It might not get as much attention as neighbouring Thailand, but Malaysia offers all the white-sand beaches, rainforests and delicious food you could want in a tropical holiday, said Hannah Summers in The Times – and plenty of cultural interest too.
Having fallen in love with it as a backpacker 20 years ago, I returned this year looking for a more luxurious experience, and was not only impressed by its hotels and resorts, but found them considerably more affordable than their Thai counterparts. My husband, our toddler and I flew directly from London to Kuala Lumpur with British Airways, and immediately sought out some of the local cuisine I had relished two decades ago. In Kuala Lumpur, we avoided "fancy restaurants" in favour of the city's "hole-in-the-wall" spots, which serve "curries and claypot bowls of rice" with flavours influenced by Malaysia's "mishmash of cultures" – Malay, Indian, Chinese. There was more delectable food to enjoy in the next place we visited, George Town, the state capital of Penang. Founded by the British in 1786, this Unesco-listed port city is remarkably handsome, with its twisting alleyways and "colourful" old Chinese shophouses.
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