Penang & the Malaysian Peninsula

Begin your trip with complimentary airport lounge access before your overnight flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Arriving into the Malaysian capital, you’ll be met by a private driver who’ll see you to your boutique accommodation. It’s something of a central oasis, pairing thatched good looks, a rooftop terrace and a garden pool with easy access to the likes of the Petronas Towers – the city’s skyscraping icon. However, don’t also miss out on Kuala Lumpur’s colourful vibrancy, best taken in with its bustling Chinatown, Indian enclaves and even helipad bars. There’s also everything from giant aviaries to historic temples in between its glass-and-steel skyline.

Stay: Villa Samadhi (Superior)

Today, you’ll be met by your guide who’ll bring you south to a full-day private tour of Malacca – a charming 14th-century port town. You’ll get your bearings with a river cruise, sweeping past colonial buildings and traditional villages alike before enjoying a walking tour of the old town. Watch as wooden barges still crowd the historic port with produce from Sumatra before taking in such highlights as bright-red, 18th-century churches, a ruined Portuguese fort from the 1500s and the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia. Throughout, you’ll be impressed with everything from Victorian chandeliers to Dutch-colonial residences and, yes, an included lunch. At day’s end, your private driver will bring you back to Kuala Lumpur.

Stay: Villa Samadhi (Superior)

After breakfast, your private driver will see you through the rolling countryside to board a canopied longboat, passing traditional villages and rubber plantations as you journey up the Tembeling River. You’ll arrive at your timber chalet – the park’s only accommodation – to a naturalist’s presentation and the first of your full-board delicacies. End with a guided night walk, showcasing the rainforest’s nocturnal species with atmospheric hides. The next day, you’ll be treated to a canopy-level view with a 30-metre-high walkway before a short trek brings you to a sweeping hilltop view over the park. After an included lunch, cool off in the beautifully cascading Lata Berkoh Waterfalls, reached by longboat.

Stay: Mutiara Taman Negara (Standard)

Retracing your bow wake, the return river journey will bring you out of the rainforest to a private transfer up to your mock-Tudor country house in the misted Cameron Highlands. The next day, you’ll be met by a Land Rover and private guide to summit the 6,000-feet-high Gunung Brinchang for truly panoramic views of the region. Then, an interpretive walk through the gnarled Mossy Forest will showcase everything from exotic orchids to medicinal plants. Descending, you’ll also stop off at rose gardens, vegetable farms and one of the region’s finest tea plantations. Here, between a terrace walk and factory visit, you’ll enjoy a snack-paired tasting.

Stay: The Lakehouse (Superior)

After breakfast, you’ll be met by your private driver for the journey to Penang, crossing its eight-mile bridge to arrive at your accommodation – a contemporary jewel hidden away on the white sands of the island’s north coast. The following day, you’ll enjoy a private tour of George Town – Penang’s colonial heart. Here, you’ll compare Anglican churches and colonial forts to Chinese and Hindu temples as you wander through narrow laneways and markets coloured with spices, antiques and flower garlands. You’ll also pay particular attention to the 19th-century Khoo Kongsi – the grandest clan temple in Malaysia.

Stay: Lone Pine Hotel (Superior)

After breakfast, a final private transfer will see you to the airport for your overnight flight home.