Rentals in Malaysia: Truly Asia

An overseas vacation is an opportunity for us to learn about other countries, their people and their culture. We need to see and appreciate the differences that make us all unique from one another. Staying at vacation rentals does allow you some closer interaction with the locals, but more than that, choosing a holiday rental that reflects their culture and the way they live day by day is a totally unique experience in itself. Traditional Malaysian houses are very open, divided into areas, not rooms. Foreign visitors often find this arrangement somewhat unnerving at first but soon find themselves intrigued and accepting of this Malaysian way of living.
Farmers House, Sunset Valley, Langkawi
Sunset Valley is a small estate of 5 vacation homes, all traditional Malay design, at the foot of Langkawi's highest mountain, Gunung Raya. The estate is surrounded by well maintained tropical gardens and rice paddies. Farmers House is a charming and truly Malay equivalent of a studio that sleeps 4 with a very modern bathroom. In keeping with real Malay design, this traditional rental house is very open. The sleeping area is separated from the rest of the house only by delicate, diaphanous cotton drapes running from the ceiling to the floor. There is a pavilion that doubles as the bar area next to the outdoor swimming pool, which most likely will be your family's favourite hangout.

Hibiscus Villa, Kota Kinabalu

This rental villa has 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and can comfortably house 8. It reflects the evolution of Malaysian interior design to incorporate partitions to create actual rooms instead of just separate living areas. On the outside, the villa still bears all the traditional Malaysian house features like raised flooring and plenty of windows. The 2-acre property on which this rental villa is located used to be a working coconut plantation on the north coast of Sabah. The villa's design is such that it blends perfectly with the natural landscape of Malaysian Borneo. It has spacious and open living and dining spaces. The main feature of this vacation house is the 18-metre infinity pool. Guests can walk through the gardens and be surprised as they emerge into a secluded white sandy beach.

SangRia Langkawi, Pantai Tengah

SangRia Langkawi is a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom holiday villa that sleeps 8. SangRia means “the joyful one” as Sang in Malay means “the one” and Ria means “joy”. It is a unique sanctuary on its very own stretch of unspoiled beach. The house is designed in contemporary Malaysian style, which incorporates the old and the new features of a Malaysian home. For all its seclusion, SangRia is actually quite near shops and restaurants. It is a perfect getaway for families looking to have some quality times together.
Malaysian vacation houses are a study in the merging of cultures and the meeting of the times. Spending your vacations in one of them would be like being caught between the best of both worlds.