Enchanting Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia Escape

Singapore is a dynamic, multicultural city-state known for its stunning skyline, world-class attractions, and blend of modernity and tradition. Home to a population of Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities, the diversity of this destination is reflected in the culinary scene, festivals, and the coexistence of Hindu temples, mosques, Christian churches, and Buddhist temples in the same city. As a safe and friendly destination, Singapore is ideal for families with kids to experience a unique mix of “concrete jungle and real jungle” and plenty of interesting activities like educational tours, science centers, and zoos.

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, 30 km off the mainland coast of Kedah state. It is a famous destination in Malaysia due to its natural white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage, craggy mountain peaks and duty-free status, where alcohol is affordable. Well known due to its astounding nature on show, there are plenty of attractions in Langkawi with lots of idyllic beaches, sparkling waterfalls and wonderfully wild nature parks to explore. In the north of Langkawi island lies Kilim Geoforest Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site declared in 2007, featuring diverse flora and fauna, striking limestone karsts, caves, lagoons and mangrove forests. This area is made up of three river estuaries that attract wildlife such as sea otters, brown-winged kingfishers, sea eagles and swimming macaques. The best way to explore the reserve’s canals and waterways is by kayak. A guided tour will take you along a maze of trails, through the mangrove jungles lining the water and into limestone caves, including the Bat Cave (Gua Kelawar) where you can view stalagmites and stalactites as well as hundreds of insectivorous bats. Home to condensed rainforests stretched out to the entire island, Langkawi offers wide range of trekking from easy to extreme levels to cater for adventurers' all kinds of need. Most of the trekking trails and hiking routes in the island follow the slopes leading to the two highest mountains Gunung Raya and Gunung Mat Cincang where hundred of years old giant tall trees, rare birds and stunning flowers can be found.

Kuala Lumpur is a diversity cultural melting pot, where jade-topped Chinese gates open out onto palm-lined squares, Indian restaurants serve banana leaf curries in marigold-scented alleyways, and old-fashioned Malay villages lie squeezed between the skyscrapers. Founded in 1857 under British rule as a tin mining outpost, Kuala Lumpur is fairly new as far as Malaysian cities go and does not have the rich history like Georgetown or Malacca. After a couple of decades of fluctuation, Kuala Lumpur began to prosper and was made capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. Today, Kuala Lumpur is the capital of one of the economic powerhouses of Asia. Kuala Lumpurites come in all sorts. Malaysian and Chinese make up 80 percent of the population, and about 7 percent are Indians. Among the rest are offspring of intermarriages between races. Most Kuala Lumpurites speak at least two languages, one of which is Malay, or Bahasa Malaysia, the national language; some speak up to five – including Chinese and Indian dialects.

Melaka, or Malacca as it is previously known, is one of the most important port cities in the history of world trade. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site declared in 2008, Melaka showcases a fusion of Asian and European influences. It is also a perfect example of the perfect mix of different cultures and religions in Southeast Asia. Melaka’s history started as an independent sultanate. Later on, the Portuguese conquered it during its explorations in the 16th century. Some signs of Portuguese occupation still remain. After that, it became part of the Dutch empire. Most of the colonial buildings in the city came from that period. Situated in the Malacca Strait that connects the South Asian Sea and Europe to the East, the city was once the seat of the Malay Kingdom and has gone through several periods of prosperity as well as neglect. The city now offers a blend of cultural heritage, vibrant street art, and mouthwatering cuisine. It is well known for its colonial architecture, unique Nyonya traditions and colorful old town. For a visit, the historic city of Melaka is divided into two core zones on either side of the Melaka River. The first is St Paul's Hill Civic Zone with a number of government buildings, museums, churches, urban squares and the original fortress town from the 16th century Portuguese and Dutch periods. The second, on the other side of the river, is the Historic Residential and Commercial Zone, with more than 600 shophouses, commercial and residential buildings, religious buildings and tombs. A visit on foot along the old streets of Melaka past its ruins reflecting the rich history of hundreds of years of Asian and European influence, that will showcase Melaka's cosmopolitan journey over the centuries.