Penang and Malacca are well-known havens for foodies, but if you are looking for a new destination to get your fix of Malaysian cuisine, it is hard to ignore Ipoh.

This lesser-known food capital has plenty of old coffee shops and hawker stalls where you can enjoy heritage dishes like sar hor fun (a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish), Ipoh-style laksa (similar to tangy Penang-style assam laksa but with different toppings), Hakka mee (noodles topped with a minced pork gravy), rendang tok (a dry version of rendang), nga choy kai (blanched beansprouts and chicken dressed with soya sauce and sesame oil), and tau fu fa (sweet tofu pudding).In recent years, Ipoh has also seen a rise in the number of hip cafes selling artisanal baked goods and modern and fusion fare.

At establishments like Jose & Deli Eatery and Burps & Giggles, you can expect mostly Western-style dishes like marinated grilled meats, burgers and pasta, while Patisserie Boutique and Café de Eight are famous for its cakes, pastries and desserts. Of course, excellent coffee is also guaranteed at these trendy dining spots.

Myanmar is still mostly untouched by tourism and development. This is exactly what makes it appealing for adventure travellers and those with an interest in indigenous cultures.Yangon, the country’s capital is the best place to start your journey. From here, you can take a half- or full-day trip to the heart of the country.

Cycle through picturesque villages, for instance, kayak along Inle Lake, or go bird watching at Yangon’s Hlawga Park.If you have extra time, take a short internal flight to Lashio in the north. In this remote and pristine region, you can indulge your passion for all kinds of adventure activities and mingle with the local communities.

Myanmar Adventure Outfitters (MAO) can help with planning your trip.Started by Byron and Eileen Hartzler, an American and Canadian couple, MAO lets you customise a guided adventure off the beaten path. Choose from hiking and trekking, waterfall swimming and exploration, stand-up paddle boarding, and motorcycle trips. If you are interested in learning about the local culture, book an overnight village homestay.

In addition to sharing their love of the Northern Shan state with travellers, Byron and Eileen also invest their company’s profits into the communities they work with, so you’ll be helping the locals while exploring a new place.

The southernmost city on Hainan Island is frequently referred to as the “Hawaii of the East”, and for good reason – the weather is almost always pleasant and the beaches, stunning, with postcard-perfect, powder-white sands and clear blue waters.

It’s perfect to visit if you love water-sports, but, if you’re craving some downtime, the beaches are great for strolling, or you can rent a bicycle and enjoy a leisurely scenic ride along any of the coastal roads.If retail therapy is your idea of relaxation, Sanya has no shortage of shopping outlets and artisan markets. Sanya Haitang Bay International Shopping Mall – the world’s largest duty-free shopping centre – has an impressive selection of luxury fashion and beauty boutiques.

Sanya produces some of the world’s finest pearls, and you will also come across many stores selling this famous export.Spa resorts abound in Sanya, too. All of the city’s top hotels and resorts boast spa facilities, with treatments inspired by Sanya’s location and exoticism.

Vietnam’s second-largest city is also its art and cultural capital. Here, you can spend days browsing the many art galleries and museums, which showcase the works of some of the country’s most prolific artists.The French colonisers introduced European painting to the Vietnamese in the 19th and 20th centuries, but by then, Vietnam also had many local artisans who were skilled in woodcarving, pottery, lacquer art, and ceramics.

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is a good place to discover this art heritage. The building houses a range of artworks spanning a variety of styles and mediums.If you prefer a smaller, more intimate setting, drop by Nguyen Art Gallery, which exhibits works from emerging and established Vietnamese artists; Apricot Gallery, which sells only top-quality, original art by some of the country’s top artists; and Thanh Binh Gallery, whose pieces reflect everyday life in Vietnam.

For more culture, head to the city’s culture and history museums – like the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology – and the Goethe Institut and the L’Institut Francais de Hanoi, which regularly host film festivals, classical music concerts, dramatic performances, and more.

Text: Sasha Gonzales/The Peak