Best Places to Visit in Malaysia: Top Tourist Spots

Malaysia tourist places go well beyond Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, and Penang, despite how well known those three are among Saudi travelers. The country hides other destinations that are just as beautiful: a UNESCO-listed historic city, cool mountain highlands covered in tea plantations, and the highest peak in all of Southeast Asia.

This guide covers the best places to visit in Malaysia, city by city, so you can design a trip that combines more than one destination based on what interests you, whether that’s history, nature, or adventure.

Malaysia’s Main Tourist Cities

Malaysia’s leading tourist cities are split between the peninsula and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo, and include the capital Kuala Lumpur, George Town on Penang Island, Langkawi Island, historic Malacca, the highland towns of Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands, and Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in the eastern part of the country. Each of these cities has its own distinct character, which makes combining two or three of them into one trip a genuinely varied experience.

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Best Tourist Places in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

The capital and the natural starting point for any trip, thanks to the twin Petronas Towers and the sacred Batu Caves nearby, alongside Bukit Bintang for shopping and nightlife. Don’t miss historic Merdeka Square, where Malaysia’s independence was declared in 1957, KL Tower for a panoramic view over the city, and the Islamic Arts Museum, home to one of the most important collections of Islamic art in Southeast Asia.

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Malacca

Malacca is one of the most beautiful Malaysia tourist places by far, sitting about 148 kilometers southeast of Kuala Lumpur. UNESCO listed its historic cities along the Straits of Malacca as a World Heritage Site in 2008, and the city compresses 500 years of trade and cultural exchange between Portuguese, then Dutch, then British rule. Don’t miss Jonker Street, lined with heritage shops and hosting a lively weekend night market, the red Stadthuys square built by the Dutch in 1650, the ruins of the Portuguese A Famosa fortress atop St. Paul’s Hill, the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum documenting a unique local Chinese culture born from intermarriage between Chinese traders and Malay women, and a boat tour along the Malacca River to see its historic landmarks from the water.

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Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands sits at an elevation of roughly 1,300 to 1,800 meters in Pahang state, discovered by British surveyor William Cameron in 1885. These highlands are known for their refreshingly cool climate, unlike the rest of tropical Malaysia, along with famous tea plantations like Boh Tea, where you can tour the factory and watch the tea-making process firsthand, strawberry farms where you can pick your own, and the Mossy Forest, offering a completely different walking experience among trees draped in moss and low clouds brushing the ground. The area also has a flower garden and a local market in Brinchang town selling fresh produce.

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Genting Highlands

Founded in 1965 by Malaysian businessman Lim Goh Tong atop Mount Ulu Kali at an elevation of over 1,800 meters, after he was inspired by the refreshing air of Cameron Highlands during a business trip. Genting today is a popular family destination home to Malaysia’s first licensed casino, along with the Genting SkyWorlds outdoor theme park, which opened in 2022 across more than ten hectares with over 20 rides spread across nine themed zones, plus the indoor Skytropolis theme park and Chin Swee Caves Temple with its nine-story pagoda. Visitors reach the peak via the Genting Skyway cable car, one of the longest in Southeast Asia, in a ride of about 15 minutes from the Genting Central station.

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Kota Kinabalu

The capital of Sabah state in the eastern part of Malaysia, and the gateway to Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s and all of Southeast Asia’s highest peak at 4,095 meters, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, the first Malaysian site to receive that designation. About 40 kilometers from Kinabalu Park headquarters sit the sulphur-rich Poring Hot Springs, first developed by the Japanese during World War II, offering both open-air and private indoor baths set within the forest. The city is also home to Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, made up of five islands, Gaya, Mamutik, Sapi, Sulug, and Manukan, all just about fifteen minutes away by boat from the city center, an excellent spot for snorkeling and coral reefs. From here you can also head out to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre near the town of Sandakan.

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Kuching

The capital of Sarawak state, sometimes nicknamed the Cat City, known for its calm colonial character, the cleanliness its residents take pride in, and its waterfront stretching along the Sarawak River. Kuching is an excellent base for visiting the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, where semi-wild orangutans can be observed in their natural habitat, the nearby Bako National Park with its jungle trails and varied wildlife, and the Sarawak Cultural Village, which brings traditional longhouses from the region’s different tribes together under one roof. Don’t miss trying local Sarawak laksa soup and kolo mee noodles from the street, flavors that differ completely from the cuisine found in western Malaysia.

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Tips for Planning a Trip Between Malaysia’s Tourist Cities

• Combine a coastal destination with a highland one: pairing Langkawi or Penang with Cameron Highlands gives your trip genuine variety in climate and scenery.
• Plan a separate domestic trip for Sabah and Sarawak: East Malaysia on Borneo is a flight away from the peninsula, so it’s worth setting aside extra days for it as a separate or extended leg of your trip.
• Book your train or bus between Kuala Lumpur and Malacca early: Malacca gets especially busy on weekends given how close it is to the capital.
• Pack light warm clothing for the highlands: despite Malaysia’s overall tropical climate, temperatures drop noticeably in Cameron and Genting in the evenings.

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Where to Stay During Your Trip

Accommodation across Malaysia’s tourist cities ranges from luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur, to quiet resorts near the tea plantations in Cameron Highlands, to historic boutique hotels in Malacca and George Town. Almatar does not yet have dedicated hotel listing pages for these Malaysian cities, so it is currently worth checking other booking platforms until that inventory is added.

Book Your Trip Now

Now that you have a full guide to the best places to visit in Malaysia, use almatar’s flight search feature to compare fares, or book directly through Malaysia Airlines.

You can also check almatar’s hotels page to book your stay as soon as listings for these cities become available.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular Malaysia tourist places?

Some of the most popular Malaysia tourist places include Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, and George Town in Penang, along with historic Malacca, Cameron Highlands, Genting Highlands, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching in the eastern part of the country.

What are the best tourist places in Malaysia for sightseeing?

The best tourist places in Malaysia for sightseeing include the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, historic Jonker Street in Malacca, the tea plantations of Cameron Highlands, and Mount Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu.

Does Malaysia have mountains?

Yes, most notably Mount Kinabalu in Sabah state, Malaysia’s and all of Southeast Asia’s highest peak at 4,095 meters, along with the lower but more accessible highlands of Cameron and Genting near Kuala Lumpur.

Which Malaysia cities are best for shopping?

Langkawi is one of the most affordable Malaysia cities for shopping as a duty-free zone, while Kuala Lumpur’s popular markets like Chinatown also offer budget-friendly options.

How do I plan a trip across several Malaysia cities?

It’s best to spend your first days in Kuala Lumpur as a starting point, then add a coastal destination like Langkawi or Penang and a highland destination like Cameron Highlands, setting aside a separate trip for Sabah and Sarawak if your schedule allows.