Eastern & Oriental Express: Tastes of Tomorrow – Essence of Malaysia

It is a three-night journey that boards at Woodlands station in Singapore and returns there on the morning of day four. The route runs north past Kuala Lumpur towards Langkawi and Perlis, then crosses to Penang Island before turning south again through Johor. You keep the same cabin throughout and see the peninsula's west coast in both directions.

Tastes of Tomorrow is a culinary edition of the Essence of Malaysia itinerary, in which the menus are designed to bridge origin and destination - the comfort of home set against the exhilarating essence of Southeast Asia. Alongside the usual excursions the programme adds special culinary experiences ashore. If food is the reason you travel, this is the version of the route built for you.

Day two offers three options: a speedboat cruise to a secluded Langkawi beach with wellness activities and a boat ride through Kilim Geoforest Park; an adventurous cycle through Perlis Geopark taking in a former tin mine; or an immersion in Perlis art and culture including batik-making. The morning beforehand is spent watching rice paddies and rural villages pass the window. Evening celebrations follow in the Piano Bar Car.

The train reaches the west-coast line and you cross to Penang Island for a choice of expert-led excursions: George Town by Vespa, a market visit followed by a cooking experience up Penang Hill, or independent exploration at your own pace. George Town's UNESCO-listed streets mix shophouses, temples, mosques and one of Asia's great street-food cultures. You rejoin the train at Butterworth for a final evening of fine dining and entertainment.

Boarding is at Woodlands train station in the north of Singapore, not at a city-centre station. Complimentary return transfers between your Singapore accommodation and Woodlands are included in the fare. Your pick-up time is confirmed with your travel documents ahead of departure.

You can choose a Pullman Cabin, a more spacious State Cabin, or the Presidential Suite. Each has an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning and a 24-hour steward, and each converts from a daytime sitting area into a sleeping cabin in the evening. The cabin grades still available for this departure are listed on this page.

Fares start from about $8,250 per person for two travellers sharing a cabin, with State Cabins and the Presidential Suite priced above that. The exact fare for each cabin grade on this departure is shown on this page. Because meals, beverages, excursions and transfers are all included, the onboard spend is usually small.

Yes. A cabin occupied by one traveller is quoted at twice the sharing fare, from about $16,500 here, since the whole cabin is held for you. Solo travellers are well looked after on this train, where communal dining and bar cars make the journey sociable. Ask us to check availability before you book flights.

Three nights on board with a 24-hour steward, all meals - four-course dinner daily, continental breakfast in your cabin, three-course lunch and afternoon tea - and house beverages throughout. The curated excursions in Perlis Geopark and on Penang Island are included, along with the special culinary experiences that define this edition, plus return transfers to Woodlands station. Onboard entertainment in the Piano Bar Car is part of it too.

Flights, hotel nights in Singapore either side of the journey, and travel insurance are not included. Spa treatments are charged separately, as are beverages outside the house selection and any personal purchases ashore. Gratuities are left to your judgement.

Menus on board are authored by chef Andre Chiang and lean on the produce of the regions the train passes through. On this culinary edition they are the point of the journey rather than the backdrop, and the excursions are chosen to echo what is served. Tell us about dietary requirements well in advance and the galley will work around them.

The train carries a Dior Spa, so treatments can be taken while it is running between stops. They are booked and paid for separately once you are on board. Over three nights the slots go quickly, so choose your time on the first afternoon.

Daytime dress is smart casual and light, since the climate is hot and humid and several excursions involve walking or cycling. Evenings in the Dining Car and Piano Bar Car are dressier - a jacket for gentlemen, a dress or equivalent for ladies. Bring a light layer for the air conditioning and comfortable closed shoes for the excursions.

It departs from Singapore on 16 November 2026, a Monday. The departure list on this page shows every date currently on sale with the cabin grades open for it. Special editions like this are one-off dates rather than a weekly schedule, so this is the only date presently offered.

A deposit of 15 percent secures your cabin, and the balance is due 56 days before departure. Bookings made inside 56 days of the departure date are payable in full at the time of booking. We confirm the exact amounts in writing before taking any payment.

Children are priced by their age on the departure date, with one band under five and another from five to under twelve. Cabins are compact and this culinary edition is built around adult dining, so it suits families with older children best. Email travel@palacetours.com or call 786-408-0610 for an exact quote.

Changi Airport has direct flights from most parts of the world and sits about twenty minutes from central Singapore. Since transfers to Woodlands station are included from your Singapore accommodation, plan to stay in the city the night before you board. Arriving a day early also leaves room for a flight delay.

November falls within the northeast monsoon on the peninsula, so expect warm days around thirty degrees Celsius, high humidity, and short heavy afternoon downpours. The rain rarely lasts long and the landscape is at its greenest. Pack light clothing, a compact rain jacket, insect repellent and sun protection.

The journey is gentle overall, but the excursions vary: the Perlis Geopark cycle is genuinely active, while the batik-making immersion and the Penang Hill market visit are relaxed. Corridors on a moving train are narrow and there are steps up into the carriages, which is worth bearing in mind if mobility is limited. Tell us your preferences and we will flag the options that fit.

Email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610, or send a WhatsApp message to https://wa.me/17864080610, and a travel specialist or our AI assistant will reply. The departure list on this page is bookable directly, so you can pick your cabin grade and confirm the date online. If you would like to compare this culinary edition with the other Malaysian itineraries, just ask.