Our favourite Malaysia experiences

These experiences are your passport to Malaysia’s rich and complex culture and history, getting you beneath the surface of one of Asia’s most dynamic modern nations.

Beneath Malaysia’s megamalls and modernity is one of the richest and most fascinating histories of any country in Southeast Asia. To get to the heart of it, you need a local’s perspective – and that’s what these experiences are all about.

Malaysia has an incredibly rich mix of cultures born from centuries at the heart of the world’s historic trade routes, but sometimes it takes a local’s perspective to really put you in touch with it. That’s why we’ve put so much effort into finding these tours, classes and hands-on activities.

These are the Peranakan chefs who’ll teach you how to cook Chinese-Malay fusion cuisine, and the adventure guides who’ll point out wildlife tracks in the rainforest. They’re the food enthusiasts who’ll take you to KL’s secret street-food spots, and the art buffs who’ll point out George Town’s most innovative street art. They’re your passport to Malaysian culture and history, and some of our absolute favorite people on the Peninsula.

Discover the rainforests of Taman Negara

This two-night tour barely scratches the surface of this 4,000 sq km, 130 million-year-old rainforest – but it’s an excellent place to start.

Head out into the dark jungle on a night safari to spot porcupines, mouse deer, and insects the size of your hand (and bigger). Walk 500 metres through the treetops on the world’s longest canopy walk, watching out for monkeys as you go. Then, go on a riverboat ride to an indigenous village where the locals still hunt using blowpipe darts. These are just a few of the ways to experience Taman Negara, one of Malaysia’s unsung highlights – and a last remaining habitat for tigers, sun bears, elephants and leopards.

Cycling in rural Malacca

This tour shows there’s plenty more to Malacca than colonial architecture. Covering a 20 km loop of easy cycling, it follows flat, shady paths through paddy fields, kampung villages and rubber plantations.

Your guide will tailor the route to you, so you might find yourself cycling beneath traditional stilt houses, stopping for a swim under a waterfall, or having a go at peeling back the bark of a rubber tree to "tap” latex. Wherever you go, you’ll travel at your own pace, stopping whenever you like to spot monkeys in the trees, chat to the locals, or grab a slice of cooling watermelon. After the hustle of the town, this is a completely different side of life in rural Malacca.

Mangrove forest kayak

While you might have heard of Langkawi’s famously lovely beaches, chances are you didn’t know that this tropical paradise was also a UNESCO Geopark, with 90 protected sites scattered across 99 islands.

One of these is the Kilim Geoforest, lined with mangroves and overlooked by spectacular limestone karsts. Accompanied by an expert nature guide, you’ll kayak between the snake-like roots of the mangroves, looking out for herons and monitor lizards hiding in the tangled undergrowth as you go. On the way back, you’ll stop in at a floating river restaurant to round off the tour with a delicious lunch.

Kuala Lumpur architecture tour

It’s best known for its rocket-like Petronas Towers, but Kuala Lumpur is more than just plate glass and polished steel.

In palm-fringed Merdeka Square, mock-Tudor buildings stand as a reminder of cricket matches on the green, while the horseshoe arches and raised pavilions of the Railway Building pay homage to Moorish Revival. The folded-parasol roof of the National Mosque offers a glimpse of modern Islamic-Malay architecture, while Thean Hou Temple’s six tiers of lantern-strung grandeur reference KL’s Chinese roots. KL is a jumble of architectural influences, and this tour is your ticket inside.

Introduction to Little India

When South Indian immigrants came to Malaysia during British colonial rule, they brought their delicious roti, spicy curries and colourful gopura towers with them.

This tour will introduce you to Malaysia’s rich Indian heritage as you explore in KL’s very own “Little India” – where the aroma of spices mingles with therapeutic massage oils. Try on a traditional sari, break a coconut for the deity at a Hindu temple, then stop in at a local florist to see how they make those famous marigold garlands. Finally, conclude with a banana leaf salad and a nice, cold lassi.

Insider Experience: Evening tour of Kuala Lumpur's street food, hidden art and bars

This isn’t just the best street-food tour in KL, it's one of the best we’ve done anywhere. And we’ve done lots.

What’s special about this experience is that every tour is tailored to you. Pauline (or one of her equally excellent colleagues) will kick off by leading you around some of KL's street art, asking about your travel experiences and food preferences as she goes. Then, she’ll devise an itinerary just for you – combining street food, speakeasies, stalls and restaurants (all of whom clearly love her as much as we do). This is a true insider’s introduction to KL, and it never disappoints.