If you are looking for an Asian getaway then Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia might be the place for you to visit with regular flights from Gatwick where you can book one of several Gatwick airport hotels. Kuala Lumpur is a tropical city and is the capital of Malaysia, a land of contrasts. From tropical beaches to coral reefs and from mountain terraces flooded with tea to tropical jungles where elephants and tigers still roam free. All these intriguing places are within easy driving distance of Kuala Lumpur either by private rental car or by the excellent and cheap bus service.
The famous Taman Negara National Park is four hours by bus through scenic highland areas and then down to the river where you can catch a motorized canoe up the winding river into the park where there are a range of accommodation options ranging from campsites to luxury hotels. All of which are situated on the edge of the park so they don’t interfere with the wildlife’s day to day activities.
Don’t be surprised if a wild boar doesn’t dash through your hotel grounds at night as they are commonplace in the park. The grunts of macaque monkeys can be heard resounding in the surrounding trees and the chatter of the curious gibbon is not far away. The warning signs of elephant presence in the form of flattened bamboo and giant plops of poo appear on and alongside the tracks when you meander through the forest.
Another destination with 30 minute flight times from Kuala Lumpur is the island of Penang, which is well renowned for its cosmopolitan mix of residents and still has a well preserved World Heritage listed older district to wander through, as well as rickshaws for transportation for those who wish to get a glimpse of the island without walking.
Langkawi, named after the Malay name for the brahimy kites that frequent the coastal areas in large numbers, is a popular holiday island also only 30 minutes by domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur. It has many 5 star resort hotels overlooking beaches throughout the island. It is particularly popular because of its duty free status. So if you happen to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine while on holiday it certainly won’t burn a hole in your pocket on Langkawi. There are, of course, other activities on Langkawi apart from drinking and eating. There is a short boat trip to the lake of the Pregnant Maiden, which has its own folklore as the name suggests.
There is also the cable car trip that takes you up to the top of one of the mountain peaks and offers superb views over Langkawi and some of the Thai Islands which are not at all far away.
In fact, if you want to get a taste ofThailandfor a day you can go on one of the daily ferries to Koh Lipe and enjoy the clear waters and snorkel on coral reefs or sit at a beach side Thai restaurant and watch the waves trickle onto the shore.
There are so many things to see inMalaysiathat you need more than one lifetime to experience them all.