Find places in Malaysia

Must-Haves

• Petronas Twin Towers (KLCC)
  The skybridge and observation deck of the city's defining landmark.

Fun for Everyone

• Aquaria KLCC (KLCC)
  An aquarium with a long underwater tunnel, easy with children.
• KL Bird Park (Lake Gardens)
  A large walk through aviary in the Perdana Botanical Gardens.

Must-Haves

• Batu Caves (Gombak)
  A giant golden statue and a long painted staircase lead to a Hindu temple inside a limestone cave.
• Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Lake Gardens)
  One of the finest collections of Islamic decorative art in Asia, in a calm domed building.

Fun for Everyone

• National Museum of Malaysia (Brickfields)
  A clear introduction to Malaysian history from early kingdoms to independence.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (Chinatown)
  The oldest Taoist temple in the city, tucked behind shophouses.
• Thean Hou Temple (Robson Heights)
  A many tiered Chinese temple with lanterns and city views.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jalan Alor (Bukit Bintang)
  The city's best known night food street, lined with hawker stalls and grills.
• Restoran Yut Kee (Jalan Dang Wangi)
  A Hainanese kopitiam serving roti babi and kaya toast for generations.
• Village Park Restaurant (Damansara Uptown)
  Famous for its nasi lemak with crisp fried chicken.

Must-Haves

• Nasi Kandar Pelita (Jalan Ampang)
  Round the clock nasi kandar with curries ladled over rice, a Malaysian ritual.

Great for Date Night

• Dewakan (Naza Tower KL)
  Modern Malaysian tasting menus built on native ingredients.

Must-Haves

• VCR (Jalan Galloway)
  A roastery cafe in a restored prewar house near Bukit Bintang.

Off the Beaten Path

• Merchant's Lane (Petaling Street)
  A hidden upstairs cafe in an old Chinatown shophouse.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kedai Kopi Lai Foong (Chinatown)
  A busy old coffee shop famous for beef noodle soup.

Great for Date Night

• Heli Lounge Bar (Bukit Bintang)
  Sunset drinks on a working helipad above the city.
• Marini's on 57 (KLCC)
  A sky high bar with close views of the Petronas Towers.

Fun for Everyone

• Changkat Bukit Bintang (Bukit Bintang)
  A strip of bars and restaurants that stays lively late.

Off the Beaten Path

• PS150 (Chinatown)
  A cocktail bar hidden behind a toy shop front in Chinatown.

Must-Haves

• Central Market (Chinatown)
  An art deco market hall full of batik, crafts and souvenirs.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Petaling Street Market (Chinatown)
  Chinatown's covered street of stalls, snacks and bargaining.

Fun for Everyone

• Pavilion Kuala Lumpur (Bukit Bintang)
  A huge mall with a respected food hall and seasonal decorations.

Must-Haves

• KL Forest Eco Park (Bukit Nanas)
  A canopy walk through old rainforest in the middle of the city.

Fun for Everyone

• KLCC Park (KLCC)
  A green park with a free wading pool and fountain shows below the towers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kanching Rainforest Waterfall (Rawang)
  A tiered waterfall in forest reserve a short drive north of the city.

Must-Haves

• Thaipusam at Batu Caves (Gombak)
  Hundreds of thousands of devotees climb to the cave temple, many carrying kavadi.

Must-Haves

• Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur (KLCC)
  A classic luxury hotel beside the Petronas Towers and KLCC Park.

Great for Date Night

• The RuMa Hotel and Residences (Jalan Kia Peng)
  A refined design hotel near the city centre.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur (Jalan Kamunting)
  A stylish hotel with a rooftop pool in an older neighbourhood.

Must-Haves

• George Town street art (George Town)
  Murals and iron rod sculptures scattered through the heritage lanes.
• Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (George Town)
  The indigo Blue Mansion, a restored Hakka courtyard house with guided tours.
• Khoo Kongsi (George Town)
  A richly carved clan house hidden inside a walled square.

Fun for Everyone

• Pinang Peranakan Mansion (George Town)
  A green mansion full of Peranakan furniture, jewellery and costume.

Off the Beaten Path

• Clan Jetties (Weld Quay)
  Wooden stilt villages over the water, each built by one Chinese clan.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gurney Drive Hawker Centre (Gurney Drive)
  A seafront hawker centre for char kway teow, laksa and rojak.
• Air Itam Laksa (Air Itam)
  A famous roadside stall for sour Penang assam laksa.
• Line Clear Nasi Kandar (Penang Road)
  A long running nasi kandar spot in a lane off Penang Road.

Must-Haves

• Red Garden Food Paradise (Lebuh Leith)
  A big, lively open air hawker court in the heart of George Town.

Great for Date Night

• Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery (George Town)
  Homestyle Nyonya cooking in a heritage shophouse.

Must-Haves

• Toh Soon Cafe (Campbell Street)
  A tiny lane cafe toasting bread over charcoal.

Off the Beaten Path

• China House (Beach Street)
  A row of linked shophouses with a cafe, gallery and famous cakes.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul (Penang Road)
  The classic stop for chendol, an iced dessert of coconut and palm sugar.

Fun for Everyone

• Mugshot Cafe (Chulia Street)
  Bagels, homemade yoghurt and a friendly crowd in an old shophouse.

Fun for Everyone

• Love Lane (George Town)
  A small strip of bars and backpacker hangouts.

Great for Date Night

• Backdoor Bodega (George Town)
  A cocktail bar hidden behind a small grocery front.

Must-Haves

• Penang Hill (Air Itam)
  A funicular ride up to cooler air, colonial bungalows and views over the strait.
• Penang National Park (Teluk Bahang)
  Jungle trails to quiet beaches, including Monkey Beach and the turtle beach.

Off the Beaten Path

• The Habitat Penang Hill (Penang Hill)
  Rainforest trails and a canopy walk at the top of Penang Hill.
• Balik Pulau durian farms (Balik Pulau)
  The rural side of the island, with orchards and paddy fields.

Fun for Everyone

• Tropical Spice Garden (Teluk Bahang)
  A hillside garden of spices and tropical plants by the sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Entopia (Teluk Bahang)
  A butterfly and insect centre that children love.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Chowrasta Market (Penang Road)
  An old wet market with nutmeg sweets and local snacks.

Off the Beaten Path

• Armenian Street craft shops (George Town)
  Small shops for prints, batik and souvenirs along a famous street.

Must-Haves

• George Town Festival (George Town)
  A yearly arts festival of performances and installations in heritage buildings.

Must-Haves

• Eastern and Oriental Hotel (Farquhar Street)
  A grand colonial era seafront hotel.

Great for Date Night

• Seven Terraces (George Town)
  A row of restored Peranakan terrace houses turned boutique hotel.

Off the Beaten Path

• Muntri Mews (George Town)
  A small heritage hotel in old stables on a quiet street.

Must-Haves

• A Famosa (Bandar Hilir)
  The surviving gate of the Portuguese fort built in the sixteenth century.
• Stadthuys and Christ Church (Dutch Square)
  The red Dutch era buildings at the heart of the old town.
• Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum (Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock)
  A Peranakan family home preserved as a museum.

Fun for Everyone

• St Paul's Hill (Bandar Hilir)
  A hilltop church ruin with views over the old port.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (Jalan Tokong)
  The oldest functioning Chinese temple in Malaysia.

Must-Haves

• Jonker Street Night Market (Jonker Street)
  Weekend night market of snacks, crafts and street performers.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball (Jonker Street)
  The local classic of chicken rice shaped into balls.
• Capitol Satay (Lorong Bukit Cina)
  Satay celup, skewers dipped into a bubbling peanut sauce.

Must-Haves

• Nancy's Kitchen (Jalan Hang Lekir)
  Much loved Nyonya home cooking.

Off the Beaten Path

• Portuguese Settlement seafood (Ujong Pasir)
  Evening seafood among the Kristang community by the sea.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jonker 88 (Jonker Street)
  Cendol and Nyonya laksa in a busy old shophouse.

Great for Date Night

• The Daily Fix Cafe (Jonker Street)
  A cafe hidden behind a souvenir shop with a calm back room.

Fun for Everyone

• Melaka River Cruise (Melaka River)
  A boat ride past murals and restored warehouses, lovely after dark.
• Menara Taming Sari (Bandar Hilir)
  A revolving tower ride with views over the town and strait.

Off the Beaten Path

• Melaka Straits Mosque (Pulau Melaka)
  A mosque on stilts over the sea, beautiful at sunset.

Great for Date Night

• Geographer Cafe (Jonker Street)
  A corner bar cafe for evening drinks and people watching.

Great for Date Night

• The Majestic Malacca (Jalan Bunga Raya)
  A restored 1920s mansion hotel by the river.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hotel Puri (Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock)
  A Peranakan townhouse hotel with a courtyard garden.

Must-Haves

• Langkawi Cable Car (Oriental Village)
  A steep cable car ride up Gunung Mat Cincang to the Sky Bridge.

Fun for Everyone

• Underwater World Langkawi (Cenang)
  An aquarium beside Pantai Cenang, good on a rainy day.

Must-Haves

• Kilim Karst Geoforest Park (Kilim)
  Mangrove boat trips among limestone cliffs, eagles and caves.

Fun for Everyone

• Pantai Cenang (Cenang)
  The island's busiest beach, with sunsets, water sports and cafes.
• Seven Wells Waterfall (Telaga Tujuh)
  A series of rock pools and falls in the forest.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tanjung Rhu (Tanjung Rhu)
  A quieter beach with clear water and limestone islets offshore.
• Pulau Dayang Bunting (Dayang Bunting)
  Island hopping to the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden for a freshwater swim.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Langkawi night markets (Rotating locations)
  A different town hosts the market each evening, with Malay snacks and grills.

Fun for Everyone

• Kuah duty free shops (Kuah)
  Langkawi is a duty free island, with chocolate and household goods.

Must-Haves

• Wonderland Food Store (Kuah)
  A seafood restaurant popular with local families.

Great for Date Night

• Yellow Beach Cafe (Cenang)
  Bean bags on the sand for sunset drinks.

Fun for Everyone

• Laman Padi (Cenang)
  A rice garden and small museum about paddy farming.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mahsuri's Tomb (Kampung Mawat)
  The shrine of the legendary princess tied to Langkawi's founding story.

Must-Haves

• The Datai Langkawi (Datai Bay)
  A luxury rainforest resort above a beautiful bay.

Great for Date Night

• Four Seasons Resort Langkawi (Tanjung Rhu)
  Pavilions and villas on a long, calm beach.

Must-Haves

• Kinabalu Park (Kundasang)
  A UNESCO listed park around Malaysia's highest mountain, with garden trails and the summit climb.
• Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (Off Kota Kinabalu)
  Island snorkelling a short boat ride from the city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Poring Hot Springs (Ranau)
  Hot spring baths and a forest canopy walk.
• Klias Wetlands (Klias)
  River trips to see proboscis monkeys and fireflies.

Fun for Everyone

• Desa Dairy Farm (Kundasang)
  A hillside dairy farm with views of Mount Kinabalu.

Must-Haves

• Gaya Street Sunday Market (Gaya Street)
  A Sunday morning market of crafts, plants and snacks.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Filipino Market and night market (Waterfront)
  Grilled seafood stalls by the sea in the evening.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kedai Kopi Fook Yuen (Gaya Street)
  A busy coffee shop for breakfast and kaya toast.

Great for Date Night

• Welcome Seafood Restaurant (Kota Kinabalu)
  Pick live seafood from the tanks and choose how it is cooked.

Great for Date Night

• Tanjung Aru Beach sunset (Tanjung Aru)
  Famous sunsets with stalls and a beach crowd.

Must-Haves

• Sabah State Museum (Kota Kinabalu)
  Displays on Sabah's peoples, with traditional houses in the grounds.

Fun for Everyone

• Mari Mari Cultural Village (Inanam)
  A guided visit to traditional houses of Sabah's peoples.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kota Kinabalu City Mosque (Likas)
  A striking mosque on a lagoon, known as the floating mosque.

Must-Haves

• Kaamatan Harvest Festival (Penampang)
  Kadazan Dusun celebrations in May with dance and the Unduk Ngadau pageant.

Fun for Everyone

• Mount Kinabalu climb (Kinabalu Park)
  A guided two day climb to the summit at sunrise.

Must-Haves

• Shangri-La Tanjung Aru (Tanjung Aru)
  A resort by the sea with island views.