Short getaways to Penang, Perak, Kedah, Perlis and Langkawi
The north and west of Peninsular has so much to offer an
Ecotourist from some of the best islands, rainforests and food.
Discover the unique culture of the Northern states of Kedah, Penang, Perlis and Perak with great diverse attractions of islands, beaches, rainforests, caves, temples, museums and heritage sites complemented by an arrange of things to explore and experience.
Short getaways in Kedah
Kedah has a rural feel to it and is known as one of Malaysia’s rice bowl states. Kedah is one of Malaysia’s big eco-tourism spots where you will find pretty much everything under the sun (literally). It is a medium sized state of both area as well as population as is known as the “rice-bowl” of Malaysia. And when we say rice bowl, it’s also in a literal sense. The landscape is dominated by paddy fields but doesn’t fail you with the numerous activities there is to offer such as mountain climbing, jungle trekking, white water rafting, scuba diving and snorkelling. You will definitely be spoilt for choice when you plan your trip around Kedah.
On the mainland, Alor Setar is the state capital. It may not be the main attraction of Kedah but it sure is where people stop by on their way to Langkawi and Penang. If you’re a sucker for history, this is where it’s at and what makes things better, everything is pretty much close to each other.
Built in 1912, the Zahir Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the country and has been voted one of the worlds most beautiful mosques. Sat on the eastern flank of Dataran Alot Setar, it is surely a place to put on your must-see list. Wanna see the mosque from afar? Check the Alor Setar Tower (Menara Alor Setar) out which reaches 165.5m high in the air. For a mere RM6, you can make your way to the observation deck halfway up the tower for a panoramic view! Right on top is a revolving restaurant and banquet hall for weddings! We Malaysians take our weddings seriously! STYLE!
Kedah will never let you down when it comes to more nature-y tourist spots. Gunung Keriang is a 218 meter high hill whose shape resembles an elephant. There aren several bat-filled caves found around this hill. Gunung baling is a great hike too. Ulu Muda Eco Park offers adventurous nature trekking, though access can be tricky.
As you travel up the west coast of Kedah, be prepared to be stunned by an archipelago of 99 islets (104 at low tide) in the Andaman sea which is known as Langkawi. Once a pirate haven, Langkawi is a very touristy island which has it’s very own airport and some of the countries most expensive hotels. That being said,
Its white-sand beaches are easily the best along the entire west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and Langkawi’s charms consist largely of lazing around on the sand, perhaps taking time off for a mangrove cruise after sea eagles, to snorkel or scuba dive south at Pulau Payar Marine Park, or to ride the Langkawi Cable Car over the interior forests to the top of Gunung Mat Cincang.
That said, there’s relatively little high-density development, and a growing sprinkle of budget-end accommodation means that the island is fairly affordable for a couple of days, even if your funds are limited. It’s also popular with Western yachties, as a cheaper place to hang out than Phuket in Thailand – and Langkawi’s special duty-free status means a case of beer costs only RM25.
Well-formed roads circuit Langkawi, though with no bus service, exploring further than walking distance from your hotel can be costly. If you are on a budget, don’t come anywhere near Langkawi during national or school holidays, when room rates can double.
Short getaways to Penang
Penang Island is an island located on the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The island has gone through some rapid development since its formation. However, the islands traditional charm and natural heritage has been preserved well. The UNESCO World Heritage site Georgetown is the islands capital city and is well known for its ancient churches, temples, colonial builds and the vividly recognisable pre-WWII shop-houses. Just like the state of Melaka, Georgetown is known as Malaysia’s historical cities. But from a true Malaysian, if you wanna talk about Penang, we always mention the fooooood!
Before i say anything, when you wanna try some food here, be sure to try the Penang assam laksa, char kuay teow (pronounced: char koo-ey tee-yeow), ABC, carrot cake, nasi kandar and clay pot briyani. (Ok, now i’m craving everything!!! But my job here is now done. – moving on)
Georgetown is perfect for short getaways to Penang. There are a number of awesome things you can do in Georgetown which are easily accessible but when you’re here in Malaysia, be sure not to commute during peak hours because a 20minute ride could take you up to 2-3 hours in traffic (let’s cry together!). However, don’t let the traffic deter you from checking out all the cool stuff here like the Snake Temple (yes, there are literally snakes everywhere), Penang War museum showcases some pretty cool artifacts from World Wars 1 & 2. The Penang Bird Park houses about 800 birds from around the world, the Botanical Gardens was built by the British back in 1884 which also houses a beautiful waterfall where you can chill and have picnics. Penang has a ray of sights to see such as Fort Cornwallis, Penang Hill, Batik Factory, Butterfly farm, George Town’s clock tower and St George Church.
Want some beach? Penang doesn’t have the clearest of water but the sand is so soft it compensates all of that. Batu Ferringhi is most popular and populated
In a small village of Sungai Ara in Bayan Lepas in a special hill resort, the Fig Tree Hill Resort which offers breathtaking views and endless natural streams but the price to stay can cost you a bit but it’s worth the service, nature and privacy.
Short getaways in Perlis
Located in the most northern part of Malaysia and is also the smallest in the country, most tourist would usually visit this little state to cross over to Thailand. But don’t be fooled as Perlis has lots of places for you to see.
For short day trips you can visit the bird park, snake and reptile farm and even the Bukit Air Recreational Park just to name a few. They’re not far from the state capital of Kangar and would only take about a 10-15 minute drive to get there.
You can also check out the Perlis Craft & Cultural Complex and Kota Kayang Museum to get some souvenirs.
Want a bit of adventure? Caving is one of the most popular things to do here and you can do just that at Gua Kelam, a 370m long limestone cave. The caves here are perfect for caver of any level from beginners to the extreme advanced.
Short Getaways in Perak
Just 3 hours away from Kuala Lumpur lies the 2nd largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. Perak. From great deep green jungles to white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, there is no doubt you will yearn for more when you visit the beauty of Perak. Fuze Ecoteer has once run an eco-resort here and we must say, we wish we didn’t have to let the treasure go but we still run our programmes here so we’re still happy. 🙂
Anyway, back to showing you around.
Taiping may not be the state capital but it has lots to show you. This town use to be a booming mining town but has now been concealed under the greenery of the beautiful Lake Gardens. Tapping is also home to the oldest zoo in Malaysia and the first to have a night safari, Taiping Zoo. yearning for more to see and do? Why not visit the Burmese Waterfall, Taiping Museum, Bukit Larut which is also the oldest hill station in Malaysia, Perak Tong and Sam Poh Tong which are famous cave temples as well as Kellie’s Castle (ask a local for the real story(s)).
For some family fun, you can spend a day at the Lost World of Tambun Water Park or even somewhere more natural like the Sungai Klah Hot Spring and Tambun Hot Springs where you can chill and have some amazing fun. Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is just as amazing too.
But something precious which lies here on the west coast is Pangkor Island. An island which very rarely gets affected by the monsoon and is open 365 days in a year. There are a couple of fishing villages, tourist spots at Pasir Bogak and a horn-bill infested area at Teluk Nipah. Here is where you will be able to relax in the tranquility of sun sand and sea.