KUALA LUMPUR TO BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN GRAND TOUR

In six weeks, you could visit Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, with time for some adventurous activities. Kick off in Kuala Lumpur where four days should be enough to acclimatise and see the sights. Next, cool off in Cameron Highlands, then warm up again on the beahes of Langkawi.

Take a rattling bus across the mountainous spine of the peninsula to Kota Bharu, one of the best places in the country to encounter traditional Malay culture. Island and beach-hop down the east coast, pausing at Pulau Perhentian, Cherating and Pulau Tioman, among many other options. Swing inland for a week to explore Malaysia's largest national park, Taman Negara, then return to the west coast to historic Melaka.

From here you can head straight to Singapore for a week of shopping, museum viewing and world-class eating.

Fly across to Kuching and use it as your base for a longhouse excursion or for arranging a trek in the Gunung Mulu National Park.

Your next challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to climb Mt Kinabalu. Finish up in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of oil-rich Brunei. Embrace the go ahead capital in Kuala Lumpur,discover the Chinese and colonial heritage in Penang Georgetown, cool down, walk and take tea in Cameron Highlands's verdant hill station, snorkel and dive around these two blissful white sand fringed islands of Pulau Perhentian, go trekking in Malaysia's premier national park of Taman Negara and many more activities.

The Grand Tour covers 5000km, taking in the key attractions of Malaysia with stopovers in Singapore and Brunei. A full two months would allow a more leisurely pace.