7 places to get off the tourist trail in Malaysia

Already gawked at the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, baked on the beaches of the Perhentians, snapped selfies with orangutans in Sepilok, and maxed out your SD card on Georgetown’s murals? That’s Malaysia’s highlight reel — what everyone does.

But if you're after hidden gems in Malaysia — the kind of places that don't come with crowds or Instagram queues — keep reading. We’ve dug up some off-the-beaten-path spots that show a wilder, weirder, more authentic side of Malaysia.

1. Feast on mantis prawns and silence on Aman Island, Penang

Never heard of Aman Island? Don’t worry — most Penangites haven’t either. Just a 5-minute boat ride from the mainland side of Penang State, this little-known spot feels a world away from the city bustle. Quiet, traditional, and wonderfully low-key, it’s one of the best places to visit in Malaysia if you're after slow days, local charm, and a break from the crowds.

Once a pirates’ hideout, today Aman (meaning "peace") is car-free, crowd-free, and charmingly rough around the edges. There are no roads — just jungle paths and fishing shacks. Local legend says an ancient well here turns water into gold. We can't promise riches, but you will strike culinary gold.

The real treasure? Mantis prawns. These feisty, clawed crustaceans are served up in rickety wooden restaurants on stilts, cooked in spicy sambal or butter sauce. Come hungry and come early — they're a hit with in-the-know Penang foodies.

If you're building the ultimate Malaysia itinerary, don't leave this off the map. It’s close, quiet, and completely unlike anywhere else in Penang.

2. Explore temples and caves in forgotten Kampung Pulai, Kelantan

Gold brought Chinese Hakka miners to Kelantan’s southern jungle centuries ago. What they found was something far rarer: stillness. They settled by a slow-moving river, flanked by sharp limestone crags that could pass for Yangshuo — only this isn’t China. It’s Kampung Pulai, one of the most overlooked hidden gems in Malaysia.

Cut off until the 1980s, the village stayed frozen in time. You can still visit the Water and Moon temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Peninsular Malaysia, standing quietly on the riverbank.

Across the water looms Princess Hill, a hulking limestone formation with tucked-away meditation caves and a massive statue of the Goddess of Mercy carved straight from a stalagmite. And the best part? You’ll probably have it all to yourself.

3. Hear fading stories in Bario Asal longhouse, Sarawak

Tucked deep in the Kelabit Highlands, near the Sarawak–Kalimantan border, Bario isn’t a place you just stumble upon. You fly in from Miri on a tiny twin otter plane — low, loud, and scenic enough to count as part of the adventure.

Bario is the heartland of the Kelabit people, once headhunters, now humble farmers and storytellers. The soul of it all? Bario Asal, the oldest surviving longhouse in the region. Step inside and you’ll meet elders with elongated earlobes — living links to traditions that are vanishing fast.

This is one of those unique places to visit in Malaysia where history isn’t kept in museums. It lives, breathes, and welcomes you in.

4. Hunt colonial ghosts and tin-town legends in Perak

Ipoh might be polishing itself up, but Perak’s forgotten corners still hum with stories — and the occasional shiver. Rent a car, leave the hipster cafés behind, and head for Papan, a near-abandoned village with a powerful past. This is where Sybil Kathigasu, a Eurasian nurse, risked everything to help the anti-Japanese resistance. She was caught. She was tortured. She’s remembered in the crumbling shophouse she once called home.

Further south, in Tanjung Tualang, you’ll find two things: massive river prawns and the country’s last standing tin dredge, a hulking relic of Malaysia’s mining boom. Nearby looms Kellie’s Castle, an unfinished Scottish manor where legend has it the ghosts haven’t moved out.

It’s eerie, raw, and real — exactly what you’d expect from one of the more unique places to visit in Malaysia.

5. Pedal to Thailand’s edge in colorful Tumpat, Kelantan

Think you’ve got Kelantan figured out? Time to test that theory. Rent a bike in Kota Bharu and cycle north to Tumpat, a mellow border town that throws every stereotype about this conservative region out the window.

Instead of mosques, you’ll pass Thai-style Buddhist temples, bursting with dragons, Buddhas, and enough neon paint to light up the jungle. Don’t miss Wat Photivihan, home to Malaysia’s largest reclining Buddha — and walls lined with vivid, gory depictions of Buddhist hell. Grim, yes. Boring, never.

End your ride at a dragon boat-shaped shrine, complete with stone tigers and a reflection pool. It’s surreal, strangely peaceful, and completely off most tourists’ radar — a true hidden gem in Malaysia.

6. Tackle Gunung Tahan, the peak you’ve never heard of (but should)

Everyone’s heard of Kinabalu. But Gunung Tahan? Not so much — which is wild, considering it’s Peninsular Malaysia’s highest mountain at 2,187m and sits smack in the ancient rainforest of Taman Negara.

This isn’t a casual stroll. The multi-day trek (5–8 days, depending on your route) is hot, humid, and stripped of frills — no lodges, no lattes, just leeches and legends. You’ll need a guide, a permit, and your own camping gear. Expect a night in the rainforest to mean tangled roots, tent zippers, and jungle sounds that don’t quit.

On the way, keep an eye out for elephant tracks and — if you're salty enough — tapirs. Yes, the jungle’s friendliest oddballs have been known to lick sweaty hikers. Gross? Maybe. Memorable? Definitely.

If you're after something more hardcore than hammocks and cocktails, this is it. Gunung Tahan isn’t just a hike — it’s a rite of passage, and easily one of the best things to do in Malaysia for anyone who actually wants to earn the summit.

7. Discover rare jungle secrets in Telupid Forest with the villagers of Kampung Bestaria

Halfway between Mount Kinabalu and Sandakan lies Telupid Forest Reserve, an overlooked chunk of Borneo jungle that few travelers ever set foot in. At its edge sits Kampung Bestaria, home to a growing eco-movement sparked by one determined local guide and his community.

Locals used to treat the forest like a free-for-all pantry — until KOBEST, a village-run co-op, flipped the script. Now villagers lead hikes through the unexplored rainforest, guiding visitors to hidden waterfalls, giant pitcher plants, and the rare micro Rafflesia tengku-adinii (yes, it’s as tiny and weird as it sounds).

You can string up a hammock in the wild or stay in the village and eat home-cooked meals sitting cross-legged with Dusun hosts. Either way, this is the kind of off-the-beaten-path Malaysia you won’t find in a glossy brochure — and all the better for it.