Best of Malaysia & Singapore — Self-Launched
8 days · Malaysia & Singapore
Contiki charges £945
No-markup version: ~£576 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of Contiki's Langkawi–Penang–Kuala Lumpur–Singapore run. Same route, same highlights — Langkawi's beaches, Georgetown's street art and temples, the Batu Caves, Ipoh's cafe scene, KL's night markets and a finale in Singapore — but on public transport and in hostels/guesthouses instead of a guided coach group. Everything is independently bookable: ferries and AirAsia flights, KTM/ETS trains, Grab rides, and self-guided or small-group day tours via GetYourGuide or Klook. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive Langkawi — settle into Pantai Cenang
Langkawi, Malaysia
Fly into Langkawi International Airport (LGK) and take a Grab (~£3-4) or the local taxi counter to Pantai Cenang, the island's backpacker hub. Check into a beachside guesthouse or hostel, then spend the afternoon on Cenang Beach and wander the strip for dinner — cheap seafood, nasi campur or a roti canai supper. Pick up a local SIM (Hotlink/Digi, ~£5 for a week of data) if you haven't already. Book tomorrow's island-hopping or cable car tickets tonight via Klook for slight discounts.
🚌Grab or airport taxi from LGK to Pantai Cenang (~£4)
🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in Pantai Cenang (dorm ~£10-14, private ~£20-25)
- →Cenang Beach sunset
- →Pantai Cenang night market food stalls
- →Buy local SIM card
Langkawi island hopping & Sky Bridge
Langkawi, Malaysia
Join a shared island-hopping boat trip (Book via Klook or any Cenang agent, ~£14-18) covering Dayang Bunting lake, eagle feeding and Beras Basah beach — morning departure, back mid-afternoon. Alternatively head north to the Oriental Village for the SkyCab cable car and Sky Bridge (~£12-15) with big views over the archipelago. In the evening, swap Contiki's catamaran dinner cruise for a much cheaper sunset drink on Cenang beach or a mangrove firefly tour (~£18) if you want the evening activity.
🚌Local Grab rides (~£4 total)
🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in Pantai Cenang
- →Shared island-hopping boat tour
- →Langkawi SkyCab & Sky Bridge (optional)
- →Beach sunset / optional mangrove firefly tour
Langkawi to Penang — Georgetown street art & temples
Penang, Malaysia
Fly Langkawi to Penang on AirAsia or Firefly (booked 6-8 weeks ahead, ~£25-35, flight time 40 min) — far faster and often cheaper than the ferry-plus-bus combo. From Penang airport take Rapid Penang bus 401/401E (~£0.50) or a Grab (~£5) to Georgetown and check into a heritage guesthouse near Lebuh Chulia or Love Lane. Spend the afternoon on a self-guided Georgetown walk: Kek Lok Si or Wat Chayamangkalaram temple, Clan Jetties, and the famous street-art murals along Armenian Street (download the free Penang street art map). Dinner at a hawker centre — Gurney Drive or New Lane — for char kway teow and laksa for under £4.
🚌AirAsia/Firefly flight LGK–PEN (~£30) + Rapid Penang bus (~£0.50)
🛏Heritage guesthouse in Georgetown (dorm ~£10-12, private ~£22-28)
- →Self-guided Georgetown street art walk
- →Kek Lok Si / Thai & Burmese temples
- →Clan Jetties
- →Hawker centre dinner
Penang — Penang Hill, Balik Pulau & food crawl
Penang, Malaysia
Morning ride the Penang Hill funicular (~£6 return) for cooler air and views, then walk the habitat trail at the top. In the afternoon either rent a scooter (~£10/day) or Grab out to Balik Pulau for the countryside, nutmeg farms and quiet roads — the ATV option from the Contiki trip can be booked direct with local operators (~£25) if you fancy it. Evening: do a DIY food crawl through Lebuh Chulia and Kimberley Street — assam laksa, cendol, oyster omelette — budget ~£8 for a very full evening.
🚌Grab rides / scooter rental (~£12)
🛏Heritage guesthouse in Georgetown
- →Penang Hill funicular & habitat trail
- →Balik Pulau countryside (scooter or Grab)
- →Optional ATV tour
- →Georgetown food crawl
Penang → Ipoh → Kuala Lumpur via ETS train
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Take the morning ETS electric train from Butterworth (short ferry from Georgetown, ~£0.30) to Ipoh (~2 hrs, ~£7-9 booked on the KTM app). Store your bag at Ipoh station and spend 4 hours on the heritage trail: Concubine Lane street art, the old town's colonial shophouses, and a boutique-cafe coffee break (~£4). Mid-afternoon, continue by ETS to KL Sentral (~2.5 hrs, ~£9-12), then Grab to your guesthouse near Chow Kit or Bukit Bintang. In the evening visit the Batu Caves yourself — KTM Komuter from KL Sentral (~£0.50, 30 min) — far cheaper than the $27 guided tour Contiki sells as optional; go around 5-6pm to avoid the heat.
🚌ETS train Butterworth–Ipoh–KL Sentral (~£18) + KTM Komuter to Batu Caves (~£0.50) + Grabs (~£4)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Chow Kit or Bukit Bintang, KL (dorm ~£9-12, private ~£22-30)
- →Ipoh heritage trail & Concubine Lane
- →Ipoh boutique cafe stop
- →Self-guided Batu Caves by KTM Komuter
Kuala Lumpur — city highlights & night market
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Do the KL highlights on foot and by LRT/MRT (~£4 day of rides): Merdeka Square, Masjid Jamek, the Central Market, then up to KLCC for the Petronas Towers and KLCC Park. Skip the paid observation deck if budget is tight — the free SkyBar/Troika views work fine. Afternoon: a self-guided wander through Chinatown's Petaling Street and a look at Thean Hou temple. In the evening, DIY the night-market experience: Jalan Alor for a huge street-food dinner (~£6), or book the Vespa food tour direct (~£35) if you want the Contiki optional version.
🚌LRT/MRT day of rides (~£4)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in KL
- →Merdeka Square & Masjid Jamek
- →Petronas Towers & KLCC Park
- →Petaling Street Chinatown
- →Jalan Alor night market dinner
Kuala Lumpur → Singapore by bus
Singapore
Take the direct KL–Singapore coach (Aeroline, Billion Stars or KKKL; book via Easybook ~£15-20, 5-6 hrs from TBS terminal or KL Sentral) or the cheaper AirAsia flight (~£25-40) if you're short on time. Cross the Causeway at Tuas/Woodlands and arrive in Singapore early evening. Check into a hostel in Bugis/Little India (~£18-25 dorm) — Singapore accommodation is the biggest cost of this leg. Evening: free Marina Bay walk — Merlion Park, the Helix Bridge and the free Spectra light show at Marina Bay Sands (8pm/9pm). Dinner in a hawker centre like Maxwell or Lau Pa Sat for ~£5.
🚌Express coach KL–Singapore (~£18) + MRT (~£2)
🛏Hostel dorm in Bugis/Little India, Singapore (~£20)
- →KL–Singapore express coach
- →Marina Bay & Merlion Park at night
- →Spectra light show (free)
- →Maxwell/Lau Pa Sat hawker dinner
Singapore — Gardens, Kampong Glam & departure
Singapore
Morning free at Gardens by the Bay (the outdoor gardens and Supertree Grove are free; the Flower Dome/Cloud Forest combo is ~£20 on Klook). Then wander Kampong Glam — Sultan Mosque, Haji Lane murals and indie shops — and Little India for a cheap banana-leaf lunch (~£5). If time allows, the Botanic Gardens (free, UNESCO-listed) is a short MRT ride away. Head to Changi Airport by MRT (~£1) for your onward flight — if you have hours to spare, the Jewel Rain Vortex and the free airport gardens are worth arriving early for.
🚌MRT rides (~£3) to Changi Airport
🛏—
- →Gardens by the Bay (free outdoor gardens; optional domes)
- →Kampong Glam & Haji Lane
- →Little India lunch
- →Jewel Changi Rain Vortex
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£576 | £945 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £369 per person (39%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£576
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Malaysia & Singapore — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £576 per person for 8 days in Malaysia & Singapore. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £945 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £576 — a saving of roughly £369 (39%) per person.
How long is the Malaysia & Singapore trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Malaysia & Singapore.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, beaches, foodie trip through Malaysia & Singapore, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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