Riviera Travel Grand Tour of Malaysia, Borneo & Singapore

• Explore George Town in Penang and travel on the funicular railway
• Marvel at the soaring Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
• Spend two night relaxing at the 5* Shangri-La Resort
• Visit the renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Centre
• Tour Singapore, seeing highlight such as Chinatown and the Botanical Gardens

• Return flights and transfers
• 13 nights in 3-5* accommodation
• Selected Meals: Daily breakfast, 5 lunches and 1 dinner
• 13 visits and experiences
• Services of an expert tour manager
• Checked luggage

Day 1: Departure

Head to the airport for an overnight flight to Penang, via Kuala Lumpur

Day 2: Arrival in Penang

Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel to check in before having the rest of the day at leisure to relax or start exploring.

Day 3: George Town

This morning, explore George Town’s well-preserved colonial center on a walking tour, a UNESCO World Heritage site boasting over 30,000 pre-war buildings. Visit the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion for insights into 19th-century Penang’s grandeur. After a trishaw ride and included lunch, enjoy free time at the hotel and explore the local night market in the evening for street cuisine and unique finds.

Day 4: Penang Hill

Board the Penang Hill Funicular Railway to travel to the top of Penang Hill. Here you can enjoy the atmosphere of the colonial style buildings and views of George Town and the Penang Bridges. After an included lunch at the top of Strawberry hill, enjoy a free afternoon.

Day 5: Penang to Ipoh

Departing the city, cross the eight-mile Penang Bridge to reach Butterworth on the Malaysian mainland. A scenic drive then takes you to Taiping Town, celebrated for its well-preserved colonial architecture. Here, you’ll tour a traditional charcoal factory in Kuala Sepetang, employing age-old methods passed down through generations since the late 1930s. Continuing on,  visit the Perak Museum, offering insights into the region’s history. An optional visit to the Aun Tong Coffee Mill, founded in 1933, provides a glimpse into coffee production. Arriving in Ipoh, the evening is free to explore the charming city.

Day 6: Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur

After breakfast, explore Ipoh before visiting the Sam Poh Tong cave temple before heading to Kuala Lumpur. On arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure, with the option to take a tour of the Petronas Tower Skybridge, learning about the towers before walking across the higher level of the bridge. (Pre-book only)

Day 7: Kuala Lumpur

This morning’s exploration of Kuala Lumpur reveals a dynamic cityscape, blending skyscrapers, upscale malls, colonial structures, and vibrant street markets. Highlights include the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, adorned with Islamic motifs and connected by a sky bridge 41 stories high. The tour continues to Istana Negara, the King’s Palace, offering a glimpse into regal abode intricacies. Stops include the National Mosque’s manicured grounds, commemorations for WWII and the Malayan Emergency, and landmarks like the old Railway Station and the Federal Court.

Enjoy some free time before heading to the historic Kampung Baru district, a Malay enclave since the 1880s, where you’ll explore Chow Kit Market, partake in Hi-Tea in a local home, and visit the Kampung Baru mosque and Tatt Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara Sikh Temple, showcasing the city’s multicultural essence.

Day 8: Free day

Today is at leisure for you to explore Kuala Lumpur independently. Alternatively, you can join a full-day tour to Malacca (bookable locally).

Day 9: Sandakan

Today, fly to Sandakan, a charming port town on the east coast of Borneo. On arrival, enjoy a short orientation tour and visit the Sandakan Memorial, commemorating Australian and British prisoners of war.

Day 10: Orangutans & Sun Bears

This morning includes visits to two conservation and rehabilitation centres. Your first stop is the Bornean Sun Bear Centre, dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of the world’s smallest bears, the sun bears, exclusively found in Southeast Asia. Witness the efforts of the center in protecting and rehabilitating these adorable ex-captive sun bears. Next on the agenda is the Sepilok Orangutan Centre, offering sanctuary to orphaned and injured orangutans. After an included lunch, explore the Agnes Keith House, housing a museum dedicated to the American writer renowned for her autobiographical accounts of life in North Borneo.

Day 11: Fly to Kota Kinabalu

Catch a short flight to Kota Kinabalu and transfer to the hotel. On the way, stop at the Mari Mari Cultural Village where you can learn about five of the region’s indigenous tribes. After an included lunch at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the facilities at the hotel, or to join a number of locally available activities.

Day 12: Free Day

Today is at leisure to enjoy the Shangri-La resort, which offers a golf course and spa, as well as access to walking paths through a 400-acre national reserve.

Day 13: Fly to Singapore

Say goodbye to Borneo this morning and fly to Singapore. Upon arrival, the afternoon is free for your to start exploring.

Day 14: Singapore

This morning, enjoy a half-day city tour, visiting its key sights and districts. You’ll also take a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens, the city’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. The afternoon is again at leisure for you to explore independently.

Day 15: Return Home

After a relaxing morning, transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home.

Day 16: Arrive in UK

Arrive back in the UK early this morning.

Parkroyal Resort, Penang
Located near the beach, this resort offers a fitness centre and spa as well as a selection of restaurants. The rooms are airconditioned and feature a minibar, tv, tea/coffee making facilities and free wi-fi

Weil Hotel, Ipoh
The Weil Hotel in Ipoh offers contemporary accommodations with amenities like an outdoor pool, gym, and shopping mall. You can find Chinese fine dining, international cuisine, and afternoon tea at the hotel’s two restaurants and tea lounge. Enjoy air-conditioned rooms equipped with a TV, coffee facilities, in-room safe, minibar, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Melia Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
This hotel features a restaurant serving a variety of international cuisine, as well as two bars. The rooms are comfortably furnished, with a mini-bar, safe, coffee/tea making facilities, an iron, tv and free wi-fi.

Sabah Hotel, Sandakan
Facilities here include a main restaurant, lobby bar and a large swimming pool. The rooms are all air-conditioned with a view of the pool or surrounding forest and have bath/shower, hairdryer, minibar, TV, tea/coffee-maker and free Wi-Fi.

Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu
This luxurious resort is set on a fabulous one-and-a-half-mile beach and surrounded by its own 18-hole championship golf course. There are a numerous dining options available. Rooms in the Garden Wing feature a private balcony facing the sea, and are furnished with a bath/shower, safe, minibar, tv, tea/coffee making facilities and free-wi-fi

Paradox Singapore Merchant Court, Singapore
All the comfortable air-conditioned rooms here have a shower, bath, hairdryer, safe, TV, iron/board, minibar (local charge applies) and free Wi-Fi. On site you’ll find a restaurant, bar, spa and fitness centre.

• Currency: Malaysian Ringgit
• Flight time: 13 hrs 15 mins (outbound), 1 hr 15 mins (domestic inbound) and 13 hrs 25 mins (inbound)
• Language: Malaysian Malay, English
• Time zone: GMT+8 winter, BST+7

*All transfer times listed here are approximate and dependent on traffic