Go somewhere different: the Malaysian island getaways you’ve never heard of

What if we told you some of the most spectacular islands on the planet, all with world-class, inexpensive food, are closer than you think - and most Australians have never set foot on them.

Malaysia isn’t just Kuala Lumpur’s skyline and street food (although, get amongst that too). Off its east and west coasts sits a scatter of islands with the kind of crystal-clear water, powder-white sand and overwater bungalows to rival the Maldives at a fraction of the price, and without needing three flights and a seaplane to get there.

Fly into: Tawau Off the north-east coast of the Malay Peninsula, the Perhentian Islands are actually two islands — Besar (the larger, family-friendly island) and Kecil (smaller, better suited to backpackers) — ringed by coral reef so close to shore you can snorkel straight off the beach and be swimming with blacktip reef sharks and green turtles within minutes. The water is impossibly turquoise and because there’s no road network or big resort chains here, development has stayed deliberately low-key: think beachfront chalets.

Fly into: Kuala Terengganu A bit further south, Redang is a little glossier— part of a marine park with some of the clearest water in South-East Asia and visibility that regularly hits 20 metres-plus. This is where Malaysia’s overwater accommodation starts to properly rival the Maldives: several resorts here have built timber chalets and villas raised on stilts above the lagoon, so you can literally roll out of bed into the water. Redang is also one of the last nesting sites for green and hawksbill turtles in the region, so a night dive or early morning swim can turn into a genuine wildlife encounter.

Fly into: Tawau For those chasing the full overwater-bungalow dream, head across to Sabah on Malaysian Borneo. The islands around Semporna, including Mabul, sit near the world-famous Sipadan reef system, and several properties here have built their entire resort on stilts over the water, some surrounded by nothing but ocean. It’s a longer journey from KL, but it’s the closest thing Malaysia has to the classic Maldives overwater bungalow shot, minus the price tag and the crowds.

AirAsia flies direct from Perth to Kuala Lumpur in around five and a half hours. From KL, it’s typically a short domestic hop to reach island paradise.

Ready to find your own stretch of paradise? AirAsia flies direct from Perth to Kuala Lumpur, with easy onward connections to Malaysia’s east coast islands and Sabah. AirAsia has won the ‘World’s Best Low-Cost Arline’ 16 years running. Visit the website to find out more.