Classical Malaysia and Singapore

After breakfast, your driver guide will accompany you to venture deeper into Malacca. Let’s start from the 350-year-old Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malaysia’s oldest Chinese temple.  It’s said that the sanctuary was erected to honor the deities who blessed early Chinese immigrants with a safe arrival in Malacca, gradually becoming the heart of daily life and spiritual beliefs for their community. As you enter, marvel at its vibrant, detailed statues of mythological figures and animals on its roof, created from tile fragments and broken glass.

Next up is Dutch Red Square, once the Stadthuys, the former Dutch governor's office, now transformed into a museum recounting the development history of Malacca. It stands alongside the Christ Church and Melaka Clock Tower, with their reddish-brown facades and white wooden windows, giving you a distinctive visual impact under the sun. As we walk along the trail behind the Square up to the St. Paul Hill, the ruins of St. Paul’s Church will come into view. Here, you can not only delve into its colonial history from the bullet-riddled walls, but also overlook the entire city. Passing by A Famosa Fortress (Porta de Santiago), a weather-beaten Portuguese architecture that remains little more than one gate and two ancient cannons, we’ll arrive at Chinese-steeped Jonker Street, dotted with century-old temples and guild halls. If your visit falls on a traditional Chinese festival, feel free to participate in festive activities such as Spring Festival parties and Lantern Festival’s lion dances. The street is also a food paradise, and you can enjoy lunch here at your own expense. The popular Hoe Kee Chicken Rice may be a good choice. With only RM 20-40 (USD 5-10), you can sample genuine poached chicken, sour peppery Asam Fish and tender rice balls, plus a secret chili sauce.

★ Featured Inclusion: An Iconic Malacca River Cruise

To spice up your travel experience, we’ve specially included a 40-minute boat trip on Malacca River. With your guide, hop in a sightseeing boat at Taman Rempah Jetty to take in old-meets-new cityscapes, enhanced by vibrant murals, old-aged bridges, and major landmarks, like bustling Jonker Street, elegant St. Francis Xavier Church, and Kampung Morten - a Malay traditional village with wooden houses.

In the end, your driver guide will escort you to your Kuala Lumpur hotel in 2 hours. Sleep well!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur (5 stars)

After picking you up at your hotel this morning, your driver guide will accompany you out of the city to Batu Caves, home to a profusion of karst caves and Hindu temples. Admire the colossal gilded statue in the square, and then climb 272 rainbow-hued steps up to the most awe-inspiring cave here. When gentle sunshine filters through its natural “skylight”, you may feel as if stepping into an otherworldly religious realm.

Next, we’ll return to downtown and visit Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka), a living witness to Malaysia’s struggling road to independence and development. Fancy snapping a postcard-perfect photo? Use an ultra-wide lens to frame the surrounding colonial landmarks, including British Tudor-style and Islamic buildings, the gothic St. Mary's Cathedral, and distant skyscrapers, within a single shot.

Afterward, let’s dive into the lively Petaling Street, the city’s Chinatown. Take a leisurely stroll through hundreds of stalls laden with clothes, handicrafts, and souvenirs, and get a deep insight into local street food culture. You may underestimate some unimpressive food stalls, but their specialty dishes, from braised duck and tofu pudding to beef brisket noodles, often attract thongs of locals and tourists for a bite. If you like, have lunch here at your own expense, and your guide will be glad to give you some dining suggestions.

We’ll then arrive at National Mosque, a symbol of Malaysia’s state religion, Islam. Gazing upon its blue umbrella-shaped roof with 18 beams radiating outward, you’ll immediately feel a perfect blend of solemn religion and creative modernity. The same trait is also reflected in its golden domes and an anticlockwise-rotating clock that seems to remind you to seize the rest of your life. Later, let’s proceed to King’s Palace (Istana Negara), the office of head of the state. Despite its closure to the public, you can appreciate its spectacular, golden exterior in the distance and take memorial pictures with royal soldiers on duty.

★ Enjoy Cityscapes from above Petronas Twin Towers

Following that, we’ll reach the legendary 88-story Petronas Twin Towers, at 451.9 meters (1,482.6 feet), to get their daytime grandeur, a breathtaking sunset, and neon-lit urban nightscapes all in one. Ascend to the 41st-floor Sky Bridge by a futuristic elevator, where you’ll have 10 minutes to capture the surrounding scenes. Continue upward to the 86th-floor circular observation deck for a panoramic view of the entire city, allowing you to truly grasp why the iconic landmark shows Malaysia’s desire and ambition to be an international player. 

Finally, your driver guide will escort you back to your hotel. 

► Restaurant Recommendation for Dinner (at your own expense): 
You may part with your guide at the Petronas Twin Towers and ride a 10-minute taxi on your own to local liveliest Jalan Alor Food Street, packed with 20+ restaurants and 200+ food stalls. Seafood lovers may consider the highly-rated Restoran Sai Woo, offering fresh seafood with diverse cooking methods and attentive service, for RM 40-60 (USD 10-15) per head.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur (5 stars)

After breakfast, your driver guide will escort you to the airport for an hour-long flight to Langkawi, the largest archipelago of 99 islands in Malaysia, which has been veiled with mystery owing to multiple legends. Upon arrival, your local driver guide will greet you at the arrival hall, before accompanying you to your hotel.

► FYI: Our handpicked hotel is located on the Cenang Beach, quite tranquil, allowing you to enjoy a relaxing beach time. You can admire beautiful ocean scenery from your room adorned with blooming flowers, or walk few steps to a private beach for an in-depth immersion. For a romantic sunset dinner on the beach, you should make a reservation with your hotel in advance. Then, stroll along the coast to the town for a nightcap and splendid firework shows.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Casa del Mar Langkawi (4 stars)

This morning, head out with your driver guide to the Oriental Village, a wonderland nestled against Gunung Matchinchang Mountain, highlighted by natural beauty and cultural activities. Start with a Langkawi Cable Car trip to the summit, during which you’ll savor vast mountains and the glimmering sea. At the summit, as you roam through Malaysia’s most spectacular Sky Bridge, 125 meters (410 feet) long, the bottomless gorge underfoot will get your adrenaline soaring. Also, overlook the astonishing Eagle Nest Sky Walk, taking inspiration from an eagle that represents freedom and victory in Langkawi.

★ 2-hour Mangrove River Cruise in Kilim Geoforest Park

Once arriving at Kilim Geoforest Park in the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a 2-hour mangrove river cruise to deeply explore Southeast Asia’s first geopark, which boasts huge limestone islands formed 500 million years ago. When the boat stops briefly, switch your phone to video mode in advance to record amazing moments of Langkawi’s unique brown eagles hunting for fish and fisherman feeding them. Plus, step into bat caves and board a floating fishery to observe giant mantis shrimp, manta rays, and varied unnamed marine life from close range. 

As the tour concludes, your driver guide will escort you back to your hotel. 

► FYI: Langkawi is also famous for its multiple water activities and island-hopping tours. If you expect another day or two to enjoy its excellent beaches and blue sea, we’d be willing to adjust your itinerary.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Casa del Mar Langkawi (4 stars)

Today, your driver guide will see you off to Langkawi’s airport, where you’ll then fly 2 hours to Singapore. Upon arrival, please make your own way to your hotel we’ve pre-booked for you. You can take a 20-minute Grab ride directly to the hotel, costing SGD 20-30 (USD 15-23). For a cheaper option, consider riding the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), with a single-way fare of roughly SGD 2 (USD 1.5). Head to Terminal 2 or Terminal 3, follow the clear signs of “Train to City” and “MRT to City” to the metro station, where you should buy and recharge an Eziink MRT card, as well as board the metro smoothly. Remember to transfer to the East-West Line at Tanah Merah Station and alight at Bugis, followed by a 5-minute walk southwest to your hotel.

► Money Tips in Singapore:
You can exchange currency at the airport’s arrival area. It’s advisable to use a UOB ATM or head to a UOB counter, both without service fee. The official exchange rate is about USD 1 ≈ SGD 1.3 currently.

► Recommended Nighttime Activities (at your own expense): 
Consider enjoying a self-guided night at Clarke Quay, a 10-minute taxi journey from your hotel. There, appreciate the Garden City’s old-meets-new scenery in a comfortable yet energy-saving environment: large canopies that shield from the sun and rain, the lotus-shaped dining platform offering excellent riverside views, and the dry fountain at the central square cooling the nearby area. For those loving animals or traveling with kids, Night Safari, the world’s sole nocturnal zoo, may be another good option.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure Singapore Bugis (4 stars)

Singapore is a compact but quite expensive country. To help you save unnecessary expenses, your guide will elaborate a surprise-laden journey and, together with you, check off Singapore’s top highlights by public transport.

Our first stop is the iconic Merlion Park, known for the half-lion, half-fish-tail Merlion statue. Apart from wandering around the esplanade with charming harbor views, snap Instagram-worthy photos with the statue by the following tips: Use the statue, Marina Bay Sands, and other skyline landmarks as a backdrop and shot from the front or side; stand a certain distance from the water-spouting sculpture, and pose as if you’re “washing your hair”, “drinking”, or “catching the water”.

Next, let’s move to the eco-friendly Gardens by the Bay, Singapore’s largest modern ecopark. Upon entering the dreamlike Flower Dome, you’ll be captivated by fully blooming flowers, sky wheels, carousels, and small villas. Continue to the Cloud Forest opposite, resembling a tropical rainforest, and stay in awe of a 35-meter-tall (115-foot-tall) waterfall. Sauntering through the trails embraced by tropical plants, rising to the sixth floor by elevator, and walking down through circles of narrow bridges, you’ll feel like floating in a celestial forest.We’ll then get lost in Chinatown, a microcosm of a Chinese society since early Chinese immigrants settled here in the 19th century. Venture inside, hear genuine Chinese dialects, savor authentic snacks from fried rice noodles to radish cakes, and discover antique handicrafts showcasing traditional Chinese arts including calligraphy, puppetry, carving, and incense making. What’s more, behold the colorful Sri Mariamman Temple - Singapore’s oldest Hindu sanctuary, the solemn Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and eye-catching murals on the walls.

Later, follow your guide to Kampong Glam, a cultural hub for Muslims. The golden dome of Sultan Mosque, with the black circle below formed by the bottoms of glass bottles donated by locals, will instantly catch your eyes from afar. Take a laid-back stroll through Haji Lane and Arab Street, as delighting in the brightly colored murals which vividly portray the area’s past and present. Moreover, rows of Arabian stores replete with patterned fabrics, traditional clothing, perfumes, spices, and lamps beckon you to visit.
► FYI: If you like, try halal food at Kampong Glam for lunch by yourself. The century-old Zam Zam Restaurant is highly recommended to sample authentic Indian delicacies for SGD 10-20 (USD 8-15) per person. You can try the freshly cooked Murtabak, a crispy fried flatbread with fillings such as marinated chicken, lamp, or beef.

Today’s journey will end at Little India, a lively enclave of local Indians. As one of four major ethnic groups in Singapore, they form 15% of the total population. Here, colorful, Indian-suffused streets and electric religious ambience will transport you away to the distant Indian land. Walk through Tekka Center to discover everyday snippets of Indian life from the shops of fresh produce, snacks, clothing, and antiques. Seek out some attractive photo stops? Head to the East-and-West Former House of Tan Teng Niah and the mysterious Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple with stacked statues of Hindu deities on its roof. 

Eventually, your guide will accompany you back to your hotel by MRT or taxi.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure Singapore Bugis (4 stars)

After breakfast, please get yourself to Singapore Changi Airport according to your scheduled flight. Apart from taking a taxi or the MRT, you can also seize your last chance to enjoy Singapore’s tidy cityscapes: take a 5-minute walk southward from your hotel to Aft Bras Basah Stn Exit A, and then ride Bus No. 36 in 50 minutes to the airport, with a fare of roughly SGD 2 (USD 1.5). 

► More Inspirations:
1. For an afternoon flight, you may head to the airport early for an immersive experience of the “World’s Best Airport”. Ramble around the Forest Valley, decorated with 900+ lush trees and 60,000 shrubs, to fully comprehend Singapore’s concept of Garden City. Pause at different floors to admire the must-visit Rain Vortex, the world’s largest indoor waterfall, with its huge water column pouring down from a height of 40 meters (130 feet). 

2. If your flight departs at night, hail a 10-minute taxi from your hotel to nearly 200-year-old Orchard Road to explore distinctive local snacks: Pandan Cheese Roll boasting fluffy and savory cream with a mixed aroma of pandan and coconut, ice cream sandwich featuring a symphony of textures, IRVINS’s yummy salted egg snacks, coconut-scented kaya jam, and low-sugar YU Cookies unavailable outside of Singapore.

3. Want an extended trip to the nearby countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, or Indonesia? Please contact us anytime to tailor your exclusive itinerary!

Meals: Breakfast