5 Best Sights in Malaysia

A quieter alternative to the busier Desaru Beach, Batu Layar Beach (Sail Rock) is a wide, sandy virgin beach characterized by its sail-shaped rock, a submerged reef with a staghorn coral field. A tranquil spot, it's the perfect place for a picnic and offers easy swimming in the turquoise water.  The beach may be closed during monsoon season. Amenities: Showers; toilets. Best for: swimming, camping, solitude.

KL's thriving Chinatown, commonly referred to as Petaling Street or Jalan Petaling (its main stretch of street), is known for two main things: shopping and eating. Here vendors hawk knockoff goods like watches, sunglasses, and T-shirts in the market, and bargaining is expected and essential; a good rule of thumb is to accept one-third the original asking price. You can also find inexpensive souvenirs and knickknacks here, such as wooden bead bracelets and imitation silk coin purses in chinoiserie prints. After shopping, be sure to visit one of the food stalls on or just off Petaling for claypot noodles, barbecue, and Hokkien noodles, or walk five minutes to Central Market, which is filled with local food and tropical juice stalls. Cool down with a glass of air mata kucing, an iced fruit drink made from winter melon (tong kua), monk fruit (lo han kor), dried longan (long ngan), and sugar. The best spot to find it is the Air Mata Kucing stall on the southern end of Jalan Petaling near Jalan Hang Lekir. Also in Chinatown, the Taoist Sze Ya Temple and Hindu Sri Mahamariamman Temple both deserve a visit.

A nearby cascade of water has given Penang Botanic Gardens the widely known nickname of the "Waterfall Gardens." Originally established by the British back in 1884 out of an old granite quarry site, the gardens lie in a deep valley and feature 30 hectares (75 acres) of tropical forests. Keep an eye out for long-tailed macaques, dusky leaf monkeys, and black giant squirrels, and be sure not to feed the monkeys—there are plenty of signs to remind you and a steep fine for anyone who breaks the law. Don't try and tempt them with snacks or bottled drinks either; they'll simply snatch them from you, occasionally aggressively.

Formerly named Lake Gardens, this is city's most popular park, dating back to the 1880s and spread over 92 hectares (227 acres) of green. It's built around a man-made lake, and boats are available for rental on the weekends; free tai chi sessions also take place early most mornings, and jogging trails attract plenty of locals. The gardens have a number of interesting sections, including the Bird Park (with some 200 species) and the Butterfly Park, which has more than 7,000 winged creatures fluttering about. There is a café, shaded paths, and gazebos to take a break from the sometimes intense sun, but the gardens are the most comfortable spot to relax in the early morning or late afternoon. Free guided tours are available weekdays 8–10, but you should book in advance via email ([email protected]).

Located south of the city center, this six-tiered Chinese temple is dedicated to the Heavenly Mother, Thean Hou. Funded by donations from within the Malaysian Chinese community, the temple opened in 1989. Inside and out, it's a riot of color—lots of red (symbolic of prosperity), shades of green from lime to celadon, and gold roofs with upturned eaves topped with intricate dragons and phoenix statues. From the upper decks, you can take in the Kuala Lumpur skyline, or pay a visit to the wishing well, medicinal herb garden, and several souvenir and food stalls. Though you'll get better photos during the day, the temple is also lovely at night with its brightly lit paper lanterns. The closest monorail station is Tun Sambanthan, but from there it's still nearly a half-hour walk, so it's easiest to take a taxi straight from the city center.