I have been visiting Malaysia since the 90s, but sadly have been absent for several decades. 2024 is the year all this changed. My return started with a short visit to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, then followed by a longer trip to Penang Island.
There was a plan for another visit over Christmas 2025, with side trips to the UAE and Hong Kong, but some nasty issues with my knee that required surgery meant it needed to be cancelled. Currently, the plan is to try again in mid-next year, which was itself cancelled by another health issue. Now I am looking at Christmas 2026 to try again.
Having been away for so long, exactly what to do and see, and the general environment will be very new to me, so expect many updates to this page.
Before even booking anything, I did some extensive digging about what to do and see, plus the age-old question of where to stay. The answer to the hotel question turned out to be easier than expected when talking to a work colleague who has visited Malaysia many times, who recommended the Shangri-La in KL and the Jen in George Town.
Once I get my knee fixed up, I am thinking of going back to Malaysia, but this time Langkawi Island, which is one of the few places I have not been to but have always wanted to. Watch this space for updates on that one. Until then, the two Malaysian destinations are:
Kuala Lumpur
The trip from Sydney was one of the most involved ones I have had in the past few years. Sydney to Singapore was the usual pleasure that usually comes from Singapore Airlines flights. After landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the real fun started.
It's been many decades since I last visited Kuala Lumpur, so the question was, where to stay? The Shangri-La was recommended by a work colleague who stayed there before, and knowing they had good taste, the location was right in the city, so it was a no-brainer. The next question is, was he right?
Before visiting Kuala Lumpur, various people told me that a visit to the bird park was a must, and with my interest in photography, the thought of walking through a giant aviary with a camera and a long lens was a no-brainer. And after picking a nice sunny day, I ordered a Grab car and headed out.
Sydney has the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, New York has the Statue of Liberty, and Kuala Lumpur has the Petronas Towers. They are part of the KLCC complex; for a while, they were the tallest buildings in the world and are unique in having a sky bridge between them at levels 41 and 42.
How to get around is one of the things I always think about when visiting a new city, but Kuala Lumpur has this well covered. There are the usual buses, taxis, trains, grab, etc, but also a monorail. For me, I used all of these, in addition to my preferred method of getting around: walking, yes, really.
This art installation, located outside one of the KL towers, is a modern take on the old See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil, complete with a headset and a VR headset. Now, while I do not usually go looking for art, this one just drew me in; it must be the subject matter and the quality of the castings.
How is walking in KL? Well, I have experienced cities on foot all over the world, with different attitudes to those of us who walk. Well, KL is not too bad; there are usually sidewalks on most roads, etc. The downside is the traffic; it's totally nuts, with street crossing being interesting at best and lethal at worst.
Penang Island
The second visit to Malaysia in less than a year, and again via Singapore, but this time I am not heading to KL, but to George Town on Penang Island. Thankfully, there were direct flights from Singapore to Penang, so it was a quick flight.
It's been even longer since the last time I visited Penang Island, so I had little idea where to stay. But thankfully, the same friend who put me onto the Shangri-La in KL put me onto the Jen Hotel, which, as it happens, is actually run by the Shangri-La.
Ok, I may not be religious, but I do have a liking for architecture, especially Islamic, so while researching what to see on Penang Island, this Mosque was a must-visit. From what various people told me, it was a stunning photo opportunity and a perfect reason to venture outside the centre of George Town.
A residential area within George Town, made up of multiple small villages built on stilts over the sea. Sounds interesting, and from checking the reviews, it seems some can be very tourist-trap-like, but most are still recommended as good for a visit.
Right next door to my hotel was a high-rise which stood out from the rest, being taller and basically isolated from the others. After some digging, this turned out to be the Komtar Tower. There were two attractions that stood out, these being the glass-bottomed bridge and an outdoor viewing experience.
When I first started researching this trip, I came across Fort Cornwallis, which, given my interest in history and architecture, made it onto my "must visit" list. However, when I made it, it seemed the whole place was being renovated, which meant most of it was closed.
Another new one on me: while visiting the Clan Jetties and looking around, I spotted a colourful temple also built on stilts. At the time, while this looked interesting, I had no idea what it was or how to get there. So after some research, I found this temple and a rough idea of how to get there.
Yes, another temple, and it ended up being one of the best I have visited over decades of travel. Before this one, Po Lin on Lantau Island in HK was the best, with the Big Buddha all in impressive gardens. Now, getting out of my Grab car at Kek Lok Si, my impression was wow.
With my preferred method of getting around being walking, how friendly is walking in George Town? Thankfully, it's not like KL, where you take your life in your hands just crossing the street; er, well, it's better but not ideal. The traffic is crazy, with things like motorbikes going the wrong way, etc.
