Navigation
Back

Malaysia

Bold bites, big sights and endless colour

Malaysia Thean Hou Temple

A melting pot of culture, nature and mouthwatering flavour

Malaysia is a fascinating fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous cultures, making every encounter a window into something new. Everyone you meet brings a little of their story to your holiday – and that diversity runs through everything.

It’s also a country of contrasts. In Kuala Lumpur, sleek skyscrapers and mega malls sit side by side with bustling night markets and fragrant street food stalls. In Penang, colonial-era buildings frame streets that pulse with bold modern art and creativity.

Nature lovers are spoiled for choice – hike through Borneo’s lush rainforests, spot orangutans in the wild, or sink into the golden sands of Langkawi. And the food? It’s the ultimate cultural mash-up – from spicy laksa and rich beef rendang to buttery roti canai, smoky satay and hand-pulled noodles.

Chase waterfalls, temple-hop, snorkel turquoise bays, explore centuries of history or simply follow your nose to the next hawker stall – Malaysia is an adventure for all your senses.

Let our Malaysia specialists plan your perfect Asian escape.


Plane Stabiliser Icon

Flight time

The flight from Auckland to Malaysia takes roughly 11 hours nonstop. It takes a while to get there but the sights and sounds of this vibrant destination will soon have you ready for action.

Calendar Icon

Best time to go

Malaysia is a year-round destination, but December–February is best for the west coast, March–May for wildlife and beaches, June–September for Kuala Lumpur and diving, and October–November for Melaka and the Cameron Highlands.

Watch Icon

Time difference

Malaysia is 4–5 hours behind New Zealand depending on Daylight Saving in NZ. It won't take too long to get your body on to local time.

Meet our Malaysia specialists

Sunisa Chanthavong

Sunisa Chanthavong

House of Travel Hobsonville

Are you ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime? As a dedicated and passionate travel agent, I specialize in crafting personalized travel experiences that exceed your wildest dreams. With the extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry , I take pride in delivering tailored solutions that cater to your unique preferences, budgets and need.

I can't wait to use my knowledge and enthusiasm to help create your next adventure or family get away.

Sunisa

Jared Wilson

Jared Wilson

House of Travel Christchurch City


No. of countries visited: 40+ 

Favourite place to visit: Anywhere in South America

Next place on the list to visit: Kenya


Quote: “Never pass up a bathroom”

About me: With over 2 years of solo travel across 40+ countries, I am passionate about immersing myself in new cultures and uncovering the unique experiences each destination has to offer. Fluent in Spanish, Latin America is my particular area of experience and expertise. Whether you're after an exciting adventure or a peaceful getaway, I’m committed to designing a memorable and seamless trip tailored specifically to you. 

Why I love travel: It allows me to escape the sometimes repetitive nature of daily life. I enjoy experiencing new places or returning to ones that I love. I like making connections with people from places around the world and having experiences that can’t be replicated.

My travel tips:

  • Meet the locals Almost all of my favourite and most cherished travel experiences have involved meeting and making friends with the local people. It is a sure-fire way to have a more unique and intimate holiday experience.
  • When in Rome A cliché but one to that will enrich your travel, observe how the locals live and learn from it. Try the local brew or dish, join in on the fun. Also respect local customs and traditions, this will allow a richer and safer experience.
  • Expect the unexpected- Be ready for unforeseen circumstances that will inevitably occur at some point during a trip. If you are expectant and prepared for troublesome scenarios you can save yourself a lot of grief. After all, you want to make your break from reality as stress free as possible.

My top 3 favourite destinations:

  • Colombia- An up and coming travel destination, a country cursed with the reputation earned from its past. It is extremely geographically diverse and amazing bang for your buck. I still haven’t found a country with warmer and friendlier people.
  • Spain- A country full of amazing destinations to discover, with a rich history and a world class gastronomical scene. The fun loving people, the nightlife and the picturesque towns with uniquely their Spanish architecture are a must experience.
  • Mexico- Mexico is a country which is truly fascinating, an amazing place to get to know. It’s a big country with lots to explore - like the US it is made up of states (32), the more you see the more you’ll want to see. It is full of the most beautiful places you’ve never heard of. The locals are extremely friendly and of course the cuisine one of the best and most famous on the globe.

What’s in my suitcase:

  • Spare phone, cables and a travel adaptor- Fact is electronics are a very important travel tool and to be prepared is important so you don’t have to go in the dark.
  • A Journal- A great way to record all the little details and memorable moments. When moving fast and or experiencing a lot we naturally forget things. Writing it down will help to recall in future and also to have what you’ve written forever is something special.
  • Travel cubes- Will help you to keep your suitcase nice and organised for easy packing and ultimately will save you time making things easier to find.

My most memorable travel stories:

  • Walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain together with part of the Camino Portugues from Lisbon to Porto – totalling 1200kms. My hiking shoes broke so I did the last 1000kms in Sandals.
  • Doing a 32 day Top Deck bus tour around Europe. Easily one of the best months of my life full of laughs and all round good times. I made some strong friendships and saw a lot in such a short space of time.


Jared

David Williams

David Williams

House of Travel Christchurch City

In the 28 years of owning House of Travel Christchurch City, I have successfully developed a passionate and award-winning team of travel specialists. Our holiday specialists can take you to the destinations that you have dreamed of and let you know inside information that will enrich your travel experience.  The highly experienced business travel division will exceed your expectations leaving no stone unturned to ensure a seamless travel experience every time. We also have a fantastic HOT Events team that can take care of your conference, team building or any event requirement you might have from a planned dinner event to incentive or recognition programme.

From my beginnings in customer sales and service, travelling to over 60 countries, my primary focus is overseeing all divisions, and growing our every popular Sporting Events Programmes.  A highlight is delivering a highly successful games campaigns with our New Zealand Olympic Travel team.  This includes all New Zealand Team Athlete Travel to providing a family and friends programme as well as a world class corporate offering for sponsors.

I am however most proud of the team for us being awarded three top awards at the National Travel Industry Awards - Best Retail Travel Agency in New Zealand, Best Travel Consultant in New Zealand, Best Groups Team in New Zealand.

Great holidays are made better together with the House of Travel Christchurch City team.

David
Victoria Wales

Victoria Wales

House of Travel Christchurch City

Unmatched in her lifetime experience within the conference and incentive travel industry, Victoria heads-up HOT Events and truly delights in delivering fantastic results for our clients. 

Making magic happen is Victoria's specialty. She understands what is required to deliver top experiences for delegates and incentive visitors. In high demand by both clients and colleagues alike, Victoria is keen to share her skills and works closely with the team to ensure every part of a programme, from concept delivery, is exceptional .

Although Victoria's hospitality management studies included chief training - it doesn't mean she does a lot of it now - preferring to hunt out the latest wining and dining options in town. She does bring this knowledge to the table when hosting groups on or off shore - ensuring the venue is the ideal place for the specific group's requirements. 

"The best part of my job is year after year, hosting many of the same clients - I am challenged to make their experience better than the year before, and I love it!"

With her wicked sense of humour and her reputation as a people's person, Victoria is committed in delivering first class service to her clients. 

Favourite place to host an event: Vietnam 
Next place on the list to visit: Canada

Victoria

Customer holidays snaps

Best. Malaysia Holidays. Ever!

Subscribe

Want the insider word on all things travel?

Sign up below and be the first to hear about out hottest holiday deals, flights steals, and essential travel hints and tips from out team of travel specialists.

Consultant Consultant Consultant

Experience all things Malaysia