Malaysia

It's easy to see why the colonialist ruler Raja Brooke chose this spot for his capital. Hugging the curves of the languid Sungai Sarawak, Kuching was an ideal trading post between other Asian sea ports and Borneo's interior. It's still a gateway to both jungle and sea, and Kuching’s proximity to national parks makes it the ideal base for day trips to wild coastal and rainforest destinations.

Also known as the Gunung Mulu World Heritage Area, this park is one of the most majestic and thrilling nature destinations anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia’s northeast coast is simply beautiful. Picturesque palm-fringed beaches and bucolic kampung (villages) abound, but what brings folks back to the region time and again are the tantalising tropical islands offshore. ‘Paradise’ barely does these gems justice, though that’ll likely be the word that comes to mind when you first lay eyes on the white sands and azure waters of Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang or Pulau Kapas. Snorkellers and divers revel in these crystal-clear waters featuring colorful coral gardens and myriads of fishes.

This compact Malaysian state's catchphrase – 'Don't mess with Melaka' – sums up its confident attitude. Recent years have seen Melaka capitalise on its illustrious history and assert itself as one of Malaysia’s most irresistible tourist draws.

For many visitors, a journey to Peninsular Malaysia's largest state begins and ends on the enchanted isle of Tioman. Between its exhilarating diving, brilliant beaches, vegetation-choked jungle treks and spirited villages, its tropical-island allure is impossible to resist.

Perak's second-largest town is defined by water and greenery. Locals laud it as the 'City of Peace' for trailblazing Malaysia’s first museum, first railway and first newspapers in English, Malay and Tamil. But it’s Taiping’s ‘Rain City’ title that has stuck. Taiping has the biggest volume of rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia: all the better for its verdant lake gardens (and the pastime of 'rain betting', where locals take a punt on what time downpours will start and stop).

Malaysia’s northeasternmost state is often considered to be a waypoint between Thailand and the white-sand beaches of Pulau Perhentian, Redang or Kapas. Those who don’t linger miss out experiencing a stronghold of traditional Malay culture and one of Southeast Asia’s great buffer zones, combining a distinctive blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Thai cultures.

Combine three distinct and ancient cultures with indigenous and colonial architecture, shake for a few centuries, and garnish with some of the best food in Southeast Asia, and you've got the irresistible urban cocktail that is George Town.

Sabah occupies a relatively small chunk of the world’s third-largest island, Borneo, yet what a punch it packs: the treasure of turquoise-fringed desert islands with coral reefs swarming with marine biodiversity; trekkers' paradise Mt Kinabalu reaching 13435ft (4095m) into the clouds; and jungles pulsing with a menagerie of bug-eyed tarsiers, gibbons, pythons, clouded leopards and huge crocs. Around 55% of Sabah is forest, and protected areas such as the Maliau Basin and the Danum Valley Conservation Area are more accessible than ever.

Born of the British desire to fashion the teeming jungle into a pleasant park, the Lake Gardens (now officially named Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park) remains a lush breathing space at KL's heart and home to top museums, themed parks and other monuments and sights. The transport and business hub KL Sentral and neighbouring Brickfields are immediately south of here.