Outdoor Activities in Malaysia

Learn about Malaysia's indigenous culture and watch elephants feed and bathe at an elephant sanctuary with a full-day trip from Kuala Lumpur. Visit a local village to get a glimpse of everyday life for Malaysians, then continue to the sanctuary to meet the elephants. Watch the creatures being fed and bathed, and learn how the sanctuary protects the elephant population. NOTE: In monsoon season some or all elephant activities may be cancelled if the river is above a safe level.

Hike from The Dusun to a beautiful waterfall with a jungle hiking tour from Kuala Lumpur that's led by a hunter-gatherer guide. Choose between an hour-long waterfall trek and a more challenging 6-hour hike, and enjoy a great opportunity to explore the forest alongside a guide who's deeply familiar with the medicinal uses of Malaysia's native plants.

Visit the national park that surrounds Mount Kinabalu on a full-day tour from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Springs, and experience Malaysia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 10-hour nature tour is limited to 7 participants for a personalized experience, so you have plenty of time to hike nature trails, soak in mineral-rich pools, tour the rainforest canopy, and enjoy Borneo scenery at its most dramatic.

If you're short on time but would like to experience authentic tropical forest, try this convenient half-day tour to the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Learn about Malaysia's indigenous people at the museum, then discover the area's rich flora and fauna as you stroll the nature trails with a guide. Tour includes round-trip transfers from selected hotels: upgrade for a private tour.

Discover the wild landscape of Penang National Park, observing exotic wildlife and stopping to swim at gorgeous tropical beaches, during this 4-hour adventure. Take a hike along the park's lush rainforest trails, keeping your eyes peeled for monkeys, monitor lizards and tropical birds. Then cool off in the turquoise waters of Telok Tukun Beach before heading to the sublime sands of Monkey Beach, where you'll enjoy a box lunch before taking a boat back. This Penang National Park visit also includes round-trip transport from your hotel, bottled water and a guide.

Participate in a feeding frenzy during this up-close encounter with the silvery lutung, also called a silvered leaf monkey or silvery langur. Offer the monkeys green leaves and fruits and watch as they clamber all over you! After your own dinner at a riverside cafe, ride a boat to view fireflies as they shimmer and shine in the night, putting on a spectacular show. This evening trip to Bukit Melawati, located in Kuala Selangor, includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Kuala Lumpur.

Go ziplining in the Matchinchang Cambrian GeoPark for 2.5 hours of high-flying fun on Langkawi island. Your guide leads you on a course with 12 ziplines and three suspended sky bridges that takes you past towering waterfalls and trees. Soak in views of the Andaman Sea and Langkawi Sky Cab before finishing with an abseil descent from the final platform. Learn from your guide about the island's geology and the wildlife of the Malaysian rain forest along the way. Includes refreshments, guide, and use of equipment.

Summiting 13,435-foot (4,095-meter) Mount Kinabalu, the peak that adorns Sabah's state flag, is a Borneo must-do for many. To make the summit, you need to reserve your mountain guesthouse well ahead of time. Rather than piece the trip together independently, take it easy with this convenient 3-day package that includes a night at Laban Rata Resthouse, a night at Poring Hot Springs, a climbing permit, guide, meals, and round-trip transfers.

Tick off two of Kuala Lumpur's top attractions in just one day on a hassle-free excursion to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary and the Batu Caves. Taking a guided tour means you'll travel in air-conditioned comfort from and to your hotel, without wasting time getting lost, and discover lesser-known information from a guide. Plus, to break up the journey, you'll watch a 30-minute documentary during the ride to the Batu Caves. Lunch is included.

Traveling to Kuala Lumpur with kids? Or a lover of nature and wildlife? If so, don't miss this family-friendly private tour to four attractions featuring exotic vegetation and species of wildlife from Malaysia and elsewhere. As you visit the Orchid Garden, Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, KL Bird Park and Aquaria KLCC, you'll discover a variety of blooming flowers, tropical birds and ocean creatures with the convenience of private transportation from your hotel.

Cruise across the South China Sea from the Bako fishing village to Bako National Park on a 8-hour nature tour. Your professional guide points out the wildlife, including macaques and proboscis monkeys, during a jungle walk. Admire the picturesque rock formations during a boat ride to a beautiful beach where you'll have time for a swim. Lunch and round-trip hotel transport from Kuching are included on this small-group tour, limited to seven people.

Cover more of Kuala Lumpur's oldest public park in less time on a 2-hour Segway tour of Perdana Botanical Garden (Lake Garden), a great way to escape the bustle of Kuala Lumpur's commercial center. In a small group limited to 10, you'll receive personalized attention from your guide as you get to grips with your Segway and glide between highlights such as Hibiscus Park and the Deer Park with ease. Plus, hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Combine fun and culture on a half-day tour that starts at the go-kart track, and ends with a tour of Putrajaya's main landmarks. You'll hit top speeds as you steer around the outdoor circuit at the go-kart track, racing your friends and family on the straightaways. Next, continue to Putrajaya to see the pink Putra Mosque, Putrajaya Lake, and Putra Perdana, the imposing office of Malaysia's Prime Minister.

Combine experiences with two of Borneo's most interesting primates during this single full-day tour from Sandakan or Kota Kinbalu (must arrange own flights). Visit both the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary to see the inhabitants in their natural environments and learn about conservation efforts.

Spend the day among Borneo's native wildlife on a full-day tour of Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Center. In a small group limited to eight, you'll observe rehabilitated orangutans in their natural rainforest environment and witness a feeding session. Plus, you'll see sun bears at dedicated conservation center before taking a sightseeing tour of Sandakan, once known as Little Hong Kong. Lunch and hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Enjoy an introduction to scuba diving on this 6-hour PADI course in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park from Kota Kinabalu. Cruise into the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park and admire panoramic views over the islands of Pulau Manukan and Pulau Gaya. Listen to step-by-step instructions from your guide and learn how to use your equipment. Then, descend beneath the waves on two dives and marvel at the coral seascape below. Watch colorful puffer fish and stingrays swimming through the crystal-clear waters, and watch the waves for graceful sea turtles.

Experience the natural beauty, historic places and fireflies of Kuala Selangor on a full-day trip from Kuala Lumpur with a seafood dinner. Visit a historic, colonial fort that's home to a lively population of silver leaf monkeys, then watch for migratory birds in a nearby sanctuary. Enjoy a fish dinner in a local restaurant, then board an un-motorized traditional boat to travel up a river at dusk. See thousands of fireflies light up around you as your oarsmen guide your boat between the scenic mangroves.

The Matang Wildlife Centre specializes in rehabilitation for wildlife, such as orangutans, sun bears, civets and other creatures that are orphaned or rescued from captivity. During this full-day visit, learn about the plight of Sarawak's wildlife, and take a guided trek through the rainforest for a look at rare plants. Lunch and hotel transport from Kuching is included.

Discover Malaysia's vibrant wildlife even in the heart of the city on this 3.5-hour of Kuala Lumpur's natural wonders, including hotel pick-up. Admire the vivid blooms of the Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden, get up close to colorful butterflies at the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, then spot rare birds at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.

Visit Kinabalu Park on a full-day trip from Kota Kinabalu that's a great way to experience southeast Asia's highest peak without the grueling, overnight hike to the summit of Mount Kinabalu. A guided trail hike explores native plants, and you'll have time to browse the cultural and nature exhibits at Kinabalu Park's Exhibition Hall before returning to the coast.