Top islands in Malaysia — 10+ most famous, beautiful & best islands in Malaysia

October 26, 2023

Famous for its beautiful scenery that captivates tourists, the biggest attraction in Penang is its street food – from Laksa Penang at Macalister Road to the signature dishes served in banana leaves in Little India to the fresh seafood at Gurney Drive, it’s all on this island.

where to stay in penang malaysia best areas to stay in penang best places to stay in penang — Lebuh Carnarvon, Penang Old Town

In Penang there are two famous beautiful beaches, which are Batu Ferringhi and Kerachut Beach.

Ferringhi batu beach at sunset | best islands in malaysia to visit

How to get to Penang Island?

penang international airport — Penang International Airport | best islands in malaysia to visit

It will be extremely easy if you want to go to Penang Island because there are always flights from all over the world landing at Penang International Airport. And from the airport, you can choose to travel by cheap taxi to other locations on the island or you can also choose to travel by airport bus to get to the town center of Georgetown.

Where to stay in Penang Island?

Georgetown penang hotel — Inside a guesthouse in Georgetown | best islands in malaysia to visit

Lone Pine Hotel (Agoda, Booking), located peacefully in the northern part of the island, restored in 1948, is an ideal choice for you. Or if you like bustling and crowded areas in the center, then Hotel Penaga – which was formerly a heritage building of the island will be suitable.

And if you are the type of person who loves luxury, comfort, and modernity, then the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (Agoda, Booking), a building built when Penang Island was a colony, has now been restored is a great choice for you.

penang hotels — Hotel Equatorial Penang | best islands in malaysia to visit

Labuan Island

Located off the coast of the East Sea of Malaysia in the Borneo island and between the two states of Sarawak and Sabah, Labuan is considered one of three federal territories (the other two are Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya).

Thanks to its special geographical location, Labuan is considered an international financial center as well as a free trade zone. This has helped Labuan attract foreign investment, especially in the financial sector. There is a long-term plan that the Malaysian government has launched with the aim of turning the island into one of the world’s major offshore business centers, close to other regions of the world such as the Central of the Middle East such as Dubai or Bahrain.

If you do not want to participate in business services related to the financial sector, then you can go to Labuan for the simple purpose of diving to visit the shipwrecks off the coast of this area.

Over the years, many ships have sunk in the shallow waters off Labuan, making them ideal undersea attractions for newbie divers. People often simply call these shipwreck spots are American, Australian, Blue Sea…

In addition, on the island there is a War Cemetery that is very carefully taken care of. This is also the place used to hold an annual memorial service for about 3,900 Allied soldiers who died in World War II.

How to get to Labuan Island?

If you want to go to Labuan, then it will be super easy as there are many daily flights to Labuan Airport departing from Kuala Lumpur, Miri in Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.

In addition, there is also a ferry with luxurious amenities and air conditioning departing from Brunei so you can travel here by sea.

Where to stay in Labuan Island?

If you are looking for a hotel that meets both quality and convenient, comfortable amenities, then Tiara Labuan or Grand Dorsett hotels are Living Nomads’ suggestions for you.

Layang Layang Island

Layang Layang is an island with a diverse and unique coral ecosystem, located about 300km (186 miles) northwest of the capital of Kota Kinabalu of Sabah state, Malaysia.

Layang Layang is considered one of the uninhabited islands in the sea discovered by the Malaysian Navy and was later claimed as belonging to this country in the context of island groups in the East Sea region being claimed in whole or in part by other countries such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The entire Layang Layang island area is surrounded by waters with a depth of up to 2000m. That’s why the island is honored to be ranked as one of the top 10 great diving spots in the world along with a marine ecosystem with many unique and diverse creatures. Because of the presence of the navy, the coral reefs located in the Layang – Layang island area have avoided damage from explosions caused by explosive fishing activities as well as other destructive activities. This helps the island’s ecosystem grow, becoming one of the attractions for tourists coming here.

However, you should note that aggressive hammerhead sharks often appear in the sea around the island, which can even number in the hundreds. However, you can also easily see rays, dolphins, barracudas and sea turtles.

Diving in Layang Layang Island — | best islands to visit in malaysia

How to get to Layang Layang Island?

You can only get to the island in one way, which is to catch a flight departing from Kota Kinabalu.

Where to stay in Layang Layang island?

One limitation when you come to the island is that on the entire island there is only one resort, Layang Layang Island Resort, built and designed in a traditional style and operated and managed by the Avillion Hotel Group.

Sipadan Island (# most famous island in malaysia)

turtles in Sipadan-7 unforgettable experiences on the Borneo Island8 — | most famous island in malaysia

At the end of 2002, after a long-standing dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia, the International Court of Justice finally made a final decision that Sipadan Island belongs to Malaysia. And finally, Malaysia and the state of Sabah – of which Sipadan Island is a part – have finally escaped this long international controversy.

Sipadan is considered one of the best diving spots in the world, located in the central area where there is a diverse habitat and the most unique creatures on the planet.

turtles in Sipadan-7 unforgettable experiences on the Borneo Island6 — | most famous island in malaysia

turtles in Sipadan-7 unforgettable experiences on the Borneo Island4 — | most famous island in malaysia

turtles in Sipadan — | most famous island in malaysia

In order to protect the ecosystem in the Sipadan island, in 2004, the Malaysian government ordered the relocation of resorts outside the island, banned night diving as well as set a daily limit of only allowing 120 divers can participate in scuba diving activities here.

And the issuance of bans and relocations here has achieved positive results, as the areas around the island and its ecosystem have continued to develop until today.

Sipadan Island is considered the home of more than 3,000 species of fish, hundreds of species of coral, a large number of rays, sharks and a population of green turtles and giant hawks.

How to get to Sipadan Island?

Pulau Sipadan (Sipadan Island) location on the map | most famous island in malaysia

Getting to Sipadan island is quite difficult and complicated. First, you have to take a 55-minute flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau town. Next, you will have to drive for about an hour to another smaller town, Semporna. And from there, you will take a speedboat to Sipadan island with a travel time of about 40 minutes.

Where to stay in Sipadan Island?

Because the government does not allow tourists to stay overnight on Sipadan Island, you can stay at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort built nearby with a series of floating houses or Sipadan Pom Pom Resort which is also a ideal choice.

Redang Island

Tropical beach idyll on Pulau Redang | most famous island in malaysia

Redang Island is an archipelago consisting of nine islands. This archipelago is considered a “park in the middle of the sea”, about 45km (28 miles) off the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia state of Terengganu.

Unlike its “neighbor” Perhentian located in the North, Redang Island is a high-end destination that attracts a large number of tourists with most modern and luxurious resorts built here.

Redang Island also has its own airport, operated by Berjaya Air, and since 2004 there have been daily flights to Subang Kuala Lumpur Airport, officially known as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport as well as Changi International Airport in Singapore.

With strictly and thoroughly preserved coral reefs, Redang Island has become an ideal place for those who love water sports, especially activities such as snorkeling under the clear water.

And in 2000, Malaysia’s Redang Island was honored to be chosen as the setting for a Hong Kong movie called “Summer Holiday” with the participation of famous Cantopop movie stars such as Sammi Cheng and Richie Ren. The resounding success of the movie has attracted a large number of tourists to this island.

How to get to Redang Island?

If you do not want to fly directly to Redang Island, you can take a flight to Kuala Terengganu state and then continue traveling by car and ferry departing from the Merang port area to reach the island.

Where to stay in Redang Island?

A hotel owned by Berjaya – the group that owns the exclusive right to operate the airport as well as the airline with the only flight to the island – has been built here, which is the luxurious The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort (Agoda, Booking) with Many amenities and comfortable services.

However, if you are a die-hard fan of the movie “Summer Holiday”, then don’t miss Laguna Redang Island Resort – where there is a colorfully decorated souvenir shop that was once an important scene in this famous movie.

Rawa Island

There are not many opportunities for tourists to visit one of the private islands in a certain country, and Rawa Island is one such island.

Owned by a family from the Johor Sultanate, Rawa is a small island located about 16km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

On the entire island, there are only two resorts built around the west coast with white sand beaches, and you can only get here by boat departing from Mersing port. This is also the departure point for you to reach the further island of Tioman.

Because of this exclusivity, Rawa Island often attracts tourists who want private, discreet, undisturbed vacations. The west coast of the island is described as having captivating beauty, while the rest of the island consists of cliffs and craggy rocks with impressive beauty, shaped like they plunge straight into the ocean that is a place that is quite difficult to access and can only be viewed from afar.

To be able to explore the entire island, you can rent a canoe or walk along the steep stairs to reach the top of the mountain, from where you will be able to see the east coast and Johor beach and 12 other small islands create a Johor Marine Park in the middle of the vast ocean.

Because accommodation options are quite limited and are often quickly chosen by young people from neighboring Singapore, if you intend to go to Rawa Island, you should book early to avoid running out of room.

How to get to Rawa Island?

From the capital Kuala Lumpur, you can take a bus or drive yourself to Mersing – the ferry terminal to Rawa island. However, it should be noted that during the low tourist season, around November to March of the following year, there will be few ferries running during the day.

Where to stay in Rawa Island?

As mentioned, on the island there are only two resorts built, which is the large-scale Rawa Island Resort or you can also choose a smaller-scale place, which is Alang’s Rawa.

Pangkor Island

Although it only has an area of about 8 square kilometers, Pulau Pangkor (in Malay, Pulau means island) is one of the most famous tourist islands in Malaysia, especially for local people.

Pangkor is considered one of the islands that tourists can easily reach in Malaysia. However, this place is still considered a “private” place for Malay people, as they always come here on weekends or holidays to rest and relax. On the island, nightlife is quite boring. But in return, if you come here, you will be able to see deserted white sand beaches and a variety of wonderful local dishes along with friendly, hospitable people.

How to get to Pangkor Island?

There are many direct flights to the island every day from Subang’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport, or you can also choose to take the ferry to Lumut town which takes about 30 minutes.

Where to stay in Pangkor Island?

If you come to the island, you can choose Pangkor Island Beach Resort – one of the places with luxurious amenities and services here.

pangkor travel trip blog — Pangkor Island

With more than 800 islands and archipelagos, Malaysia is considered one of the ideal destinations for tourists, especially those who want to splash in the cool, clear blue water and explore and discover unique marine ecosystems. unique and diverse. If you come here, don’t miss the top 10 most beautiful and best islands in Malaysia that we has just suggested for you.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to from Kuala Lumpur you can refer to

Photo: one day in kuala lumpur blog. — Bukit Bintang

Are you looking for more Kuala Lumpur travel guide and top things to do in Kuala Lumpur: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Kuala Lumpur 1 day itinerary — How to spend 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur?