The best beach resorts near Kuala Lumpur for a city escape

The Kasturi, situated at Chendor Beach on the east coast, feels fantastically tucked away, only a three-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. Designed by iconic architect Hijjas Kasturi and owned and operated by the Kasturi family, the resort is laid out over 15 acres with chalets and villas, each with a private pool looking out over the beach to the sea. Behind, the main building is backed by forest. It's where the lobby, restaurant, bar and lounge, fitness facilities and spa, meeting room, and pool are found, along with six suites for those who prefer to be closer to the facilities. 

Must-visit: The resort’s on-site turtle hatchery is an environmental conservation centre where the eggs of endangered sea turtles are incubated until they hatch. If the time is right, guests and other visitors may witness and participate in the ritual of releasing baby hatchlings into the sea.

Selamat datang, as they say, to Tanjong Jara Resort, a sanctuary on the east coast facing a crescent-shaped beach of golden sand. It’s anchored in sucimurni, an ancient Malay way of life: from architectural elegance inspired by 17th-century Malay palaces to attitude, always warm and welcoming.

If you’re up for it, there is much to do — a hike to one of the highest waterfalls in the region, diving at Tenggol Island, a visit to the turtle hatchery — but if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be poolside at one of the two pools at the resort or lounging at a beachside cabana, in between massages at the spa and meals at the three on-site restaurants and bars. Tip: Residents of Malaysia are eligible to book the Residents’ Package, which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two guests, from RM799 per night. A steal!

It’s a three- or four-hour drive to the resort’s office, followed by a speedboat transfer. Still, it’s well worth the effort: you’ll be rewarded with a stay at Pangkor Laut Resort, set amidst stunning rainforest and sandy beaches on a secluded 300-acre private island off the west coast. Pavarotti himself declared it a “paradise” in ’94 when the world-renowned tenor was invited to sing at the resort’s official opening. There are 140 villas with stunning views of the sea. For couples on honeymoons or groups celebrating truly special occasions, eight estates come with private pools, a personal butler and a chauffeur-driven car. 

If you ask us, we’d file under ‘romantic retreat’: the concierge is happy to help you craft couples’ experiences, like a chartered cruise to soak up the sun, an intimate dinner by candlelight on the beach, or an eight-hour treatment for two at the award-winning spa.

As the story goes, Lone Pine was the first hotel to open on the sandy shores of Batu Ferringhi in the late 40s, with only ten rooms owned by Dr. Albert Stanley Mckern. In recent years, following refurbishments to the 90-keys heritage hotel, Lone Pine has been brought into the fold of the Marriott International family. It reopened in 2023 with refreshed design and facilities, including a restaurant, a bar, and a multi-event hall doubling as a communal and co-working space, in addition to a gym and a pool with sun-loungers. Time Out tip: Carve out a couple of hours to sample street food and street art in George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site only a short drive away.

We’d be remiss not to mention the other beachfront resort in Batu Feringgi. Shangri-La Rasa Sayang is the stuff dreams are made of, only a few hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur. Its 304 rooms and suites, furnished in Minangkabau style, are spread across two wings with views of the gardens, pool, or the sea. While George Town is a complimentary shuttle ride away, there’s plenty to do on the resort grounds itself: soak up the sun on the beach or poolside while savouring a cocktail or two, and come mealtimes, sample flavours for every palate at the five restaurants and bars on-site.

Kids will be entertained for hours at the children’s pool and the kids’ club (for young guests aged five to 12 years old), leaving parents free to retreat to Chi, the spa set within a secluded corner of the resort offering a selection of massages, facial treatments and wellness journeys. See, it’s fun for the whole family.

If all you need is an easy escape out of the city, Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort is about an hour’s drive from downtown, set along a stretch of shore in Sepang. At the overwater resort, there are 315 rooms and villas with views of the sea, plus four restaurants and bars (ahem, Selat has karaoke), a fitness centre, a pool and a spa. Best for: families or groups who prefer action-packed programming, up for paddleboarding, speeding along the beach in a 4x4 ATV, and a visit to a rural village to try their hands at tapping rubber.

It wasn’t until recent years that Desaru became a beach destination worth travelling out of the way for, but One&Only is a revelation in any season. The one and only (we can’t help it) One&Only property in Southeast Asia takes things up a notch: with sweeping views of the coast, the resort encapsulates luxury at its peak, cast between jungle, sand, and sea. From suites with sumptuous bathrooms and plunge pools to a four-bedroom villa set over two floors with a private spa room and a shimmering, 27-metre swimming pool, couples, groups, and families can relax with expansive, secluded indoor-outdoor spaces. 

Whether barbecue fare or top-notch omakase, savour the season’s freshest and finest ingredients at the five on-site restaurants and bars. This is a resort for all generations with access to a serene spa offering treatments to revitalise mind, body and soul; golf courses, tennis and padel courts; a kids’ club; beach hangs, nature walks and plentiful water sports.

Only a two-hour drive from the city, Avillion Port Dickson offers rooms, water chalets and villas, plus four restaurants and lounges (including a karaoke lounge), function rooms, swimming pools, a spa, and even a pet farm with peacocks and rabbits. There is fun to be had for the whole family or, say, a corporate retreat; a plethora of on-property activities range from beach volleyball, bird watching and feeding, nature walks, water sports, and more.