How to Travel Malaysia in 14 Days (Perfect Itinerary)

Welcome to Malaysia. From the skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, the famous jetties in Penang, the stunning beaches and waterfalls of Langkawi, to the wild jungles of Borneo where orangutans roam free, Malaysia has it all. There is so much to see and do here, so planning a trip here can feel quite overwhelming. But no worries, I got you. In this travel guide, I'm going to share with you the perfect two weeks itinerary you want to follow to make the most of your time here in Malaysia. My name is Chrissy and let's escape to Malaysia together. Malaysia is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia, located just south of Thailand on the Malay Peninsula, with another part of the country situated on the island of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia is famous for its cities, culture and food, while Borneo is known for its rainforests and unique wildlife, such as orangutans and proboscis monkeys. To make your planning easier, here is the perfect 14-day itinerary to follow to experience the main highlights. Take a screenshot or you can find it in the description box below. To kickstart this trip, you will be landing in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Get settled in and enjoy a good night's sleep because tomorrow we begin exploring. Good morning! It's day one in Kuala Lumpur and today we are diving into what makes Malaysia so unique, its incredible mix of cultures. The country is mainly shaped by Malays, Chinese and Indians, each bringing their own traditions and flavors. We are starting at the colorful Tianhou Temple, one of the oldest and most beautiful Chinese temples in Kuala Lumpur. This is such a colorful temple. There's a ceremony going on here. It is like stepping into real-life painting. There are bright red and bright yellow lanterns and it is just so pretty. Malaysia has a large Chinese population, making up about 20 to 25 percent of the country and playing a key role in its cultural diversity. The temple is set on a hill so you can see nice views over the city. We have made it to Chinatown and you come here for the non-stop crazy energy. There are people everywhere, so many shops and you can buy here pretty much everything you've ever dreamed of from fake sneakers, fake Chanel bags, fake Rolexes, really anything. We are on Petaling Street. This is the main shopping area. The energy here is absolutely insane. It is covered with green roof, which is very handy in this heat and yeah, you can buy here everything. Just a few steps away from Petaling Street is a great coffee place where you can cool off with a nice ice brew. After you are done with your coffee, go to the coolest bookstore ever. It is in the same building as the coffee shop. You only go to the third floor and just walk around, walk all the way through the bookstore because it's just amazing. This is Malaysia's most Instagrammable bookstore and you can have some fun here. We have finally made it to Little India. It is super colorful, super busy and lively and you can see women in bright sarees here and you can smell curries from the shops and you can hear Bollywood music playing everywhere. It is like being in a different country. This mix is what makes Kuala Lumpur so special. It's not just one culture, it's all of them living together. Some other lively places to visit in Kuala Lumpur include Central Market and the River of Life where you can take a walk and then move on to another popular spot. We are in Bukit Bintang. This is one of the most liveliest places here in Kuala Lumpur. There is a famous shopping mall called Pavilion where you can find lots of brands and also something that looks kind of like a Times Square. This place is buzzing with non-stop energy and pure chaos which I love. Welcome to Jalan Alor, a street famous for its stalls and street food and it's gonna get crazy tonight. Let's eat! It is so funny how after the sunset this place completely transforms and the energy here is absolutely insane. The food is delicious, the vibe as well, Southeast Asia. It's awesome here. This place is super chaotic, there are bright neon signs everywhere and shouting vendors and it's just fully lively. You can find here lots of seafood, Chinese, Malay and we actually chose Thai food. In the evening, we will make our way to the legendary Petronas Twin Towers, the glittering heart of Kuala Lumpur. We will head inside tomorrow but trust me, you have to see them at night because when these towers light up the skyline, the view is breathtaking. And just below, a fountain show comes to life at night with dancing lights, music and reflections that are simply spectacular. I can't believe I'm saying this good morning from Kuala Lumpur. We are in fact at the feet of the Petronas Towers and this is where we are going to start the day. The Petronas Twin Towers are the face of Kuala Lumpur, 88 floors of steel and glass. You can visit the skybridge connecting the towers and upper observation deck. It used to be the tallest building in the world until 2004 but until today, it still remains the world's tallest twin towers. Here is a timeline of the world's tallest building since 1990 when the Petronas Towers held the title until 2004. Book your tickets well in advance because it gets crowded. Let's go! We are at level 41 and this is where the skybridge that is connecting the two towers is. I am walking on a bridge that is 170 meters above the ground in Kuala Lumpur. As Malaysia's shopping malls hit a difference, check out Suria KLCC Mall right at the foot of the Petronas Towers with its impressive six levels. Then head to KLCC Park for some of the best views of the towers from the ground. It's lunchtime and I have a tip for you. For that, we need to get all the way to the top floor of this building. Lunch spot nearby with beautiful views of the Petronas Towers is a must. We chose Blackbird and the food was really good. In the afternoon, we head to Putrajaya Mosque aka the Pink Mosque which looks like something out of a movie. It's an active mosque where hundreds come to pray but visitors are welcome. Of course, a dress code applies. It is completely free to enter the mosque. I'm team Gryffindor today and the mosque itself, it has beautiful pinkish dessert color and then you get this gorgeous huge dome and it just looks like straight out of a fairy tale. Now don't forget we are in Southeast Asia so what do you do when you are here? You get as many massages or head spa appointments as possible because it's the best here and super affordable. Enjoy and relax. Morning! Good morning from Batu Caves. This is one of Malaysia's most famous tourist attractions and rightfully because look at the gorgeous limestone inside. There is a Hindu temple and as all the Hindu temples, also this one is beautifully colorful and to get inside, you need to climb 272 colorful steps. It is a Hindu shrine so you need to cover your shoulders and your knees and there are wild monkeys everywhere. The limestone forming the caves is about 400 million years old and the gold statue outside at the bottom is Lord Murugan and at 43 meters, it's one of the tallest religious statues in the world. The whole place is just so impressive. We spent here for about an hour and now it's definitely getting crowded and the heat is getting worse and worse so you better arrive early. Now it's time to say goodbye to Kuala Lumpur that honestly exceeded all my expectations but we have to keep moving. We are now boarding a train and heading to Ipoh. It is going to be two hours long train ride. Welcome to Ipoh! First order of business in Ipoh is lunch and we are trying for the first time nasi lemak which is a Malaysian national dish. Nasi lemak refers to creamy rice. Why creamy? Because it is cooked in creamy coconut milk. Also, you usually get this chili paste which is absolutely delicious and you can order any type of meat you would like to go with your dish. We ordered some chicken and it was absolutely delicious. We found a restaurant that looks like it's mostly visited by locals. The name is right here. In the afternoon you can either take it easy and chill or explore Ipoh and its most famous street, concubine line. Good morning! Today we are heading to Cameron Highlands for a day trip in our rented car but first we are making a quick stop in Ipoh to visit Sampochtong temple. This beauty is a Buddhist temple built inside a limestone cave. There are so many gardens all around. They are so peaceful and quiet with bonsai trees and ponds with colorful fish. It is such a hidden gem. It doesn't feel touristy at all. There are almost no people and you have this whole beauty just for yourself. And now we continue to Cameron Highlands. It is going to be around two hours long car drive. Tiny change of plans. I was looking for a coffee spot on the way to Cameron Highlands and I found one of the tallest waterfalls in Southeast Asia. So we are making a quick stop. The waterfall has 850 meters and it slowly cascades so you are walking on the trail right next to it and it is such a beautiful walk. This is the ropeway bridge which is the goal of this trek because from here you get the most beautiful views of the waterfall and there are zero people. Nobody. It wasn't on our itinerary at all and it probably ended up being the best thing we've seen here in Malaysia so far and there's nobody here. I am stunned. Look at that. Now when you are traveling to places like this in the middle of nature with absolutely no cafe or hotel Wi-Fi nearby having mobile data is essential and during this whole Malaysia trip I've been using Allosim. Allosim is a travel app that lets you install an eSIM directly on your phone so you can get online as soon as you land. No physical SIM cards no searching for SIM vendors at the airport and no crazy roaming fees. I simply selected Malaysia in the app picked a data package installed it and I had data right away. That honestly makes traveling so much easier especially for maps booking transport finding restaurants or discovering hidden gems and the best part is that plans start at just a few dollars plus if you use my code you will get a discount on your first eSIM purchase. So if you are traveling soon and want to stay connected definitely download Allosim app before you travel. I'll leave the link in the description below. Nestled in the cool mountains of Malaysia the Cameroon highlands feel like a completely different world from the country's tropical lowlands. Expect a refreshing climate endless green hills and breathtaking views of Malaysia's tea culture. This place is the Boh Tea Factory they have so many plantations so now we are heading to a viewpoint after that we're gonna take a short factory tour and then we're gonna taste and buy some tea. These are some seriously stunning views tea everywhere. It's like a green ocean and over here you can see the factory so let's have a tour. Once you enter the factory filming isn't allowed but it's a short yet enjoyable tour and it even includes a tasting at the end. The Cameroon highlands are also famous for their strawberry farms so if you are visiting in season don't miss stopping for a sweet treat. Then it's time to head back to Ipoh. Good morning today we are leaving Ipoh and heading to Penang which is going to be two hours long bus ride. You can also get there by train but you would have to book your ticket earlier than we did which was one day ago and everything was already sold out but it doesn't matter bus here we go. Once we arrive in Penang we will take a short boat ride over to Georgetown the capital of Penang. Once we settle down we are hitting one of the most beautiful beaches here around Batu Ferengi to relax and enjoy the island vibes. After some beautiful time spent on the beach we are hitting the town and on scooters because we are in Southeast Asia. This beauty was less than $10 for 24 hours. We have made it to Klen Jetis this is such a unique place it was established in mid 19th century when the Chinese came here and because they wanted to avoid paying taxes they would build these little houses here on the sea so they could avoid the law that was subjected to the land. Look how it is built it's basically buckets filled with cement and it just looks so funny and there are actually people still living here. This is so cool. There are I think six jetis each established by a different family with their own traditions and rituals it is amazing. Right next to the Klen Jetis there is a famous food court but let me share a little secret with you there is an even better place called Sembel that made it into the Michelin Guide. The food is delicious and it's very affordable it's also very close to Armenian street which is famous for its street art so you should check it out as well. This is where we will end the day. Good morning it's another beautiful day in Penang and we are hopping back on the scooter because it's the best way to beat the traffic and also to feel the breeze so let's get the day started. Our first stop is Penang Hill and to get to the top we will need to take a funicular but what you want to do is to book your ticket online at least one day ahead to avoid crowds like this. Our wait time is two to three hours so we're just gonna check out a temple nearby. Kek Lok Si temple is the largest buddhist temple in Malaysia with a seven-story pagoda that uniquely combines Chinese, Thai and Burmese architectural styles. This temple isn't just giant it is layered like a puzzle built into the hillside and it just keeps expanding anywhere you go. You're walking, walking and suddenly you hit a spot like this. Beautiful. The inside of the temple is just as cool as the outside. You can find here up to 10 000 of buddha statues and I can see why now. Look at it. It's so cool. They are making up the wall. Oh my goodness. After the temple it's time for Penang Hill. The funicular railway that takes us there is the oldest in Malaysia and to this day it remains one of the longest and steepest in Asia. Once you reach the top you are rewarded with beautiful panoramatic views. The views are nice don't get me wrong but it is full tourist mode. 100% One of the things to do here is the Habitat Penang Hill. This is basically a walk through rainforest. Fun fact even though tropical rainforests cover just 6% of the land surface they house more than 80% of documented species. We are up here at tree level and the views are spectacular. Enjoy the walk enjoy the views There aren't many people here and the scenery is beautiful. This right here is why Penang Hill is worth it. Rise and shine it's another day in Malaysia and we are leaving Penang and hopping on the shortest flight of my life just 20 minutes taking us to the island called Langkawi. Langkawi is Malaysia's tropical paradise. Think dreamy beaches with turquoise water Thailand like limestone cliffs beautiful tall waterfalls and land of mangroves. The best way to get around is to rent a scooter here and after a quick lunch we are ready to start exploring. We have just made it to Pantai Senang which is the most popular beach here on Langkawi and we are actually right now pretty close to Thailand and you can really see it you can see the beautiful turquoise water you can see the white sand it is very nice here it is super lively area here so many people around you can rent a jet ski there are so many bars and restaurants people playing beach volleyball and the views are just breathtaking I think you can see the limestone islands we're gonna actually check them out tomorrow it's just a very nice beach. This is the beach where you want to watch sunset because man this must have been one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. And just like that it's dinner time. We are in Warung which is basically a family-owned super casual restaurant and I got some Mae Goreng I think it's called Mee Goreng which is a typical Malay dish 11 out of 10 and for one dollar and 50 cents insane there's actually a line forming. Good morning from Langkawi today I am even more excited to start the day because we are doing four hour long jet ski tour around the island I've seen the itinerary and we are going to see some incredible places and I don't want to jinx it but I think we are in for an epic day. Oh my gosh you can feel the excitement in the air there is a beach full of jet skis everywhere they are preparing all of them for our tour today ah I'm so excited After grabbing our gear and a quick briefing we are ready to hit the sea and chase some waves we are doing this it's official so during our training we learned that we have to go in an arrow shape formation so we are now forming it to that it's the first time so everyone is a bit nervous and looking around but I think we are on the right track we are in the right formation so let the show begin it's not just about racing the sea although I swear I could do that all day but we also have a couple of spots to check out our first stop is the eagle square where you can see this giant couple of meters tall eagle it is apparently one of the most famous spots here in Langkawi look at the place where we are just now it is not just about the jet ski but it's about the landscape that we are passing through like for me the jet ski experience it's like the best but the views here are unbelievable we are just now passing through mangrove forest mangroves are super unique trees that live in between the water and the land and their roots are actually in salty water and we get to be so close to them on the jet skis it is so beautiful next up is pregnant maiden lake where we can cool off with a refreshing swim that is a short jungle walk to get to the lake and there are baby monkeys here and finally we are stopping at a gorgeous little island to soak in this tropical paradise let's go swimming time oh it's so hot and beautiful we now got a couple of minutes to swim on this beautiful beach and as always everyone is crowded over there and we have this slice of paradise for ourselves this jet ski tour was hands down the best way to experience Langkawi's wild side if you want to try this epic adventure yourself I will leave a link in the description box below what a day this has been beautiful so beautiful in the afternoon we hop on a scooter and chase down our next adventure the skycap is one of the most iconic sightseeing things you can do here on Langkawi and I thought it's gonna be super touristy but thanks to the weather because it's raining it's just us in the cab we are not even on the top yet and the views are absolutely breathtaking we are flying above the jungle we can see one waterfall on the right side one on the left side there is sea behind us cliff in front of us it is stunning welcome to 696 meters above sea level welcome to world's longest curved suspension bridge it was built in 2004 and I thought it's gonna be super touristy I mean it is touristy but it is so cool look at the views this is insane you can feel the bridge moving and when you go close to the edge and look down there you really need to have a strong stomach for that the waterfall scene here in Malaysia is getting absolutely ridiculous another world-class waterfall with very few people so stunning to wrap up the day we had dinner set up by the beach to celebrate our 10-year anniversary I'm so grateful for my husband my person my rock my travel buddy and now the amazing father of our sweet baby girl cheers to at least another 100 years together love you rise and shine it's a brand new day in Langkawi and today we have planned a mangrove boat tour in Kilim Geo Forest Park this UNESCO site is a maze of mangrove rivers towering limestone cliffs and hidden caves to explore nature here we hop on a boat to uncover its wildest most hidden corners our first stop is Bat Cave it is one of the most famous sites here in Langkawi and it is supposed to be a limestone cliff full of bats we got a flashlight so we are ready standing inside the cave and there are hundreds of the bats above me above my head how spooky is that you can see their teeth and it is very scary to be honest do you hear the noises that they make? okay let's get out of here next stop is the fish village floating fish village there is a floating fish farm where you can feed stingrays and spot different marine creatures but the main reason you come here is to see the impressive mangroves all of this here are just mangroves these dense forests grow right in the water with twisted roots rising above the surface creating an absolutely surreal landscape cruising through the narrow waterways by boat surrounded by towering limestone cliffs is one of the most beautiful sights you can get in Malaysia Langkawi is famous for its majestic eagles and this is where you get to see them up close as our boat slows down in the middle of the river dozens of eagles start circling and swooping down right in front of us it's a breathtaking sight if you want to experience and book this amazing tour too i'll leave the link in the description box below and back on the land morning today we are leaving Langkawi and the Malay Peninsula behind as we fly to the island of Borneo since there is no direct flight we'll be flying via Kuala Lumpur before boarding our final flight to Sandakan Borneo where we will spend the night morning from Borneo one of the last truly wild places on earth it's a massive island covered in ancient rainforest and we are on our way to the Kinabatangan river because this is where you have the best chance of spotting some of the most unique wildlife on the planet animals you won't find anywhere else to get there we will hop on a bus until we reach the river in a couple of hours and then all we have to do is to take a boat to our lodge thank you so much once we arrive we will settle into our lodge by the river and get ready for our first boat cruise in just a couple of minutes we are getting on the boat on this very very brown river and we're gonna do some cruising hoping to spot some animals we are doing this cruise between 4 and 6 pm this is the time when the animals are very active because they are coming towards the river to drink in case you are into brown rivers and you would like to swim in there do not do that because it is full of crocodiles so unless you want to become dinner not a good idea on the Kinabatangan river we can hear how alive the jungle around us is we drift quietly along the river our eyes searching the trees, the water, everywhere and then we spot it pygmy elephant the smallest elephant on earth found only in Borneo gracefully walking along the shore and just as we kept scanning the river we spotted a crocodile besides the many many monkeys along the shores we also spotted a tropical bird called a hornbill which has a big curved beak with a hard bump on top called a casque there's so many monkeys here everywhere and they're so photogenic they're like posing okay i'm ready to see an orangutan now we got an information that there is an orangutan so we are speeding and hopefully fingers crossed we're gonna see an orangutan orangutans are endangered and spotting one in the wild doesn't happen every day it's one of those moments you can't plan you just get lucky we arrived at the spot where an orangutan had been seen along with everyone else and then just patiently waited so far away i can just see a tiny brown dot i wish it was closer but at least on the way back we managed to spot some proboscis monkeys the proboscis monkeys are so funny with their noses and they are endemic to Borneo so you can find them only here what a beautiful and successful boat ride good morning it is 6 a.m and we are about to board a boat during the morning tour we had another chance to spot some wildlife like these adorable silverleaf monkeys with their slightly triangular shaped heads we are seeing a family of hornbills and it's a different species that we saw yesterday so this one has a yellow horn and there's like a family i think five or six of them after a delicious breakfast at the lodge it's time to pack our bags and head to another jungle resort for even some more adventure in the afternoon let's see some more rare and unique animals found in Borneo first up the smallest bear on planet earth say hello to the sun bear an amazing climber that spends most of its time up in the trees the females usually have around 25 kilograms the males around 50 kilograms so it's like a bigger dog and they are so cute super lazy they love the trees they love to lay down and just chill they are super rare to see in the wild so this is a great opportunity and right next to the sun bears is the orangutan rehabilitation center orangutans can usually be spotted in the wild from far away and that's only if you are lucky like we were yesterday but here we can see them up close i can't take my eyes off them they are so intelligent so humanly so gentle this is insane i can't believe i'm just now seeing an orangutan in Borneo this is awesome last but not least some of the coolest animals you can see are the proposes monkeys and silver cleave monkeys at the sanctuary there are so many of them playing with each other and you can also spot some babies so cute there is one more thing we have to do because if you don't do a night jungle walk were you even in the jungle? all you need is a local guide with a flashlight and blind faith that he's got this if things go south we saw our first spider and there are snakes everywhere on the ground up in the trees which is something that i really don't want to see i'm scared oh my gosh it's so long how long is it? the jungle comes alive at night with animals that well let's just say some of them are cuter than others and one of the things you should be careful of are the leeches but if you face your fears you will discover a whole new side of the jungle morning it's our last day in Borneo and in Malaysia overall after a morning coffee with some epic views it's time to fly back to Kuala Lumpur and if you are not in a rush to head home consider extending your trip and flying to Singapore it's just a one-hour flight and plane tickets from Kuala Lumpur are cheap and Singapore is incredible it quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world and yes a Singapore video is coming soon so make sure to subscribe and stay tuned happy travels