Australians love Bali, Thailand and Vietnam. Why do we ignore this gem?

Australians love Asia, and rightly so. From Bali to Bangkok and Hokkaido to Hanoi, there is an abundance of fantastic food and culture in our corner of the world. But one tropical paradise that is practically on our doorstep is often overlooked. Why do we ignore Malaysia?

In the 12 months up to May this year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australians took roughly twice as many trips to Thailand and Vietnam, and five times as many trips to Indonesia, as they did to Malaysia.

Whether you’re in the market for a well-earned rest from the chaos of modern life – think White Lotus vibes without breaking the bank – or a short stopover in Kuala Lumpur on the way to Europe, this country has a lot to offer. Here’s how to make it work for you.

The beach resort

From KL, take a one-hour flight to Kuala Terengganu on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. There’s no shortage of budget accommodation around the city, but my destination is a boutique resort about an hour south, near Kuala Dungun.

Tanjong Jara Resort, sitting on a secluded stretch of land between the jungle and the sea, has 101 rooms spread across 15 villas in traditional Malay style, offering either ocean or garden views.

Shortly after checking in, I find myself floating blissfully in the sea. It’s calm, crystal clear, and the temperature is in absolute harmony with the human body. Not as warm as a bath, but not cool either – it’s just right, and I never want to get out. It also helps that there’s not another soul around. Much of the time I enjoy my own private beach.

As tempting as it is to stay in the sea the whole time, there’s more to do here – but connecting with yourself and nature is key. Start the day with a slow exercise class (think yoga crossed with tai chi). Next, take a short hike through the jungle, where you can spot monkeys, 45 different species of birds, and, if you’re really lucky, an ultra-rare sun bear.

If you’re game, you can even go snorkelling or scuba diving with whale sharks off the nearby Tenggol island (September is the best time of year to spot them). For something more passive, you can watch fireflies dance in the dark on an evening cruise up the Dungun River, just be sure to wear plenty of insect repellent and avoid wearing black (it attracts mosquitoes).

For something more hands-on, visit the on-site turtle hatchery, which has rescued and relocated more than 100,000 eggs from potential poachers since 2016 (the eggs are still hunted and sold on the black market despite scientists debunking the myth that eating them can cure asthma).

The numbers sound immense, but only one in 1000 hatchlings makes it to adulthood in the wild. As well as being hunted by reef sharks, ghost crabs, monitor lizards, and seabirds, juvenile turtles have to contend with ocean plastic and fishing trawler nets. This means as few as 100 adults may have survived as a result of this program, showing why many species remain critically endangered and highlighting the importance of the work.

If you’re staying at the resort during nesting or hatching season (April through October) you can even opt in to receive a call in the middle of the night to help out.

If not, you can laze by one of the two pools or enjoy a variety of treatments at the spa. I opt for the traditional Malay, which begins with a floral bath followed by a deep tissue massage with herbal oils, ginger and galangal to improve blood circulation.

Beforehand, a form asks me if I want to leave energised, relaxed, stress-free, headache-free or with clearer skin. There is no “all of the above” option, but I tick every box nonetheless. I needn’t have worried, the masseuse, Aida, is a master with her hands.

The next day I visit the nearby Dungun Market – home to endless stalls of fresh seafood, satay jellyfish, dried chillies, pickled lychees, and more herbs than I ever knew existed – before returning to the resort for a cooking class. We learn how to make the perfect beef rendang and coconut curry with prawns (tofu is available for vegetarians). The secret, it turns out, is palm sugar, also known as “Malaysian candy”.

The food here, whether cooked by yourself or the staff, is a highlight. “People come here to heal and eat well,” says chef Ann, a larger-than-life character who has been working here for more than 20 years.

The sambal chilli sauce at the breakfast buffet is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. The only thing more addictive is the endless warmth and hospitality of the staff, all of whom seem genuinely happy to help guests with anything and everything. “My job is half job and half holiday,” says rooms manager Jazz Jusoh, only half-jokingly. Before checking out, more than once I seriously consider applying for a job and staying.

The city break

If you’re in need of a pit stop on the way to Europe, Kuala Lumpur has a lot to offer, especially if you’ve already done Singapore and Hong Kong.

“KL never sleeps,” a local cheerily informs me soon after I arrive, and many here seem to follow that maxim to a tee. You can shop ’til you drop at Pavilion or Suria mall, before checking out the view upstairs from the top of the Petronas Twin Towers (the world’s tallest building from 1996 to 2004).

For a more unique cultural experience (one with shops you won’t find in every other world city), check out the stalls at Central Market and the nearby Petaling Street Market. Or get out of the city on a day trip to visit the world-famous Batu Caves. At dinner time, head down to the Jalan Alor night market for freshly made nasi lemak, rendang, laksa, and – if you’re brave enough – durian. It’s not for me, but you do you.

My night ends at Lavantha cocktail bar, an offshoot of the award-winning Penrose. Housed underground in what was previously a bank vault, it’s run by three friends, one of whom studied in Melbourne.

The menu is full of modern twists on classics, and I opt for the blueberry Gibson, which adds blueberries, thyme and white balsamic vinegar to gin with refreshing results. It goes down well with the small plates on offer, including potato terrine with a miso yuzu emulsion and smoked salmon aguachile.

Someone suggests kicking on to the nightclub Over and Above (apparently the place to be seen) but unlike KL, I do need to sleep and I call it a night. An island adventure on the west coast beckons.

The private island

There are a lot more Malaysian islands beyond Penang and Langkawi. In fact, there are more than 800. So if it’s island living you crave, head north from KL up the west coast for about three hours to the state of Perak. From here, you can transfer to a private oasis.

To arrive on Pangkor Laut by speedboat is to get a glimpse of how the other half live. There are 140 villas spread across this 120-hectare island, 43 of which are on stilts over water.

There are two pools to choose from, but the best place to relax here is the spa village, a title it definitely earns – the place is enormous. Treatments start with a Chinese-style foot massage before men and women are separated for a three-part bathing experience.

First up is a refreshing cold water pool, where you can be gently massaged by a series of waterfalls before unwinding in a hot Japanese-style onsen with a cup of ice-cold green tea. Finally, a full-body exfoliation before being led to a private villa for a 90-minute campur-campur treatment, which mixes traditional Malay and Thai massage.

Every part of it is blissful, and I’d return to the spa every day if time and money allowed. If you feel inspired to continue your wellness journey, yoga classes are held in the mornings by the sea in a villa that also hosts operas once a year, inspired by a former guest, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Later, I catch a buggy to the private beach, and I’m nursing a cocktail while lazing in a hammock outside Chapman’s Bar. It’s named after British Colonel Freddy Chapman, who hid on the island from the Japanese during World War II before making a daring escape by swimming out to a British submarine.

Unlike competitors in the annual Chapman’s Challenge, I don’t attempt to recreate this feat, but I do indulge in a dip. The water is warm here (though not quite the perfection I enjoyed on the east coast). Plastic pollution is a problem due to recent storms so men with rakes and wheelbarrows do what they can.

It’s not the only environmental effort on this island, where endangered hornbills and flying foxes thrive. The conservation team also rehabilitate turtles that have swallowed plastic and can no longer dive to get food because they are too buoyant.

There are even critically endangered pangolins here, although they’re incredibly rare. We don’t spot any, and I can’t help but feel the less human contact they have, the better. There are already long-tailed macaques on this island, and next year there are plans afoot to reintroduce another primate, the slow loris.

“People say it’s futile but you have to try,” says the resort’s resident naturalist Aris. “I want to leave something for my kids.”

THE DETAILS

FLY
Malaysia Airlines operates multiple daily flights between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur. It currently offers a bonus side trip with return domestic flights to eight destinations across Malaysia, including Kuala Terengganu, at no extra cost (taxes are payable). See malaysiaairlines.com.au.

STAY
If you are visiting or stopping over in KL, Hotel Stripes in the city centre for high-end comfort with views of the twin towers and KL Tower, from $100 a night. To be closer to the markets and nightlife, try the slightly more basic but perfectly clean and comfortable Moxy in Chinatown, from $70 a night. Tanjong Jara Resort starts from $297 a night. Pangkor Laut Resort starts from $339 a night. See stripeskl.com; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/kulok-moxy-kuala-lumpur-chinatown; tanjongjararesort.com ; pangkorlautresort.com

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The writer travelled as a guest of YTL Hotels and Malaysia Airlines.