Royal Customs and Excise Building
Johor
Today painted blue and yellow, with the date 1909 on its domed clock tower, this was once the Muar Railway Station Building. Look out for it on the north…
Must-see attractions in Malaysia
Malaysia
This charming fishing village built on stilts over the mudflats gets its name from the abundance of crabs found here. There’s little to do other than…
Signal Hill Observatory Platform
Kota Kinabalu
Up on Signal Hill, among the art deco mansions at the city-centre's eastern edge, there's an unmissable UFO-like observation pavilion. Come here to make…
Kuching
Facing Padang Merdeka (Independence Sq) and its monumental kapok tree, Kuching’s Anglican cathedral (1954) has a mid-20th-century look and, inside, a…
Kuantan
The colossal Sleeping Buddha Cave at Gua Charas outside Panching is decorated with small altars to various Buddhist Bodhisattvas and leads ultimately to a…
Kota Kinabalu
KK's Night Market is an unmissable immersion into local culture. It's authentic, bustling, aromatic and noisy. At the southwest end you will find stalls…
Pialungan Sandakan-Ranau Death March Memorial
Sabah
In 1945 Sabah-occupying Japanese sent 641 British and 1793 Australian POWs on a series of forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau. Only six – all…
Pengkalan Kempas Megalith Site
Malaysia
A well-conserved example of one of Negeri Sembilan's 'living stones' can be seen at this 15th-century Muslim cemetery. Ornate tombstones are protected…
Sabah
This museum provides a good (if dry) introduction to the island's history and culture, from precolonial days through British and Japanese occupation, WWII…
Sandakan
A poignant piece of Sandakan's ethnic puzzle, this cemetery was founded in the 1890s by Kinoshita Kuni, known as the successful madam-manager of Sandakan…
Kuala Lumpur
Southeast Asia's largest Sikh temple is the spiritual home of KL’s Sikh community. There’s been a temple and school here since 1918, though the present…
Kuching
Sarawak's state flower, the Normah orchid, is just one of the 82 species growing in these peaceful gardens and greenhouse nursery. Other Borneo orchids to…
Malaysia
A short taxi ride from Dataran Putra is this serene, contemplative space with peaceful nature trails, aquatic animals and 100 species of waterbird (climb…
Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery
Kuala Lumpur
The calm spaces, potted plants, mandala ceilings and giant gilded statues create an appropriately contemplative mood for quiet meditation at this…
Penang
This seven-tier, 30m-high tower is one of the most striking features of Kek Lok Si Temple. Completed in 1927, the octagonal pagoda is Burmese at the top,…
Sandakan
Wrapped in the usual firework display of reds, golds and twining dragons, festooned with lanterns illuminating the grounds like a swarm of fireflies, this…
Kuala Lumpur
The highlight of this impressive aquarium is its 90m underwater tunnel: view sand tiger sharks, giant gropers and more up close. Regular feedings of…
St Michael's & All Angels Church
Sandakan
One of the very few surviving pre-WWII buildings, this pretty stone church (1893) sits as a relic of colonial times and a monument to Christian worship on…
Kuching
Inaugurated in 2009, the iconic home of the State Assembly on the north bank of Sungai Sarawak is an imposing structure whose soaring golden roof is said…
Malaysia
Laid out in 1977, this 93-hectare site is Malaysia's largest botanical garden. More than 700 types of plant flourish in the tropical gardens; there's also…
Kuala Lumpur
The industrial and natural heritage of an old railway depot and workshop has been transformed into this park surrounding upmarket condos. A chunk of it is…
Kota Bharu
Local cultural events, including gasing uri (top-spinning), silat (a Malay martial art), kite-making, drumming and shadow-puppet shows are held regularly…
Sarawak
There's good walking in this pleasant little park, but most visitors come to see the rare Rafflesia tuanmudae. These massive flowers, blessed with a…
Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP)
Sabah
Inside Sukau village this conservation camp, run in partnership with a French NGO, is dedicated to studying and protecting the orangutan. It also…
Kota Bharu
Built in 1912 for the Mercantile Bank of India, the Bank Kerapu building was the first stone structure built in Kelantan. During WWII it was the HQ of the…
Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple
George Town
Penang's first Buddhist temple was built in 1805 by migrants from Myanmar (Burma). A series of panel paintings on the life of the Buddha line the walkways…
WWII Memorial (Labuan War Cemetery)
Sabah
A dignified expanse of lawn with row upon row of headstones dedicated to the nearly 4000 Commonwealth servicemen, mostly Australian and British, who lost…
Kuala Terengganu
The most famous religious structure in the state is the Floating Mosque, located 4.5km southeast of Kuala Terengganu. It’s not really floating, just set…
Pulau Perhentian
Dead-coral-strewn Coral Beach is aptly named. A construction boom has diminished the quaintness of this once-quiet spot but it's perfect for those wanting…
George Town
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is a typical Thai temple, complete with mosaic-covered naga serpents guarding the entrance, a sharp-eaved pagoda roof,…
Kuching
Opened in 2018, this excellent museum focuses on the colourful and exciting times of Ranee Margaret of Sarawak. Born Margaret Alice Lili de Windt in Paris…
Malaysia
There's something a little sci-fi about the soaring concrete domes and rocket-ship minaret of this former state mosque. Opened in 1934 it's a striking…
Kuala Lumpur
If you need a break from frenetic, urban KL, this sleepy Malay village, located in a hilly, jungly landscape, is the solution – it's less than a 30-minute…
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu’s best museum focuses on Kelantanese ritual and crafts. It's housed in a beautiful chocolate-brown building that dates back to 1887 and is…
Cameron Highlands
Locals believe that the way the evening mist hits this valley-tucked berry farm is the reason its fruit tastes so sweet. If berry picking (RM30 for two…
Malaysia
One of the most impressive photo ops in Putrajaya is the five-storey Palace of Justice. Its central domes and tall archways represent a union of styles,…
Sabah
Partially eroded by the elements, the stone skull topping this squat stone container, resembling a postbox, gives a clue as to its past use. Back in…
Miri
At Saberkas, one of the most colourful and friendly markets in Sarawak, vendors are more than happy to answer questions about their produce, which…
Kuala Terengganu
One of Chinatown's most attractive buildings, this compact and colourful riot of red and gold architecture and decor dates back to 1796. It was…
Pulau Tioman
Tioman’s commercial hub is a good, strategic central location from which to explore the rest of the island, and the beach on the southern end of town is…
