From Merdeka 118 to the Blue Mansion: Malaysia’s most spectacular film locations that have captivated international cinema

George Town, Penang’s UNESCO-listed capital, has provided atmospheric backdrops for films including Beyond Rangoon, Indochine, Lust, Caution and Road to Dawn.

The iconic Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (The Blue Mansion) featured in Indochine and again in Crazy Rich Asians, where it stood in as a mahjong parlour for a pivotal scene between Michelle Yeoh and Constance Wu. Following the film’s 2018 release, visitor numbers to the mansion tripled. 

In the 1999 historical drama Anna and the King, starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat, Armenian Street in George Town stood in for a street in Bangkok, while Swettenham Pier doubled as Bangkok Harbor in this riveting story of British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens and her time in Siam (now Thailand) as a tutor to the king’s children.

For Ang Lee’s espionage thriller Lust, Caution, set in 1940s Shanghai and Hong Kong, Wisma Yeap Chor Ee and China Street Ghaut in Penang provided perfect period settings. The film follows a young woman who infiltrates the household of a powerful political figure with the intention of assassinating him.

See also: Explore three distinctive heritage properties in Penang, Selangor and Melaka, Malaysia

The breathtaking archipelago of Langkawi in Kedah state has lent its pristine beaches and lush landscapes to films seeking paradisiacal settings. For Anna and the King, a spectacular set was constructed on a beach in Telaga Harbor, with remnants remaining until around 2008 as a tourist attraction.

Crazy Rich Asians featured Langkawi’s luxurious resorts and idyllic settings, helping to position the island as a premium destination for affluent travelers. Following the film’s success, Langkawi saw an uptick in visitors seeking the lavish experiences depicted on screen.

The 1980 Australian mini-series A Town Like Alice was also filmed partially in Langkawi, capturing the island's natural beauty decades before it became a luxury tourism hotspot.

Additionally, a movie set for the Bollywood hit Don was located in Langkawi, utilising the island's dramatic landscapes for Shah Rukh Khan’s action sequences.

The misty Cameron Highlands in Pahang provided the perfect setting for the critically acclaimed historical drama The Garden of Evening Mists, based on the novel by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. The film, starring Lee Sin-je and Hiroshi Abe, tells the story of a former prisoner of a Japanese war camp who seeks peace by creating a garden with a mysterious Japanese gardener.

The location choice was particularly poignant as it was near an actual Japanese war camp where the main character was imprisoned during World War II. The film showcases the highlands’ cool climate, tea plantations, and lush forests, offering viewers a glimpse into a side of Malaysia rarely seen in international productions.

Borneo’s Sarawak state provided the authentic rainforest setting for The Sleeping Dictionary, a romantic drama starring Jessica Alba, Hugh Dancy, and Bob Hoskins. The film follows a young Englishman (Dancy) working in the British colony who learns the local Iban language and customs through a ‘sleeping dictionary’—a local Iban woman (played by Jessica Alba, who is not, in fact, Iban) who serves as both language tutor and companion.

The production showcased Sarawak’s lush jungles, traditional longhouses, and indigenous cultures, filmed at locations such as Buntal Jetty in Kuching, and the Red Bridge near Matang. 

Although the 2018 film Venom famously opened with a scene supposedly set in Sarawak’s Sibu, the ‘Sarawakian village’ in the movie was actually filmed in a woodsy area in Atlanta, Georgia.  

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Melaka, with its rich trading history and unique architectural blend of Portuguese, Dutch, and British influences, provided atmospheric settings for the Indian Tamil-language film Kabali, starring superstar Rajinikanth. Following the release of Kabali, Tourism Malaysia launched a special tour for Indian tourists of the shooting locations.

While Entrapment famously depicted the Petronas Twin Towers as visible from Melaka—a creative liberty with geography—the historical city’s streets and thoroughfares offer authentic glimpses into Malaysia's colonial past.

The exposure from these films has reinforced Melaka's status as a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and architecture lovers, contributing to the steady growth of tourism in this historically significant port city.

Ipoh, the capital of Perak state, with its well-preserved colonial buildings and surrounding limestone karsts, served as a filming location for an impressive array of international productions, including After This, Our Exile, Anna and the King, Beyond Rangoon, Blackhat, Indochine, and Lust, Caution.

For Anna and the King, Kellie's Castle in Batu Gajah near Ipoh—an unfinished mansion built by a Scottish planter—provided a perfect colonial-era setting. Additionally, a massive seven-acre palace recreation was constructed near Ipoh specifically for the film, becoming a temporary tourist attraction during production.

The historical drama Road to Dawn, which tells the story of revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen’s time in Penang, also filmed scenes in Ipoh, taking advantage of the city's well-preserved early 20th-century architecture.

Michael Mann's cyberthriller Blackhat, starring Chris Hemsworth, used Ipoh’s urban landscape and surrounding areas to create tense action sequences in its story of international cybercrime and terrorism.

As Malaysia continues to attract international productions, the symbiotic relationship between filmmaking and tourism is likely to strengthen.

The upcoming feature of the Merdeka 118 tower in Marvel’s Thunderbolts represents a significant opportunity for Malaysia to showcase its modern architectural achievements to global audiences, potentially driving a new wave of tourism to Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian government has recognised this potential, offering incentives to international productions through initiatives like the Film In Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which provides a 30 per cent cash rebate on qualifying Malaysian expenditure for foreign productions.

As streaming platforms continue to fund diverse international content, Malaysia's varied landscapes and architectural wonders are likely to appear more frequently on screens worldwide, further enhancing the country's appeal as a destination for discerning travelers seeking experiences beyond the ordinary.

Whether you're a film enthusiast tracing the footsteps of Hollywood stars or a luxury traveler seeking locations of extraordinary beauty and cultural significance, Malaysia’s cinematic landscapes offer an unparalleled journey through one of Southeast Asia's most visually stunning and culturally rich nations.

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