20 best things to do in Malaysia

Malaysia is full of contrasts: modern cities meet centuries-old temples, and hawker stalls sit steps away from glassy skyscrapers. You’ll find a rich heritage here, with colorful festivals, mouthwatering street food, and time-honored crafts still made by hand. Nature pulls its weight too, from white-sand beaches to rainforests that have stood for over 130 million years.

If you’re wondering what to do once you’re here, these are some of the best things to do in Malaysia.

The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, your essential guide for visiting Malaysia.

1. Swim, snorkel, and stay a while on the Perhentian Islands

Off Malaysia’s east coast, the Perhentian Islands (Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil) are easily among the best places to visit in Malaysia. You’ll find white-sand beaches, clear turquoise water, and some of the best snorkelling and diving spots in the country.

Despite growing visitor numbers, both islands have kept their laid-back feel. Trails cut through jungle-covered hills where you might spot flying foxes, monitor lizards, and the odd macaque. Whether you're diving, sunbathing, or just swinging in a hammock, it's the kind of place that's hard to leave.

2. Discover Malaysia’s living craft traditions

Malaysia’s craft scene is full of variety, from batik and songket to rattan baskets and labu, the gourd-shaped ceramic jugs you’ll spot in markets. Batik cloth is made using hot wax, applied with a pen or copper stamp. The cloth is then dyed, and the waxed parts resist the color, leaving behind intricate patterns. The process can be repeated with different dyes to build up layers of color and detail.

Woodcarving once decorated the palaces of Malay sultans, but today the same skills are used for items like mirror frames and wall panels. If you’re after something more traditional, look out for the work of the Orang Asli. These Indigenous artists often carve statues and masks inspired by nature, including animals, trees, rivers, fire, and wind.

3. Explore one of the world’s oldest rainforests in Taman Negara

Taman Negara is Malaysia’s top national park and home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests. You’ll find treetop walkways, well-marked jungle trails, and hides for spotting wildlife like tapirs, hornbills, and the occasional leopard cat.

The main entry point is Kuala Tahan, a riverside town with the park headquarters and most visitor facilities. This is where you’ll sort out guides, permits, and advice before crossing the Tembeling River into the forest.

Trails range from short boardwalk loops to multi-day treks for experienced hikers. One of the easiest highlights is the canopy walkway, a short stroll from the park entrance that lifts you into the treetops. If you’re building a Malaysia itinerary, Taman Negara deserves a spot, especially if you’re looking for rainforest adventure without straying too far from the Peninsular core.

4. Spot wildlife on Sabah’s Kinabatangan River

Cruising the Kinabatangan River is one of the best ways to experience Borneo’s wildlife. Sabah’s longest river winds through thick jungle and remote villages before reaching the Sulu Sea southeast of Sandakan Bay. Along the way, you’ve got a real shot at spotting proboscis monkeys, hornbills, crocodiles, and, with luck, even a wild great ape. If you’re hoping to see orangutans in Borneo in their natural habitat, this is one of the best places to start.

Logging has affected parts of the river upstream, but the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary still offers some of Sabah’s best wildlife viewing.

You can do a day trip from Sandakan or Sepilok, but most only include a single river cruise and meals. Stay overnight instead. You’ll get a better rhythm of river life and double your chances of spotting animals with both evening and early morning trips.

5. Shop, eat, and people-watch in Kuala Lumpur

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur isn’t just about buying stuff. It’s about soaking up the buzz. Nowhere captures that better than Bukit Bintang, the city’s busiest retail district. Both sides of Jalan Bukit Bintang are packed with everything from high-end malls to bargain shops and food stalls worth lingering in.

If you’re after luxury, head to Pavilion KL, a massive mall filled with global brands, designer outlets, and enough air conditioning to make you forget the heat outside. At the other end of the strip, you’ll find cheaper clothing stores and royal palms lining the sidewalks.

The area around Lot 10 has become a go-to for smart cafés, boutique shops, and solid people-watching. It’s a great spot to grab a drink and take it all in.

As it happens, enjoying local food is one of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur, period.

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur:

• For skyline views: Flixses Suites at Platinum KLCC
• For easy mall access: citizenM Kuala Lumpur Bukit Bintang

Read our guide and find more accommodations in Kuala Lumpur.

6. Get lost in George Town’s historic backstreets

Victorian explorer Isabella Bird once called George Town “a brilliant place under a brilliant sky”. Over a century later, that still rings true. Set on the northeastern tip of Penang Island, George Town’s historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best places to visit in Malaysia.

The old town is a maze of narrow lanes lined with shophouses, some crumbling, others lovingly restored. You’ll find ornate temples, quiet mosques, and clan houses known as kongsi scattered throughout the streets. It’s often compared to Singapore, but George Town feels more laid-back. It has all the charm without the crowds, the slickness, or the noise.

If you're short on time, make space for two standout landmarks: the Khoo Kongsi, one of the grandest clan houses in Malaysia, and the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, a restored 19th-century home known for its deep indigo walls. Otherwise, take your time and let the town unfold on foot.

Where to stay in George Town:

• For ocean views: Maritime Suites by Comfy
• For historical atmosphere: Cheong Fatt Tze
• Find more places to stay in George Town

7. Watch proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park

If you're looking for wild, untamed nature, visiting Bako National Park is one of the most memorable things to do in Malaysia. Set on a forested peninsula east of Santubong, this is Sarawak’s oldest national park and also one of its most rewarding.

The journey in, by boat, gives you a glimpse of the park’s coastal cliffs, muddy mangroves, and thick jungle. But the real highlight here is the wildlife. Bako is one of the best places in the country to spot proboscis monkeys, easily recognized by their long noses and potbellies. You might also see silver leaf monkeys, bearded pigs, or snakes curled along the trails.

There are hikes for all levels, from short boardwalks to longer treks through rainforest and swamp. Wildlife is active year-round, but heavy rain can make trails slippery and limit sightings, so it’s worth checking the best time to visit Malaysia before you go.

8. Dance to the rhythm of Sarawak’s Rainforest World Music Festival

Held every summer since 1998, the Rainforest World Music Festival takes over the Sarawak Cultural Village just outside Kuching. With Mount Santubong rising behind and tribal longhouses framing the stage, it’s easily one of Malaysia’s most memorable festivals.

The lineup includes artists from around the world, but the real highlight is hearing Indigenous musicians from across Borneo. Performances often feature traditional instruments and sounds that are rarely heard outside remote villages.

Accommodation in Damai and Kuching fills up fast during the festival, so it’s smart to book well ahead.

9. Explore the colonial streets of Melaka

Before Penang was famous for street food and long before Singapore became a global city, Melaka was the powerhouse of the Malay Peninsula. Once the heart of a thriving sultanate and a key stop on the spice trade route, the city’s influence stretched far beyond its shores.

You’ll see traces of that layered history everywhere. Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial buildings stand alongside Peranakan townhouses and centuries-old mosques. The city’s historical core is Dutch Square, where the red-brick Stadthuys still stands as one of the oldest surviving Dutch buildings in Asia. Nearby, St Paul’s Hill offers views over the city and access to a cluster of small but fascinating museums.

It’s a compact place with big stories. Set aside a day or two to walk the streets, eat Nonya cuisine, and dive into the history that helped shape modern Malaysia.

10. Walk through tea country in the Cameron Highlands

Set high in the hills of Pahang, the Cameron Highlands are known for their cooler temperatures, rolling tea plantations, and colonial-era charm. British surveyor William Cameron mapped the area in the 1880s, and it soon attracted Indian tea planters, Chinese vegetable farmers, and wealthy families escaping the lowland heat.

Today, the Camerons are one of Malaysia’s most popular getaways. You can hike jungle trails, tour tea estates like Boh or Bharat, and stop for cream tea with scones and strawberry jam. But don’t expect untouched countryside. This is also a hub of industrial-scale farming, with greenhouses and vegetable plots stretching across the hills.

It gets crowded too. Weekends and school holidays bring traffic jams and packed cafés, so time your visit carefully if you’re hoping for peace and fresh mountain air.

11. Climb Mount Kinabalu

Climbing Mount Kinabalu is one of the most challenging and rewarding things to do in Malaysia. Standing at 13,435 feet (4095 meters), it’s the highest peak in Southeast Asia, and the view from the summit at sunrise is unforgettable.

This isn’t just a walk in the park, though. The upper sections can be cold, windy, and tough on the legs. Cramping, altitude sickness, and twisted ankles are all real risks, and getting stretchered down takes hours. But don’t let that put you off. If you’re reasonably fit and take your time, the climb is within reach.

The Timpohon Trail is the main (and currently only) route to the top, following the closure of alternative paths after the 2015 earthquake. You can technically set off from Kota Kinabalu on the morning of your climb, but staying nearby the night before makes things a lot easier, especially for the early start.

12. Explore the caves and pinnacles of Gunung Mulu National Park

Gunung Mulu National Park is Sarawak’s top national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s named after Mount Mulu, which rises 7800 feet (2376 meters) above the surrounding rainforest. But most visitors come for what lies underground and around it.

The park’s biggest draws are the Pinnacles, a forest of 160-foot-high (50-meter) limestone spikes on Mount Api, and the vast Deer Cave, one of the largest cave passages in the world. Climbing to the Pinnacles requires a steep three-day round-trip hike from park HQ, but the views are worth it.

You’ll also find caves filled with bats, rivers that vanish underground, and rare wildlife hiding in the canopy. Mulu is remote and only accessible by air, but for many travelers, it’s a highlight of Borneo.

13. Hike through the Kelabit Highlands

Tucked against the Indonesian border in northern Sarawak, the Kelabit Highlands offer remote hiking, cool mountain air, and warm encounters with the Kelabit people, who have lived here for centuries. The high plateau is dotted with small villages, most of which are reachable only by plane, with MASwings flights from Miri.

Despite some logging near Bario, much of the area remains untouched. You’ll walk through rice paddies, bamboo groves, and forested ridges, with the chance to spot hornbills or hear gibbons calling in the distance. The trails between villages are well-trodden by locals and increasingly by travelers looking for a slower pace and meaningful connection.

Daytime temperatures are slightly cooler than in Miri, making this one of the most comfortable regions for long hikes in Malaysian Borneo.

14. Hit the beach (and more) in Langkawi

Langkawi is Malaysia’s best-known island escape. Just 18 miles (30km) off the northwest coast, near the Thai border, it’s the largest in an archipelago of mostly uninhabited islets. Once a pirate hideout, it’s now home to some of the country’s most luxurious resorts, with long beaches, jungle hills, and a relaxed pace of life.

There’s more here than just sunbathing. Hop on a mangrove cruise to spot sea eagles, snorkel at Pulau Payar Marine Park, or head into the hills by cable car for views across the island. Langkawi is also popular with international sailors, thanks to its affordable marinas and tax-free status.

Where to stay in Langkawi:

• For luxury: The Danna Langkawi
• For modern stays: Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah
• Find more places to stay in Langkawi

15. See the skyline from the Petronas Towers

Nothing captures modern Malaysia quite like the twin spires of the Petronas Towers. Soaring 1,483 feet (451.9 meters) above downtown Kuala Lumpur, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004. These days, they’re not even the tallest in KL, but they still dominate the skyline.

The design blends Art Deco with Islamic geometry. Each tower has an eight-pointed star-shaped footprint, and the interior is filled with repeating squares and circles that represent unity and strength. One tower was built by a Japanese team, the other by Korean rivals.

You can cross between the towers on the Skybridge, located on the 41st and 42nd floors. The views are impressive, though the real highlight is the Observation Deck on the 86th floor. From here, you’ll get a full view of the city and a proper sense of the scale beneath your feet.

16. Eat everything in sight

Tasting your way through street food is one of the best things to do in Malaysia. Whether you're in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, or a quiet backstreet in Ipoh, you’ll find hawker stalls serving big flavors for small prices.

Many still operate from traditional wooden carts, parked along sidewalks with a few plastic stools and shaky tables nearby. Most offer one or two signature dishes, like char kway teow (stir-fried noodles with shrimp and egg), spicy laksa, or oyster omelets. Others specialize in regional snacks such as kuih, roti canai, or squid curry.

In cities, you’ll find these stalls grouped into medan selera (meaning “appetite squares”) or indoor food courts, where vendors compete to tempt you with the best bites.

17. Dive Pulau Sipadan’s world-class reefs

Located off the southeast coast of Sabah, Pulau Sipadan is regularly ranked among the top dive sites in the world. Even Jacques Cousteau called it “an untouched piece of art.”

Sipadan’s reef walls drop steeply into deep, clear water. You’ll see green and hawksbill turtles, reef sharks, schools of barracuda, moray eels, and flashes of neon-colored fish. With a bit of luck, you might spot dolphins or a passing pilot whale.

The coral diversity here rivals that of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. To protect the ecosystem, only 120 diving permits are issued each day. Most divers stay on nearby islands like Mabul or Kapalai and visit Sipadan on a guided day trip.

18. Visit longhouses in Sarawak

Longhouses are traditional communal homes built by Indigenous groups like the Iban, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulu in Sarawak. You’ll find them along rivers and deep in the interior, often far from roads and towns. These raised wooden structures can house dozens of families under one roof, each with its own living space and a shared central veranda.

One of the more accessible areas is the Ai River headwaters, between Kuching and Sibu. Many travelers skip this inland stretch by ferry, but stopping here gives you a chance to visit longhouse communities and learn about their customs, crafts, and stories.

That said, be realistic. Some longhouses are still lived in full-time, but others only see life when tour groups arrive. The semi-traditional lifestyle is fading, and many younger people have moved closer to roads or into towns. Still, a visit arranged respectfully with a local guide can offer a rare window into Sarawak’s Indigenous heritage. 

19. Climb the steps to Batu Caves

Just outside Kuala Lumpur in the suburb of Gombak, the Batu Caves rise from a limestone ridge like something out of a myth. This sacred Hindu site was established in the late 19th century, when local Indian leaders convinced the British that the caves would make a fitting place of worship. The dramatic location reminded them of the Himalayan temples back home.

You’ll spot the site long before you arrive. A towering golden statue of Lord Murugan, the Hindu god of war, stands at the base of the 272-step staircase that leads up to the main cave. Most visitors climb straight to the top, stopping only to catch their breath or snap a photo of the macaques that loiter along the rails.

Smaller temples and shrines sit at ground level, but the real spectacle is inside the caves, where sunlight filters down through openings in the rock and prayer chants echo through the vast, humid space.

20. Island-hop through Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

Just 5 miles (8km) from Kota Kinabalu, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is an easy escape from the city. Spread across five islands, the park is home to coral reefs, forested trails, and white-sand beaches. Named after Malaysia’s first prime minister, it’s one of the most popular day-trip destinations in Sabah.

Manukan Island is the busiest, with cafés, crowds, and water sports. Sapi and Mamutik are smaller and more relaxed, with good snorkeling and regular boat service from Jesselton Point. Most travelers island-hop between two in a day.

For something quieter, head to Gaya Island, the largest and closest to the city. It doesn’t often feature on standard routes, but you can ask a boat operator to drop you at Police Bay Beach, a peaceful stretch backed by jungle. Keep an eye out for hornbills and proboscis monkeys on the nearby trails.

You don’t need a full tour to visit. With a bit of planning, you can explore at your own pace. Staying overnight at one of the park’s resorts is the best way to beat the daytime crowds.

If you prefer to plan and book your trip to Malaysia without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.

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