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For most of us, dark clouds and rain are vacation-spoilers, but a growing number of intrepid travelers make a point of seeking out a soaking. What do they know that we don’t?

It’s tough to pick just one.

Writer Francis Lam discovers the island’s multicultural flavors when he joins a Malaysia-born San Francisco chef for a bittersweet homecoming.

The Strand gets brought into the 21st century.

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent chef John Currence on 24 hours’ notice to a hot, sweet, sticky country where he followed a trail through the cuisine to the people who make it.

Tips to help you with your trip.

From the mountains of Iran and the backstreets of Yogyakarta to war-torn Addis Ababa and a hillside roost in Taiwan, this is the riveting story of a wanderer whose thirst for travel was never-ending.

Nonprofit founder, Joe Rosli Sidek, showcases the diverse culture that is George Town, Malaysia through his favorite places to visit.

You’ll find it in the guide book, but there’s probably no better view of Penang than from the top of Penang Hill. Check the schedule beforehand (we wish we had) to catch the first train in time for sunrise. (There’s a pretty easy bus that takes about 30 minutes). Or come for sunset and enjoy afternoon tea or dinner at David Brown’s tea house at the summit. Active travelers can also walk down, but the path is not well marked and consists of very steep stairs for much of the way. Stick near the cable car line and hopefully you’ll end up in the heritage village that clings to the hillside.

Batik—the process of producing designs on textiles through wax and dye—originated in Indonesia, but Malaysian batik differentiates itself with more vibrant colors and patterns. Here you can see how hand-blocked and hand-drawn batik fabric is made and then turned into colorful clothing and accessories that are for sale at the small on-site shop.

Muntri Mews in Penang is my kind of hotel. Formerly an old mews house, its owners have fitted it out with clean, comfortable rooms that retain the charm of their days as stables (think romantic mosquito nets and wooden beam architectural details). The hotel is small and the service is personal and friendly. Breakfast on the hotel’s patio in the heart of historic Georgetown is the perfect way to start a day of meandering through the back streets of this historic, character-filled foodie heaven.

Roughly an hour from George Town by bus, Penang National Park is a natural treasure in the northwest corner of the island of Penang. It was the first area legally declared a national park in Malaysia (in 2003) and today offers adventurous travelers an exciting jungle walk to a choice of beautiful beaches. Monkey Beach is the most popular, perhaps too popular. Kerachut (or Turtle) Beach is a peaceful alternative, which sometimes makes home to nesting sea turtles. No matter when you come, you’ll likely see macaque monkeys swinging through the trees and can always visit the Sea Turtle Research Center at Turtle Beach.

Serene. That’s how I would describe the pool at the Lone Pine Hotel in Penang, Malaysia. This lovely boutique hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Penang, established in 1948. Recent renovations have made it into a charming ‘modern classic’ beach getaway. It’s under the management of the exclusive E and O Hotel. So you can expect beautiful rooms and good service, but at a more affordable price.

It’s had quite a few different names over the years, but it’s the same place. Please select from any of the following: Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Sri Arulmigu Mahamariamman Temple or Sri Mariamman Temple. No matter how you refer to it, you will be referencing the oldest Hindu temple in Penang, which has been in the exact same place for the past 200 years. You will know when you are approaching it, because from afar it looks like an exquisite mound of multi-colored candy has been strategically placed in the center of town. Upon closer inspection you’ll notice that what you are seeing are statues of various Hindu deities surrounded by ornate decor. After crossing the threshold, you will encounter some of the coolest carvings and sculptures in Asia, which are representations of Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga, Ashta Lakshmi, Nadaraja and Sivakami to name but a few. The sheer volume of sculptures and the almost cartoon-like quality makes every single statue feel like it is a superhero in its own right. I would highly recommend a visit to this intriguing historical sight. The temple is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 4:30 pm to 9:00 p.m.

My charged childhood memories of summer days spent fishing, swimming and exploring the backcountry of central Ontario are a far cry from the wild tropical jungles and lavish sandscapes of Malaysia’s island paradises, places where angel fish tango undersea, sharks and rays rub shoulders with astounded divers and the tangled web of seemingly unending jungle demands exploration. Differences abound half a world away, yet there is something about these islands, these wild natural playgrounds, that remind me of home. Perhaps this is because I don’t do the beach the same way most people do. I never did. I’m more Jack Sparrow than I am Jimmy Buffett; I’ll take a swashbuckling adventure over a piña colada any day of the week. When I was five years old my mother took me on my first trip to the beach. An older boy bet me I couldn’t dig a hole in the sand clean through to China. I didn’t quite make it, but I knew one day I would show that boy Pangkor Island, the forgotten underling of posh Penang, has the power to set free any inner child yearning for adventure. It all starts with the ferry from the mainland; studying my map by what light does stream through the grimy port window I can’t help but feel a little like an 18th century navigator, a commander of the high seas. The sluggish ship, surely at one time a tin transport, chugs along at a knot or two. The wooden seats are cracked and stained with salt and saturated with shellfish stink. All I can say is that it feels like paradise