Northern Malaysia on D'Bayu Travel

Penang

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

If you only eat your way through one place in Malaysia, make it Penang. The island is small enough to get around easily, but packs in a UNESCO-listed old town, some of the best hawker food in the country, and a hill and beaches for when you’ve had enough of the city.

Langkawi

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Langkawi is an archipelago of around a hundred islands off the coast of Kedah, near the Thai border. The main island is big enough to have plenty to do, but relaxed enough that a day on the beach still feels like an achievement.

Ipoh

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Ipoh used to be a tin-mining boom town, and the wealth from that era left behind a handsome old town of shophouses and colonial buildings. Today it’s a relaxed, slower-paced city that Malaysians mostly visit for one reason: to eat. It’s an easy train ride from Kuala Lumpur, so it works well as a stop on the way to Penang.

Pangkor Island

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Pangkor is a small island off the coast of Perak, and a favourite weekend escape for Malaysian families. It doesn’t have the turquoise water of the east coast islands, but it’s easy to reach, open all year, and refreshingly unpretentious: fishing villages, quiet bays, cheap seafood, and a pace that makes you slow right down.

3 days in Langkawi: an easy itinerary

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Three days is a good amount of time to see the best of Langkawi without rushing. This plan mixes the big sights with plenty of beach time, and assumes you’re staying near Pantai Cenang and renting a car (or using Grab).

Penang food guide: what to eat and where

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Plenty of Malaysians will tell you Penang has the best food in the country, and many of them will drive hours to prove it. The island’s mix of Hokkien, Malay, Indian-Muslim and Nyonya (Peranakan) cooking has produced a long list of famous dishes, almost all served from humble hawker stalls. Here’s how to make the most of it.

3 days in Penang: an easy itinerary

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Three days is a good amount of time for a first trip to Penang. You can see George Town properly, get up Penang Hill, and still have time to eat far too much.