Winning tip: Hot springs, Sabah

Kundasang is a beautiful mountain town in Sabah. I stayed at the Kinabalu Pine Resort, which has a great view of the 4,000-metre Mount Kinabalu. A lovely excursion is to Poring Hot Spring, an hour’s drive away in Ranau. It has many shaded bath tubs but my favourites were the pools with different depths, starting from half a metre with the deepest being about seven metres. The Poring Canopy Walkway, Sabah’s highest, is just next to the hot spring.

• Doubles from £38 B&B, kinabalupineresort.com

Diana Abdul Wahab

Bar with a view, Kuala Lumpur

Daytime views over Kuala Lumpur at Heli. Photograph: Daniel Harkin

Take the elevator to the 34th floor of the nondescript Menara KH office block, and you’ll enter the Heli Lounge Bar. This is somewhere you would find on a strip in a British holiday resort, playing loud pop music to a global crowd of twentysomethings. But, take the three flights of stairs up from the main bar, and emerge into the outdoors – to a tranquil terrace on a disused helipad – giving the best view in Kuala Lumpur. Sitting across from the Petronas Towers, and KL Tower, watch the sun go down over a few affordable (by UK standards) drinks and watch the city light up with the night, with the roar of the streets below.

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Daniel Harkin

Island paradise of Tioman

Tioman Island. Photograph: Fishpig/GuardianWitness

After arriving on the stunning lush, green island of Tioman we hopped in a jeep from the main village, Tekek, on the west coast, over hills, to the more off-the-beaten track village of Juara on the east of the island. We stayed in a hut, on the beach, a short walk from the village centre. The two beaches are deserted and idyllic; the locals welcoming; there is a short stroll to a waterfall where you pull yourself across a river on a raft and, if you’re lucky enough, you may even see some turtles.

• Chalets from £30 B&B, tioman.org

Freya SW

Orangutan sanctuary, Sarawak

Orangutans at Semenggoh nature reserve. Photograph: Grant Dixon/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

When in Sarawak, visiting the orangutan sanctuary in the Semenggoh nature reserve is a must. It’s an hour’s bus ride away from Kuching, the bus stops right outside. The orangutan are semi-wild and there’s no guarantee they’ll come out. However, at feeding time there’s a good chance some may venture along for some fresh fruit. We were lucky enough to see these fascinating creatures up close in their natural environment, an incredible experience.

Lucy Walker

Spanish-style hotel on the coast, Cherating

Casa Titik. Photograph: Danielle Kingston

After hiring a car in Kuala Lumpur, I drove to the east coast (three hours on the E8). Driving past fields, mountains and down sandy roads to find hidden, empty beaches, we came across Casa Titik. The Spanish-style villa seemed somewhat out of place along this rugged coast, but the whitewashed walls and sandy roofs looked stunning against the lush green background of the countryside. The family-run villa has two pools, a hot tub, horse stables and a path leading down to a white sand beach; it’s homely but luxurious.

• Doubles from £30 B&B, casatitik.com

Danielle Kingston

Take a Penang ferry trip

Ferries taking passengers from Butterworth to George Town. Photograph: Alamy

A fine way of appreciating Penang’s island setting is from the water. The George Town-Butterworth ferry crisscrosses Penang harbour from early morning till midnight, and the 20-minute trip provides a great opportunity to experience a slice of local life, as well as the views of the city and island. Make sure you go to the far end of the deck when you board to get the best view. I recommend late afternoon when the sun begins to drop behind the island. It’s only about 20p per adult, too.

classman

Scuba diving at Pulau Langkawi

Photograph: Reinhard Dirscherl/Getty Images/WaterFrame RM

Malaysia isn’t as famous for scuba diving as its south-east Asian neighbours but go to the white sand, mangrove-fringed shores of Pulau Langkawi and there is a small but burgeoning diving scene. It’s a great way to see another side to this 104-island archipelago: we saw seahorses, coral and clownfish. The shallow waters make it suitable for beginners (it was my first dive) and the warm climate makes year-round diving possible. Even getting caught in a fishing net and having to be cut free didn’t dampen my spirits! Ex-banker turned scuba instructor Dee and his partner Warda run a great place, Langkawi Scuba.

• langkawi-scuba.com

sbw1988

Indian feasts in George Town

Curries at street food stall in George Town. Photograph: Carlina Teteris/Getty Images

Step into Little India in George Town, Penang, and sample curry the way the locals eat it. There are numerous near-identical eateries, small, with metal chairs, plastic tables and peeling paint but the service is friendly and the food is always delicious. Ask for a dosa and curry and you’ll be given a fresh palm leaf for a plate and a selection of warm, fragrant biryanis and sauces. Get stuck in with your hands, there’s no need for cutlery. If you have the vegetarian option it will set you back less than £2 and you’ll leave feeling stuffed.

tobyalexanderdyke

Guided photography walk, George Town

A market in George Town. Photograph: Alamy

The city has so many alleys, buildings, and historic sites it’s a dream for hobby photographers. I booked a private photography walk of George Town with a US expat photographer, David Hagerman, last summer. He shared his technical expertise on taking amazing photos of food, street food vendors, and market sellers. After a pleasant three-hour walk, we had a workshop about Photoshop software p with photos we had taken that morning. Even though it was our second visit to the city, we were amazed at how much more we discovered with Dave.

• David Hagerman on Facebook

Angela Kim

River lodge, Sabah

Restaurant and sundeck at Sepilok nature resort. Photograph: Alamy

Malaysian Borneo is a wonderful place to explore by boat and on foot. I took a trip based along the Kinabatangan river, staying at the Kinabatangan River Lodge, which the Sepilok Nature Resort arranged. The lodge has 33 chalets on stilts. We saw and heard wildlife including hornbills, proboscis monkeys, snakes, long-tailed macaques and crocodiles. Accommodation is fairly simple but clean.

• sepilok.com

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