A BIG part of travelling is immersing yourself in the local culture and history of your chosen destination. Understand the place’s heritage by connecting with its people and discovering what’s in its past that shaped its present, and future.
One of the best ways to gain an insightful experience is by participating in a heritage walk. You can choose to do a self-guided walking tour or hire a knowledgeable guide for better clarity.
Here’s a glimpse of what you may expect in each state in Malaysia.
Perlis
Masjid Alwi is a good place to begin your heritage walk in Kangar, Perlis. Gazetted as a National Heritage site in 2018, it is one of the state capital’s oldest mosques, with an elegant facade featuring Mughal architecture.
From there, make your way to the Kangar Street Art 2.0 located nearby. It is a colourful collection of murals themed “Colours of Perlis”, where walls come alive with stories of the state’s heritage.
Less than 1km away is the “Big Clock Building”, a colonial-era monument gazetted as a National Heritage site in 2011.
Kedah
As many of Kedah’s heritage buildings are clustered in its capital city, Alor Setar, you can easily do a self-guided walking tour here. Start from the Alor Setar Tower. Enjoy the panoramic views from the observation deck of the 165.5m-tall skyscraper before heading to other attractions like Balai Besar, Kedah Royal Museum and Zahir Mosque.
A 15-minute walk from the mosque will lead to Rumah Merdeka – the house of Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj.
Penang
Here’s a fun way to explore Penang’s capital city: The George Town Heritage Walk is held annually to commemorate the city being inscribed (jointly with Melaka) on the Unesco World Heritage Site List in 2008.
From the Clan Jetties and Fort Cornwallis to the Kapitan Keling Mosque, you can also wander the streets on your own.
If you prefer having a guide, you can either wait for the city to resume its free George Town Walkabout Tour (halted since the pandemic) or go for paid options by organisations like Penang Heritage Trust and Penang Hidden Gems.
Perak
With Ipoh Heritage Trail plaques clearly identifying significant sites around Perak’s capital city, you’ll have no issue going on a self-guided heritage walk.
Start at the Ipoh Railway Station, a colonial-era building that remains an important landmark to this day. Right across is the Town Hall. Now an event venue, it once housed the district police headquarters, post office and administrative offices.
Along the trail, discover Masjid India Muslim, the old Chartered Bank, the Birch Memorial Clock Tower, and the Han Chin Pet Soo museum, which tells of Ipoh’s tin mining days.
Kelantan
Spend a day walking around Kelantan’s capital, Kota Baru. Visit Gelanggang Seni to watch traditional cultural shows like silat and wayang kulit.
Then, take a short walk to the Kelantan State Museum to learn more about the state’s cultures and tradition. Some 750m from the museum is Bulatan Tuan Padang, a historical landmark featuring a clock tower.
Walk for 10 minutes to reach Muzium Diraja Istana Batu, which is also within walking distance of Istana Jahar.
Terengganu
Start your heritage tour in the capital city, Kuala Terengganu, at Pasar Payang. You can get songket as a souvenir; the traditional handwoven fabric was inscribed on Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2021.
Next, admire the grand architecture of Istana Maziah, then take a stroll along the Terengganu River to spots like Turtle Alley and the iconic Chinatown entrance arch.
Continue to Rumah Warisan Haji Su at Kampung Losong to admire traditional Malay architecture. Another half an hour or so walk will take you to the not-to-be-missed Terengganu State Museum.
Pahang
The “old town” of Kuala Lipis is a good starting point for a heritage walk through the former capital of Pahang.
Start your journey at the “0 KM” marker, located next to the post office, which is a heritage building dating back to 1910.
The neighbouring Kuala Lipis Information Square is a small park where you can find a map of the town’s heritage buildings. Among these are the Old State Mosque (built in 1888) and the Thean Hou Temple (1898).
Johor
Named after an influential merchant, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Baru, the capital of Johor, was declared a “heritage street” in 2009. Check out the stunning pre-war architecture as you stroll along the way.
A short walk from there will take you to Jalan Trus, where Sin Keng Wah Kedai Tilam has stood for eight decades; it is still making kapok-stuffed mattresses and pillows.
Located on the same street is the century-old Johor Ancient Temple, built by a group led by Tan himself.
Melaka
Following the heritage trail in Melaka is simple enough, as boards displaying information on its places of interest are found throughout the Unesco World Heritage City.
They are even illustrated in a 3D view map, so you can visualise where each attraction is. Museums, temples, towers and churches are among the places included on the heritage trail.
Some of the most visited places are The Stadthuys, St Paul’s Church, Menara Taming Sari, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Kampung Kling Mosque and Maritime Museum.
Negri Sembilan
The Seremban Heritage Trail, mapped by the Seremban City Council, is a self-guided walk through 20 landmarks or so.
From the Seremban Railway Station, which was unveiled in the early 1900s, head to the Tuanku Ja’afar Royal Gallery to learn about the royal institution.
Visit the city’s oldest church, the Church of the Visitation, built in the 1880s. Tucked along Campbell Road is the Legal Advisor Building, bearing a neoclassica style facade.
Of course, visit the Seremban Jamek Mosque too, recognised as a heritage building under the National Heritage Act 2005.
Kuala Lumpur
To learn more about Malaysia’s capital city, join the Chinatown Cultural Walk, part of the Free Walk Kuala Lumpur Unscripted series led by local guides. Find out about KL’s heritage through the two-hour tour, which is a gratuity-based walk that operates several days a week.
Stroll through restored shophouses at Kwai Chai Hong, discover traditional trades like tea roasting at Petaling Street, and visit significant landmarks including Sri Mahamariamman Temple and the Gurdwara Sahib Polis.
Selangor
There are two types of Selangor Heritage Walk you can join. One is the Royal Klang Heritage Town Walk, which includes 11 attractions, starting from Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery. The other is the Kajang Heritage Walk.
Begin at the Kajang Heritage Centre, home to artefacts and tales of the town’s tin mining and rubber days. Other attractions include Shen Sze She Yar Temple, Kajang’s first Chinese worship place, and the nearly century-old Kedai Runcit Soon Fatt, known for traditional biscuits.
Since this is also Malaysia’s “satay town”, be sure to indulge in some Kajang satay, which was recently officially declared a “Selangor State Heritage Food”.
Sabah
Join the Free Heritage Walking Tour in Kota Kinabalu that’s held every Wednesday in English (a Mandarin-speaking guide leads the walk on Saturday). This is a joint effort by Sabah Tourism Board and Sabah Tourist Guides Association and covers sites like Australia Place, Atkinson Clock Tower and Malaysia Monument.
You can also explore Sabah’s second biggest city, Sandakan, by following the Sandakan Heritage Trail. It goes through places like Masjid Jamik, Agnes Keith House, St Michael’s and All Angels Church, Kun Yam Temple, and Malaysia Fountain.
Sarawak
The Sarawak Heritage Society, in collaboration with several local organisations, has produced a handy trail map of Kuching’s historical precinct.
You can grab a copy of this map at the Sarawak Tourism Complex, housed in the Old Kuching Courthouse, a colonial- era building that has stood in Sarawak’s capital since 1868. Nearby heritage sites include the Brooke Memorial, the Round Tower, and the Japanese Building.
Walk along the riverfront to reach other heritage sites like the Chinese History Museum and Tua Pek Kong Temple.
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