in the Sarawak longhouse villages, there are plenty of cultural opportunities to delight any traveler. Pair those with the tea plantations and islands of the peninsula and the wild jungle, granite peaks, and opportunities for recreation of Malaysian Borneo. The food is flavorful and enchanting and absolutely essential to the Malaysian experience.

How many days do I need?
Spend at least 5 days absorbing this country’s culture and landscape, and more ideally around 2 weeks.

Explore trips by duration: 5 days · 7 days · 10 days · 14 days

Malaysia Tours & Itineraries

Get inspired by trips other travelers have loved
One of Borneo's many colorful birds
Map of Borneo Adventure - 10 Days
Borneo Adventure - 10 Days

Love adventure, nature, and getting off the beaten track? If so, this Borneo tour is for you. Dive, walk, and bird-watch your way through 10 days of wildlife reserves and resorts, tucked away islands, and lush valleys.

Cruise along the Kinabatangan River in Malaysian Borneo
Map of Malaysian Borneo Adventure - 7 Days
Malaysian Borneo Adventure - 7 Days

Head off to East Malaysia and the island of Borneo for a week of off-the-beaten-path adventures and wildlife excursions. On this unforgettable holiday, you'll trek through virgin rainforest, go on a riverboat safari, tour local villages, and go hiking in Kinabalu National Park.

Discover the rainforests of East Malaysia's Danum Valley
Map of Borneo Eastern Wildlife Adventure - 5 Days
Borneo Eastern Wildlife Adventure - 5 Days

With flora and fauna unlike anywhere else in the world, the Borneo rainforest offers a thrilling experience to anyone willing to venture this far. During this 5-day journey, you will explore the jungle by both river and land in search of elusive wildlife, as well as encounter endangered species through the local conservation and rehabilitation centers.

Spend time on the stunning island of Penang toward the end of your two week trip
Map of Highlights of Singapore & West Malaysia - 14 Days
Highlights of Singapore & West Malaysia - 14 Days

Experience the energy of Singapore before setting off along the western coast of Malaysia on this epic two-week trip. Cycle around the charming streets of Melaka, see the Petronas Twin Towers and Mahamariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, and take a twilight river cruise in coastal Kuala Selangor. Strike out into the ancient rainforests of Taman Negara for wildlife and canopy tours, visit the tea plantations and strawberry farms of Cameron Highlands, and learn to cook delicious Malay dishes in Penang.

Experience Langkawi's verdant hillsides on an daytime boat cruise
Map of Discover Malaysia's Langkawi Islands - 7 Days
Discover Malaysia's Langkawi Islands - 7 Days

Get off the beaten path in Malaysia on this epic adventure to the islands of Langkawi in the Andaman Sea. Over seven event-filled days, you'll enjoy nature tours, Indigenous exchanges, and water-based activities that range from kayaking to island hopping. In between, ride a gondola, shop in duty-free stores, and immerse yourself in Malay culture as you learn the techniques for creating traditional batik art.

Traditional boat on Sarawak River
Map of Discover Sarawak: Off the Beaten Path in Malaysian Borneo - 14 Days
Discover Sarawak: Off the Beaten Path in Malaysian Borneo - 14 Days

From the Deer and Lang Caves to trekking the limestone formations of the Pinnacles Trail, there is so much to do and see in Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. Taste unusual delicacies and delectably fresh fruits, tour cultural centers, and wander through rainforests with an eye keen to see wildlife. Learn more about Bako and Mulu National Parks, village life, and touring by longboat with detailed days below.

Make the Most of Your Time in Malaysia

Have a fixed number of days? Maximize the things to see and do during your visit
Discover Malaysian Borneo's Mount Kinabalu
How Many Days To Spend in Malaysia

Two weeks is the perfect amount of time to spend in Malaysia, allowing you to explore the region's top wilderness venues and experience many of its cultural highlights. However,...

Malaysia Travel Advice

Read our detailed insights to make sure you have the best trip
An aerial view of Segama River, Danum Valley 
Unique Places to Visit in Sabah, Borneo

Sabah is a rich microcosm of authentic culture, incredible wildlife, awe-inspiring natural wonder, and endless adventure that together make this Malaysian state a true gem of...

Dreamy sunset in Kota Belud
Best Local Experiences in Sabah, Borneo

To experience Sabah as the locals do requires expert insight. Our Sabah specialist has put together a list of places where you can get off-the-beaten-path and discover the...

Our Latest Malaysia Content

Observe native East Malaysian wildlife as you boat along the Kinabatangan River
Map of 5 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
5 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With only five days in Malaysia, focusing on one to two destinations is best. Travelers interested in urban adventures can sample street food in Kuala Lumpur and take a boat tour of UNESCO-listed Melaka. Wildlife enthusiasts can spot orangutans and more on Kinabatangan River safaris in Malaysian Borneo, while beach lovers can snorkel at Lankayan Island. Those looking for variety should head to Kuching, where they'll visit historical sites, learn about Bidayuh culture, and see endemic species at Bako National Park.

See orangutans in the wild in East Malaysia's Borneo
Map of Wildlife & Islands of Borneo - 5 Days
Wildlife & Islands of Borneo - 5 Days

In just five days, you can experience Malaysian Borneo's highlights on wildlife tours and island trips. Take a boat ride along the Kinabatangan River deep into the rainforest to witness orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and other wildlife in their natural habitat. After a few nature tours with naturalist guides, you'll transfer to Lankayan Island to enjoy white-sand beaches and snorkeling trips to coral reefs.

Observe orangutans in a rehabilitation center in West Malaysia's Sepilok
Map of 2 Weeks in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
2 Weeks in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With two weeks in Malaysia, you can visit five to eight destinations. Adventurous travelers should explore Langkawi island in West Malaysia while those wanting an off-the-beaten-path experience should consider Malaysian Borneo for cultural village visits and cave excursions at Gunung Mulu National Park. For natural highlights, snorkel at Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and see orangutan sanctuaries, and add a fun day at Universal Studios Singapore for a multicountry trip.

Malaysia Travel Maps

Get the lay of land, and understand distances between the places you want to visit
Map 1 Week in Malaysia - 6 Unique Itinerary Ideas
1 Week in Malaysia - 6 Unique Itinerary Ideas
View article
Map 10 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
10 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
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Map 5 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
5 Days in Malaysia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Malaysia
Travel specialist Ana Bicanic
active 3 hours ago

Ana Bicanic

Hi there! My name is Ana, I am 26 years old and I come from Belgrade, Serbia. Growing up I would travel a lot with my parents who love to dive. I knew from very early on that I want to be in...

read more...
Travel specialist Nick Jansen
active 1 day ago

Nick Jansen

After I studied tourism in The Netherlands I moved to Malaysia to live in the tropics and organize memorable trips for travelers. I love exploring this beautiful country and I enjoy sharing my tips...

read more...
Travel specialist Tom Zhou
active 7 hours ago

Tom Zhou

My passion for travel has taken me to visit all 11 Southeastern Asia countries. 12 years of experience with Odynovo Travel has given me the opportunity to witness some of the world’s most cherished...

read more...
Travel specialist Faida Amin
active 26 mins ago

Faida Amin

Each person has their own unique travel preferences. As a tour designer, I aim to cater to a diverse range of interests by creating itineraries that incorporate elements of nature, cities, beach...

read more...

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Trip Reviews for Malaysia

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Amazing Malaysia.
Malaysia | Jan 23 - Feb 2, 2024

Janelle
Janelle D.
Australia | Reviewed on Feb 12, 2024
I asked Nick to book us a 10 night trip to Malaysia and he did not disappoint. Requested 4 star accommodation and for Nick to arrange a tour in each location ! WOW ! We had an unforgettable journey through Malaysia's vibrant tapestry of culture, cuisine, and natural beauty. We began in the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, where the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and diverse street food scene await. Great tour of Batu Caves and the city ! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and we had a... Read more

I asked Nick to book us a 10 night trip to Malaysia and he did not disappoint. Requested 4 star accommodation and for Nick to arrange a tour in each location ! WOW ! We had an unforgettable journey through Malaysia's vibrant tapestry of culture, cuisine, and natural beauty. We began in the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, where the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and diverse street food scene await. Great tour of Batu Caves and the city ! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and we had a great time. Then, ventured to the historical streets of Penang, where rich heritage blends seamlessly with mouthwatering local delicacies. Day Trip around Penang, where we visited a nutmeg farm. Ended our adventure in the idyllic paradise of Langkawi, at an amazing beach resort for some downtime ! Great Tour of the Mangroves and the Kilim Geoforest Park. Definitely recommend booking a trip with Nick and the Kim Kim team ! Our trip was seamless from the first pick up at KL Airport, to our last transfer to Langkawi Island. 4 nights KL, 3 Penang and 3 Langkawi - definitely the right time in each location ! Thanks Nick ! Do you have any ideas for our next Trip !

Hotel Reviews
Pelangi Beach Resort

WOW ! WOW ! Great Resort, great location, great staff! We were uppgraded to a Seaview Room - AMAZING !! Great size room, very comfortable and clean and connecting room to our kids !

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Royale Chulan Georgetown
George Town

Great hotel in a great location of Georgetown ! Breakfast was amazing every morning ! Staff were very friendly and helpful, especially the doorman.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Verdant Hill Hotel

Great location for street food markets and walking around the city. Could use a little update on the interior of the building ! Some paint, also the pool deck area was broken.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to the Street Market - Amazing food!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Mangrove Boat Cruise
Mangrove Boat Cruise
Langkawi Island

We really enjoyed this tour ! Wasn't sure what to expect but was lots of fun ! We loved the Boat and the driver was amazing ! We saw Otters in the water, Eagles and the Monkeys! Lovely swim at one of the beaches and a nice lunch on the floating deck.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We were picked up at 8.45 and didnt get to the tour until 10.15pm - Was a bit of a drive and collected other people from other hotels and they were not ready on time
Penang (Island Exploration)
Penang (Island Exploration)
Penang

Ricky was a lovely tour guide who drove us around Penang Island. Was great to see the whole island and we especially enjoyed the nutmeg farm and learning about how they use all the nutmeg! Especially liked the nutmeg drink ! Stopped at numerous temples and decided we would spend more time in Georgetown.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bus was a little bit outdated and was a bumpy ride
Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves
Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves
Kuala Lumpur

Lawrence was a great tour guide! He went out of his way to ensure that we were able to go to Batu Caves. Picked us up an hour earlier than scheduled so we could get to the Cave. It was the day before their big Festival Thaipusum. Was amazing being able to see some of the devotees chanting, and carrying their offerings all dressed in yellow! Then having Marsala Tea for the first time! After Batu Caves Lawrence took us on a city tour and visit to a temple. Loved it ! Would definitely recommend this tour for when you first arrive in KL, it helped get our bearings and see what we wanted to explore further.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Nick Jansen
Nick
Nick Jansen
Local specialist in Malaysia | Replied on Feb 14, 2024

Hey Janelle,

Thanks for your kind review. I enjoyed organising this Malaysia Holiday together with you and it makes me happy to read you had a great time in this beautiful country. I hope you're keen to possibly come back again in the future and explore Malaysian Borneo this time!

Kindest Regards,
Nick Jansen

to make the trip plan better, I suggest the f...
Malaysia | Sep 7 - Oct 12, 2023

M
Michael L.
Mililani Town, HI | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2023
to make the trip plan better, I suggest the following: 1. Provide very detailed itineraries for each tour. The explanation for each tour was lacking information. I do not know if I saw everything I was supposed to see on each tour, and in some cases, we did things on a tour I was not expecting to do.
2. Make sure at least one person (either the driver or guide) can communicate in English, even broken English is fine.
3. Prior to our hike to Mt. Ijen, another vehicle from the same...
Read more

to make the trip plan better, I suggest the following:

1. Provide very detailed itineraries for each tour. The explanation for each tour was lacking information. I do not know if I saw everything I was supposed to see on each tour, and in some cases, we did things on a tour I was not expecting to do.
2. Make sure at least one person (either the driver or guide) can communicate in English, even broken English is fine.
3. Prior to our hike to Mt. Ijen, another vehicle from the same company broke down. We lost about 20 minutes of time going back to pick up other guests. Fortunately, we still got to the mountain in time to see the blue flame. We had about 10 minutes to spare and we were very rushed trying to get there on time. If we were not so lucky, I would have missed the experience along with the couple that we went back to pick up. But, thankfully, everything worked out fine.

I feel that my tour was comprehensive and a great introduction to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. I learned a lot about the culture and geography. Although I really enjoyed this adventure, I probably will not revisit these areas.

Local specialist: Alisha Estevez
Alisha
Alisha Estevez
Local specialist in Bali | Replied on Oct 25, 2023

Hello Mike,

Thank you for the detailed feedback about your trip.

Thank you for the information about Mount Ijen, I will of course check with the team.

I'm very pleased that you were able to get a good insight into the different cultures.

Amazing time in Malaysia
Malaysia | Aug 23 - Sep 2, 2023

S
Sabiha K.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Sep 10, 2023
We had an amazing time in Malaysia, it's a beautiful country, with friendly people and delicious food! Nick was great at organising the trip for us; he was friendly and responsive, and made adjustments to the itinerary as requested, as well as providing helpful suggestions. Upon arriving in Malaysia, everything ran to plan and was very smooth. No issues with any of the transfers and everyone was always on time; all very well organised. We were generally happy with the hotels, and breakfast at... Read more

We had an amazing time in Malaysia, it's a beautiful country, with friendly people and delicious food! Nick was great at organising the trip for us; he was friendly and responsive, and made adjustments to the itinerary as requested, as well as providing helpful suggestions. Upon arriving in Malaysia, everything ran to plan and was very smooth. No issues with any of the transfers and everyone was always on time; all very well organised. We were generally happy with the hotels, and breakfast at each was fab. We really enjoyed all the activities that had been planned and absolutely loved Borneo and having the oppprtunity to see lots of wildlife. Seeing the orangutans was definitely a highlight of the trip! In hindsight, we should've spent longer here and less time travelling around, but we still enjoyed our time in the other places too. Our guides for Kuala Lumpur- Lawrence, and Kuching- Duke, were super friendly, patient and knowledgeable, and really enhanced our trip. Thank you all- would recommend to others planning a Malyasia trip too!

Hotel Reviews
The Waterfront Hotel
Kuching

Perfect!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Fantastic location by Kuching waterfront- we had a lovely view of the Parliament building from our room. The hotel sits on top of a shopping mall too, which was handy
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa Langkawi
Authenticity & Character
Location
Lovely to be able to just stroll out to the beach at the back of the hotel
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mosquitoes and ants in our room! But housekeeping were helpful to sort this out. Overall hotel was stunning, but maybe not reflected as much in our room
Hotel Royale Chulan KL
Kuala Lumpur
Authenticity & Character
Breakfast was great and nice to have been provided some history about Penang in the rooms and within the hotel
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
A few things in our room were rusty/ worn down due to wear and tear- could maybe do with a bit of a face-lift
Verdant Hill Hotel
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Langkawi Island (Free at Leisure)
Langkawi Island (Free at Leisure)
Langkawi Island
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Penang (Tropical Spice Garden Cooking Class)
Penang (Tropical Spice Garden Cooking Class)
Penang
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mangrove & Fireflies Cruise
Mangrove & Fireflies Cruise
Kuching

Really lovely boat cruise and great opportunity to see more wildlife- we saw the irawaddy dolphins, a crocodile, proboscis monkeys, macques and the fireflies. Stunning sunset from the boat too. We were also provided snacks which was an unexpected but pleasant surprise

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Semenggoh Orangutan Centre Visit
Semenggoh Orangutan Centre Visit
Kuching

Highlight of the trip seeing these beautiful animals- amazing experience!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bako National Park Daytrip
Bako National Park Daytrip
Kuching

Great place to see the native proboscis monkeys, we were lucky to see some in two different places by the entrance to the park. Also saw lots of other wildlife with the help of our guide and enjoyed the hikes around the park. Boat trip there and back was also fun

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves
Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves
Kuala Lumpur
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Nick Jansen
Nick
Nick Jansen
Local specialist in Malaysia | Replied on Sep 11, 2023

Hey Sabiha,

Thanks so much for your wonderful and extensive review. I am very happy to read you had a wonderful time in Malaysia. I truly enjoyed organising this journey through the country for you.

Regards,
Nick