Mangosteens are one of my favourite tropical fruits so when I see them for just $2 a kilogram at the Kuala Lumpur wet markets, I just can’t resist. I’m a well-equipped traveller with plenty of wet wipes so I manage not to end up in a sticky, sweet mess.

The wet markets have an extraordinary abundance of fresh produce, including all kinds of fruit, herbs and vegetables. Trays laden with prawns, baby octopus and raw chicken bask, with no refrigeration, in the 30C heat. Certain parts of the market are definitely not for the faint-hearted as frogs are slaughtered and skinned to order and the chickens are plucked from cages and swiftly decapitated.

Leaving the heat and bustle of the food markets, we head to the relative comfort of an indoor market packed high with fake watches, handbags and metres of luxury silks. I buy a couple of watches for the kids while my friend manages to tick off her entire Christmas gift list and meets us laden with packages!

Delicious street stall curry puffs are our lunch and after a quick turnaround at the hotel, we hit the air-conditioned shopping malls, opting for the local Malay stores first. Everything is unbelievably cheap, although my height and shoe size leave me feeling like Cinderella’s ugly sister and nothing much will stretch to fit. I’m drawn to the remote control helicopters buzzing around my head and buy one for Freddie. With its flashing lights and clever controls I think I could have some fun as well!

This afternoon, the Chefs at the Westin wow us with a hands-on cooking class. I am itching to let loose with a knife, and need little encouragement to start chopping and grinding the aromatic fresh herbs and spices.

Malaysia has an interesting food history influenced by a variety of major cuisines – Malay, Chinese, Indian and the Chinese-Malay combination of Nyonya. Nyonya cooking features a unique blend of ingredients such as prawn paste, lime, tamarind, fragrant spices and leaves are often used for wrapping. This food isn’t as sharp as its Thai counterpart – it has less heat, and fewer salty components.

Our cooking class is composed of three Nyonya dishes including the famous Otak-Otak, a fragrant fish cake wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf. I make a mental note to plant a betel shrub at home for its leaves, and banana palms for wrapping and steaming parcels.

I allow my weary feet no rest and head across the road to Pavilion for a spot of international shopping. Pavilion is smart, with many designer stores carrying hefty price tags. As a result, I spend most of my time window shopping.

Evening drinks are at the super chic rooftop pool bar – Luna. The crowd is Ÿber-cool, the cocktails and bar snacks perfect, and the view of the twin towers and out across the city is outstanding. I do wonder at whether the end of the night will see casualties in the pool, but perhaps the steep price of drinks prevents anyone from over-indulging!

Night-time hawkers markets can be found throughout Asia, and Kuala Lumpur is no exception. Stalls are set up each evening and hawkers flog watches, DVDs and imitation designer handbags.

From Kuala Lumpur we take a quick flight to Penang and then on to popular Batu Ferringhi Beach and the Hard Rock Hotel. The day is hot and humid but we have the awesome luxury of access to the sea direct from our rooms.

The Hard Rock Penang is brand new and adorned with the memorabilia that goes hand in hand with this iconic brand. In the food department, there’s a little something for everyone, with a courtyard pizzeria, the actual Hard Rock Cafe with its American-style food, and Stars diner where you can enjoy local fare such as satays, nasi goring and laksa.

While I am enjoying being child-free, the generous family suites, water slides, guitar and drum lessons are all reminders of how much my kids would love to be here enjoying this with me.

Our days in Penang are spent exploring the city. Centuries of Indian, Chinese and Malay culture combined with remnants of British colonialism make this an absorbing place to visit. Getting around is easy with affordable taxis or rickshaws. The latter are the perfect way to visit the many temples and historic sites.

During a morning in Little India we feel as if we’ve been transported across the water to Delhi. The banana leaf curries are so delicious we find ourselves eating way more than we should.

But my food highlight would have to be the Hot Wok, where chef and owner Kelvin presents Nyonya food at its best. His fried chicken in green mango salad is a taste sensation and the tamarind prawn recipe is definitely destined to be re-created in my own kitchen. We finish dinner with sago. This is served with coconut cream and palm sugar, and bears little similarity to the Anglicised version of my childhood.

Our week in Malaysia draws to a close and aside from a detour to the botanical gardens for a photo of monkeys who are way too quick for my camera, we head to the airport, suitcases bulging, relaxed from sun, warmth and great food.