Our favourite places in Malaysia

Cambodia’s southwestern province is a fast-developing ecotourism hub sandwiched between the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the rolling, jungle-covered mountains of the Cardamom range.

This former bolthole of Phnom Penh’s wealthy urbanites is now a chilled-out seaside escape, offering crab markets, crumbling villas, island day trips and unbeatable seafood.

World-famous for its tongue-tingling pepper, sleepy Kampot is the jumping-off point for adventures in Bokor National Park, and a wonderfully chilled-out place to relax for a few days.

More than just a stopover between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Kampong Thom is the heartland of the ancient Chenla Kingdom and the gateway to the oldest temple ruins in Cambodia.

Asiatic black bears, Malayan tapirs, pileated gibbons and perhaps even the elusive Indochinese tiger: Botum Sakor National Park is a haven for Cambodia's endangered mammals.

With its crumbling colonial buildings, fertile countryside, vital contemporary arts scene and mellow, carefree ambiance, it’s very difficult not to fall in love with Battambang.

Covering an area twice the size of Singapore, come to Tabin for mud volcanoes, jungle trekking, an orangutan release centre, and the chance to spot over 300 types of exotic bird – from the bronzed drongo to the blue-crowned hanging parrot.

Sepilok isn’t just the best place in North Borneo to see orangutans – it's one of the island’s premier conservation destinations, with exemplary projects doing fantastic work.

Above ground, hike to giant, razor-sharp pinnacles and rugged mountain peaks; below it, marvel at helictites and rock corals in one of the largest cave systems in the world. Mulu National Park is a geological wonderland.

Often referred to as Borneo’s “Lost World”, the Maliau Basin’s hostile geography has kept the rest of the world out for 130 million years. Its isolation has allowed a cornucopia of endemic species to thrive undisturbed.

A wide variety of indigenous and immigrant cultures combine to form Kuching’s unmistakable cultural mélange, expressed not only in its historic architecture and ethnic diversity, but in its legendary laksa, multicoloured cakes and freshly blended gourmet coffee.

Beyond its colonial clock towers, lakeside mosques and ocean-fresh seafood, Sabah’s up-and-coming capital is the gateway to the tallest peak in Southeast Asia and one of the most important areas of biodiversity in the world.