Best holiday spots in Malaysia

Georgetown, Pulau Pinang

This is one of Malaysia's top tourist destinations thanks to its beaches, fishing villages, seafood and the gorgeous island capital Georgetown. Georgetown is one of the few large centres in Malaysia that has retained traditional elements of architecture, transport and lifestyle. The Penang Heritage Trust has worked hard to retain the elements that are left and successfully campaigned to have it listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site - they achieved this in 2008.

Some samples of traditional elements include trishaws decked out with flowers and music systems that are still a common form of transport for foot weary tourists or taxing locals. Ancient trades like shoe cobbling and key making are still practiced on the street. And ageing Chinese men with wispy goatee beards wait out passing tropical showers like they have for years in gloomy cafes that smell of old coffee and whiskey. Colonial remnants remain in the city hall, Fort Cornwallis and Victoria Memorial along the waterfront. While Georgetown features twisting streets particularly around Chinatown with mosques, temples, mansions and markets.

Melaka

Melaka is only two hours south of Kuala Lumpur but could be a world away in terms of pace of life, traffic, prices and architecture. There's a real artisan feeling here with cafes, museums and antique shops. And it's also one of those melting pots where everyone made their indent on the town from the original Sultan's, the British colonials, the Dutch, Portugese, Arab traders and Chinese. And all left a legacy of palaces, temples, mosques, forts, chapels, churches and windmills.

Many of the architectural gems of Melaka are located next to each other. For example the Sultanate's Palace is near the Porta de Santiago, the main gate of the Portugese fortress A'Famosa. And stairs behind it lead up to St Paul's Chapel. Across from the gate is the Proclamation of Independence Hall. And on the other side of the chapel is the main square of the town with Museums, Dutch
churches, and a Dutch windmill.

Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands are a hill station perched on a corner of the Titiwangsa Range in Pahang at 6000 feet. So if you're keen to appreciate some cool mountain air and enjoy the greenery of famous tea plantations, this is the place for you. The British certainly felt so and during colonial days it was used by those seeking a chance to convalesce or escape the tropical weather elsewhere.

The highlands have a very English hill station feel to it with the accompanying rain and mist endemic to all such places. It brings to mind similar places around the world like Sri Lanka's tea fields or Indian colonial holiday resorts.

It is one of the last remaining stretches of virgin forests in peninsular Malaysa and once you've had your fill of strawberries, tea plantations, gardens and old houses you may like to do some hiking through the hils. Just be careful, the famed disappearance of Thai silk mechant Jim Thompson has given the trails and highlands a permanent danger tag. And once you spend some time here you realize how important a guide can be as the permanent mist and fog makes it easy to lose your way.

Kuching, Sarawak

Kuching has to be one of the most laid back places in Malaysia for a city of its size. If you're keen to investigate the wilds of Borneo you should probably come here first and aquaint yourself to the pace of life and organize yourself for trips further afield. Kuching is pleasantly located on the Sungai Sarawak River and it's worth a trip in the traditional boats across the river to explore the quaint Malay village on the other side and the historic fort. In town itself there are a few museums to wander through, or at least escape the heat in, some fantastic eating areas in Chinatown and a few colourful temples and the excellent Sunday market - make sure you try some of the food, even the unidentifiable bits!

Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown

At some point during your time in Malaysia you'll wind up in Kuala Lumpur. It's amazing city well worth some of your time with markets and mosques intertwining on streets with modern skyscrapers and office blocks creating a very new and old effect. Traditional Chinese markets and stalls are colourful with heady, sweaty soup and noodle stalls; and pulsing "wet" markets with everything from fish innards to hair clips. One of the best places to head for KL's traditional culture or a place to stay is Chinatown. It's a vibrant area with street vendors and night markets and at any time of the day you can get a bowl of noodle soup, sweet Malay coffee and buy any array of boot legged copies of movies, music and watches.