Twenty years later, hearing of the new direct British Airways flights from London to Kuala Lumpur (which launched in March), I did just that. Still cost-conscious, but in a more grown-up way, I was keen to swap £3-a-night huts for cool beach hotels and stylish city stays. So in Kuala Lumpur we threw ourselves straight into discovering the hole-in-the-wall spots that serve curries and claypot bowls of rice, with flavours influenced by the country’s mishmash of cultures. At the top will be the new Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, one of several luxury hotels slated to open in the city, with the Waldorf Astoria soon following. Pangkor Laut Resort embodies tropical escapism ALAMYTerengganu, a four-hour drive north of Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia’s northeast coast, is another good option to combine beach, culture and rainforest.

Source: The Times May 08, 2025 04:04 UTC