Malaysia’s capital is an imposing 24-hour city - whose humble origins are belied by today’s gleaming 'high-rise' dynamism that offers an impressive glimpse into the architectural future.But within its ultra-modern confines - where BB Plaza is a shopper’s delight - echoes of the bygone East still linger, and the city is home to ancient mosques and exotic gardens, a lively market and a traditional Chinatown, complete with colourful night markets. Add a visit to this cosmopolitan capital to a stay at one of the country’s beach resorts - and from here to the Genting Highlands casino and the cool of the Cameron Highlands.

To the north is timeless Langkawi, largest of a cluster of 104 little islands - still relatively little developed, and outstanding in the improbable beauty of its unspoilt beaches and lush vegetation-covered hillslopes.

In the Straits of Malacca, just three miles offshore, is the tiny escapist enclave of Pangkor Laut, a private little ‘paradise island’. It’s a very special place - chosen by those with a true taste for pampered escapism in style, enhanced by a stunning backdrop of dense tropical forest and secluded palm-shaded bays where unwinding is simply a matter of being here!

Longest-established of Peninsular Malaysia’s major beach resorts, Penang Island lies amid the Straits of Malacca, linked by bridge with the mainland. It’s Malaysia in microcosm - famously known as ‘The Pearl of the Orient’, a melting-pot of races and cultures, its capital of Georgetown rich in history, and the scenic contrasts of hills carpeted with plantations, traditional ‘ kampung villages, and inviting palm-fringed beaches that arehome to some of Malaysia’s most impressive resort hotels.

Peninsular Malaysia’s scenic, relatively undeveloped East Coast, extending over 500 miles beside the blue South China Sea, offers a timeless backdrop of simple fishing villages and largely empty beaches, backed by dense jungle - a traditional world where the making of the celebrated Malay kites, batiks and other handicrafts still flourishes. April-September, when the weather is normally at its best, is a popular time to visit.