LUXURY Private day tour: Kuala Lumpur & Malacca from Singapore by licensed guide

Begin with an early morning pickup at your Singapore hotel. 2 of our trained staff (1 licensed guide and 1 separate driver) will meet you at the hotel driveway to check your documents before escorting you through immigration via the drive-through border (no standing-in-line). After clearing immigration, relax into the comfortable seats of your private, air-conditioned minivan to enjoy the 3-hour chauffeured drive to Malacca - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once the country’s busiest trading port. Use the onboard WIFI if you wish while enjoying a complimentary packed breakfast box.

En-route, listen to the detailed deforestation commentary by your professional local English-speaking guide (100% licensed with university qualifications) as you pass by the massive palm oil plantations at Malacca Jasin village. Do you know that this tour is both a Viator Badge Of Excellence accredited tour, and a sustainable carbon-neutral tour? After every tour, 1 tree will be planted in damaged Malaysian Borneo rainforests to offset the tour carbon footprint, as well as to preserve the natural habitat of the endangered Orangutan species.

Upon arrival in Malacca, hop onboard a scenic river cruise that will sail you into the heart of UNESCO Malacca. Spanning 10-kilometer, Malacca river was once dubbed the "Venice of the East" by European seafarers as it was a prominent port of entry for traders from Europe and Asia during the late 16th century.

During the river cruise, you will see this historical village which is named after a British land revenue collector during the British Malaya, Frederick Joseph Morten. It houses more than 100 traditional Malay houses, many of them built without the use of any nails.

During the river cruise, you will see many beautiful bridges, of which this bridge is most prominent as it is seemingly modelled after the Rialto Bridge of Venice.

During the river cruise, you will see this twin-spired neo-gothic leaning structure that was built in 1849, in honour of St. Francis Xavier, a prominent 16th-century Catholic missionary also known as the "Apostle of the East".

Disembarking the river cruise, you will set foot upon Dutch Square. Dutch Square is distinguished by a group of bright, terracotta-red colonial Dutch buildings, built between 1650 and 1750, with louvered windows and chunky doors with wrought iron hinges.

In the midst of the Dutch Square is a beautiful fountain - Queen Victoria's Fountain. It is an ornate Victorian marble addition, erected in 1904 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

Also in the midst of Dutch Square is the Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower. It was built by a wealthy Straits Chinese family in 1886 in honour of Tan Beng Swee, a rich Chinese merchant.

Facing the clock tower is Christ Church, it was built as a place of worship by the Dutch in 1753, about a century after they took over Malacca from the Portuguese. When the British occupied Malacca, it was turned into an Anglican church with a weathercock and bell added to show the direction of the wind.

While ascending to St. Paul's Hill, from a vantage point, you can see a replica of the old Middleburg Bastion. After conquering Malacca in 1641, the Dutch constructed the bastion which is strategically located at the mouth of Malacca River to strengthen the existing city defence left behind by the Portuguese.

While ascending to St. Paul's Hill, from a vantage point, you can see the famous Flora De La Mar, which can be translated as Flower Of The Sea in English. Situated near the mouth of the Malacca River, this is the site of a replica of the Portuguese ship that sank off the coast of Malacca on its return trip to Portugal in late 1511, carrying with it treasures from Malacca.

At the top of St. Paul's Hill sits the iconic statue of St. Francis Xavier next to the famous St. Paul’s Church. Plenty of engraved Dutch tombstones are laid against the walls of this roofless church, originally built in 1521. From the church, you can take in breathtaking views of the Straits Of Malacca.

A short walk down from St. Paul's Church leads to the overgrown remains of the Dutch Graveyard. It was originally used as a Dutch graveyard in the late 17th-century when the VOC (Dutch East India Company) was still in control. The graveyard was also used by British while they were in Malacca.

Walking down from the Dutch graveyard, you will arrive at A Famosa Fort, which is the oldest surviving structure in South East Asia. It was built in 1511 using laterite stones by Alfonso de Albuquerque, the man who led the Portuguese invasion into Malacca. The fort used to surround the whole St. Paul's Hill. However, what remains of the fort now is just a gate.

From A Famosa Fort, you will have a vantage view of a replica of the old Malacca Sultanate Palace. The building is a modern reconstruction of the palace of the Malacca Sultanate, which was founded by King Parameswara in the 1400s.

From A Famosa Fort, you will have a vantage view of Proclamation Of Independence Memorial. The building used to house the Malacca Club - a meeting place for members of the British colonial society to socialise. The building was later converted into a memorial in 1985 to commemorate Malaysia's independence from the British.

5 minutes drive from A Famosa Fort is the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. Dedicated to Kuan Yin - the Goddess of Mercy, the temple is known as the Merciful Cloud Temple. Built in 1673, it is the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia.

About 90 minutes from Malacca, you will stop for a brief lunch at a popular table-service cafe before continuing on to Batu Caves. The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old. Batu Caves was founded by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian trader in 1891, as a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. A 42.7-metre high gold-painted statue of Lord Murugan was unveiled in January 2006, having taken 3 years to construct. It is one of the tallest Lord Murugan statue in the world.

20 minutes drive from Batu Caves is the Istana Negara (National Palace). It is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the monarch of Malaysia. The palace complex has an area of 97.65 hectares, 22 domes, and is split into three main portions: the Formal Component, Royal Component and Administration Component. Guests may take photos and walk around on foot at the designated public areas.

Next stop after the National Palace is the famous National Monument, locally known as Tugu Negara. It is a historic bronze sculpture that pays tribute to those who died in combat during Malaysia’s battle for freedom against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency from 1948 till 1960. It serves as a remembrance of the bravery, courage and unity of the fighters who laid down their lives for Malaysia’s independence. The statue has earned its place in the book of records as the tallest freestanding group of bronze sculptures at 15-meter high.

Located near the Tugu Negara is the Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka). This is the historical place where the Union flag was lowered and the national flag was raised for the very first time at the stroke of midnight of 31st August 1957.

From the Independence Square, you will have a vantage view of the Sultan Abdul Samad building, which is among Kuala Lumpur’s earliest Moorish-style buildings. It was built in 1897 and was named after the reigning sultan of Selangor at the time. The distinguished landmark originally served as the offices for the colonial British administration and thereafter the superior courts of Malaysia.

From the Independence Square, you will have a vantage view of the Royal Selangor Club. The club was founded in 1884 and originally served as a meeting place for high ranked and educated members of the British colonial society. Selangor is the name of the state in which the capital - Kuala Lumpur is located.

From the Independence Square, you will have a vantage view of the Independence Tower, locally known as Merdeka 118. Topped with a massive 160-meter spire, the tower is still under construction. When completed in end 2022/early 2023, it will be the world's second-tallest structure, surpassing the Tokyo Skytree at 634 meters.

From the Independence Square, you will have a vantage view of Dayabumi Complex. Built in 1984, it was one of the city’s earliest skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur to incorporate principles of Islamic design into its architecture.

From the Independence Square, you will have a vantage view of the famous Jabatan Kerja Raya (Public Works Department) building. The façade was made from 6,248 distinctive low-emission triangular glass pieces of semi-unitised triple glazing system, which were installed at customised angles to form a dynamic skin that reduces the intensity of sunlight throughout the day. This substantially reduces heat gain on the glass surface and internal air-conditioning load.

10 minutes drive from the Independence Square is the Menara Kuala Lumpur, also known as the KL (Television) Tower. It is a 421-meter tower primarily used for telecommunications, sitting on a 94-meter hill affectionately known as Bukit Nanas to the locals. Guests will be able to take photos with the iconic "I love KL Tower" sign here with the tower as the backdrop. Note: Petronas Twin Towers skybridge is closed for Covid-19 sanitisation every Monday. Hence, guests who are travelling on Mondays will visit Kuala Lumpur (KL) Tower observation deck instead (with similar city views).

10 minutes drive from KL Tower, your guide will bring you into the Petronas Twin Towers. The Petronas Twin Towers are currently the world’s tallest twin structures. The 88-storey buildings are joined at the 41st and 42nd floors by a 58m double-deck Sky Bridge. You will get to visit the Sky Bridge on the 41st floor, as well as the Observation Deck on the 86th floor, accompanied by a Petronas in-house security escort. Note: Petronas Twin Towers skybridge is closed for Covid-19 sanitisation every Monday. Hence, guests who are travelling on Mondays will visit Kuala Lumpur (KL) Tower observation deck instead (with similar city views).

Leaving the KL Tower downtown area, many drivers prefer to get back into the expressway using the SMART Tunnel. SMART is an acronym for Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel, a project initiated to alleviate the flooding problem and traffic congestion at the city centre. In 2011, the tunnel received the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award.

Located 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur is the Malaysia Prime Minister Office (Perdana Putra Building) It is located on a 50-metre high hill overlooking the city. The Perdana Putra Building is finished in natural stone with a green dome.

Located near the Malaysia's Prime Minister Office is the Putra Mosque. Famed for its pink-granite domes, the mosque was completed in 1999 and named after the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tungku Abdul Rahman Putra.

Located near Putra Mosque is the Palace of Justice, which houses the Federal Courts and Courts of Appeal. Relocated from Sultan Abdul Samad Building in 2003, the Palace Of Justice is also built with classical Islamic architecture.

After taking photos at the Palace Of Justice, you will then head back south towards Singapore. You will stop for a brief dinner at another popular table-service cafe near Pagoh, about midway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

After dinner near Pagoh, you will again be escorted through immigration via the drive-through border (no standing-in-line), before your tour finishes with a hotel drop-off.