TRAVEL ADVICE

Take a dive!

When staying in Sabah, if you’re a keen diver, you cannot miss the opportunity to explore one of the world’s best dive locations at Pulau Sipadan. The stunning range of awesome marine life and superb clarity of its waters are unmissable, but are best suited to the experienced diver.  

If you are a novice, or haven't dived before, the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, conveniently just offshore from Kota Kinabalu is an excellent place to learn.

See the Orang Utans.

If you are in Sarawak, a visit to Semenggoh Nature reserve offers the opportunity to meet these amazing creatures, though the animals are scarce during the fruiting season from October to February, when the forest bounty tempts them away from the feeding station. In Sabah, the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is the focus of remarkable work by a dedicated team of conservationists, trying to assure the magnificent Apes of a future, by reintroducing them to the wild.

Climb Mount Kinabalu!  

Providing you are relatively fit anyone can climb to the top of Borneo’s highest mountain at 4,095 metres (13,435 feet). The climb, which doesn’t require specialist equipment, normally takes two days to ascend and descend. Not suited to young children due to a few steep sections, the peak is regularly climbed by tourists between the ages of 15 and 70. 

The climb is quite physically demanding work, however, especially at altitude, and it is recommended to get in shape with regular exercise before your visit.

In Sabah, the Kinabatangan River is an especially diverse ecosystem, and a brilliant place to get aboard a river safari boat spotting the extraordinary wildlife.  

One of the few places where you are likely to spot Orang Utans in the wild. Other typically observed creatures include Pigmy Elephants, Crocodiles, Asian Water Monitors, Proboscis Monkeys, Long-tailed Macaques, Asiatic Elephants and numerous birds including Hornbills, Bat-eating Eagles, Bitterns, Kingfishers, Crested Goshawks among many others.

If you’re up for a bit of a thrill, the white water rafting in Sabah’s Padas Gorge offers a good ride through 9 kilometres of grade III and IV features and is a lot of fun for people who don’t mind thrown about and getting wet! The journey to the river also involves an enjoyable train ride along the gorge.

If you’re staying any time in Kuala Lumpur, head out to the north edge of the city and visit the Batu Caves, an important Hindu Shrine. 

The 272 steps to climb to the ‘Cathedral Cave’, with its hundred metre high vault, the largest of the three main caves is worth the effort to appreciate the scale of this natural feature. The Long-tailed macaques mingle with the visitors in the hope of finding food. The two lower caves contain a museum and art gallery.

If you’re into European history, a visit to Malacca is a must, and epitomises the struggle for the dominance of Asia between the nations of Europe as they sought to carve up the east for profit, and control the Malacca Straits. 

The preserved colonial buildings, Maritime Museum, and A’Famosa Fort are the backdrop to the deep history and sit alongside the remarkable Perankan culture.

Beach it!  

The islands offshore from the eastern shore of the peninsula are a splendid place to unwind and enjoy the beautiful beaches of the Perhentian Islands, Tioman and Redang. With no end of stunning beaches to enjoy and plenty of swimming, snorkelling and diving opportunities, no visit to the Peninsula should miss the chance to include some or all of these sparkling island getaways.

Located in the centre of Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the archipelago, a cable car ride from the Oriental Village near to Kampung Kok on the island’s western shore will transport you above the rainforest, past Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, up to the Sky Bridge, a curvaceous 125 metre suspension span between two mountains. The views over Langkawi and the archipelago are simply stunning amid the shining Indian Ocean.

Enjoy the civilised surrealism of Tea and scones in the Cameron Highlands. 

As well as visiting the fascinating tea plantation landscapes and mock tudor houses that give these cool hills a very English feel, there are many gardens to see and nature trails to follow, including the wonderful ‘Mossy Forest’ at Brinchang, renowned for luxuriant moss growths its carnivorous pitcher plants.