Day 1 UK/Kuala Lumpur
Meet your travelling companions in the executive lounge prior to your scheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Day 2 Kuala Lumpur
On arrival in the exciting city of Kuala Lumpur, we transfer to our hotel for a three night stay. After lunch we take a short tour of the administrative area of the city, where we will see the Prime Minister’s office building and the beautiful peach coloured Putra Mosque. This evening, enjoy a welcome drink before dinner at the hotel. Meals: L/D
Day 3 Kuala Lumpur
Our morning sightseeing tour of Kuala Lumpur takes us to visit the National Mosque, the National Monument and Cenotaph. We stop to take photos at the major sites including the Petronas Towers and the Gate of the King’s Palace. We then take a walk through the streets to get a real feel for this vibrant city. Starting at the Central Market, we’ll take a stroll through the bustling streets of Chinatown. The beautiful Masjid Jamek Temple is our next stop, before we reach Merdeka Square. Our final stop is to see how the various types of Malaysian batik are produced. This evening, make your own discoveries or join our optional excursion – dinner at the revolving restaurant at the KL Tower. This is sure to be a highlight. Located at 282 metres above the ground, we will enjoy incredible panoramic views of Kuala Lumpur at night as we dine. Meals: B/L
Day 4 Malacca
Today we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Malacca, which is a living museum and testimony to its colourful past of Malay Sultanates, Portuguese, Dutch and English influences. We will see A Formosa, the only remaining gate of a once formidable Portuguese colony, St. Paul’s Hill, the Dutch Square and Chinese Hill. After a lunch typical of the region, we visit the ancient Cheng Hoon Teng temple, followed by a stroll through the street of antiques. Return to Kuala Lumpur for an included dinner in the hotel. Meals: B/L/D
Day 5 Cameron Highlands
We take a scenic drive through the forest clad mountains and valleys on our way to the Cameron Highlands, which are named after the British Surveyor, William Cameron who discovered them. Sitting at some 6,000ft above sea level, this stunning hill resort is sure to remind you of an English garden with its abundance of colourful flowers. En route, we stop to see the making of bamboo baskets and to admire the Lata Iskandar waterfall. Having arrived at our hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Meals: B/L/D
Day 6 Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands are the biggest producers of tea and flowers in the whole of Malaysia. Look out for wild orchids and other beautiful flowers before taking a ride to the summit for the most spectacular views over the mountain forests. Then see where some of the famed black tea of the region is produced. Black tea has more caffeine in than regular tea and is a product, much like wine, of the environmental conditions. You’ll see how it is grown, harvested and packaged at the BOH Tea Plantation, the largest tea garden in the country. On our way back to the hotel, a stop is made at a hillside market to admire the many different types of fruit and flowers grown in this lush region. If you want to see more of the Cameron Highlands, why not join our optional excursion to a butterfly farm, where you can see some 50 species of butterfly and other insects. The day is then rounded off with tea and scones, complete with jam from a nearby strawberry farm. Meals: B/L/D
Day 7 Cameron Highlands
We descend into Perak State, famous for its tin mines and cave temples and visit Kek Lok Toong. Continue towards Belum Rainforest, a relatively undiscovered virgin rainforest dating back more than 130 million years. Tonight you’ll feel at one with nature as you enjoy a walk, listening to the incredible sounds all around you. Meals: B/L/D
Day 8 Belum Rainforest
Our explorations of Belum continue today as we take a boat trip on Temengor Lake. This man-made expanse of water gives a brand new perspective to the rainforest as you admire it from a distance. Keep your eyes peeled for a tigers, elephants and many other animlas. Then head back into the heart of it with an exciting trek and enjoy lunch cooked in the traditional Orang Asli way. This involves wrapping food in leaves and then cooking it inside bamboo over a fire, giving it a lovely smoky taste. Meals: B/L/D
Day 9 Penang
Leaving Belum behind, we head out into the countryside and on to the impressive eight mile long bridge which takes us to the island of Penang where we will stay for the next four nights. Meals: B/L/D
Day 10 Penang
Our morning sightseeing tour of Penang takes us to Georgetown, capital of the island to see the magnificent Khoo Kongsi, a clan house, built by expert Chinese craftsmen. Then we take a stroll past flower stalls, fortune tellers and more on our way to the Goddess of Mercy Temple. We stop en-route at a joss stick shop to see how these fragrant gifts are made before experiencing even more exotic smells on the spice market. Later we take a boat to the Chew Jetty to visit a fishing village on stilts and pay a visit the ruins of Fort Cornwallis, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and the Burmese Temple. This evening, why not join our optional tour of Georgetown by night, which takes us to visit a night market and to experience some delicious local food. Meals: B/L
Day 11 Penang
Today is at leisure, or you might choose to join our optional excursion to Penang Hill and Temple. The journey itself is an experience as we take the Swiss funicular up through hill farms and lush vegetation to the summit. We continue to the Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple on South-East Asia. Meals: B
Day 12 Penang
Another day at leisure today to relax on the beach, or why not join our optional tour of the island. You’ll delve even further into the delights of this fascinating place as you visit picturesque fishing villages, fruit plantations, a handicraft centre to see Batik being made and one of Malaysia’s most renowned jewellery factories. You will also get a taste of life in a local village as we pay a visit to a Malay house. Enjoy a farewell get-together back at the hotel this evening. Meals: B
Days 13 to 15 Langkawi
Just a short flight from Penang, Langkawi boasts rainforested mountains and clear blue seas, and is the largest of an archipelago of a hundred islands, situated off the northwest corner of Malaysia near the Thai border. You will take the short flight on day 13 of your main tour itinerary, and transfer to the four star Langkawi Holiday Villa for the next three nights on a bed and breakfast basis.
You will have plenty of time to relax, or join our optional Mangrove River tour. This boat journey will give you the opportunity to observe the unusual root formations of mangrove trees whilst keeping an eye out for herons, sea eagles and kingfishers. As you pass many caves, you will see hundreds of fruit bats that dwell within them. Meals: B
Day 16 Langkawi/UK
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.