Luxury holidays in Malaysia

Step off the grid in Sabah, an island where crystal-clear waters, primeval rainforest and untamed fauna beckon the wild at heart.

With its untouched, dramatic landscape, this north-eastern pocket of Malaysian Borneo is a place for adventurers. Idling the days away on pristine beaches and in bath-warm waters may be tempting, but its vast wilderness lies waiting to be explored. This is a playground for eco-adventurers: active types can enjoy river cruises, white-water rafting and caving. Don a snorkel from the dive shop at Bunga Raya or pick up a PADI license to explore the reefs around the islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (+60 (0)88 523 500), which is home to jungle-clad Gaya Island where you can spy giant clams and blue-spotted rays. Back on dry land, hang out with gentle ginger giants at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (+60 (0)89 531 180), see pygmy elephants at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve (+60 (0)88 267 266) or trek up the daunting, Unesco-protected slopes of Mount Kinabalu.

With fabulous hawker fare and bags of colonial charm, there are plenty of reasons to visit Penang. Soak up the fragrant flavours of the Straits with a culinary tour.

You’d be remiss not to sample Georgetown’s celebrated street food: Malaysians flock here from across the country to pull up a plastic chair in atmospheric Chinatown. Tastebud-tingling Nyonya cuisine is the star of the show: wander down brash, neon-lit New Lane and pick the most appetising hawker stall. Tuck into char koay teow, a deceptively simple dish of smoky stir-fried noodles studded with juicy prawns, or try fresh popiah rolls and chargrilled stingray.

Missed out on Malaysia’s national dish? Sample award-winning satay in First and Business Class on Malaysia Airlines and order tender braised lamb shank, moreish tandoori prawns or delicate cod from its Chef on Call service. Gourmet Economy travellers can also upgrade to six fine-dining meals including Japanese, Malay and Western treats.

Laid-back Bunga Raya boutique hotel and spa in Sabah, Borneo, is a tropical-island paradise without the schlep. Its powdery white beach, rainforest backdrop and endless ocean views will ensure you’ll feel miles away from the real world, even though the airport is just half an hour away. Your villa is a cool enclave of simple luxury from which you can step directly onto the beach or into the jungle.

Just-remote-enough Japamala Resort on tiny Tioman Island is the ultimate back-to-nature escape. Joined by a series of canopy-skimming walkways, the hotel's luxury treehouses and cliff-clinging chalets are secluded and serene, promising rainforest-ringed privacy and vertiginous vistas of the South China Sea. 

This rustic retreat offers the opportunity to stay in genuine Malaysian stilted wooden houses, most more than a century old, on a former coconut plantation. Surrounded by manicured greenery and centred on one of Langkawi’s most celebrated restaurants, Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort is an essential stop-off for the savvy traveller.

Romantic Penang boutique hotel Clove Hall is a raised-from-the-dead renovation of an elegant Edwardian plantation home in UNESCO-listed Georgetown. Exquisite objets d'art stand guard on black-and white-tiled floors, and the aromatic trade winds make the weatherboard sing. Sophisticated service and a sleek pool bring more contemporary creature comforts, making this the perfect residential retreat for heritage-hungry hounds.

One-of-a-kind boutique hotel Temple Tree on Langkawi island is a palm-fringed retirement home for an eclectic collection of eight Malaysian heritage villas. Elegantly appointed interiors have been gussied up with a bold mix of antique and contemporary pieces, spanning Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian styles. And just like its fabulous sister property Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort nearby, it also serves delicious food.

Taking its name from the Sanskrit word for journey, Villa Samadhi boutique hotel offers a luxurious departure from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur. Located in the Malaysian capital's leafy embassy district, this Thai-styled temptress will seduce with lantern-lit paths, a curvaceous central pool and ultra-private rooms.