A favourite island in Malaysia, Penang offers something for all and as a holiday destination, excellent value. Batu Ferringhi on the north coast is where most visitors head, with a range of resorts to suit all budgets complemented by an array of watersports on offer. Spend your days soaking up the rays on the beach, treating yourself to a spa treatment, learning how to windsurf and haggling for bargains at the night market.

Make sure you visit Georgetown at least once. The hub of island life, this World Heritage Site city is crammed with exquisite Buddhist temples, colonial architecture, old merchants’ houses, traditional Chinese shops and air-conditioned shopping malls. It’s hot there so take in the sights from the comfort of a cycle rickshaw. Join the locals at the waterside and watch your food being cooked in front of you at the Esplanade Hawker Centre. Round off the day with a nightcap on the veranda of the lovely old Eastern & Oriental Hotel.