Travel Guides: All Countries / Asia / Malaysia
 |  | Travel Reviews : Malaysia |
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| | | | Plenty to see and do
I travelled to Singapore and Penang in June. It is hot and very humid so the air-conditioning in the shops and hotels is a must.
There is plenty to see and do. The night safari in Singapore is a must and the zoo is very clean.
Shopping is excellent with a huge range of shopping malls, even the designer brands are cheaper.
Penang is very friendly and the food is cheap with a huge choice of different types. Go to the hawker stalls for the best food - everything is prepared and cooked in front of you.
The Batu Ferrenghi Beach is superb and Georgetown is well worth a visit.
If visiting the Kek Lok Si Temple it is best to take yourself off in a taxi as the tours don't give you long enough to get around.
I think more people should think about going to Malaysia as it has a lot to offer.
Travel guide: Malaysia
Welcoming and easy going
Malaysia is one of the most welcoming, easy going and fantastic locations in the world. It has such a friendly feel about it that you just can't explain.
I spent three weeks in Malaysia travelling to Sarawalk, Sarpong, Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur. Anyone looking for a taste of the orient with modern bustling cities then Malaysia is the place for you.
If you are considering Malaysia then I suggest you visit the famous Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Batu caves in Selangor, they are fantastic.
I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday and am hoping to go back in the near future.
Travel guide: Malaysia
Perfect moments at Pangkor Laut
They should put a plaque saying 'Joan Collins and Charles Kennedy slept here' over the vast bed on Estate One, one of eight private villas on the island of Pangkor Laut, off the west coast of Malaysia.
Suspended on a polished wooden podium and swathed in Egyptian cotton, it is where these two unlikely bedfellows spent their honeymoon nights - although sadly not at the same time.
It's difficult to believe the glamorous Hollywood star and the diminutive leader of the Lib Dems share the same taste in anything.
Yet, when it came to impressing their newly betrothed, they both went for the tropical uber-boudoir look with its own petal-strewn jacuzzi and attentive staff of three.
And all for just £9,000 a week - although not including the Bells whisky bill. (Do politicians really earn that sort of money?)
Over at the £290-a-night side of the island, at the Pangkor Laut Spa Village, there was considerable consternation among the holidaying Middle Englanders when I went there in the summer that Mr Kennedy may even have taken a helicopter to the resort - thus avoiding the gruelling four-hour car and boat trek from Kuala Lumpur.
Not true, says the management. Which is just as well, because at several thousand dollars a round trip, that really would have put the spotlight on the Lib Dems' finances.
And yet there is little else to do but gossip about visiting celebs when all that is required from you is to eat, sleep, do a bit of yoga, laze around the polished granite 'infinity' pool and occasionally have your back kneaded by a doe-eyed girl called Joey.
Opened four months ago, the Spa Village is a new and separate addition to the existing Pangkor Laut resort.
Travel guide: Malaysia
Motoring through Malaysia
Malaysia might not be the first place you'd think of for a self-drive holiday. America's famous open roads like Route 66 make it a top choice for putting the foot on the pedal. South Africa's known for the picturesque Garden Route, and in countries like New Zealand jumping in a car to explore can be part of the fun.
But Malaysia? Surely you're just meant to fly and flop on a beach? Isn't driving in South Asia a complicated affair?
Not according to tourism bosses, who insist driving is safe, easy and a great way of seeing the country. So with international driving licence in hand, I headed out to put its self-drive credentials to the test.
Like most visitors to Malaysia, my trip started in Kuala Lumpur. The city appears suddenly on the horizon – a skyline of skyscrapers glistening in the evening light.
Dominating the scene are the twin Petronas Towers, rising 450m into the sky – a symbol of the new Malaysia and currently one of the tallest buildings in the world. A bridge between them on the 41st and 42nd floors offers great views over the city.
Wander around the flashy Golden Triangle, the new business and entertainment district filled with post-modern high-rises, and Kuala Lumpur presents a modern face to the world. But, despite development, it is still full of olde-worlde charm. Less hectic than Bangkok, less sterile than Singapore, KL marries the best of both worlds – full of Asian flavour with a sci-fi touch.
To the south of the centre lies Chinatown. Crowded and colourful, the streets buzz with life – particularly at night when the neon-lit market comes into its own. There's every kind of fake you could want here – sunglasses, handbags, and the very latest DVDs and CDs. For nightlife too, KL holds its own. Café culture turns to bar-hopping and there are plenty of clubs and venues for live bands.
After soaking up the capital's vibe, it was time to start my mission and hit the road. First up, I set out to visit Putrajaya, one of Malaysia's mega-projects – a US$8 billion 21st-century city in the southern suburbs, built for administration and government.
It's an impressive sight – but more impressive still was my driving. With signs in English and driving on the left-hand side of the road, it soon became clear that getting around wasn't going to be a problem, even in the capital.
While most visitors to Malaysia will jump on a flight after a few days in KL and fly on to one of the key beach resorts – Langkawi or Penang – or to Borneo for the rainforest, I followed the road north along the west coast.
The journey through Selangor state to Shah Alam (the beautiful blue mosque here is a must) was pleasant enough, but it's not until you hit Kuala Selangor that you really leave the traffic and urban sprawl behind. The flat stretch of coastal plain is broken by Bukit Melawati, a hill overlooking the town, it's topped with the remains of a fort and is worth a visit for the wild monkeys and great view.
The scenery from here is a pretty mix of banana and tree plantations, with roadside stalls selling tropical fruit and tiny villages dotted along the roadside. The state is encouraging home stays too – great for anyone wanting to experience typical Malay life with a local family.
Travel guide: Malaysia
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| | | | The skin of a newborn
The highlight of the spa is the Malay 'circulating' bath, which takes you on a bit of a magical mystery tour through a stream-like pool, a cleansing house with 'goshi-goshi' washing cloths (not dissimilar to Brillo pads), the heated Rotenburu rock pool and finally to a stone slab for a final Shanghai scrub.
You emerge with the skin of a newborn, primed for any one of the numerous treatments for both men and women.
One evening on the Sunset Cruise (had to be done) I met a posh builder from Clapham with his new bride, who admitted rather enjoying being covered in mud and wrapped tightly in clingfilm. A public schoolboy thing, I suspect.
Somehow I couldn't quite imagine Mr Kennedy's body trussed up in clingfilm. On the other hand, Joan's fella Percy would have loved it.
So did Mr and Mrs Posh Builder have any complaints about the resort?
Well, the food wasn't always fantastic, they said, and I had to agree. One lunchtime I was served a Caesar salad that arrived dying in its own dressing, three-and-a-half slivers of chicken having fallen on its grave.
This was accompanied by a mango smoothie impersonating a glass of Angel Delight. Stick to the fresh fish and local asparagus - fabulous.
They also had a problem with the bang-banging of workers building a stage behind the beach for Pavarotti to entertain Nelson Mandela and a host of world leaders at a summit.
But apart from the woman who demanded to know why Joan's side of the island got the sunset, and a few other minor complaints, most of the couples looked happy enough to lie in the sunshine.
Rural retreats on the coast
At Lumut on the coast, I checked in to the Swiss Garden Resort and Spa, Damai Laut. Lumut's usually just a departure point for Pulau Pangkor, a lovely rural island with jungle and great beaches, not far off the coast, and its sister, the luxury Pangkor Laut.
But with its laid-back atmosphere and sandy shores, the Swiss Garden Resort is an idyllic place to chill out, the infinity pool melting into the ocean, and its status as one of the best golf courses in the country a bonus for the so-inclined.
Pushing on north, I cross the province of Kedah. Known as the 'rice bowl' of Malaysia, it's a patchwork of paddy fields. There's even a paddy museum, with displays showing the process of rice production and an incredibly lifelike 360° mural of the surrounding landscape.
In the state's sleepy capital, Alor Star, the busy Pekan Rabu market's worth wandering round - you can pick up anything from traditional medicine to home-made cake. Incongruously, Malaysia's second-tallest tower soars 543ft into the sky here – a mark of modernity in a largely rural setting.
North of Kedah and neighbouring Perak lies the tiny state of Penang – a narrow strip of mainland coast and Pulau Penang (Penang Island). The longest bridge in South-East Asia crosses the sea to the island – or there's a ferry from Butterworth for those on foot.
Unlike the tourist paradise of Langkawi, Penang is a vibrant island with the sprawling capital of George Town on the north-east coast. The fascinating old town is a mix of colonial architecture, Chinese mansions and Indian temples, with Fort Cornwallis overlooking the shore.
Though the beaches on Penang are lovely enough, they don't compare with the idyllic white sandy coves of Langkawi. Most tourists hang out in the resorts of Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, but there are plenty of remote spots for those who want to escape the crowds too.
If I'd had time on my way back to Kuala Lumpur, I would have gone to the Cameron Highlands, a mountainous band in Pahang state topped with cool lush rainforests, waterfalls, tea plantations and strawberry fields. Wild flowers bloom everywhere and it's great terrain for hiking.
Flying directly between Penang and KL would've saved time and increased my days lounging on the beach. But by driving, I got to see something more of the country, its landscape and mix of cultures, and to meet local people too, which was ultimately much more rewarding experience than lying around topping up my tan.
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| | | | True and utter peace
So is it worth the exhaustingly long journey to Pangkor Laut - up to 18 hours door to door - and the not inconsiderable cost?
Certainly, the rooms suspended on stilts off-shore are a lot of fun and everything is spotless - one afternoon I counted four cleaners raking the beach.
And although you don't get a sunset, there are worse things to do than watch the sunrise filter on to your private balcony while eating fresh paw-paw and warm croissants from a white linen covered table.
What's more, the sunken stone baths could hold a family of four, and the lotions and potions are in proper sized bottles and all worth taking home.
But probably my favourite argument for going is this. In his book Swimming To Cambodia, the American writer Spalding Gray introduces the reader to the concept of a 'perfect moment'. They are moments of true and utter peace, and if you're lucky they happen every few years.
Mine arrived on one of the spa's three giant day beds, each shaded by wooden pagodas that lip the edge of the beach.
Lying on a cool white sheet with my head on a pillow was like being in my own bed, but at the same time outside. All I could hear was the rush of the breaking tide and the click-click of the garden hose.
The breeze was warm and after about 10 minutes of this, every little thought in my mind - from worrysome children to crowded flights to useless builders - had just drifted away. My head was completely empty. Perfect.
TRAVEL DETAILS:
The Cleveland Collection (tel: 020 7388 4163, http://www.clevelandcollection.co.uk) offers the luxurious Spa Village on Pangkor Laut Island.
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