The Colonial Way

You'll see: Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara - Cameron Highlands - Pulau Pangkor - Kuala Lumpur - Map of Malaysia

Only have time for a short holiday? Want to see the most unforgettable places in Malaysia? Looking for unusual, charming accommodation options and do you prefer travelling comfortably? If so, this is the itinerary for you. You'll travel by bus from Kuala Lumpur to the most well known jungle in Malaysia, Taman Negara National Park. A private transfer will take you to the vast tea fields of the Cameron Highlands where you'll spend the night in the most historic and most charismatic mansions in the area. You'll then continue travelling, naturally by private transfer, to the island paradise of Pulau Pangkor. You'll spend the night in a beautiful room at Rebecca and David's tropical resort. You'll be able to enjoy the cool waters of the resort swimming pool while looking out into the tropical jungle. A small prop plane will take you back to Kuala Lumpur. Want to travel comfortably and spend your days and nights in luxury? Then you'll definitely want to travel.... The Colonial Way.

Duration:	9 days/ 8 nights Departure daily all year round	Accommodation:	Unique, very charming characteristic accommodation. accommodation category 4
Price:	from $1899 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes:	Accommodation with breakfast - luxury bus and private transfers - domestic flight from Pulau Pangkor to Kuala Lumpur
Transport:	Private transfers and luxury bus to Taman Negara	Excludes:	International flight - (airport) tax - other meals - excursions in Taman Negara and Cameron Highlands

Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur

When you arrive in Kuala Lumpur our representative will be waiting for you at the airport with your travel information for your entire Malaysia itinerary. Once you've been fully informed on your Malaysia itinerary, you'll be taken to your hotel in Kuala Lumpur by car or mini van. You'll spend the night in a luxurious hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's business and shopping district. During your stay here, you'll have all the time you need to explore Kuala Lumpur. A few top attractions you don't want to miss during your stay are the world's highest towers, the Petronas Towers, the neo-colonial Anglo-Moor style train station and the hyper modern Masjid Negara-mosque. Kuala Lumpur also has a lot to offer travellers who are more 'West' oriented; from fast food restaurants to large air conditioned shopping malls suitable for seemingly endless shopping sprees. During our stay here, we found an extremely friendly, helpful taxi driver named Eric. If you wish, you can book a city tour with him for either an entire or half day. He can be reached at his local number: 016-2871969. When looking for a good meal you won't have to look far, there are plenty of fine restaurants near your hotel.

Day 2 - Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara National Park

After breakfast you'll take a taxi to Chinatown where your luxury bus will leave at 8:45am for the small village of Kuala Tembeling (approximately a 3-hour bus ride). Further details and the location of the bus stop can be found on your voucher. At the port office of Kuala Tembeling you’ll be asked to fill in your personal details for your pass to the Taman Negara National Park. You’ll need to pay extra for your camera (couple of $). It’s best to pack just the essentials for the next 2 days in one bag or rucksack and leave the rest of your luggage in safe storage at the office of the Mutiara Resort at the port. We’ve never had any problems, but storing your property this way is always at your own risk.

Next you’ll step onto a wooden jungle boat for a relaxing boat trip along the Sungai Tembeling River. As you pass the densely overgrown river banks you’ll get a good impression of the Malaysian jungle. After about 3 hours the boat will moor at the jetty of your luxury resort where you’ll be staying during your visit to Taman Negara. In the evening there’s a video presentation about the National Park if you’re interested. The resort has an excellent (buffet) restaurant, but you can also head across the river to one of the floating restaurants in Kuala Tahan.

Travel time: 6 hours

Day 3 - Taman Negara National Park

This morning enjoy a bit of a lie-in and a leisurely breakfast in the hotel restaurant. If you like you can go on a Canopy and Jungle Walk today in which you’ll head into the dense jungle with the local guide for the canopy walk, a suspending walkway that winds through the jungle treetops. From 30ft up you’ll get a completely different perspective of the rainforest around you. The walk takes around 3 hours so in the afternoon you can relax back at the resort and recover from the tropical heat and exercise. Later on you could go rafting or visit a local village of the Orang Asli tribe, Malaysia’s indigenous inhabitants, or even enjoy on a sunset cruise. If you're interested make sure you book ahead though, for example at reception when you check in at the hotel. For dinner head to the excellent hotel restaurant, or cross the river to one of the riverside restaurants in Tahan. Daily at 8pm there’s a night walk from the resort. We thought it was quite a thrill walking through the jungle in pitch dark to spot animals and plants that only come out at night… For more information ask at reception at check-in.

Day 4 - Taman Negara - Cameron Highlands

After breakfast you'll sail off towards Kuala Tembeling at around 9am. For the next two hours you'll sail slowly across a quiet river, leaving the jungle far behind you. On your arrival at Kuala Tembeling a private driver and car will be waiting for you. During a 5 to 6 hour drive you'll be taken to higher elevations of the Cameron Highlands. As soon you start to approach higher elevations, you'll notice the temperature start to drop. A few winding roads will take you to the town of Tanah Rata at the end of the afternoon. You'll spend the night in quite a unique accommodation, in one of the most luxurious and characteristic colonial estates on the Cameron Highlands. Actually though, we don't want to tell you too much just yet... In the evening you can either enjoy your dinner at the hotel, or go into town for other delicious dining options.

Travel time: 6 hours

Day 5 - Cameron Highlands

Today there is an optional excursion to the tea fields on the agenda. You'll be picked up at your hotel around 10am and taken to one of the largest tea plantations in Malaysia, the Boh Tea Estate. Afterwards you and your guide will head out into the Mossy Forest, so you may want to wear decent walking shoes or sandals today. After visiting the tea factory (which is closed on Mondays by the way) and learning all about the process of making tea, you'll go for a picnic at a lovely spot on the Boh Tea Estate. During the picnic you'll get to taste a wide variety of teas while enjoying the view of the endless terraces of the tea fields. After a while you'll return to the hotel and during the ride back, you'll visit a butterfly garden. Literally hundreds of tropical butterflies flutter around here, one even more colourful than the other.

Day 6 - Cameron Highlands - Pulau Pangkor

After breakfast a private driver and car will be waiting for you. You'll be driven along winding mountain roads to the lower laying areas. Temperatures will begin to climb and before long, you'll feel the tropical heat. This is perfectly fine, considering you'll be spending your time on white sandy beaches, surrounded by tall palm trees and a crystal clear sea in only a few hours. However, there's a lot to see and do before then. The drive the town of Lumut on the west coast will take approximately 4 hours. From here, every 30 minutes a (quarter till and quarter past) a boat heads out to the paradise island of Pulau Pangkor. You can pick up your tickets for the boat at the ticket booth in Lumut in exchange for the voucher you received in your travel information pack at the beginning of your trip. The boat ride to the island will take approximately 40 minutes. You'll spend the night in David and Rebecca's extraordinary resort in the southern part of the island. David designed the resort which is a special combination of traditional Malaysian wooden homes and colonial architecture. It's setting against the tropical rainforest is incredible and while floating around in the resort swimming pool you can look right into the dense jungle. Bavanni, the head chef, will create the most appetising meals during your stay. We can say for certain that you won't forget your stay in this one of a kind resort.

Travel time: 5.5 hours

Day 7 - Pulau Pangkor

Today you can spend a lazy day at the beach, or if you're feeling energetic, there's plenty of other things to do around here. Outdoor activity enthusiasts can go for a hike starting at Pasir Bogak Beach, just south of Teluk Nipah (a short taxi ride from your hotel). Sturdy shoes are recommended for this hike. The trail is clearly marked and you can climb to Tortoise Hill for an amazing view across Turtle Bay. The trail ends in Sungai Pinang Town on the other side of the island where you’ll find some small, cheap restaurants; try the steamed carp at restaurant Wah Mooi. The easiest way to see the entire island is by taxi. An island round trip, including all of the island's top attractions shouldn't cost you more than a few pounds. You could also hire a bike (approximately $4 per day) or moped (approximately $16 per day) and take the route past Chinese Foo Link Kong temple and the Indian Kaliaman temple north of Pangkor town. You can also head south to visit the several small fishing villages made up of traditional houses built on stilts. There's also the Dutch Fort (1670), a remnant of the Dutch settlement, and an accompanying small museum. In any case, there’s plenty to keep you occupied during your stay on Pangkor. However, you may prefer simply finding a nice spot in the shade and a good book…

Day 8 and 9 - Pulau Pangkor - Kuala Lumpur - Australia

You may find it a bit difficult to say goodbye to this extraordinary resort today after breakfast, especially since you'll fly back to the UK today as well. If you would like to make changes to this Malaysia short break or perhaps even extend it, let us know and we'll gladly give you advice.

Your domestic flight from the small airport of Pulau Pangkor will depart at 10:40. David or Rebecca can arrange for a taxi cab to come and pick you up at the resort. This shouldn't cost you more than $20. The flight to Kuala Lumpur will take approximately 40 minutes; you'll arrive at the small Subang Airport. Depending on the time of your departure to Australia, you can decide to take a taxi cab into the city and visit the incredible Putrajaya, the seat of the Malaysian government. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) you'll fly on to the Australia and this will bring your unforgettable Malaysia itinerary to a close.

Travel time: 1.5 hour to Kuala Lumpur

Click here for the quote request form
or
Build your own trip using Malaysia travel modules