Planning to travel to Malaysia? Or a short getaway from KL? Not sure what places to visit in Malaysia? Over the years we’ve traveled around the country and written quite a bit about tourist spots of Malaysia. Best beaches in Malaysia, coolest city adventures and of course the most child-friendly things to do in Malaysia – we’ve collected them all on this page. More places to uncover in our home turf, KL can be found under the category KL Living.

Best beaches in Malaysia

perhentian thumbnailPerhentian Islands, “the stopover islands” consist of two islands, the small and the big. The big one, Pulau Perhentian Besar, has bigger resorts and is more quiet. Pulau Perhentian Kecil has cheaper accommodation and a slight resemblance to a backpacker party scene.

We have stayed both in a new boutique resort, and simple chalets on the beach – whatever your accommodation the sea is beautiful and turtles can be easily spotted when snorkeling.  The islands are no foodie destination, but you didn’t come here for food – read more here.

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Kapas Island is a tiny islet right off the Malaysian coast. It’s simple island life here, with no luxuries. We stayed at Kapas Turtle Valley Resort, a homely small resort with lovely home-cooked food, but there are also some very basic budget options on the island. There are several sandy beaches on the island that are accessible by foot or kayaks.

 gaya-island-thumbnailGaya Island lies just in front of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.  Home to many high-end resorts, the island is beautiful and the views towards Mount Kinabalu are magnificent. We loved our stay at the Gaya Island Resort, part of the YTL chain known for its service. The resort is very hilly, so may not be suitable for those travelling with toddlers or pushchairs.
travel to langkawi - Happy Go KLLangkawi is a popular tourist island on the West coast of the peninsula. Although the sea is not as clear here, Langkawi enjoys good whether most of the year unlike the East coast. We have stayed at Berjaya Resort Lankawi with kids.
 sea gypsy thumbnailThe Southern part of the Malaysian coast also has some beach resorts, popular with Singaporean holidaymakers. Sea Gypsy Village Resort is one the most child-friendly. This eco-friendly beach resort is perfect for those looking for a relaxed, no-frills family resort that has paid attention those details that matter for families, like kids’ entertainment and meals – and has a huge, private beach.
 travel to cheratingCherating is the nearest clean strech of beaches to KL. It has an abandoned feel of a faded 80’s resort town but the beaches are wide and known for a decent surf during the monsoon months. You can also take a river cruise to see the fireflies at night, and get up close and personal with the turtles during the hatching and releasing season. We stayed at the newly renovated rooms of Tanjung Inn.

 City breaks in Malaysia

s-WHAT-TO-DO-WITH-KIDS-IN-KUALA-LUMPURKuala Lumpur is a great city destination. For an Asian capital it is very green, and has plenty to do for families. It is small enough to make getting around easy, and there are lots of comfortable hotels with swimming pools. Our list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids covers most kid friendly sights and attractions in KL.

 travel to georgetownGeorgetown, the capital of the island of Penang, is one of our favourites and one of the best places to visit in Malaysia. Its old centre is a UNESCO heritage site and despite the rapid gentrification it still retains plenty of old-world charm. At the same time you have many interesting museums and of course lots of yummy food to sample.
 melaka travelThe historic trading town Melaka is just about two hours South of Kuala Lumpur. Known for its red Dutch city hall, it’s a compact city to explore on foot.To save the little feet you can book one of the colourful rikshaws to take you around the sights.

 

 

 

 

travel to ipohIpoh is a small and friendly town north of Kuala Lumpur, easily accessible by train, a wide highway or bus. There are a few family-friendly attractions including cave temples and Lost World of Tambun: a water and theme park in a beautiful setting.

There are many affordable boutique hotels in town, but we really enjoyed our family stay at the Haven a bit further out of the city.

 

 

 

kota-kinabalu-thumbnailKota Kinabalu in Sabah has a few interesting places to see. One of them is the Mari Mari Cultural Centre, a mini-Borneo of sorts.

If you are around on a Sunday don’t miss the Gaya Street market. Anything from trinkets to local herbs can be found along this hot street market.

Kota Kinabalu is often a base for trips into deeper into the island to spot some of the amazing wildlife of Borneo, like the proboscis monkeys.

 

travel to kutchingKuching, the capital of Sarawak, is a charming base for exploring Borneo. You can easily visit the nearby orangutang sanctuary, national parks, beaches or the fantastic cultural centre.

 

 

 

 

Getaways from KL

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Our favourite getaways and short trips from KL in two parts: those within three hours’ drive from the capital, and those that take five hours to get to.

 

 

 

 

day trips from kl - Happy Go KL

Sometimes one needs a break from the city – that’s when these ideas for day trips from KL come in handy