Alternative Malaysia Tour 6N/7D

Day 1: KUALA LUMPUR

Meet at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal. After check-in and baggage procedures, depart for Kuala Lumpur with Turkish Airlines.

Day 2: KUALA LUMPUR

Arrival at Kuala Lumpur Airport. After baggage and passport control, meet our bus and depart for Putrajaya, Malaysia’s future capital. Putrajaya is meticulously planned to reflect Malaysia’s architecture and will eventually take over from Kuala Lumpur as the country’s capital. At the start of our city tour, we observe the symbolic bridges imported from different countries that adorn the city and stop at one for photos. As the Malaysian Minister of Tourism says, this city alone is enough to see the world’s most iconic bridges. Next, we head to PICC for a panoramic view of the city, followed by a visit to Putrajaya Mosque. With its pink exterior and interior, this mosque resembles a blooming flower and is also known as the Pink Mosque. After visiting Putrajaya Mosque, we travel to Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor state. Here we visit the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, Malaysia’s largest mosque and the second largest in Southeast Asia, famous for its four minarets. Its blue dome has earned it the nickname “Blue Mosque,” reminiscent of Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Mosque. During the tour, we also see traditional Malay houses along the river. After exploring Shah Alam, we return to our hotel in Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 3: KUALA LUMPUR

After breakfast, our first stop is the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. Guests can take photos in front of the towers or spend time at Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, which offers seasonal discounts. Next, we proceed to Merdeka (Independence) Square, visiting the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Islamic Art Library, and the Islamic Art Museum, which houses over 7,000 works. Highlights include reproductions of famous buildings such as the Taj Mahal in India, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, and the Emir Timur Mausoleum in Uzbekistan. After enjoying our time at Merdeka Square, we visit Mesjid Negara (National Mosque), Malaysia’s first mosque with its unique architecture, where we will perform the noon prayer. Afterwards, we head to Batu Caves, a Hindu pilgrimage site. Here, we see the giant statue of Lord Murugan and the temples at the top of approximately 400 steps, along with figures depicting the story of Lord Murugan. Later, we visit Central Market to purchase symbolic handmade Malay products, and guests may optionally explore Petaling Street (Chinatown). Overnight at Kuala Lumpur hotel.

Day 4: KUALA LUMPUR

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day at leisure. Guests may choose to join the optional Taman Negara – Canopy Walk Tour (USD 125 per person, including transportation, entrance fees, boat, and local guide). Depart for Pahang, Malaysia’s fourth largest state, and arrive at Taman Negara National Park, one of the tour’s most interesting destinations. Explore the heart of the rainforest on wooden walkways and bridges during a one-hour Canopy Walk. Next, take a 15-minute boat ride to visit a local tribe and learn from our guide how the indigenous people live away from modern technology. After the program, return to Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 5: KUALA LUMPUR

After breakfast, we head about one hour from the city center to Colmar Tropicale French Village in Pahang, inspired by 17th-century French towns. Guests have free time to explore this thematic village with its colorful buildings and cobblestone streets offering a European atmosphere. Next, we visit the Japanese Village, about 10 minutes away, built in the 1990s, featuring traditional Japanese gardens, tea houses, and bamboo forests. Guests can enjoy a peaceful walk and participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Afterwards, we travel to Genting Highlands, which developed into a large hotel complex at 1,800 meters, popular with tourists and casino-goers from around the world. We visit Chin Swee Buddhist Temple at 1,600 meters. Guests can shop at Genting Premium Outlet, then take the cable car to the temple to learn about Buddhist worship and the origins of Buddhism from our guide. Return to Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 6: KUALA LUMPUR – SINGAPORE – JOHOR BAHRU

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the earliest flight to Singapore. Arrive after a one-hour flight and complete passport and baggage procedures. Depart from Singapore Airport, renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful airports, featuring an indoor waterfall, and start a panoramic city tour. Visit the Orchid Gardens within the Botanic Gardens, Chinatown, and the famous shopping street Orchard Road, along with other historical and touristic sites. Next, visit Masjid Sultan, Singapore’s most magnificent mosque, commissioned in 1824 by Singapore’s first Sultan, Sultan Hussein, and restored in 1932 by Denis Santry, the country’s oldest architectural firm. After praying at Masjid Sultan, transfer to Sentosa Island. Enjoy free time in the afternoon, with optional activities including the cable car, Universal Studios theme park, or swimming (shower facilities available). Around 19:30, we leave Singapore and cross back into Malaysia. After completing customs and passport checks, transfer to our hotel in Johor Bahru for overnight stay.

Day 7: JOHOR BAHRU – MERSING ISLANDS

After breakfast, depart from the hotel to Mersing in Johor Bahru on the southeastern part of the Malay Peninsula. Board a boat from the harbor and explore the coral reefs while snorkeling. First stop: Sribuat Island for climbing and snorkeling, then return to the boat. Next, visit Raja Island for snorkeling and beach time. Then, Harimau Island, where guests can swim among the rocks or jump into the sea from elevated points depending on water level. For lunch, stop at Hujung Island, where guests can also swim. After lunch and free time, visit the small yet lush Tengah Island for photos and optional swimming. The final island is Besar Island, known for its large size and beautiful beach, offering snorkeling and leisure time. Return by boat to the hotel in Melaka for overnight stay.

Day 8: JOHOR BAHRU – MELAKA – RETURN

After breakfast, explore the historic city of Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage site. First, visit the impressive Melaka Mosque, located along the strategic Melaka Strait. Next, explore A’Famosa Fortress to learn about how Malaysia was sequentially colonized by Japan, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Britain, and the battles fought for control. Visit Stadthuys and St. Paul’s Church to see the cultural influences left by each colonizer. Guests may optionally take a short city tour on Trishaws, traditional decorated bicycle-cars, while listening to Malay music. Visit the Baba & Nyonya Museum to learn about the Chinese-Malay Nyonya culture, then walk through Jonkers Walk. Optionally, visit Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, one of the rare temples combining Taoism and Confucianism practices, and the Nyonya One Finger Shoe Shop, which still produces traditional single-toe shoes for beauty purposes. The tour continues with a short boat trip along the Malacca River, observing historic Malay houses. Transfer to the airport for check-in and boarding. Depart for Istanbul via Turkish Airlines with a connecting flight. End of the tour.

Day 2: KUALA LUMPUR

Arrival at Kuala Lumpur Airport. After baggage and passport control, meet our bus and depart for Putrajaya, Malaysia’s future capital. Putrajaya is meticulously planned to reflect Malaysia’s architecture and will eventually take over from Kuala Lumpur as the country’s capital. At the start of our city tour, we observe the symbolic bridges imported from different countries that adorn the city and stop at one for photos. As the Malaysian Minister of Tourism says, this city alone is enough to see the world’s most iconic bridges. Next, we head to PICC for a panoramic view of the city, followed by a visit to Putrajaya Mosque. With its pink exterior and interior, this mosque resembles a blooming flower and is also known as the Pink Mosque. After visiting Putrajaya Mosque, we travel to Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor state. Here we visit the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, Malaysia’s largest mosque and the second largest in Southeast Asia, famous for its four minarets. Its blue dome has earned it the nickname “Blue Mosque,” reminiscent of Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Mosque. During the tour, we also see traditional Malay houses along the river. After exploring Shah Alam, we return to our hotel in Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 3: KUALA LUMPUR

After breakfast, our first stop is the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. Guests can take photos in front of the towers or spend time at Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, which offers seasonal discounts. Next, we proceed to Merdeka (Independence) Square, visiting the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Islamic Art Library, and the Islamic Art Museum, which houses over 7,000 works. Highlights include reproductions of famous buildings such as the Taj Mahal in India, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, and the Emir Timur Mausoleum in Uzbekistan. After enjoying our time at Merdeka Square, we visit Mesjid Negara (National Mosque), Malaysia’s first mosque with its unique architecture, where we will perform the noon prayer. Afterwards, we head to Batu Caves, a Hindu pilgrimage site. Here, we see the giant statue of Lord Murugan and the temples at the top of approximately 400 steps, along with figures depicting the story of Lord Murugan. Later, we visit Central Market to purchase symbolic handmade Malay products, and guests may optionally explore Petaling Street (Chinatown). Overnight at Kuala Lumpur hotel.

Day 4: KUALA LUMPUR

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day at leisure. Guests may choose to join the optional Taman Negara – Canopy Walk Tour (USD 125 per person, including transportation, entrance fees, boat, and local guide). Depart for Pahang, Malaysia’s fourth largest state, and arrive at Taman Negara National Park, one of the tour’s most interesting destinations. Explore the heart of the rainforest on wooden walkways and bridges during a one-hour Canopy Walk. Next, take a 15-minute boat ride to visit a local tribe and learn from our guide how the indigenous people live away from modern technology. After the program, return to Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 5: KUALA LUMPUR

After breakfast, we head about one hour from the city center to Colmar Tropicale French Village in Pahang, inspired by 17th-century French towns. Guests have free time to explore this thematic village with its colorful buildings and cobblestone streets offering a European atmosphere. Next, we visit the Japanese Village, about 10 minutes away, built in the 1990s, featuring traditional Japanese gardens, tea houses, and bamboo forests. Guests can enjoy a peaceful walk and participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Afterwards, we travel to Genting Highlands, which developed into a large hotel complex at 1,800 meters, popular with tourists and casino-goers from around the world. We visit Chin Swee Buddhist Temple at 1,600 meters. Guests can shop at Genting Premium Outlet, then take the cable car to the temple to learn about Buddhist worship and the origins of Buddhism from our guide. Return to Kuala Lumpur for overnight stay.

Day 6: KUALA LUMPUR – SINGAPORE – JOHOR BAHRU

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the earliest flight to Singapore. Arrive after a one-hour flight and complete passport and baggage procedures. Depart from Singapore Airport, renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful airports, featuring an indoor waterfall, and start a panoramic city tour. Visit the Orchid Gardens within the Botanic Gardens, Chinatown, and the famous shopping street Orchard Road, along with other historical and touristic sites. Next, visit Masjid Sultan, Singapore’s most magnificent mosque, commissioned in 1824 by Singapore’s first Sultan, Sultan Hussein, and restored in 1932 by Denis Santry, the country’s oldest architectural firm. After praying at Masjid Sultan, transfer to Sentosa Island. Enjoy free time in the afternoon, with optional activities including the cable car, Universal Studios theme park, or swimming (shower facilities available). Around 19:30, we leave Singapore and cross back into Malaysia. After completing customs and passport checks, transfer to our hotel in Johor Bahru for overnight stay.

Day 7: JOHOR BAHRU – MERSING ISLANDS

After breakfast, depart from the hotel to Mersing in Johor Bahru on the southeastern part of the Malay Peninsula. Board a boat from the harbor and explore the coral reefs while snorkeling. First stop: Sribuat Island for climbing and snorkeling, then return to the boat. Next, visit Raja Island for snorkeling and beach time. Then, Harimau Island, where guests can swim among the rocks or jump into the sea from elevated points depending on water level. For lunch, stop at Hujung Island, where guests can also swim. After lunch and free time, visit the small yet lush Tengah Island for photos and optional swimming. The final island is Besar Island, known for its large size and beautiful beach, offering snorkeling and leisure time. Return by boat to the hotel in Melaka for overnight stay.

Day 8: JOHOR BAHRU – MELAKA – RETURN

After breakfast, explore the historic city of Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage site. First, visit the impressive Melaka Mosque, located along the strategic Melaka Strait. Next, explore A’Famosa Fortress to learn about how Malaysia was sequentially colonized by Japan, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Britain, and the battles fought for control. Visit Stadthuys and St. Paul’s Church to see the cultural influences left by each colonizer. Guests may optionally take a short city tour on Trishaws, traditional decorated bicycle-cars, while listening to Malay music. Visit the Baba & Nyonya Museum to learn about the Chinese-Malay Nyonya culture, then walk through Jonkers Walk. Optionally, visit Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, one of the rare temples combining Taoism and Confucianism practices, and the Nyonya One Finger Shoe Shop, which still produces traditional single-toe shoes for beauty purposes. The tour continues with a short boat trip along the Malacca River, observing historic Malay houses. Transfer to the airport for check-in and boarding. Depart for Istanbul via Turkish Airlines with a connecting flight. End of the tour.