This self drive holiday takes you on a journey through the colonial UNESCO city of Malacca to bustling Kuala Lumpur. Visit tea plantations in Cameron Highlands, drive to Penang to wander around the bustling UNESCO city of Georgetown, cross to the East Coast and take a slow lazy drive through rural Malay kampongs and witness magical sunsets.
Fly and Self Drive Holidays from Singapore to Malaysia
Day 1: Flight to Singapore
Depart London with your choice of airline to Singapore.
Day 2: Singapore Arrival
On arrival, take a taxi to your hotel. Stay 3 nights.
Day 3 and 4: Days at leisure
Day 5: Singapore to Melaka
Take a local taxi to the Ban San Street Taxi terminal. Taxis here cost SGD 40 flat fee to cross the border via the Causeway into Malaysia. The taxi will wait while you complete your immigration formalities at the border. After immigration they will transfer you to the Kota Raya Taxi Terminal in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Make your way to the Europcar office.
Take delivery of your self-drive car and commence your Malaysia Self Drive Holiday. In Johore Bahru, we suggest a visit to the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum which is said to be one of the most beautiful in Malaysia with its colonial-influenced architecture. Another interesting place is Arulmigu Sri Raja Kaliamman Glass Temple, the first glass temple in Johor Bahru.
95 percent of the temple’s walls, ceiling, domes and pillars were adorned with more than one million pieces of colourful glasses imported from Thailand, Japan and Belgium. Overnight in Melaka.
Day 6: Melaka - Kuala Lumpur
Explore this historic town before driving north to Kuala Lumpur for 2 nights.
Day 7: Full day sightseeing
Day 8: Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands
Drive to Cameron Highlands via the North-South Highway. Cameron Highlands, which is 1542 meters above sea level, is famous for its world renowned tea and sprawling tea plantations. Take the Tapah exit and leave the Highway.
Continue your journey to Cameron Highlands. It’s a long, gradual and often scenic climb from Tapah to the Highlands with plenty of corners on the way. Visit Lata Iskandar Waterfall about 25 km from Tapah on the way to the Highlands. Cameron Highlands consists of three towns, namely Ringlet, Tanah Rata and Brinchang in that order when you are on your way up. Stay 2 nights.
Day 9: Cameron Highlands
A full day to explore the plantations and Jungle Tracks. Suggested visits at Cameron Highlands are the vegetable and strawberry farms, the Butterfly Garden, the local market, the tea plantations and the tea factory. The easiest estate to visit is BOH's Sungai Palas Estate, north of Brinchang off the road to Gunung Brinchang. Free tours are conducted regularly, except on Monday when the estate is closed.
Day 10: Cameron Highlands to Penang
Head north via Ipoh and Butterworth over the bridge to Penang for 2 nights. This will be a long day's drive. We would also suggest stopping in Ipoh for a few days at The Banjaran Hot Springs Resort.
Day 11: At leisure in Penang
Explore Georgetown, a compact city easily explored on foot or by trishaw. Suggested visits in Georgetown are Fort Cornwallis, built by the British East India Company in 1808, the Khoo Kongsi Clan House, a magnificent building with intricate carvings worked by master craftsman from China, the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kek Lok Si), Penang Hill, Kapitan Keling Masjid, the Wat Chayamangkalaram with its 33 meters long reclining Buddha statue, the Dharmmikarama Burmese Temple and the Penang's Millionaires Row with many beautiful colonial mansions.
Day 12: Penang to Kota Bahru
Early morning drive east across Malaysia to Kota Bahru. Drive up in a north-easterly direction to Gerik using the East-West Highway. The Highway cuts through the main mountain range and offers breath-taking views of the tropical rain forest.
Temengor Lake, located some 35 km north - east of the town of Gerik, is your stopover point here. This huge lake was formed by the damming of the upper reaches of the Sungai Perak, and now is one of the largest bodies of water in the country. It is at the centre of the most undeveloped region of the peninsula, surrounded by dense jungle, and home to the Orang Asli tribes of the Kintak and Jahai. Pulau Banding is a small island in the middle of the lake.
Continue your drive to Kota Bharu, the bastion of traditional Malay culture. There is much to see and do in this bustling town where you can experience age-old customs and traditions maintained in gracious beauty and charm. Arrive Kota Bahru for overnight.
Go to the “Pasar Malam” or night market where a varied spread of Malay food is laid out for you to savour and taste.
Day 13-15: Kota Bahru to Kuala Terengganu
Morning exploration of Kota Bharu. Suggested visits include the central market, which is one of the most colourful and active in Malaysia. You can see fresh products on sale on the ground floor and stalls on the first floor above selling spices, basket ware and other goods. Kota Bharu is also a centre of Malay crafts. Visit the Batik, Songket, Silverware, woodcarving and kite-making workshops. There are several workshops on the way to the Pantai Cahaya Bulan Beach (Beach of Passionate love) 10 kms north of the town centre. A short drive south to Dungun for 3 nights experience at Tanjong Jara Beach Resort.
Day 16-17: Dungun to Cherating or Kuantan
Drive from Kuala Terengganu to Cherating. On the way to Cherating, suggested visits: Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque which has been nicknamed “The Floating Mosque”. The mosque combines elements of both Moorish and modern architecture. The mosque is located in Teluk Ibai, just 4km away from Kuala Terengganu town centre. Stay 2 nights.
