In this Trailblazer, I am pleased to put the spotlight on Malaysia with an insight into our most impactful travel experiences, as well as new product developments.

I am also delighted to unveil Explore Malaysia, our new digital guide that showcases our preferred activities, particularly tours and excursions that have a positive impact on local communities, while minimising negative impacts on the environment.

The guide covers popular tourist destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi. It also reveals some of Malaysia’s lesser-known, yet equally remarkable travel destinations in Sabah and Sarawak.

Stay tuned for the launch of our new Digital Trails collection in Kuala Lumpur next month. Our team has carefully researched and crafted five walking routes around the Malaysian capital, giving travellers the chance to explore different aspects of life, art and architecture in the lively metropolis.

Read our Digital Trails blog to learn more about these guided and self-guided city walks and how you can utilise them to enhance your travel business.

As always, our team remains ready to assist with any enquiries. Reach out for the latest travel advice and expert tour planning at Asian Trails Malaysia.

Emir Cherif
Managing Director, Asian Trails Malaysia & Singapore

Asian Trails’ hands-on market and culinary tour in Kuala Lumpur gives guests an authentic taste of the city’s dynamic culinary scene. Adding an extra layer to the cooking class experience, the excursion now includes a morning market visit.

The local market is where many city residents start their day and our guests will have a chance to be part of this typical experience of local life. A culinary expert shares insights into the local food culture and helps guests to pick out the day’s freshest herbs, vegetables and spices. There is even time to stop and enjoy a typical Malaysian breakfast, plus street food such as roti canai (flatbread served with curry) and teh tarik (traditional ‘pulled’ tea).

The market visit is followed by the cooking class where guests can add a few Malaysian favourites to their culinary repertoire. Various menu options are offered, including vegan, Baba-Nyonya cuisine, street food, Malay classics and Southern favourites.

For more details about this immersive culinary experience, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

The Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa is a new tropical retreat on Perhentian Kecil, an idyllic island off Malaysia’s East Coast.

The five-star resort, under the Marriott Bonvoy brand, features 217 rooms decorated in a modern and minimalist style. Some of the deluxe rooms have sea views and private pools are a feature in many of the lavish villas.

Guests can access the adjoining two-kilometre beach by a staircase or take in the coastal panorama from the elevated swimming pool. For wellness, head to the hilltop spa.

F&B options include an all-day dining venue that serves a selection of Asian and international cuisine. Other options include an atmospheric lounge and bar and an eatery that specialises in grilled seafood. A special experience is a private, romantic dinner on the beach or on a boat.

The arts, crafts and cultural centre offers an insight into local customs and a kid’s club keeps younger guests entertained. The resort also boasts a dive centre, coral education centre, a health club and event space.

For more information or to make a booking, contact our team at Asian Trails Malaysia.

Witness the life of sea turtles, butterflies, monkeys and other amazing creatures while enjoying rustic tranquillity at The Boathouse, a new tropical hideaway off the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Accessible only by boat, the resort is located within a wildlife reserve and marine park on Tioman Island, framed by idyllic beaches and sparkling seas.

Embracing the island’s cultural heritage, the resort reflects the style of a traditional Malay house and features the use of renewable, locally sourced timber. Each of the 31 bungalows is thoughtfully designed to maximise comfort with daybeds and open terraces that overlook garden or ocean views.

Guests can explore the island’s rainforests and sea turtle hatchery or swim amid coral, sea fans and shipwrecks at one of the many notable dive sites nearby. Special care is given to preserving the island’s rich biodiversity and upholding its indigenous heritage and culture.

Access to Tioman Island is by a two-hour ferry from Mersing Harbour or a one-and-a-half-hour ferry from Tanjung Gemok. Once on the island, guests will be transported by speedboat to The Boathouse.

The Boathouse is set to open on 1 July 2024. For more information or to secure a booking, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

Following the success of its debut in 2023, Opera in Paradise returns this year with a new line up of award-winning international singers.

Presenting enchanting operatic performances against a blissful backdrop of rainforests and beaches, this event promises an unforgettable symphony of sights and sounds on beautiful Pangkor Laut Island.

The performers include acclaimed Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli, renowned mezzo-soprano Laura Wright, award-winning soprano Cathy-Di Zhang and celebrated tenor John Longmuir.

Asian Trails’ guests can make the most of the occasion with a special weekend package, including two nights at Pangkor Laut Resort with daily breakfast, lunch and dinner for two adults, return scheduled speedboat transfers, pre-concert cocktails and access to the opera and gala dinner event.

This captivating experience of music, culture and culinary delights will take place on 18-20 October 2024. For more details and to book, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

The Rainforest World Music Festival returns in June with another three-day line-up of outstanding musical performances, workshops, cultural displays and celebrations of Malaysian cuisine.

Held in Sarawak, the 27th edition of this annual event celebrates the diversity of world music. Global artists will present a variety of musical styles and genres, ranging from traditional to contemporary and fusion sounds. The rainforest setting and stunning views of nearby Mount Santubong add exceptional enchantment to this special occasion.

Using music to convey culture, the Rainforest presents the perfect opportunity to experience the cultural and natural wonders of Malaysia’s largest state. Sarawak is home to over 34 ethnic tribes, some of the world’s oldest rainforests and a kaleidoscope of tribal traditions, lifestyles, music and unique food.

Visitors can enjoy the festival while undergoing exploration of Borneo’s abundant pristine beaches and towering mountainous landscape. The festival runs from 28th to 30th June 2024 at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching. To plan an itinerary around this event, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

Arrivals can expect smoother entry into Malaysia from 1 June 2024 as the list of foreign nationals permitted to use on-arrival autogates will be increased.

An additional 36 countries will be able to use the service at all entry points, including visitors from the European Union, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, China, Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

This brings the total number of eligible countries to 46, as travellers from the US, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brunei and Saudi Arabia can already use this system implemented to speed up the immigration process, without compromising security.

Malaysia’s Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that 40 million tourists arrived in the country between January 2023 and April 2024, with the majority entering via Kuala Lumpur International Airport and key entry points in Johor. Further initiatives to expediate entry are under review.

For advice about entry into Malaysia, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

The official inauguration of Asian Trails’ office in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia was commemorated on 10 May 2024. The event was led by our CEO Laurent Kuenzle and Emir Cherif, Managing Director for Malaysia and Singapore, who took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony alongside Noredah Othman, CEO of the Sabah Convention Bureau.

We were honoured to be joined on the day by our key partners, including: Jocelyn D. Untasan, DOSM of Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort; Suzaini Sabdin Ghani, DOSM of Shangri-la Tanjung Aru; Datin Elaine Kwan, Group DOSM of The Pacific Sutera & The Magellan; Gordon Seet, General Manager of The Luma Hotel; Alven Lim, Sales Manager of Borneo Nature Tours; Bong & Lorine, owners of Borneo Tracker; Tiffany Chu, DOS of Shangri-la Tanjung Aru; Nelly Maisos, Sales Manager of Borneo Eco Tours; and Datuk Tan Kok Liang, owner of Borneo Trails.

The attendees had a chance to explore the office while enjoying light refreshments and a cultural dance performance. Our honoured guests also received an Asian Trails’ gift bag containing our eco-friendly Asian Trails’ bottle and reusable bag.

Well equipped to handle reservations, operations and customer service duties in the Kota Kinabalu area, our Kota Kinabalu branch is one of three Asian Trails’ offices in Malaysia. Our other Malaysian offices are located in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.

The Kota Kinabalu office is located at:
No A-10-15A, Block A, Lorong Lebuh Raya Sutera,
Sutera Avenue, Sembulan, 88100, Kota Kinabalu.

For more details, please contact our team at: Asian Trails Malaysia.

Those with a passion for creativity are advised to join an Asian Trails’ tour to a quirky contemporary art museum in Kuala Lumpur’s famed Golden Triangle district.

The UR-MU, or Urban Museum, presents an offbeat collection of 100 paintings and sculptures created by Malaysian and international artists. It is the capital’s first private gallery of contemporary art. Each unit has a distinct theme and story and completing the experience is a sculpture lounge and rooftop garden dedicated to a famed Balinese landscape maestro.

The museum building is an architectural gem, occupying a modernist four-storey apartment with an original 1950’s layout. The gallery space within is also one-of-a-kind, being spread across eight two-bedroom flats.

The property is nestled in a bohemian area of quaint residential streets with characteristic low-rise ‘50’s style architecture. These features have made this area of Bukit Bintang a burgeoning hub of art, music, food and fashion.

Asian Trails’ excursions to this museum take in the neighbourhood’s wider cultural landmarks. For more details, contact our team at Asian Trails Malaysia.

We are delighted to share the success of Asian Trails’ Ramadan Food Bank initiative in Malaysia. In the spirit of giving back during the holy month of Ramadan, our team distributed essential supplies to seven shelter homes in the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor areas, providing much-needed support to communities in need.

After communicating with the shelters about how we could best offer our support, our team identified a list of essential items and worked together to procure them. The donations included basic food supplies such as rice, flour, tea, coffee, biscuits and canned foods, as well as necessities such as toiletries, clothing and stationery.

A group of 36 Asian Trails team members then volunteered their time to distribute the donations to each of the seven shelters over two days in Ramadan. While visiting the shelters, the team enjoyed the chance to spend time with the residents, sharing basic knowledge through casual conversations or helping to pack food and clean the dining area.

Asian Trails believes in the importance of community and compassion. Particularly during this month of prayer and celebration, it has been a rewarding experience to make a small difference in the lives of families living in the shelters.

Looking ahead, our colleagues at Asian Trails Malaysia and Singapore intend to continue their charitable efforts and are already planning future visits to the shelters where volunteers are always needed to help with cleaning and household chores.

For more information about giving back to local communities or how to get involved, contact the team at Asian Trails Malaysia and Singapore.