DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Fly to Kuala Lumpur

Depart from London on your overnight flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Day 2: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur & transfer to Malacca

Arrive at Kuala Lumpur airport and meet your driver, who will transfer you 2.5 hours to Malacca, located on the Maritime Silk Road.

Check in to your hotel in this city with a rich cultural heritage, that has in turn been colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch and British.

Day 3: Explore Malacca

This morning enjoy a guided tour of Malacca, the birthplace of Malaysia. This city’s strategic location led to an economic boom, great enough to cause many nations to fight for the right to rule it. As a result, 600 years of various European influences have given birth to Malaysia’s unique lifestyle and rich heritage, which includes a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European cultures. Malacca ha been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also where Malaysia’s Proclamation of Independence was announced.

On our tour we visit the famous A'Famosa Fortress to see the Porte de Santiago, St. Paul's Church, Melaka Tree, Melaka Sultanate Palace (from the outside) and the Independence Memorial. We continue to the Street of Harmony to view the Sri Poyyatha Vinayaga Moorthy Temple, the Kampung Kling Mosque and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple.

We also visit Dutch Square to see the famous Stadthuys, Christ Church, Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower and Queen Victoria's Fountain, before continuing to Heeren Street and Jonker Street in search of some local delicacies.

Learn about Malacca’s 16th century Dutch and Portuguese history, whist munching on freshly baked Portuguese tarts and Peranakan delicacies, and discover how this jigsaw puzzle of red Dutch clock towers, Hindu temples, and sumptuous Chinese-Malay merchant houses fits together to form the DNA of modern Malaysia. It may also be possible to continue to Bukit Cina to see the Poh San Teng Temple and Hang Li Poh's Well, before returning to your hotel.

In the afternoon, we continue sightseeing in Malacca by visiting the interesting settlement of Kampung Morten. This village is probably the only remaining Malay riverine village in Malacca, which still retains its old charm despite being nestled within the confines of city comforts. It is more of a “living museum” than a typical Malay village.

Afterwards you can take an optional ride in one of the city’s colourful trishaws (3-wheeled bike taxis), and sample a smorgasbord of traditional Malaccan cuisine at Jonker Street Night Market.

Day 4: Transfer to Kuala Lumpur

This morning we drive 2 hours back to Kuala Lumpur, stopping along the way in at the planned city of Putrajaya, whose turquoise domes and pink minarets represent a gleaming modern example of Islamic architecture.

Your afternoon is at leisure. We suggest an optional food tour of Kampung Baru, a 120 year old traditional Malay village nestled amongst the skyscrapers in the heart of the city, complete with tin-roofed stilt houses, free-range chickens, coconut palms and banana trees. Here you can sample classic Malaysian dishes such as nasi lemak, curry laksa and sweet “pulled tea”.

Tonight you may wish to dine at the top of the iconic Petronas Towers, where you can gaze over the twinkling lights of the city.

Day 5: City Tour

Today enjoy a guided tour of Kuala Lumpur, with architecture that ranges from old Chinese houses and British colonial buildings to modern skyscrapers.

We start at King’s Palace (also known as Istana Negara) which sits on a sprawling 97 hectare plot of land in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It is built in a combination of rich Islamic and traditional Malay styles. We can visit the National Museum and Independence Square to learn more about the culture and history of Kuala Lumpur, as well as the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Kuala Lumpur City Gallery to see the development of the city after independence.

We then visit the National Mosque (Masjid Negara), which is located in the heart of the city amid lush green gardens. Built in 1965, it is an extremely elegant building and features a spectacular main dome covered in green and blue tiles, as well as 48 smaller domes spread across a Mecca-inspired courtyard.

Lastly, the iconic Petronas Twin Towers offer an ideal photo opportunity to capture unforgettable memories of the Kuala Lumpur skyline on camera. Close by is KLCC Park, a 50-acre garden that provides a touch of greenery near the towers, as well as lovely Lake Symphony with its bridge and water fountains that light up at night.

In the afternoon we continue our sightseeing of Kuala Lumpur, which in its early days enjoyed a legendary reputation for tin mining. We visit the famous Royal Selangor pewter manufacturer and learn about their pioneering production methods.

Our day ends with a visit to the fascinating Batu Caves, where you can climb 272 steps to the shrine of Lord Murugan. This is one of the most important Hindu temples in the world, with dioramas that tell the epic story of the Ramayana. It is visited by over a million pilgrims every year during the annual Thaipusam festival.

Day 6: Fly to Borneo & transfer to Sepilok

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Sandakan on the island of Borneo. You will be met at the airport and transferred 45 minutes to your resort in Sepilok.

Borneo is a rugged island in the Malay Archipelago, shared by Malaysia and Brunei in the north, and Indonesia to the south. It is the third largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. Its lowland tropical rainforests are estimated to be around 140 million years old, making them some of the most ancient and biologically diverse on earth. They are famous for providing sanctuary to orangutans, endangered great apes that are one of man’s closest relatives. They are also an important refuge for many endemic forest species such as the Borneo elephant, eastern Sumatran rhino, Bornean clouded leopard, Hose's palm civet and Dayak fruit bat. These peat swamps and rainforests offer habitat to 220 other small mammals, over 420 different bird species and numerous flowering plants, trees, freshwater fish and the Borneo river shark. At 4,095m, Mount Kinabalu is the island’s highest peak.

The afternoon is at leisure, and your resort has a boardwalk for you to wander around and hope to spot birds and other wildlife. A buffet dinner is included tonight.

Day 7: Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

After breakfast, you will visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where you can observe one of man’s closest relatives being rehabilitated back into their wild natural habitat. Be sure to proceed to the free-roaming feeding platform in time for the 10am feed.

The name orangutan means "man of the forest" in the Malay language. Found only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, these great apes with their long arms and shaggy red fur are sadly now endangered, so seeing these magnificent creatures in their natural surroundings is a truly unforgettable experience.

The tropical lowland rainforests of Borneo are among the most biologically diverse habitats on earth, so spend some time walking in the Dipterocarp Forest. Also visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre that manages to improve the living condition of rescued sun bears.

The Rainforest Discovery Centre is an educational facility run by Sabah Forestry Department, primarily to create public awareness and appreciation of the importance of conserving resources. The Plant Discovery Garden is one of the best in Malaysia.

In the afternoon experience the 300m long iron canopy walkway, which provides a spectacular view of the lush Sepilok rainforest from 25m above the ground. The canopy walkway is also great for bird watchers to get a glimpse of some of the 250 species of birds that can be found here.

In the evening, you can join a night walk arranged by the resort’s resident naturalist and spot various nocturnal animals in the surrounding rainforest. Lunch and a buffet dinner are included at your resort today.

Day 8: Fly to Kota Kinabalu & transfer to Gaya Island

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Sandakan airport for your flight to Kota Kinabalu, where you will be met and transferred to Jesselton Jetty.

From here take a 20 minute private speedboat transfer to spectacular Gaya Island for some well-earned relaxation at the end of your holiday.

Days 9 to 14: Gaya Island

At leisure to relax at your island resort and enjoy Borneo’s magnificent beaches and warm tropical waters. Many water sports are on offer, including fantastic snorkelling and scuba diving.

Day 15: Fly to Kuala Lumpur

After a morning at leisure, in the late afternoon take a private speedboat transfer to Jesselton Jetty, where you will be met and transferred to Kota Kinabalu airport.

Fly to Kuala Lumpur, where you will connect with your flight home.

Day 16: Arrive in London

Arrive back in the United Kingdom.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on bed and breakfast basis, with dinner included in Sepilok. Economy flights from London, local flights and all transfers are included.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.