An urban jungle, highland forests and sprawling tea plantations: Why you must explore the many contrasts of Malaysia

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When the weather is turning cold and shops are stocking up on mince pies, there's nothing quite like heading off on a sunny holiday.

My boyfriend and I were swapping the gloom of London for ten days sampling the many contrasts of Malaysia – from the urban jungle of Kuala Lumpur to highland forests and the palm-fringed beaches of Penang Island.

But first, there was a 14-hour flight to get through. I'm a nervous traveller at the best of times, so I admit I was a little uneasy as I boarded the Malaysia Airlines plane for our epic trip.

From the urban jungle of Kuala Lumpur to the highland forests and palm-lined beaches, Josephine explored Malaysia's many sights over 10 days. Pictured: Josephine at Iskandar Falls

Malaysian tourism was hit hard by the two air disasters last year, and officials admitted that the disappearance of flight MH370 and the shooting down of MH17 plunged the industry into 'crisis'. 

But the country has rebounded rapidly, with a 1.7million increase in foreign visitors in 2014, paying testament to just how much the nation has to offer.

As for my flight, it went without a hitch. Our plane was clean and modern with friendly staff – I even managed to get some sleep.

We landed and took a taxi into downtown Kuala Lumpur, a forest of skyscrapers dominated by the 452m Petronas Towers. For a stomach-churning thrill, walk across the glass bridge that connects the towers 170m up, or simply enjoy the spectacular scene from the 86th floor.

The view of the Petronas towers from Josephine's room at Traders Hotel (left) and Batu Ferringhi Beach, in Penang (right)

Just across the City Centre park was Traders, our friendly, luxurious hotel. Many rooms have stunning views, while the top-floor SkyBar boasts unrivalled people-watching and even a pool during daylight hours, where we opted for a lazy swim to shake off the jetlag.

Then it was off to the shops – KL is the place to buy in Malaysia, whether it's in a huge designer mall, the raucous stalls of Petaling Street in China Town, or the eccentric aisles of the Central Market, where we picked up bright batik shirts and wished we had room in our suitcases for the Indian crafts. 

Be ready to haggle; the bargaining is generally relaxed and friendly.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: The tea room at the Cameron Highlands Resort was every bit as festive as it was elegant

From high tea at the Cameron Highlands Resort (left) to a tasting at the BOH Sungei Palas tea plantation (right), Josephine tried them all

There's plenty to see along the stalls of Petaling Street, which is located in Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown district

The population here is less than two-thirds ethnic Malay, with large communities descended from waves of Chinese and Indian settlers. Each group has made its mark on the national culture and the wide range of cuisines.

We tried tasty laksa, a noodle soup, and rich beef rendang stew at Old China Café, which serves up Malay and Chinese fusion in an atmospheric old guildhall building – but there's also brilliant international food, like Fuego, a Mexican restaurant where a dedicated guacamole chef offered to mix us a batch containing anything from salmon roe to sundried tomatoes.

On Jalan Alor, the huge numbers of food stalls see a constant throng of people, who move against a tide of competing hawkers, entertainers and beggars while hot and spicy smells fill the air. 

As we tucked in to our spread of squid and the local specialty 'chicken fish' – a meaty, flavourful fish – it started to rain. Crops of enormous umbrellas blossomed instantly among the plastic tables, hefted by the suddenly purposeful waiters.

From clothing to food, you can find nearly anything on Petaling Street - but be prepared for some (good natured) haggling

Certainly not for those with a weak stomach! Chicken fish are on display at the street food stalls of Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Since we had arrived during rainy season – November to March – there were daily downpours, although they didn't last long. The best place we found to wait out the rain was the world-class Islamic Arts Museum, home to an astonishing collection of artefacts – from Egyptian tents to Indian enamelware and ancient, intricately decorated Qurans.

After three days, we set off on the winding drive into the cooler highlands, stopping to rest at Lata Iskandar waterfall, where locals swam and tourists edged as close as they dared to the cascade. 

Our destination was the Cameron Highlands Resort, an oasis whose wooden floors, elegant furniture and draped four-poster beds recall the Victorian colonial outpost it once was. We settled in, then decided to explore the surrounding jungle. 

The resort's naturalist Madi, a passionate conservationist, pointed out how busy Lizzie and begonia plants introduced by British settlers in the 19th century now grow alongside native orchids and liana vines, with the tracks of civet cats and wild boar woven through them.

The BOH Sungei Palas tea plantation in the Cameron Highlands was another stop on Josephine's Malaysia itinerary

The Colonial facade of the Cameron Highlands Resort is as gorgeous as the wooden floors, elegant furniture and draped four-poster beds inside

Khoo Kongsi, a Chinese clan house in George Town, Penang, is an ornate structure erected in the 1850s

Inside, the shrine in the Khoo Kongsi is where clan members' achievement are recorded to this day on golden tablets

The British also brought tea bushes, founding plantations that blanket the steep green slopes of the mountains. The next day we went to a tasting at the BOH Sungei Palas factory – and what we learned made us appreciate our cuppa all the more when we returned to the resort's wood-panelled drawing room for a high tea of tiny scones and cakes, another flourishing British import.

To see quite a different aspect of Malaysian history, we visited the nearby town of Tanah Rata. The newly opened Mah Meri gallery – hidden away above a souvenir shop – is filled with traditional mangrove-wood carvings, created by indigenous tribes for use in sacred rituals. The exquisite, powerful figures each represent an ancestral spirit.

Having worked up an appetite, it was time to try the local 'steamboat', or hot pot. Our meal at the resort's Gonbei restaurant consisted of huge plates of raw meat, fish and dumplings, which we cooked ourselves in steaming, spicy broth.

While in Malaysia, Josephine and her boyfriend were keen to try the local specialities. Here, they ate squid and laksa at stalls in Penang

In the BOH Sungei Palas tea plantation in the Cameron Highlands, you can see the tea bushes that the British brought over 

Chew Jetty is a floating village where families still live in wooden houses built on stilts - and where plenty of local goods can be bought

Carving and masks representing ancestral spirits at the Mah Meri museum in Tanah Rata. They were created by indigenous tribes for use in sacred rituals

Simply stunning! Josephine also took in the views at Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang, from the gardens of the Rasa Sayang Resort

Our final stop was Penang, around half an hour's flight from Kuala Lumpur - another smooth journey with Malaysia Airlines. The island is home to the Unesco heritage site of George Town, and nowhere is Malaysia's unique blend of cultures so apparent as in the city's colonial architecture, Chinese temples, and bustling Little India neighborhood.

We strolled along the crowded wooden clan jetties – villages on stilts over the harbour where you can buy anything from an ice cream to a potted jungle plant – before touring the Khoo Kongsi, an ornate community building erected by a Chinese clan in the 1850s, and the gorgeous Blue Mansion built by Cheong Fatt Tze, a cowherd who rose to become 'the Rockefeller of the East'.

As evening falls, George Town fills up with food vendors, whose stalls cluster most thickly along Gurney Drive. We drank fresh pineapple juice and ate the glutinous rice noodles, chee cheong fun, along with giant spring rolls and stir-fried char way teow. In Little India, vegetarian restaurants offer huge mixed thali dishes for less than a pound – one was enough for us to share.

Then, in search of relaxation, we retreated to the Rasa Sayang Resort on the north-west coast. In its 30 acres of grounds, we hid from the heat of the day under the century-old rain trees that line the beach. Following an active holiday, it was the perfect way to wind down. 

After all, we'd be needing our strength for the build-up to Christmas!