On the north-west coast of Malaysia, just a half an hour by plane from Penang lies Langkawi, a popular holiday destination for both domestic and international tourists alike. It was obvious upon arrival, this is where Malaysian families liked to spend their holiday time, with both affordable and high-end accommodation options overlooking clear waters and island vistas.
Penang is a foodies dream. And even if your sole purpose for travelling isn’t eating your way around the world, I promise you’ll be won over by the food of George Town.
We were excited about Penang even before we got there, hearing from multiple people how cool this place is. An island just off the west coast of northern Malaysia, Penang is joined to the mainland via bridge and functions as it’s own big city. While the main tourist attraction has to be the UNESCO listed city that is George Town, Penang also offers beaches and amazing street food that are worth the stop alone.
We used Cameron Highlands as a stop over on our way to Penang, enjoyed the cooler climes, the slower pace of life and change of scenery it offered. We only spent two nights and one full day here and found that to be more than enough for us. If you’re planning on doing a rainforest trek, you’ll probably need a little longer.
These are some of the awesome food and drink options we found/were recommended. We also suggest you try some other Malaysia specialties- Char Kway Teow, Marmite Pork and Salted Egg Squid.
Kuala Lumpur, a large westernised city with so many things to do, so much to see and most importantly, so much to eat. We had three full days here and were determined to make the most of our time, armed with a list of ‘must do’s’ from a friend who used to live there, so helpful by the way.
We had decided before we left New Zealand that while we were going to try and be as flexible as possible with our plans, there were some ‘must do’s’ that we weren’t going to compromise on, even if it was a little pricey or out of the way. Seeing Orangutans in the North Sumatran jungle was definitely one of those.
As the art and cultural hub in Bali, there’s plenty to keep yourself entertained in Ubud for a good couple of days. Here’s what we did.
We spent 3 nights just outside Ubud, then a further three nights in the heart of the town. Unless you’re planning on spending some time at a yoga retreat or finding yourself a detox centre, 3 days here should be plenty to explore the town and the countryside.
Where we were staying was handy to the strip of bars and restaurants on the right side of the island. I would recommend a similar location, giving you all the choices for lunch, dinner and drinks. But one of the things we loved most about the island, was the simple and delicious food options you could get right on the beach, or from a cart on the side of the road. A hawker on the beach offering mango and pineapple was an incredible experience, while the corn on the cob rivalled that offered only on Gili T.