My Highlights on the West Coast of Malaysia

29th October 2015: I’ve just returned from an amazing trip to the enchanting west coast of Malaysia. My trip began in the city of Kuala Lumpur, where I stayed in the Hotel Majestic, a beautiful hotel offering the perfect balance between a contemporary hotel and traditional charm.

Kuala Lumpur

An insightful day was spent visiting the highlights of the city which included: Independence Square (also known as Merdeka Square), The Palace, Asean Park, The Botanical Gardens, The National Mosque and of course the tallest twin towers in the world; The Petronas Towers. The top place to grab a bargain has to be China Town market where we practised our haggling skills and spent some time absorbing the Malaysian culture.

One thing to note is that in September and October, they burn the palm crop, which causes a significant haze or smog. It has been particularity bad this year and it has affected the whole country.

Batu Caves

Our next stop was the spectacular and iconic Batu Caves, which are definitely worth a visit if travelling to this area. We walked the 372 steep steps to the top with a further 100 inside the cave. It was a humbling sight to see the locals, young and old, make the pilgrimage to the top.

Cameron Highlands Resort

We continued further north, taking in the breath-taking views and waterfalls and arrived at the Cameron Highlands, an area that resembles an old English village. Finally we checked into the delightful Cameron Highland Resort, which looks and feels like an old country manor house with service to match. Our meal in their restaurant was fantastic.

Time Tunnel Museum

A trip to the Time Tunnel is like going into an Aladdin's cave; full of history – it has tribal blowpipes to 1950's signage. Nearby, we came across a tea plantation and local market, giving us a captivating insight into Malaysian day-to-day living.

Penang

With its mouth-watering local cuisine, the beautiful beach location of Penang hosted our next stop and enabled us to experience the fun of the markets, practice our bartering skills once again, and snap up some extra bargains.

In Penang we checked in for a night at the Hotel Shangri-La Rasa Sayang. The hotel is set on the beach and prides itself on its eco credentials, even producing its own water.

Pangkor Laut Resort

We drove south to the port to catch the ferry to the sensational Pangkor Laut Resort. After a relaxing lunch, we took a tour of the hotel and its 8 private estates – each one its own private paradise. We were very lucky to be staying in over water bungalows, which look out over the enchanting Emerald Bay.

Our next morning was spent enjoying the Chef's Kitchen Experience – one of the activities on offer at the resort. After taking the short boat trip to the big island, we shopped in the local market, noodle shop, anchovy farm and a fish farm. Here we caught our lunch - 2 huge red snappers which we later cooked ourselves.

Our afternoon was spent relaxing with a bath ritual and massage an in the evening, we took a tour round the island on a traditional junk followed by a private dinner at Emerald Bay.

As a last treat before leaving, we went on a jungle trek with a local naturalist, who explained some of the facts about the island and the care the owners are taking in keeping the island animals and plants safe, whilst still running a very successful and enjoyable resort.

Malaysia is a land of delights with lots to offer - history, culture, wildlife and nature - combined with modern and traditional accommodation, which is great value for money.

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Claire travelled to Malaysia with If Only – If Only provide bespoke holidays and tours to Arabia, the Indian Ocean and Asia.

Choose from our pick of the best Malaysia hotels from If Only below or contact Claire direct in Nailsworth to find out more.

Travel Blog by Claire Griffiths, Nailsworth