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Last year, after booking a honeymoon for clients travelling to the east coast of Malaysia at Tanjong Jara Resort, I was reminded that there are still so many beautiful corners of the country I haven’t explored myself. That spark of inspiration sent me down the rabbit hole researching my own trip and eventually booking five nights at Japamala Resort on Tioman Island. I was already dreaming about fresh coconuts on the beach, plates of char kway teow, snorkelling along the island’s northern coast and lazy afternoons cooling off in a private pool. I knew when I booked it that December falls right in the middle of the northeast monsoon season on Malaysia’s east coast, so there was always a chance the weather might have other plans. And unfortunately, this time it did. The monsoon rolled in with some serious energy and when the ferry to the island was cancelled the day before I was due to fly out, it was time to pivot.

Luckily, as a travel agent who specialises in custom itineraries across Malaysia, Singapore and Southeast Asia, I’m very used to thinking on my feet when plans change. Rather than risk getting stranded or missing the island altogether, I quickly reworked the trip and redirected myself to the west coast of Malaysia. It turned out to be a great reminder of just how diverse weather patterns across Asia can be. While the east coast was dealing with monsoon conditions, the west coast was delivering hot, sunny days and perfect exploring weather. Sometimes the difference between rain and sunshine really is just being in the right part of the region at the right time.

I did get my coconuts.

Why Singapore Is the Perfect Stopover City

If you’re travelling to or from Malaysia, adding a stopover in Singapore is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to break up the journey. The city is compact, incredibly safe and packed with world class food, architecture and green spaces. It’s also one of the easiest cities in Asia to navigate, which makes it ideal for a short two or three night stay before a long flight home.

Staying somewhere central like PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering makes exploring effortless (I’ve always wanted to stay here and finally ticked it off).

The hotel’s “hotel in a garden” design is genuinely impressive, with cascading greenery wrapped around the building, and the rooftop infinity pool was the perfect place to cool off after a humid day exploring the city. From here you can easily walk to neighbourhoods like Chinatown Singapore, Clarke Quay and the Singapore River. For me, a couple of days here was the perfect way to wind down after exploring Malaysia before heading back home to Melbourne, Australia.

Dreaming of your next escape to Singapore and want to learn more, check out my guide to stopovers in Singapore.

Best Time to Visit Malaysia (East Coast vs West Coast)

Malaysia is one of those destinations where the weather can vary dramatically depending on which coast you’re on. The east coast islands like Tioman Island, Redang Island and the Perhentian Islands experience the northeast monsoon roughly from November to February. During this time the seas can become rough, ferries may be cancelled, and many island resorts temporarily close for the season.

Meanwhile, the west coast of Malaysia, including destinations like Penang, Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur, often experiences much calmer and sunnier conditions during the same months. It’s one of the reasons thoughtful itinerary planning is so important when travelling through Southeast Asia. With the right timing, or a flexible backup plan, it’s often possible to simply follow the sunshine.

If you’ve never been to Malaysia and not really sure where to start, check out this beginners guide to Malaysia.

As always, if you’re wanting a safe and trustable currency card while you’re travelling, you can’t go past Wise, one account for all the money in the world.