Malaysia offers endless scope for beach bums of all persuasions. Crystal-clear water and pearl-white shell sand, backed by curtains of gently inclined palm trees, have put islands such as Pualu Tioman (location for the 1950s Hollywood classic, South Pacific) and Pulau Lagkawi, the country’s premier coastal resort, on the world’s tourist map in recent decades.

Top-notch accommodation slap on the beach, succulent seafood and plenty of scope for world-class diving and fishing are other reasons to leave the Malaysian mainland.