Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Singapore - Malaysia - Taman Negara - Penang - Malacca
100% customisable for you
Head to the airport, whizz through security and settle into the lounge for some drinks and nibbles: your holiday across Singapore and Malaysia begins today. Your overnight flight will take around 13 hours, so sit back, tug on your eye mask and try to catch some sleep before landing tomorrow morning.
When you arrive, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel, where you’ll be staying for the next three nights. Drop your bags and spend a few hours settling in, whether you’d rather have a quick power nap or a strong coffee.
This afternoon, we’ve secured tickets to the Flower Dome, a colourful conservatory in the?iconic Gardens by the Bay. The world’s largest glass greenhouse, the Flower Dome showcases a remarkable variety of pretty plants and beautiful blooms, organised into themed sections.
Come evening, celebrate your arrival with a delicious dinner in the city – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend some stellar restaurants.
Rise bright and early this morning for your first full day in Singapore. To help you find your feet in this magnetic metropolis, we’ve arranged a private tour with a friendly local guide.
Your guide will tailor your tour entirely to your interests, filling you in on daily life and local customs as you stroll along Clarke Quay, admire the orchids at the Botanic Gardens or marvel at the colourful Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in the city-state.
After a lazy afternoon, grab your glad rags and head out to one of the city’s buzzing bars or renowned restaurants for a taste of the local nightlife.
Feeling peckish? Singaporean cuisine is famously diverse, meaning you can indulge in a Singapore Sling at the lavish Raffles Hotel one minute before tucking into Hainanese chicken rice at a hawker centre (traditional food court) the next. This morning, satisfy any rumbling tummies on a gourmet tour with a foodie guide, stopping to sample some of Singapore's specialities alongside the locals.
The rest of the day is yours for the taking.?Stroll through Emerald Hill, a historic district where charming colonial houses have been converted into restaurants and shops, or wander along Orchard Road, home to megamalls and high-end restaurants galore. Fancy a birds’-eye view of the city? Head to MacRitchie Nature Trail and tiptoe across its treetop walkway, or hop aboard the Singapore Flyer, Singapore's iconic Ferris wheel, for fantastic views over the skyline.
Wave goodbye to Singapore (for now): it’s time for the next leg of your adventure to begin. This morning, you’ll be privately transferred to Woodlands Station, where the Belmond Eastern and Oriental Express will be waiting for you. Your home for the next four nights, this elegant train offers a romantic rail experience from Singapore to Malaysia, with 15 classy carriages, comfortable cabins and Golden Age hospitality.
Once you’ve settled in, head out to the open-air observation car and watch the lush Malaysian jungle glide by (with a cocktail in hand, of course). Come evening, take a seat in one of the dining cars for refined cuisine before heading to the piano car for a nightcap. Jungle exploring doesn’t come much better than this…
Enjoy a tasty breakfast from the comfort of your cabin this morning, gazing out of the window as the train passes through some of Malaysia's wildest regions.
Later, the train will glide to a halt at Merapoh Station, where you’ll disembark with your guides and set off to explore the ‘tiger territory’ of Taman Negara National Park. Boasting lush jungle, gushing rivers and towering peaks, Taman Negara is a hotspot for wildlife, most notably the Malayan tiger, so significant in Malay culture that it’s featured on the national coat of arms.
Alongside your private guide, meet local villagers and conservation organisations, who work to protect these magnificent creatures from extinction. Keep an eye out not just for tigers, but also macaques, tapirs, leopards, water buffaloes and hornbills – cameras at the ready…
Later, return to the train for an evening filled with local entertainment and delicious dishes before being lulled to sleep by the chugging of the train as it continues towards Penang.
This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and lunch on board before journeying on to UNESCO-listed George Town, the capital of Penang Island. Chock-full of diverse traditions and cultures, there is no one right way to spend a day here, so the friendly Belmond staff will offer a few options for you to choose from.
Fancy yourself an art aficionado? Head out on a guided tour of George Town’s Old Quarter, wandering along historic streets lined with intricate Chinese temples, a contemporary art studio and an opera and puppet house. Prefer a bit of foodie fun? Dive into Peranakan cuisine with visits to local markets and spice shops, followed by an exciting cooking workshop.
If you’d rather spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace, you’ll be armed with a tricycle, driver and map – the world (by which we mean George Town) is your oyster.
Suitably wowed, hop back on the train for another delicious dinner and cosy evening on board.
It’s sadly time for your luxury train journey to come to an end, but don’t worry: the fun’s not over yet. This morning, enjoy one last breakfast on board, watching as Malaysia’s abundant greenery gradually gives way to Singapore’s neon signs and towering skyscrapers.
After alighting the train in Singapore, it’s straight back to Malaysia. Meet your driver for the private transfer to Malacca, a three-and-a-half-hour drive away. Set south of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca is Malaysia’s historic capital, and its rich culture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status.
You’ll likely be tired after all that travelling, so spend the rest of the day relaxing in your hotel before tucking into some tasty Malaysian cuisine. Satay, anyone?
This morning, set out to discover Malacca on a walking tour with a local. Once a thriving trading post thanks to its many canals, the city is a true melting pot of cultures, partly due to a history of colonisation by both Asian and European forces.
Begin your tour of this storied city at Christ Church and the Stadthuys, rust-red buildings built by the Dutch in the 18th century, before moving on to St Paul’s Hill for beautiful views over the town.
Next, continue to Heeren Street (or ‘Millionaire’s Row’), a hub for wealthy Peranakan merchant families, Jonker Street, the antiques district, and Blacksmith Street, home to some of Malaysia’s oldest places of worship.
For your final evening, contact your local Concierge for some stellar restaurant recommendations – they’ll know the perfect place to toast to your trip.
It’s sadly time to leave Malaysia behind and begin the journey home. This morning, you’ll be privately transferred two hours to Kuala Lumpur airport, where you can grab some last-minute souvenirs before you board your direct flight home.
You’ll be in the air for just over 14 hours – just enough time to dream up your next railway ride…
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
