There’s a feeling I keep noticing among Malaysian travellers lately — a kind of quiet shift, almost like people are pausing more before choosing their next trip. Maybe it’s because long-haul flights feel a little less intimidating now, or maybe we’re just craving landscapes that surprise us again. I’m not entirely sure. But as I was browsing through ideas the other day, including some of the expedition-style journeys featured by Wildfoot Travel, it struck me how much the world has opened up for Malaysians. Not in an overwhelming way. More in the sense that these faraway places we once treated like distant fantasies now feel… reachable, perhaps.
This list isn’t about ranking destinations or trying to convince anyone where to go next. It’s more like a map of possibilities — some expected, some slightly strange, all shaped around what Malaysians seem to be dreaming about these days. And the more I sat with the idea, the more I realised how long-haul travel isn’t just about ticking off a place. It’s about stepping into an environment so different from home that it nudges a part of you awake.
So here’s a look — a slow, slightly meandering one — at the long-haul journeys that sit on many Malaysian bucket lists for 2025.
Antarctica — the silent edge of the world
Most Malaysians will probably say they’ve thought about Antarctica at least once, even casually. The idea is almost myth-like: endless white, stillness so deep it feels like sound disappears, and wildlife that seems unbothered by the rhythm of the modern world. For people used to humidity, traffic, and the soft warmth of tropical nights, Antarctica represents the ultimate contrast.
What seems to pull Malaysians toward it isn’t just the snow or the novelty of extreme cold. It’s the sense of stepping into a landscape that refuses to compete for your attention. Penguins wander past without ceremony. Icebergs drift by at their own pace, sometimes glowing blue, sometimes looking almost too perfect to be real. And there’s something strangely comforting about being so far from everything familiar.
The journey itself — often by small expedition ship — feels like part of the experience. Long days at sea, lectures about wildlife, moments where you just stand on deck trying to understand how big the world actually is. It isn’t difficult to see why this sits high on Malaysian bucket lists now. It’s not adventure in the loud, adrenaline-driven way. It’s more like a slow unfolding, one where you learn to appreciate stillness again.
Patagonia and South Georgia — the grand, wind-shaped landscapes
If Antarctica is quiet and introspective, Patagonia is its moodier sibling — dramatic, windswept, and occasionally unpredictable. Many Malaysians who love trekking or photography talk about Patagonia with a kind of awe, as if the scale of it is hard to put into words. Tall granite peaks, deep lakes, and skies that change colour with almost theatrical timing. There’s a rawness here that stays with you long after you leave.
Then there’s South Georgia — a place that feels like a wildlife festival happening at the edge of the world. King penguin colonies stretch across beaches in numbers that don’t seem possible at first glance. Fur seals wander around like they own the entire coastline. For Malaysians used to the lushness of Borneo or the organised calm of national parks, South Georgia feels like nature dialled all the way up.
What makes these destinations appealing — at least from what I’ve heard — is that they blend the beauty of extreme isolation with a feeling of discovery. It’s not a place you simply “visit”. It’s a place you experience slowly, often with a sense of disbelief.
Iceland — the land that looks painted by hand
Iceland has become almost a classic long-haul favourite among Malaysians. Perhaps it’s the Northern Lights — everyone wants to catch them at least once, even if clouds decide otherwise. Or maybe it’s the mix of volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, mossy fields, and tiny cafés that seem perfectly placed when you need them.
What I find interesting about Iceland is how it manages to stay both dramatic and gentle. Even the roads feel designed for contemplation — long stretches where the landscape feels like it’s from another planet, followed by small towns where everything slows down again. Malaysians who’ve been there often talk about the stillness and the air, and how nice it feels to finally wear all those winter jackets we keep buying “for future trips”.
There’s a rhythm to Iceland that suits long-haul travel. You don’t rush; you let the scenery shape your pace.
Alaska — where mountains and wildlife seem larger somehow
Alaska tends to attract Malaysian families and nature lovers who want a long-haul trip that isn’t too intense but still feels wonderfully remote. Some go for the glaciers, others for the whales or the bears, and a few simply want to see landscapes that stretch into silence.
There’s something grounding about places like Denali, where the mountains look like they’ve been there since time began. And the coastal areas — where glaciers slide into the sea — can feel surreal if you come from a tropical climate. The wildlife element also appeals to Malaysians, especially those who’ve spent time in Sabah or Sarawak and want to see how the world’s wilder corners compare.
Alaska feels adventurous without being intimidating. It gives you space to wander, but also moments that make you catch your breath a little.
The arctic circle — Svalbard, Norway, and the pull of polar light
If Antarctica is the bottom of the world, the Arctic is its upper mirror — full of light, ice, and stories of explorers who once tried to map its edges. Malaysians often find themselves fascinated by places like Svalbard, where polar bears roam and the sun sometimes refuses to set.
The Arctic isn’t one place; it’s a collection of moods. Northern Norway with its fjords and midnight sun. Svalbard with its stark beauty and scientific outposts. Finland with its forests and slow, comforting tempo. It’s a region that surprises you in small ways. Sometimes it’s the silence. Sometimes it’s the sheer vastness. Sometimes it’s the snow falling under streetlights in a tiny Arctic town — a moment so simple you might not expect it to stay with you.
For Malaysians, the Arctic offers both familiarity (in its friendliness and calm) and complete difference (in its climate and wildlife). That balance makes it an appealing long-haul choice.
Hokkaido — gentle winters and the charm of the north
Hokkaido keeps returning to Malaysian bucket lists, year after year. Partly because it feels close enough to understand, but far enough to feel new. Snow festivals, steaming bowls of ramen, powdery ski slopes, red-crowned cranes moving slowly through pale fields… it’s a softer kind of winter compared to the polar extremes.
For many Malaysians, Hokkaido is the first step into cold-weather travel. It has a peacefulness that’s easy to settle into, even if you’re not usually a winter person. And there’s something comforting about watching snow fall while you’re sitting in a warm café — a simple pleasure that somehow never gets old.
New Zealand — a long-haul classic that keeps earning its place
New Zealand has been on Malaysian bucket lists for decades, and for good reason. It’s friendly, scenic, and full of experiences that don’t require you to be overly adventurous. Some go for the road trips, others for the small towns or the calmness of the lakes. And many simply enjoy being in a place where nature feels close and uncomplicated.
There’s a sense of ease in New Zealand. You can hike if you want to. You can also just sit by a lake and watch the clouds. It’s a destination that adapts to whatever mood you’re in, which is probably why it remains a long-haul favourite.
Stepping back for a moment
What ties these places together isn’t distance — though they are far, admittedly — but the feeling they bring out in Malaysians. A kind of curiosity mixed with admiration. A small desire to see something different, perhaps, or to test how we feel when the familiar markers fall away.
Long-haul travel has a way of shifting our internal compass. Sometimes you return home with more questions. Sometimes with clarity. Sometimes with nothing more than a favourite photograph and a story that drifts into conversation months later. And that’s alright. Maybe that’s the point.
These destinations won’t suit everyone, and they’re not meant to. But they stretch the idea of what a Malaysian holiday can look like — from icy continents and penguin-filled beaches to quiet towns under the Northern Lights. There’s something quietly inspiring about that.
And if nothing else, they remind us how wide the world is, and how strangely comforting it feels to know that we can reach places we once only imagined.
