Singapore & Malaysia: Tapestry of Cultures

Arrive in Singapore, where you are met and transferred to your legendary hotel. Check in and relax, with an authentic, complimentary Singapore Sling in hand.

Begin exploring Singapore with a walking tour of the Chijmes, a historic building complex and former convent. Continue to the city’s lush Botanical Gardens, including its renowned National Orchid Garden. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Discover Singapore’s Chinatown and learn about the city’s legacy as a center for the spice trade on a visit to Ang Siang Hill. Return to your hotel, where later this evening you enjoy a welcome dinner.

This morning, explore spectacular Gardens by the Bay, observing the resident flora and fauna and experiencing the futuristic Supertree Observatory. Fly to the island state of Penang, checking into your hotel on arrival. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant followed by a walk through a local hawker center.

Today, Ride Like a Local by rickshaw through UNESCO-listed colonial Georgetown, a multicultural enclave. Visit Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a museum devoted to preserving the culture of the Peranakans. Then, proceed to the Cheong Fatt Sze Mansion (the Blue Mansion) to take in its distinctive architectural features. After lunch, enjoy a lesson from a master in the game of mahjong on an A&K-exclusive experience. Later at your hotel, gather for a proper afternoon tea.

Experience the natural splendors of Tropical Spice Garden, a rainforest home to hundreds of species. Take a break from exploring for a Malay cooking class, helping a local chef concoct the dishes you enjoy for lunch on a Chef ’s Table experience. Visit Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, home to soaring tropical trees and over 100 species of birds, taking a funicular to the summit of the hill.

Drive to Kuala Kangsar, nestled in a lush valley and once home to the Sultan of Perak. Take the opportunity to learn about the history of these royal rulers before continuing to Ipoh’s Sam Poh Tong Temple, hewn into a cave at the foot of a limestone pinnacle. Ascend into the rolling, green Cameron Highlands and your colonial bungalow-inspired resort hotel, where you enjoy dinner.

This morning, enjoy a short hike or 4x4 ride through the verdant cloud forests of the highlands. Next, visit Boh Tea Plantation, where you try your hand at picking tea leaves, observe the artful work of processing tea and sip a freshly brewed cup yourself. This afternoon, relax at your hotel savoring a traditional high tea.

Today, journey overland to the nation’s dazzlingly modern capital city, Kuala Lumpur. On arrival, check in to your luxurious hotel, where you partake in a Scenic Sundowner overlooking the city’s dazzling skyline before dinner at a local restaurant.

Start your exploration of the city from an incredible vantage point: the skybridge of the soaring Petronas Twin Towers. Next, discover another facet of Malaysia’s cultural mix with a visit to the Islamic Arts Museum, the largest of its kind in southeast Asia. Peruse the city’s Central Market, where local artists and craftsman sell their goods. After lunch at a local restaurant, your afternoon is at leisure for relaxing or exploring.

Venture to historic Malacca, a city whose architecture reflects a mix of Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese colonial influences. Privately cruise the Malacca River to visit St. Paul’s Church, the Sultanate Palace, Stadthuys (city hall) and Old Town. After lunch at a local restaurant, return to Kuala Lumpur. Tonight at your hotel, gather for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the Kuala Lumpur airport for your departing flight.