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The Colonial Way

Route: Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara - Cameron Highlands - Pulau Pangkor - Kuala Lumpur

Only have time for a short Malaysian holiday? Want to see the most unforgettable places in Malaysia? Looking for unusual, charming accommodation options and do you prefer travelling comfortably? If so, this short Malaysian holiday is for you.

You'll travel by bus from Kuala Lumpur to the most beautiful jungle in Malaysia, Taman Negara National Park. A private transfer will take you to the vast tea fields of the Cameron Highlands where you'll spend the night in the most historic and most charismatic mansions in the area. You'll then continue travelling to the island paradise of Pulau Pangkor. You'll spend your time staying in a beautiful room in one of the island's tropical resorts. You'll be able to enjoy the cool waters of the resort swimming pool while looking out into the tropical jungle. Finally, at the end of the trip, you can either choose to travel onto another destination in Malaysia or be transferred back to KLIA for your flight home.

Fancy building your own Malaysian holiday? Take a look at our range of bite-sized Malaysia tours. Alternatively, take a look at our range of suggested holidays in Malaysia. Want to combine your holiday in Malaysia with a trip to Borneo? Check out our bite-sized Borneo tours or ready-made holidays in Borneo.

Duration	9 days / 8 nights	Accommodation	Unique, very charming characteristic accommodation. Comfort level 4 (see accommodation).
Price	£724 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	Accommodation with breakfast, luxury bus and private transfers
Transport	Private transfers and luxury bus (see transport)	Excludes	International flights & airport taxes, other meals, any excursions

Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur

Most flights from London to Kuala Lumpur arrive early in the morning. Our representative will be waiting for you at the airport where you will begin your Malaysian holiday. Once you've been fully informed, you'll be taken to your hotel in Kuala Lumpur by car or mini-van. You'll spend the night in an upgraded hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's business and shopping district, Bukit Bintang. During your stay here, you'll have all the time you need to explore Kuala Lumpur. A few top attractions you don't want to miss during your stay are the Petronas Towers, the neo-colonial Anglo-Moor style train station and the hyper modern Masjid Negara-mosque. Kuala Lumpur also has a lot to offer travellers who are more 'West' oriented; from fast food restaurants to large air conditioned shopping malls suitable for seemingly endless shopping sprees. When looking for a good meal you won't have to look far, there are plenty of fine restaurants near your hotel.

Malaysian holiday - Taman Negara bungalow

Day 2 - Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara National Park

Travel time: 6hrs (by bus & boat)

After breakfast you'll take a taxi to Chinatown where your luxury bus will leave at 8:45am for the small village of Kuala Tembeling (approximately a 3-hour bus ride). Further details and the location of the bus stop can be found on your voucher. At the head office of Kuala Tembeling you’ll be asked to fill in your personal details for your pass to the Taman Negara National Park, the next stop on your Malaysian holiday. You’ll need to pay extra a small fee to use your camera (normally a couple of £'s). It’s best to pack just the essentials for the next 2 days in one bag or rucksack and leave the rest of your luggage in safe storage at the office of the Mutiara Resort at the port. We’ve never had any problems, but storing your property this way is always at your own risk.

Next you’ll step onto a wooden jungle boat for a relaxing boat trip along the Sungai Tembeling River. You’ll get a good impression of the Malaysian jungle as you pass the densely overgrown river banks. After about 3 hours the boat will moor at the jetty of your luxury resort where you’ll be stay during your visit to Taman Negara. In the evening there’s a video presentation about the National Park if you’re interested. The resort has an excellent (buffet) restaurant, but you can also head across the river to one of the floating restaurants in Kuala Tahan.

Day 3 - Taman Negara National Park

On day three of this Malaysian holiday, you'll enjoy a bit of a lie-in and a leisurely breakfast in the hotel restaurant. If you like you can choose to go on a Canopy and Jungle Walk today in which you’ll head into the dense jungle with the local guide for the canopy walk; a suspending walkway that winds through the jungle treetops. From 30ft up you’ll get a completely different perspective of the rainforest around you. The walk takes around 3 hours so in the afternoon you can relax back at the resort and recover from the tropical heat and exercise.

Later on you could go rafting or visit a local village of the Orang Asli tribe, Malaysia’s indigenous inhabitants, or even enjoy on a sunset cruise. For dinner head to the excellent hotel restaurant, or cross the river to one of the riverside restaurants in Tahan. Daily at 8pm there’s a night walk from the resort. We thought it was quite a thrill walking through the jungle in pitch dark to spot animals and plants that only come out at night… If you're interested in either the canopy walk tour and the jungle night safari, just let one of our travel specialists know and they can add these excursions into your Malaysian holiday itinerary.

Malaysian holiday - Boat trip to Tembeling

Day 4 - Taman Negara - Cameron Highlands

Travel time: 6 hours

After breakfast on day four of this short Malaysian holiday, you'll sail off towards Kuala Tembeling at around 9am. For the next two hours of your Malaysian holiday you'll sail slowly across a quiet river, leaving the jungle far behind you. On your arrival at Kuala Tembeling a private driver and car will be waiting for you. During a 5 to 6 hour drive you'll be taken to higher elevations of the Cameron Highlands. As soon you start to approach higher elevations, you'll notice the temperature start to drop. A few winding roads will take you to the town of Tanah Rata at the end of the afternoon. You'll spend the night in a colonial style accommodation, located in the surrounding hills. In the evening you can either enjoy your dinner at the hotel, or go into town for other delicious dining options.

Day 5 - Cameron Highlands

It's day five of your Malaysian holiday and today there is an optional excursion to the tea fields on the agenda. You'll be picked up at your hotel around 10am and taken to one of the largest tea plantations in Malaysia, the Boh Tea Estate. Afterwards you and your guide will head out into the Mossy Forest, so you may want to wear decent walking shoes or sandals today. After visiting the tea factory (which is closed on Mondays by the way) and learning all about the process of making tea, you'll be given a small picnic lunch. During the picnic lunch you'll get to taste a wide variety of teas while enjoying the view of the endless terraces of the tea fields. After a while, you'll return to the hotel and during the ride back, you'll visit a butterfly garden where you'll find literally hundreds of colourful tropical butterflies fluttering around.

Day 6 - Cameron Highlands - Pulau Pangkor

Travel time: 5.5 hours

After breakfast on day six of your Malaysian holiday, a private driver and car will be waiting for you at your hotel. You'll be driven along winding mountain roads to the lower laying areas. Temperatures will begin to climb and before long, you'll feel the tropical heat. This is perfectly fine, considering you'll be spending your time on white sandy beaches, surrounded by tall palm trees and a crystal clear sea in only a few hours. However, there's a lot to see and do before then. The drive to the town of Lumut on the west coast will take approximately 4 hours.

From here, every 30 minutes a boat heads out to the paradise island of Pulau Pangkor, a definite highlight on this Malaysian holiday. You can pick up your tickets for the boat at the ticket booth in Lumut in exchange for the voucher you received in your travel information pack at the beginning of your Malaysia trip. The boat ride to the island will take approximately 40 minutes. You'll spend the night in David and Rebecca's extraordinary resort in the southern part of the island. David designed the resort which is a special combination of traditional Malaysian wooden homes and colonial architecture. It's setting against the tropical rainforest is incredible and while floating around in the resort swimming pool you can look right into the dense jungle. Bavanni, the head chef, will create the most appetising meals during your stay. We can say for certain that you won't forget your stay in this one of a kind resort.

Day 7 - Pulau Pangkor

Today is the seventh day of this Malaysian holiday and you can spend a lazy day at the beach, or if you're feeling energetic, there's plenty of other things to do around here. Outdoor activity enthusiasts can go for a hike starting at Pasir Bogak Beach, just south of Teluk Nipah (a short taxi ride from your hotel). Sturdy shoes are recommended for this hike. The trail is clearly marked and you can climb to Tortoise Hill for an amazing view across Turtle Bay. The trail ends in Sungai Pinang Town on the other side of the island where you’ll find some small, cheap restaurants; try the steamed carp at restaurant Wah Mooi. The easiest way to see the entire island is by taxi. An island round trip, including all of the island's top attractions shouldn't cost you more than a few pounds. You could also hire a bike (approximately £2 per day) or moped (approximately £8 per day) and take the route past Chinese Foo Link Kong temple and the Indian Kaliaman temple north of Pangkor town. You can also head south to visit the several small fishing villages made up of traditional houses built on stilts. There's also the Dutch Fort (1670), a remnant of the Dutch settlement, and an accompanying small museum. In any case, there’s plenty to keep you occupied during your stay on Pangkor. However, you may prefer simply finding a nice spot in the shade and a good book…

Malaysian holiday - Pulau Pangkor beaches

Malaysian holiday - Beautiful beach sunset

Days 8 and 9 - Pulau Pangkor - Kuala Lumpur

Today marks the end of your Malaysian holiday and, after breakfast, you may find it a bit difficult to say goodbye to this extraordinary resort, especially since you'll fly back to the UK today as well. If you would like to make changes to this your Malaysian holiday itinerary or perhaps even extend it, feel free to let our friendly Malaysia travel specialists know and they'll gladly give you advice.

Leaving the beautiful island of Pulau Pangkor behind, you will be transferred back to Kuala Lumpur. Depending on the time of your departure to the UK, you can decide to take a taxi cab into the city and visit the incredible Putrajaya, the seat of the Malaysian government. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) you'll fly on to the UK and this will bring your unforgettable Malaysian holiday to a close.

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