From the historic riverbanks of Malacca to the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a feast for all senses. Absolutely London explores the best of a luxury holiday in Malaysia
By Helen Brown
Never has the term ‘melting pot’ been more accurately applied to a destination than Malaysia. It’s a potpourri of Asian cultures with a muddle of Malay people, Muslims, Chinese, Hindus and other ethnic majorities and minorities, aboriginal groups and indigenous people. Each has its own language and cultural practices which can be appreciated through a delicious variety of cuisines. From the Portugese influences in Malacca to the ocean-fresh sand cooking on the Peninsula’s east coast, the best way to get around is most definitely appetite first.
Where to Stay in Malaysia
Tanjong Jara Resort, Kuala Lumpur
The icing on Malaysia’s cake is the chance to encounter wildlife in its natural habitat. The most common sightings will be insects or colourful birdlife, but you could get lucky and spot a snake or a silvered leaf monkey. Guests of Tanjong Jara can get up close and personal with it all on a walk through the jungle surrounding the resort. Accompanied by Captain Mokh, who is clued up on a mind-boggling variety of biodiversity, this gentle walk includes a tour of the Malay herbal garden and a gentle climb up the steps of Jara Hill for a panoramic view of the coastline.
Elsewhere, the resort does have actual ovens too, overseen by the infectiously cheery chef Ann, who serves a variety of Asian and western selections for breakfast and lunch in Nelayan restaurant, while seafood features heavily for dinner. She also commands a brigade of menu masters, experts in local cuisine, who will put on a superb feast using the freshest of ingredients from that morning’s market run. Guests take a seat at a menu-less table and are served whatever chef deems they’ll enjoy most from the produce available and the kitchen’s repertoire of typically Malay cuisine. We enjoy a whole red snapper, a comforting bowl of prawns cooked in coconut milk and a tangy beef rendang.
The Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
A visit to Lot 10 Hutong is a must for serious gourmands. This giant subterranean food hall pays tribute to local delicacies with each of the 33 eateries distinguishable for a different regional dish. Expect some of the best dim sum, roast duck and beef noodles in the country, not least the capital.
The Majestic, Malacca
Then, with the intrusion of the European colonial powers, Malacca underwent Portugese, Dutch and British rule, the influences of which are still present today. Every turn in this tiny town has a point of interest: wall murals, coloured archways, eccentric tiling, mosaic flooring or quirky window shutters. Each street is lined with a random assortment of shops selling everything from woven furniture and ceramics to fresh coconuts and Chinese lanterns. Buildings – no two share the same design – sit side by side like rows of cramped teeth; a grand Chinese temple next to a Dutch clog shop next to a Portugese bakery next to a Malaysian flower shop.
A short stroll from this Liberace dreamscape is the Majestic Malacca hotel. It sits on its namesake river, which once teemed with Chinese junks and spice-laden vessels. A relic of grandeur, this restored 1920s mansion is an exemplar of heritage architecture with porcelain tile flooring and teakwood fittings.
To see the chefs work their magic in person, book yourself onto a private cooking class. A kitchen station is set up outside and we’re taught how to whip up a spicy prawn curry and a fragrant aubergine side, which we enjoy later for lunch in the restaurant.
Our last culinary stop off is the Majestic Malacca’s famous afternoon tea. Served in the hotel’s gorgeous Colonial-style lounge, we fill up on Peranakan treats, characterised by their complex, labour intensive methods, and British tea time classics, which serve very well to induce a contented food coma for the flight home.
Nightly rates at YTL Hotels’ Tanjong Jara Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur and The Majestic Malacca start from £270. Visit ytlhotels.com
Malaysia Airlines flies twice daily direct between London and Kuala Lumpur onboard the new Airbus A350 and onwards to the rest of Malaysia. Book via any Malaysia Airlines participating travel agent or visit malaysiaairlines.com
Like this? Check out Absolutely London’s guide to Berlin