20 Best Cities to Visit in Malaysia

Justin Nobel

Malaysia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is one of the easiest and safest countries to travel in. Malaysia has lots of places to visit. In addition to beautiful beaches, mountainous areas and jungle in Borneo, the best diving locations in the world and a particularly open and friendly population. Also in your traveling time you can explore some impressive cities to visit in Malaysia.

Best Cities to Visit in Malaysia

In this time Malaysia is calling one of the most beautiful countries in the world but not yet completely taken over by tourism. Many travelers from Europe and others corner in the world Malaysia is a very unknown and even a bit mysterious country to them.

However Malaysia is going to be popular day by day for travelers because it is very easier to visit this country.

Malaysia has a number of cities that are eligible for a nice city trip. Capital City Kuala Lumpur is without a doubt one of the most visited cities in the world. Also other atmospheric cities such as Melaka, Johor, Putrajaya, Kuching, Ipoh and Georgetown are all these cities to visit in Malaysia that offer many attractions.

Have a look at the list to explore the most beautiful cities to visit in Malaysia.

1. Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia but also much more than just capital. The city Kuala Lumpur also called KL city is the first one from our list of cities to visit in Malaysia. Now its become one of the most visited cities in the world.

Kuala Lumpur is a city that has grown into a metropolis where the tallest and most modern skyscrapers from Southeast Asia KLCC also stand side by side with ancient temples, mosques, many places to visit, hotels, restaurants, shopping mall and parks.

2. George Town

Georgetown, the capital of the island of Penang, is one of the fastest growing tourist attractions city in Malaysia. Georgetown is named after the British King George the Third. The city is located on the northeast side of the island and has approximately 450,000 inhabitants, including suburbs.

Georgetown is a bustling city full of old colonial buildings, wide streets and narrow alley and numerous trishaws that drive tourists and locals around. Where old crafts such as knitting, woodcarving and even fortune tellers alternate with modern skyscrapers in the new part of the city.

3. Ipoh

Ipoh is one of the most beautiful and largest cities in Malaysia and a very important one from our list of cities to visit in Malaysia. Ipoh city located in the north of the peninsula of Malaysia. Also Ipoh is used to be one of the richest city in Malaysia.

Currently, the city is booming in terms of tourism. The city is perfect to explore in two or three days.

Ipoh is full of colonial buildings and old mansions. The city is therefore not at all Asian, which is just as good. The city owes its elegant appearance to the wealth it had in the Kinta Valley

4. Malacca

Melaka or Malacca is a historic city now become one of the most visited cities in Malaysia. This city located on the west coast peninsula of Malaysia. Malacca is located two hours south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. This large city is located by the sea and used to be an important trading place for seafarers.

Because of the historic center, Malacca, together with Georgetown on the island of Penang, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Melaka is one of the most popular destinations in Malaysia because of the multicultural society, the beautiful architecture and the delicious food. Also you can stroll along the river (or take a boat trip, also pay attention to the colorful paintings on buildings), can visit the Dutch-built Stadthuys.

5. Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru is the 4th largest city in Malaysia. The city lies against Singapore, in the south of Malaysia. Day by day its become one of the most visited cities in Malaysia. The city Johor Bahru that many tourists only know because of the airport where you fly to travel cheaply to Singapore.

Also every day many Malaysian people travel to Singapore by bus and car for doing their office, job and service.

However, this is no longer necessary with the direct connection between KL and Singapore. There are quite a few nice and beautiful sights in the vicinity of the city. Johor has grown enormously in recent years, many companies settle here because of the low costs and the distance to Singapore.

6. Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu better known as KK is the capital of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. It is one of the larger cities of Malaysia , with more than 600,000 inhabitants. The city Kota Kinabalu offers various attractions for his visitors, and in the city you have a wide range of accommodation options.

The town offers beautiful views of the Crocker Range, which also houses the highest mountain of Mount Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu has grown rapidly in recent years into a vibrant city. You have several modern shopping centers of which Asia City Complex, Suria Sabah and 1Borneo are the most popular. Also this city has several food courts, where you can eat delicious local dishes on the street.

7. Kuching

Kuching is the capital of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. Borneo is known for its beautiful nature, but it also has some beautiful cities like Kuching. Kuching is one of the most stylish and versatile cities in Malaysia! Here you will find a special mix of culture, architecture, crafts and dishes.

Kuching offers several beautiful attractions to visitors. Kuching is also the starting point of various adventures in the jungles of Sarawak.

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8. Kota Bharu

Kota Bharu is the capital of the Islamic state of Kelantan. The city is located in the north of the peninsula of Malaysia, close to the Thai border. Who wants to visit a real Malaysian city should not miss Kota Bharu. It has the vibe of a city but feels like a small friendly village with a lovely atmosphere.

The city is the Islamic center of the country. In the city itself you will find a lot of culture and traditional crafts. In Kota Bharu you can also eat delicious foods. Many travelers visit the city to enjoy the beauty of the Perhentians.

9. Miri

Miri is the second largest city in the state of Sarawak with about 300,000 inhabitants after Kuching. Large numbers of tourists travel in Miri every year to explore this beautiful town. It is the gateway to some very popular national parks. The Mulu National Park is perhaps the most beautiful in all of Malaysia. Every year, the city is dominated by a well-attended musical event.

There are also a few other beautiful nature parks in Miri, such as the Niah national park, the Lambir national park and the Loagan Bunut national park. You also can enjoy the fantastic underwater world in the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef national park. This marine park has only just been discovered and day by day increasing visitors here. The discovery of petroleum brought great wealth to Miri.

10. Kuala Terengganu

Kuala Terengganu another largest city of Malaysia and it is the state capital of Terengganu. Kuala Terengganu located on the east side of Malaysian peninsular. Kuala Terengganu The coastal city is the gateway to the Perhentian Islands and Redang but also has beautiful sights. One place to take good photos is the “floating mosque.” The Masjid Terapung is reflected in the reflection of the water.

Another great attraction is the Pasar Payang, the city’s main market. Here you can buy great food and crafts and other souvenirs. A stay of up to 2 to 3 days is enough to visit the highlights of the city.

11. Putrajaya

Putrajaya is called the tech city of Malaysia, it is a planned city about 25 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Putrajaya is a part of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). It is called the administrative heart of Malaysia. Also in Putrajaya has an ‘intelligent’ twin city is call Cyberjaya. It is called the knowledge and multimedia center of Malaysia.

Putrajaya becomes one of the most popular and visited cities in Malaysia. Lots of tech professionals every day travel to explore in this i-city and Multimedia Super Corridor. The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project is the Asian version of Silicon Valley. I-Putrais is the digital version of the city of Putrajaya.

12. Kuantan

Kuantan is the capital of Pahang State, the largest state in the Malaysian Peninsula. It is located on the east coast of the peninsula approximately 277 kilometers far from Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the popular weekend destinations for the residents of the capital. Kuantan has enough to offer of attraction to the visitors.

The east side of the peninsula is predominantly Islamic, Kuantan is a nice mix between authentic and modern. Most hotels are located north of Kuantan, along the beautiful Cherating beach. You’ll find some of the best restaurants on the peninsula’s east coast here. In addition, it has some beautiful beaches including Teluk Chempedak.

13. Petaling Jaya

Petaling Jaya has become one of the most important cities in Malaysia. Petaling Jaya is Malaysia’s very first planned town known as the twin sister of Kuala Lumpur the capital city of Malaysia. Petaling Jaya the satellite city is a renowned metropolitan city with more than 500,000 inhabitants.

Petaling Jaya is the nearest city of Kuala Lumpur has numerous commercial, residential and business offices. this city becomes one of the most visited cities in Malaysia, also famous for luxurious shopping and delicious foods.

14. Alor Setar

Alor Setar is the capital city of Kedah State. Alor Setar is the most important city in Kedah because most of the government building is located here. The highway city Alor Setar has connected Thailand to Singapore. The city has always a strong bond with Thailand, still you can see many Thai temples around the capital.

However, the city Alor Setar does not look like a Thai city in the distance. It is a real Malaysian city with very few Chinese and Indian inhabitants. The highway of Alor Setar offers a beautiful view of the rice fields.

The terrain is flat and has a green or yellow color depending on time. Alor Setar is a newly developed city in Malaysia. Most of the shopping centers, buildings look new and modern.

15. Sandakan

Sandakan is one of the most beautiful cities located in the east of Sabah. It is known for Sepilok, an orangutan rehabilitation center. Sandakan feels like a small attractive town in Sabah. It has no bustling center or an unprecedented nightlife.

Sandakan offers a much popular attraction to visitors. The Kinabatangan river is a few hours’ drives away from the main town; where you can do beautiful boat trips. The Sandakan city inflicts as a gateway to some beautiful natural parks in Sabah.

Beautiful bounty island of Lankayan, and the turtle island of Selingan also located in the immediate vicinity of Sandakan. The city serves more as a gateway to some beautiful natural parks also.

16. Seremban

Seremban is the capital city of the state of Negeri Sembilan in west Malaysian Peninsular. The most largest city of Negeri Sembilan has a population of over 420,00. Seremban is the center of Minangkabau culture.

It is called that most of the big tour companies in Malaysia never cover the city, although Seremban has become one of the fastest growing tourist visited cities. Seremban offers lots of attraction to the visitors like the State Museum, State Mosque and Cultural Arts Centre.

Seremban now becomes a rapidly growing busy commercial district. World-class shopping complexes, offices, housing areas to lush green gardens and beautiful temples Seremban is gonna be one of the most tourist attractions in Malaysia.

17. Semporna

Semporna is a city of the fishing village in the far east of Sabah. About 135,000 people live there and everything revolves around fishing and tourism. Semporna probably refers more to the beautiful islands off the coast than to the city itself.

Travelers, fishing lovers and divers are usually come there to catch the boat to one of the bounty islands in the area. Also you find a harbor where the boats to the islands leave from.

Semporna is the starting point for visiting one of the many islands in the area. They are all real bounty islands, especially popular because of the fantastic underwater world and the beautiful diving and snorkeling conditions.

18. Batu Ferringhi

Batu Ferringhi, which means ‘Rock of the foreigner’, is located in the north of Penang and is the tourist resort of the island. The most beautiful beaches of Penang can be found in Batu Ferringhi.

This former fishing village has a large sandy beach, which is almost a guarantee of tourism. The beach is very beautiful, but in the rest of Malaysia and elsewhere in Asia you will probably come across much nicer beaches.

In Batu Ferringhi, you can not just go to the beach, because most hotels have their own private beach. In the middle of the village, on the left turn Bayou Road, you have a public beach. If you are not staying in a hotel in Batu Ferringhi, you can go here to lie on the beach. Here you can also eat all delicious foods and favorite kinds of seafood.

19. Taiping

Taiping is another popular town in north-west Malaysia. It’s known as a heritage town for its well-preserved colonial architecture. Also Taiping is Malaysia’s historical city of many firsts, such as the Chinese temple and museum.

Day by day Taiping is becoming a popular tourist destination because it contains such a rich history of the country, good food, and scenic views of mountains, lakes and centuries-old rain trees.

In Taiping all this attraction you can visit each from another within walking distance! Also Taiping offers visitors to explore Lake Gardens, Museum, Zoo, EcoPark, War Cemetery and much more.

20. Port Dickson

Port Dickson is a coastal town of Malaysia located on the west coast. Port Dickson is very near to the capital city Kuala Lumpur, only an hour’s driving distance. So it is a place where many Malaysians from the big cities go when they just want to ‘get out’ for a few days.

Also Port Dickson becomes a popular destination for local and tourist who loves to spend time on beaches. If you feel bored and want to escape the heat and bustle of the city then it’s easier you to go Port Dickson especially on weekends to refresh and relax.

Port Dickson has miles of sandy beaches lined with casuarinas, palm trees and banyan trees, the roots of which grow above the ground. Port Dickson has a rich range of water sports, the most famous of which are waterskin, snorkeling, cannon, windsurfing and sailing.