Malaysia Holiday Package

Welcome to Malaysia! After customs clearance and picking up your luggage, you will meet your driver guide at the arrival hall and be escorted to Malacca by driving for about two hours. Check-in at the hotel in Malacca, and you are free to arrange the rest of the day.

► When is the ideal time to travel on this route?
In this itinerary, we are going to Taman Negara National Park, an ancient tropical rainforest, so it’s advisable to come in the drier season from March to September. Although the park is open during the rainy season, the roads will become muddy, and the canopy walkway will be closed during heavy rainfall. Put that aside, and you can come any month to admire Malaysian cultural attractions – gasping at the grand worship scene of Hindu temples during the Thaipusam Festival in January, feeling Chinatown’s exuberant Chinese New Year vibe in February, and exploring the Muslim Ramadan market in March... If you are a durian lover, Malaysia in June – durian harvest season – must be your paradise!

► How to Apply for a Local SIM Card
SIM cards are available at communication operators’ counters at Kuala Lumpur Airport and their brand stores in urban areas. You need to prepare cash and your passport in advance, and the professional staff will help you install the card and ensure successful use. Since we will go to remote places like rainforests and highlands, Celcom, which has better signal coverage and network stability, is recommended. You can choose one from short-term packages with different data traffic according to your needs, with prices ranging from RM40-60 ($10-15).

Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Melaka (4 stars)

Your Malacca tour today will start from Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. In the 15th century, Chinese immigrants traveled across the ocean and overcame many hardships to arrive in Malacca. They attributed it to the god’s blessing and built this temple to express gratitude. Seven construction techniques were used for the majestic structure, including carving, molding, coloring, pasting, masonry, writing, and painting. Beyond practicing Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, Cheng Hoon Teng played a vital role in the Chinese community’s government and legal affairs.

Then, follow your driver guide to Stadthuys, namely Dutch Red Square, a Dutch-style building complex represented by a clock tower and a church. The sprawling, eye-catching red brick walls make you unable to look away. In addition, you may be astonished by the unique local culture - the rickshaws exaggeratedly decorated with cartoon ornaments. They are equipped with loudspeakers and play songs in the same language as their guests - vulgar and noisy but novel and exciting. If interested, you can experience it at your own expense, but remember to bargain!

Climb up the hill along the path behind the Dutch Red Square to St. Paul’s Church. Having survived several wars, the church remains only mottled bullet holes on the wall to tell of the vicissitudes of Malacca. You will have a perfect view overlooking the historic city at the highest point in Malacca. Going down the hill and paying a short visit to A Famosa (Porta de Santiago), a Portuguese fortress built in 1512 with only a gatehouse and some old cannons remaining, let’s then turn our attention to the bustling Jonker Street, where many Chinese-style arcades are preserved, filled with countless mouthwatering food stalls and handicraft shops.

► Lunch Recommendation in Jonker Street
Hoe Kee Chicken Rice, a time-honored restaurant that opened in 1962, is a must-try for its authentic taste, retro decoration, and reasonable price of RM20-40 ($5-10) per person. When tucking into the signature chicken rice ball, it’s best to eat it as a whole instead of cutting and flattening it into common rice. Otherwise, the chicken rice ball will lose its succulent and tender mouthfeel.

In the afternoon, make it to the Taman Rempah Jetty to enjoy an around 40-minute Melaka River Cruise. Passing by riverbanks dotted with potted plants and tropical trees and many centuries-old bridges, you can’t help but gravitate toward local Malay buildings painted with spellbinding giant murals. Finish the tour in Malacca, and your driver guide will drive you to Kuala Lumpur for about two hours. Have a good rest after check-in.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur (5 stars)

This morning, we will first drive nearly 40 minutes to the King’s Palace (Istana Negara) on Kuala Lumpur’s outskirts. The opulent palace and the rolling lawns complement each other, forming a solemn and tranquil landscape. Although not open to the public, you can take photos outside or with the Royal Cavalry of an awe-inspiring appearance at the gate.

Then, drive back downtown to Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka), whose European-style lawn, surrounded by classic Dutch architecture and the Gothic St. Mary’s Catholic Church, delivers a perfect blend of European charm and Eastern characteristics. Your guide will show you how to take a photo of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building on the opposite, backgrounded by the world-class skyscraper Merdaka 118 and Petronas Twin Towers, a scene bringing together Kuala Lumpur’s landmarks and showing the fusion of history and modernity.

Around noon, come to the Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. Although this place is no longer a traditional Chinese residence, it has long become a hallmarked spot in Kuala Lumpur. Two grandiose Chinese-style archways stand at both ends of the street, ornamented with lifelike golden dragons and glitzy green glazed tiles, welcoming tourists worldwide to visit, shop, and taste local cuisine. Among miscellaneous stalls, don’t miss an inconspicuous cart with a sign of Kim Soya Bean, a time-honored brand that has existed for over 80 years. Many people come here for a cup of iced soy milk or a bowl of hot soybean pudding, and such delicious silky snacks with a rich bean fragrance only cost RM2.5 ($0.5) per portion.

After the lunch break, continue to the National Mosque of Malaysia, one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia, which can accommodate 8,000 people praying simultaneously. Looking from the outside, you will be captivated by its distinctive, umbrella-shaped roof and sacred towering minaret, which integrates modern design and Islamic elements. Wearing the light and flowing authentic Islamic Jubah with headscarves wrapped elegantly and stepping into the main hall, you will instantly feel as if you are participating in the history and stories of this land.

★ Buck-list Spot in Kuala Lumpur: Petronas Twin Towers
Our last stop today is Kuala Lumpur’s major landmark - Petronas Twin Towers, the highest twin building in the world with 88 floors. We will ascend its Sky Bridge on 41F, 170 meters (560 feet) above the ground and 58.4 meters (191.6 feet) long, used by many popular movies, TV shows, and games as the background to render the plot. Keep lifting to the 86th-floor observation deck, and we will gain a broader bird’s-eye view of the city. Since we’re here before nightfall, you can also enjoy the beautiful sunset from the tower.
► Notes:
1. The Sky Bridge and the observation deck have strict visiting times to prevent tourist mayhem. So you need to make time to take pictures, but don’t worry - your experienced guide will tell you how to take the best photos.
2. You’d better bring fewer backpacks that need to be stored. Food, drinks, and tripods are not allowed.

After that, your driver guide will send you back to the hotel, or you can have dinner nearby, enjoy the night view, and then return yourself.

► Prevailing Dinner Places in Kuala Lumpur
It takes less than ten minutes by taxi from Petronas Twin Towers to Damascus Bukit Bintang, an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant near the famous Shibuya-style crossing, costing RM20-40 ($5-10) per person. The Grills Sandwich and classic Sharwarma full of meat slices are juicy and tasty, and adding hummus makes it even better. Due to the rave reviews, many people are queuing up daily, so you need to wait at least half an hour. Alternatively, you can take a five-minute walk southwest to the famous Jalan Alor Night Market, bursting with life. The cost of meals in Malaysia is low, and you can eat your fill at the night market for about $5 per person.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur (5 stars)

After breakfast, we will spend about one hour visiting Batu Caves, a cave complex with temples outside Kuala Lumpur. This famed Hindu holy place and the core site of the Thaipusam festival in Malaysia will captivate you with its giant golden statue, 272 rainbow-colored stairs, lively wild monkeys, and karst landscape.
► Notes:
1. Long skirts or pants are required for women to enter the main cave. If you are not wearing one, the staff will ask you to buy a printed scarf to wrap around your body, but the scarf itself is also lovely to be a souvenir. It is also recommended to wear non-slip sandals, river trekking shoes, or slippers because you need to enter the main cave with your shoes off, and they are convenient to wear after walking barefoot on the cave floor that is wet and not so clean.
2. If you are sensitive to odors, you’d better wear a mask. There is a zoo, as well as pigeons and monkeys, so it does not smell so good. You can also wear a hat to block the dripping water in the cave and unexpected pigeons’ excrement.

Then, drive 2.5 hours to Kuala Tembeling Jetty, where the driver guide will help you board a 3-hour boat ride to Kuala Tahan Jetty in the Taman Negara National Park. Upon arrival, check into the hotel by yourself, have a short break and enjoy your dinner at the resort.

At night, a park guide will escort you to start an exciting jungle hiking. The rainforest here has hardly been affected by geological or climate change and is one of Earth's oldest and most pristine tropical rainforests. Follow your guide to see arm-length millipedes, 3cm-long ants, palm-sized butterflies, luminous scorpions, leaf mantises, lizards, luminous mushrooms and trees, large mushrooms that emit spores like smoke, and many other magical plants and insects. If lucky, you may witness a battle between colugos, who will fly up while calling. How amazing the rainforest is!
► Note: The roads in the rainforest are muddy, and you are likely to get leeches, so leech socks or boots are necessary. You can ask the hotel for salt to remove leeches instead of firing them, which may cause infection. Your guide is glad to suggest what to prepare before coming.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Mutiara Taman Negara (3 stars)

★ Thrilling Journey on the World’s Longest Canopy Walk
Today, follow the park guide hiking to Teresek Hill at 344 meters (1,129 feet) and experience the exciting moment on the Canopy Walk, which will be relatively easy thanks to the wooden stairs up the mountain. The Canopy Walk is about 550 meters (600 yards) long, taking about 20 to 30 minutes, and 45 meters—almost 15 stories—high, where you will enjoy a spellbinding rainforest, home to 14,000 kinds of plants and 300 types of birds.

Even if the Canopy Walk is closed for maintenance for part of the year, don’t be disappointed; along the way, you will learn about many herbs in the jungle and the biological habits of different plants under the guide’s guidance. You will also know some rules of survival in the wild and have the opportunity to encounter chubby lizards climbing trees, hornbills courting loudly, and various rare insects.

Return to the hotel for lunch and take an afternoon boat trip along the Sungai Tahan River to Lata Berkoh Waterfall. Sitting on the boat, listening to the gurgling water and chirping birds, and enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way will intoxicate you with nature. Passing by the 500-year-old and 70-foot-high Tualang Tree, the tallest tree in Taman Negara National Park, and the Kelah Fish Sanctuary, the boat docks, and we’ll continue walking for 20 minutes to Lata Berkoh Waterfall. Comprising many 50-centimeter-high small waterfalls, Lata Berkoh presents a splendid sight as a waterfall group, unlike common ones. If you want to try swimming, be careful of the turbulence and slippery rocks.

► Resort Activities Recommended
In addition to the night jungle hiking, waterfall visiting, and summiting of Teresek Hill that we arranged, the resort also offers activities such as aboriginal visiting, and rapid shooting. If interested, you can join at your own expense according to the schedule, or you can communicate with our travel consultants in advance to add some activities and make corresponding price adjustments.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mutiara Taman Negara (3 stars)

After experiencing the tropical climate in the lowlands, we are now coming to the coolest highlands in the country to cool down. This morning, check out of the hotel and take the boat we booked for you back to Kuala Tembeling Jetty in about three hours. Upon arrival, your driver guide will pick you up and drive you for four hours to Cameron Highlands.

On the way, we will stop at Lata Iskandar Waterfall to avoid being over-travel-worn. Though smaller in scale, Lata Iskandar possesses clear and turbulent water pouring down from the palisades like white silk. You can take pictures or play in the pool below the waterfall, but be careful not to slip. Then, arrive at Cameron Highlands at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Looking around the sprawling hills covered with tropical plants or tea trees, you will lose yourself in the eyeful emerald green. After check-in, rest well to relieve fatigue of a day’s journey.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Strawberry Park Resort, Cameron Highlands (4 stars)

We will explore Cameron Highlands with a whole day in front of us. In the early morning, drive directly up Gunung Brinchang Mountain to enjoy the broad view of the plateau instead of climbing tiringly. There is also a godsend on the mountain – the fairyland-like Moss Forest. Meandering in the mist-wreathed tropical evergreen forest full of leaf mosses, pitcher plants, ferns, and wild orchids, you will breathe in the freshness and moisture of the alpine climate.

Getting down to the BOH Tea Plantation, where you will enrich your tea knowledge from picking tea leaves to brewing tea. Amid the fragrance of tea trees, you may also want to try Malaysia’s most popular local brand, BOH specialty tea, at your own expense. Then, come to Cactus Valley to admire dozens of cacti of various sizes and shapes, succulents, and other flowers. Since this is a pet-friendly attraction, you may also meet cute dogs traveling with tourists. The next destination is Strawberry Farm, where you can pay to have fun picking strawberries yourself and taste desserts made from fresh strawberries. Let me tell you a little trick: strawberries with flat butts are sweeter, while those with pointed butts are sourer. Stroll through a local market, and we will reach today’s last site, Lavender Garden. Indulge yourself in the playful and romantic garden, and the lavender flower sea allows you to take wonderful photos randomly. Don’t forget to try the lavender-flavored ice cream!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Strawberry Park Resort, Cameron Highlands (4 stars)

Today, we will leave Cameron Highlands for Penang by stopping at Kek Look Tong Temple and Ipoh Town. After a two-hour drive, we will reach Kek Look Tong Temple, a picturesque karst cave dedicated to Chinese Buddhist and Taoist deities. Passing through the cave with fantastic stalactites and growing stalagmites, you will be surprised by a hidden land of idyllic beauty: a crystal-clear pond in the center, surrounded by exuberant trees and flowers, where people enjoy leisure time. You can rent a bicycle or a pedal boat to be part of them at your own expense.

At noon, we will take a short break for you to have lunch on your own in Ipoh Town, the fourth largest city in Malaysia, the moniker “Mountain City” for sinking down into rolling hills, and is famed for its Malaysian-Chinese cuisine.

► Restaurant Suggested by In-the-know Diners in Ipoh
Restoran Weng Seng is a century-old restaurant widely known for its charcoal-grilled pots, priced average at RM20-40 ($5-10) per person. The signature Golden Soup La La Clam Pot is an irresistibly rich, sweet hotchpotch of clams, taro, and king oyster mushrooms. The Pumpkin Cheese Prawn is made of large prawns and rich sauce. The Malaysian specialties of Salted Egg Fish Skin and Salted Egg Bean are also worth trying.

After the lunch break, your driver guide will continue driving you to Penang for another two hours and escort you to the hotel in George Town, the capital of Penang. Have a good rest tonight.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: JEN Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La (4 stars)

Today, we will take a car tour of George Town to get a closer glimpse of the colorful and multicultural Penang Island. Beyond British colonial buildings and mosques, it also retains many old Chinese shophouses selling traditional goods, countless Chinese temples, and markets. Thanks to the dense distribution of city landscapes, we will pass by most of the classic sites during the driving tour, including Fort Cornwallis, Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Clan Jetty, and Street of Harmony, and you can ask for photo stops at any time.

Then, we will come to the 19th-century Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple, combining the styles of China, Thailand, and Myanmar with a South Asian water dragon at the entrance and a Chinese dragon at the exit, gorgeous and finely crafted. Step inside with your shoes off, and you will see the world’s third-largest reclining Buddha statue of 33 meters. Unlike other temples, photography is allowed here. Take a closer look; you will find that his eyes and nails are inlaid with shells, and gold foil is pasted on the sides.

Now, let’s take the funicular train up to the Penang Hill. Travel through the forest along the steep mountain wall as if you enter the animation world of Hayao Miyazaki, the world-renowned Japanese animator. Atop the hill, you can breathe in the rich negative oxygen ions, walk on the 360-degree circular skywalk overlooking Penang Island, and encounter treasured dusky leaf monkeys. After all visits, the driver guide will transfer you back to the hotel directly. 

► Self-exploration Recommended in George Town
Why not stroll through the UNESCO-listed historic district to appreciate the street art? The ubiquitous murals in George Town, such as one depicting a 19th-century vendor selling salted fish, give visitors a glimpse of town life in the past. Some mural characters are life-size and highly interactive, so many tourists are even willing to line up to take creative photos. If intrigued, ask your driver guide to drop you off at street painting spots on the return journey from Penang Hill.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: JEN Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La (4 stars)

Farewell to our 10 days Malaysia holiday packages! Your driver guide will take you to the airport according to your flight time. Smaller in scale, Penang Airport’s security check and customs clearance are fast, but at least 2 hours are needed during the holiday season. The roads will be congested between 5 and 6 p.m., the crush hours for getting off work, so if you have a flight near this time, you’d better arrive at the airport before 5 p.m. 

We wish you a happy journey. If you want to extend your trip to Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other neighboring countries, please contact our travel consultants to customize your itinerary!

► Touristy Spot for Your Free Time before Leaving
Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a great choice, with an admission fee of RM25 ($6), taking a 10-minute taxi ride from the hotel. The unique green mansion was once the residence of a Chinese tycoon. After being restored, his past luxurious life and many unique customs are unfolded in our eyes. You will be greeted by an eclectic courtyard lavishly appointed with Chinese wood carvings, British floor tiles, Scottish ironwork, colorful door lintels, and ornate reliefs on the walls. Over 1,000 antiques and collectibles are showcased in the house, including intricately carved wooden furniture and glitzy jade ornaments; every utensil and every decoration will feed your sight on the extravagance of the Chinese rich at that time.

Meals: Breakfast