Malaysia's 5 best islands

Hardcore foodie? Scuba snob? These Malaysian getaways have everyone covered

From the cosmopolitan charm of Penang to the hippie getaway of the Perhentians, Malaysia embraces a diverse array of islands. 

Here, in no particular order, we present our top 10. Disagree? Share your favorite Malaysian island in the comments box below. 

Perhentians: Hippie hideaway

While many backpacker haunts have become gentrified over time,
the Perhentians have managed to retain their low-key vibe.

They might not be easy to get to, but the Perhentian islands off the northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia have achieved iconic status on the backpacker trail.

And for good reason -- the waters are so clean that you can snorkel right off the beach and still see a diverse array of aquatic life.

Fishermen turned tour guides will also take you out in their small boat for a day trip to swim with sharks and turtles.

In the evening, beach bars set up cushions on the sand as wandering fire artists do their thing.

Where to stay: For high-end lodgings, check out the Tuna Bay Island Resort. Budget hunters should look up Abdul Chalet.

Getting there: Regular buses leave from Hentian Putra bus station in Kuala Lumpur, taking nine hours. Alternatively, fly from Kuala Lumpur's LCCT airport to Kota Bharu, and then catch a taxi to the port town of Kuala Besut.

Tioman: An island for flashpackers

Tioman island and the waters surrounding it are protected nature

reserves, which has helped it retain its wild vibe.

Although part of the Malaysian state of Pahang, Tioman is actually reached from the Johor town of Mersing. There's also a direct ferry from Singapore.

The island has two claims to fame that continue to be hyped by media and marketers. One, the dramatic topography of this teardrop-shaped isle in the South China Sea was (supposedly) used as a backdrop for the 1958 movie "South Pacific," while Time magazine named it one of the world's most beautiful islands in the 1970s.

Though it's now a firm fixture on the tourist trail and has lost a little of its exotic mystique, it retains –- where many of its Southeast Asian contemporaries have lost theirs –- the natural environment and wildlife that first made it famous.

First among animals, on land at least, are the giant monitor lizards that roam among the kampungs (Malay for villages) in search of food. Don't worry, they avoid humans. Most of the time. 

Where to stay: They don’t come more recommended than Bagus Place Retreat, winner of a 2012 Travellers’ Choice award from TripAdvisor. For a boutique experience, check out JapaMala.

Getting there: There are bus services from all over Malaysia to Mersing,; from here it's a two-hour boat ride to the first jetty on the island. Tioman also has a small airport, which Berjaya Airways flies to from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Langkawi: Best for luxury

Lankawai has the same stunning beaches as the rest of these islands.

We just thought you might be tired of looking at white sand.

Located hard by the border with Thailand, Langkawi is part of the Malaysian state of Kedah, not Perlis which is in fact directly adjacent.

Famously, the island was believed to have been cursed in 1819, when a woman named Mahsuri, was put to death for alleged adultery. Before she died, she uttered the words, “There shall be no peace and prosperity on this island for a period of seven generations.”

Two years later Langkawi fell to the invading Thais, with much of its population subsequently dying from starvation. The island was then indeed barren for a long time, before Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamed –- the colossus of Malaysian politics who also built Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers and the Sepang F1 circuit -– decided to turn it into a resort island in 1986.

He declared it a duty-free island, and ever since then Langkawi's growth has been nothing short of spectacular, with high-profile resorts dotting its sandy shores.

The best way to take it all in is on the 2,200-meter-long cable car, which rises some 710 meters above sea level. Interestingly, Mahsuri's husband and son moved to Phuket after the Thai invasion, and it was on that island that her seventh generation descendant was born –- in the year 1986. Coincidence?

Where to stay: They don’t come much more stylish –- or eclectic –- than Bon Ton, eight traditional Malay homes set in a former coconut plantation. Or there’s always the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi.

Getting there: Langkawi has by far the best flight connections of any Malaysian island, with dozens of daily flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Penang.

Penang: Food and heritage 

Dusk falls over Kapitan Keling Mosque in Penang's capital, Georgetown.

The Pearl of the Orient has a long and illustrious history. "Discovered" by Captain Francis Light in 1786, Prince of Wales island, as it once was known, was for a long time one of the jewels of the British empire.

Alongside Melaka and Singapore it was known as one of the Straits Settlements, a string of outposts that dominated the sea trade between India and the rest of Asia.

However, its importance gradually waned over the centuries, before it was rediscovered as a holiday destination and reinvented as an IT hub.

Today, under the close eye of Malaysian opposition and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the island is proudly parading its past –- the UNESCO status granted to historic Georgetown in 2008 guarantees that.

But its greatest attraction is its street food -– from Penang laksa off Macalister Road to banana leaf in Little India to seafood on Gurney Drive –- you'll find it all here.

Alongside a raft of improvements designed to attract even more visitors, including investment in public transport, a tree planting program, pedestrianization schemes and a schedule of new cultural festivals and fairs, this magnificent island –- only slightly smaller than Singapore –- is once again making its mark on the world stage.

Where to stay: Since 1948, the recently restored Lone Pine sits serenely on the north shore of the island, while for city digs look no further than the Hotel Penaga, heritage buildings in the heart of town. Attracting a lot of attention among luxury lovers is the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a restored colonial property. 

Getting there: Flights from around the world land at Penang International Airport. From there, inexpensive taxis can transport you to destinations around the island, or you can catch the airport bus into town.

Labuan: An isle of bankers 

Clear waters, white sands and offshore banks. What everyone looks

for in an island.

Located off the coast of East Malaysia, sandwiched between Sarawak and Sabah, Labuan is one of three Federal Territories (the others are Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya). Its special status as an international offshore financial centre and free trade zone has allowed it to attract outside investment from the financial sector (some 6,500 offshore companies are based here).

Long-term, the Malaysian government envisions the island as becoming one of the world’s major offshore business centres, akin to the Middle Eastern hubs of Dubai or Bahrain.

While it has some way to go to achieve similar status, the nation has a track record of dreaming big and making it happen -- the Petronas Towers and annual F1 race attest to that.

If you’re not involved in the financial services, there are other reasons to visit such as wreck diving. Over the years, numerous ships were sunk in the shallow waters off Labuan, making it ideal for novice divers. These are simply known as the American, Australian, Blue Water and Cement Wreck.

There is also a well-tended War Cemetery, where an annual remembrance ceremony is held for some 3,900 Allied soldiers who died during in World War II.

Where to stay: For both service and quality, it’s a close toss-up between the Tiara Labuan and the Grand Dorsett.

Getting there: There are daily flights to Labuan Airport from Kuala Lumpur, Miri in Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. There is also an air-conditionied ferry to Brunei.