A Taste of Malaysia (12 days)

Peninsular Malaysia is a rich mix of Indian, Chinese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian & Middle-Eastern cultures – a true culinary adventure indeed. This tour will take you through the Peninsula from Malacca in the South to Penang in the North-West, via the buzzing capital Kuala Lumpur and the colonial hills of the Cameron Highlands. Gastronomy is the key focus of this tour, packed full with market visits, street food tours, and cooking classes.

Guide Price

From £3,795 per person.

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur

Flight: MH3 London Heathrow - Kuala Lumpur 10.25 - 06.45 (overnight)

Day 2: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur and transfer to Malacca

Meet & greet: Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur airport you will be welcomed to Malaysia by your private English speaking guide. You will then be taken to your private car and driven south to Malacca, a journey of less than 2 hours. Upon arrival in Malacca you will be taken straight to your hotel for check-in, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Holiday Inn (Deluxe Malacca City View Room)

Malacca Old Town & River

Day 3: Explore Malacca and join a cooking workshop

Malacca City Tour & Cooking Workshop: After breakfast, start the morning with a walking tour of Malacca. You will visit many of the city’s highlights, including Dutch Stadthuys, St Paul's Church and Porta Santiago, left behind by the Portuguese and Dutch during their colonial rule. In the late morning try your hand at Nyonya cooking at the Peranakan Cooking Workshop. With the assistance of the chef, you will be able to craft and enjoy delectable Nyonya creations such as Ayam Pongteh (chicken and potato stew), Udang Lemak Nenas (prawn and pineapple stew) and Apam Balik Nyonya (nyonya style pancakes), and afterwards sample the local cuisine for lunch, to be enjoyed onsite.

Evening Seafood Dinner: In the evening you will be taken to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant serving grilled fish and other local seafood dishes. Make sure to sample the ‘cincaluk’ – a local shrimp sauce to accompany your meal.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Holiday Inn (Deluxe Malacca City View Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Malacca Plaza

Day 4: Transfer to Kuala Lumpur and take an evening culinary tour

Private transfer to Kuala Lumpur, via Putrajaya: This morning sample some Indian cooking with a local banana leaf breakfast at an Indian Restaurant. Fill up on Thosai and Roti Canai before setting off to Kuala Lumpur via the North South Expressway (a journey of approximately 2 hours). Before arriving in KL, stop off at Putrajaya – a brand new ‘Intelligent Garden City’ and the federal administrative capital of Malaysia. After a quick tour of the city you will be taken for a local lunch of satay, small pieces of marinated chicken, beef or mutton, skewered on sticks and barbecued over charcoal fire. It is then brushed with oil mixed with honey and other spices. Satay is served with cucumber wedges, onions, rice cakes and spicy peanut dip. After lunch you will continue on to your city hotel to check in.

Evening culinary tour: In the evening your tour will start with a stroll through the popular Jalan Alor district. Some of the best culinary delights that Malaysia has to offer are found not in the swanky overpriced restaurants, but right here on the sidewalks in the rows and rows of hawker stalls. On Jalan Alor, these stalls will take up both sides of the road selling food that best represents Malaysia. This is not just a place for the locals but foreigners also frequently visit here to taste the unique dishes that they could most probably never find back home. Here your tour guide will highlight some of the most popular & tasty local food, such as satay, char kuay teow and a plethora of other delights. At the end of your culinary walkabout, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant nearby (payable locally) before returning to your hotel later in the evening.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Renaissance Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Satay

Day 5: Full day to explore Kuala Lumpur

Morning market visit and city tour: Following breakfast, you will be taken to visit the vibrant wet market in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Afterwards, continue your city sightseeing with visits to major city landmarks such as Merdeka Square, the Old Train Station and the Lake Gardens area. Lunch today will be at a local restaurant serving Malay cuisine.

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon you have some time free to explore the Malaysian capital independently. KL is a large city, but easy to navigate. The public transport system is extensive and easy-to-use, and English-speakers are always at hand. As with any large, modern capital city there is a wealth of activities, excursions, shopping opportunities, and dining options at hand. Your hotel and guide will be able to suggest a number of good ideas.

Evening Dinner and trip to Chinatown: In the evening dinner will be served at the Precious Restaurant located in KL’s Central Market. Afterwards, head on to Chinatown and go bargain-hunting for CDs, imitation designer goods, bags and watches at the open air night bazaar.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Renaissance Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur

Day 6: Road journey to the Cameron Highlands, via the Batu Caves

Private transfer to the Cameron Highlands, via the Batu Caves: This morning you will set off for the Cameron Highlands, stopping en route to visit the Batu Caves. The limestone caves – a sacred place for Hindus - were discovered in 1892 and consist of 3 main caves connected by 272 steps. Enjoy local Teh Tarik - ‘pulled tea’, a Malaysian institution - at a nearby coffee shop before commencing your journey into the Highlands. On the way your guide will stop at Tapah R&R for lunch (payable locally), a rest and inspection of the local stalls. The stalls are numerous and offer traditional cuisine and a variety of seasonal fruits such as rambutan and durian – the King of Fruits. On the way up to the mountain resort, we will stop at a small Aborigine village and a teahouse. Continue driving and pass through Brinchang and then finally the main town – Tanah Rata. Settle in your hotel and enjoy the peace & serenity of the Cameron Highlands.

Evening Steamboat Dinner: Tonight you will be taken for a ‘steamboat’ dinner. A hotpot-style meal owing much to Malaysia’s Chinese population, the steamboat is a thick broth in which you will dip a selection of meat, seafood, and vegetables.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Strawberry Park Resort (Studio)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Batu Caves

Day 7: Explore the Cameron Highlands region

Morning Tea Plantation Tour: This morning you will visit a nearby tea plantation to watch the processing of black tea, and later to sample various kind of the product in the tea house. Along the way take a closer look at the neatly trimmed tea crop and try your hand at picking the leaves. After leaving the tea plantation you will be taken to a local fruit and vegetable market, and lastly on for a walk around the Sam Poh Buddhist temple in Brinchang. Before returning to the comfort of your hotel room, you will be treated to tea & scones at the nearby Smokehouse Resort, before returning to your hotel and spending the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Strawberry Park Resort (Studio)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Tea plantation, Cameron Highlands

Day 8: Transfer to Penang, via Ipoh & Kuala Kangsar

Private transfer from the Cameron Highlands to Penang, via Ipoh and Kuala Kangsar: In the late morning depart Cameron Highlands for Penang via the Simpang Pulai Highway. Your first stop will be for lunch in the busy town of Ipoh. Our recommended delicacies here are Ipoh Sa Hofun (soup noodles) or the Ipoh Taugey with Chicken (bean sprouts and chicken served with rice). Continue your journey after lunch, stopping off for a look around the Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar. Here you will visit the majestic Ubudiah Mosque and the official palace for the Sultan of Perak, before rejoining the expressway and continuing north to Penang. Cross the Penang Bridge to the island itself, into the city of Georgetown and finally to Ferringhi Beach. After checking into the hotel, the rest of the day is free to explore the island city independently.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel Penaga (Hutton Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Perak Cave Temple, Ipoh

Day 9: Guided exploration of Georgetown

Morning exploration of Georgetown: This morning set out to explore Penang - the Pearl of the Orient and the oldest British settlement in Malaysia. Penang, with its long history of accepting people from different cultures is at the crossroads of major civilizations. Communities of Arabs, Burmese, Chinese, Eurasians, Malays, Indians, Indonesians and Thais have all come through this island's historic port to make their homes here. Also known as "The Pearl of the Orient", Penang is famous for its history, people, heritage and food. Georgetown, named after King George III of England, is an interesting blend of the old and new.

Set out on the friendly muslim food trail which will be conducted by a local tour guide. This trail takes place in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the streets of the old town as you taste your way through what George Town has to offer, including some delicious Nasi Brayani with curry chicken, and fragrant rice nasi lemak. Later in the evening, walk with your guide to a food court to try out some hawker"s food which is Penang famous for.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel Penaga (Hutton Deluxe Room)

Meal: Breakfast & Lunch

Nasi Lemak

Day 10: Visit the Spice Garden and take a cooking class

Morning visit to the Tropical Spice Garden: After breakfast this morning set off to visit the Tropical Spice Garden - located in an eight-acre valley fronting the shores of Teluk Bahang. The Garden showcases a living collection of more than 500 varieties of local and imported flora from Malaysia and around the world, with particular emphasis on tropical herbs and spices. There are also wild animals, birds and insects set amongst lush conservation area. A visit to the Gift Shop is definitely recommended as they have an impressive selection of herbs and spices. Individually sourced and imported from the best point of origin - cinnamon sticks and black cardamoms from Sri Lanka, vanilla pods from Bali and cloves and nutmeg from Penang - the spices are neatly packed and sealed, ideal to purchase and take home for future use.

Afternoon cooking class: This afternoon, enjoy a unique cooking class with Nazlina Hussin. A self-taught cook, Hussin will teach you how to experience cooking in traditional Malay style. There are no canned or packet ingredients here - right down to using the traditional coconut desiccator to extract the flesh and squeeze it by hand to make coconut milk. Nazlina guides you through the process of making a seriously tasty menu of seafood curry, stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns and a dessert of bubur cha-cha. Then comes the best part - sitting down to sample the culinary offerings for an early dinner. Return to your hotel in the early evening and enjoy the remainder of the night at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel Penaga (Hutton Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Tropical Spice Garden, Penang

Day 11: Fly from Penang to London Heathrow, via Kuala Lumpur

Time at leisure in Penang: You have some time at leisure to relax at your hotel, or to explore Penang further. Stroll around the capital, Georgetown, and soak in the multicultural atmosphere and historical charm, or venture out to some of the beaches, fishing villages and forest-covered hills that cover the island. Penang has long been considered as one of Asia's food capitals, so don't miss the opportunity to sample what's on offer!

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be transferred to the airport in time to check in for your onward flight.

Flight: MH1165 Penang - Kuala Lumpur 20.55 - 21.50

Flight: MH2 Kuala Lumpur - London Heathrow 23.15 - 05.55 (overnight)

Meals: Breakfast

Georgetown, Penang

A Taste of Malaysia

A Taste of Malaysia (12 days)

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