The Tiger Express will connect Raffles Singapore, the rainforests of mainland Malaysia and The Datai Langkawi in May 2027, with two nights aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express between the hotel stays. Along the route are excursions into Taman Negara, private visits to George Town’s heritage buildings and a photographic exhibition devoted to wild tigers.
The Datai Langkawi has announced its return to the collaboration with Save Wild Tigers, Belmond and Raffles Singapore for the journey’s fourth edition, running from 9 to 15 May 2027. The six-night, seven-day itinerary ends with three nights at the resort, allowing time for Datai Bay, naturalist-led forest bathing and Malaysian cooking in the rainforest.
Tiger conservation gives the trip its purpose, connecting these experiences with efforts to raise awareness and support for Malaysia’s critically endangered Malayan tiger.
The conservation purpose
“The Malayan tiger is an irreplaceable part of the country’s natural heritage, yet fewer than 150 are estimated to remain in the wild,” said Simon Clinton, founder of Save Wild Tigers.
Clinton established the organisation in 2011. Its work addresses threats including poaching for skins, bones and other body parts, alongside habitat destruction, working with conservation organisations including Malaysia’s RIMAU and The Habitat Foundation.
The Datai’s participation sits within The Datai Pledge, its sustainability and conservation programme launched in 2020. The resort says its wider wildlife work includes a native-tree nursery, habitat restoration and artificial hornbill nesting sites. Trees planted on opposite sides of roads are intended to form canopy crossings as they mature, helping arboreal animals move between fragmented habitats.
One night at Raffles Singapore
Guests check in at Raffles Singapore on Sunday 9 May. Opened in 1887, the hotel offers 115 suites, while those arriving with time before the evening programme can use its outdoor pool and spa, as well as personalised butler service.
A welcome drinks reception brings the group together before a screening of Ray The Rug, a short conservation film presented on behalf of Save Wild Tigers. Starring Ray Winstone, it tells the story of an animated tiger-skin rug, addressing the consequences of poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
The following day, guests transfer to Woodlands Station to board the Eastern & Oriental Express. The Singapore stay is deliberately brief: one night before the journey continues through Malaysia’s green landscapes, with dining and entertainment aboard the train.
Two nights aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express
Belmond’s cabin choices differ in both space and sleeping arrangements. Pullman Cabins measure 5.8 square metres, with a daytime sofa converting into upper and lower sleeping berths. State Cabins offer 7.8 square metres, large windows, decorative antiques and seating that becomes two twin beds, alongside a private bathroom.
Presidential Suites provide 11.6 square metres, with marquetry, local fabrics and a larger bathroom. For couples choosing between categories, the distinction between bunk-style berths and twin beds is as useful to consider as the additional floor space.
The itinerary includes an elegant dinner by André Chiang, the train’s culinary curator. His Malaysian-inspired dining programme draws on ingredients encountered along the route, combining regional flavours with contemporary techniques.
The train’s sample menus include beef cheek braised for sixteen hours, steamed red snapper and mapo tofu, while vegetarian options include truffle gnocchi with miso emulsion and a vegetable “Jungle Bouillon”. These are examples from the wider dining programme, giving a sense of its range rather than a fixed menu for the departure.
Regional ingredients continue into the bar, with combinations including mangosteen and mezcal, and pandan and rum. All meals aboard the train are included in the journey.
Rainforest excursions and Penang heritage
The train reaches Merapoh Station in Pahang early the next morning, giving guests access to Taman Negara National Park. This ancient rainforest is home to the elusive Malayan tiger, and participants will be able to choose between three excursions as part of the conservation-led visit.
The fourth day brings a different landscape: George Town, Penang’s UNESCO World Heritage site. Private visits are planned to Cheah Kongsi Temple and Cheong Fatt Tze, The Blue Mansion, combining the city’s architectural heritage with the journey’s wildlife focus.
Guests will view images from the Eye on the Tiger photographic exhibition, which was first presented at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2018. The photographs extend the conservation theme from the opening film into the Penang visit, before the group rejoins the train for lunch.
The onward route includes a transfer to Kuala Perlis and a boat journey to Langkawi. Guests arrive at The Datai on Wednesday 12 May for the final three nights.
Three nights between rainforest and Datai Bay
The Datai Langkawi occupies the island’s north-western tip, overlooking Datai Bay and surrounded by rainforest inhabited by dusky langurs, tokay geckos and great hornbills. Its 121 rooms, villas and suites have views of the surrounding nature, with dining spaces among the trees and beside the coast.
The Nature Centre is home to the resort’s resident naturalists and marine biologists, while optional excursions include Mandi Embun, an early-morning Malay forest-bathing ritual led by a naturalist. The experience takes guests into the forest to enjoy the scents of rainforest and earth before a dip in a jungle pool.
The Gulai House serves Malaysian cuisine in the rainforest, with dining set in a traditional Malay kampung house-style building, where a bersila floor-seating area sits alongside rustic tables. These features give it a distinct sense of place, making it a worthwhile restaurant to consider during the stay.
The Spa offers Ramuan treatments, while yoga and Pilates are among the resort’s wellness activities. These sit alongside time at Datai Bay, with guests free to explore the resort at leisure between organised elements of the trip.
The final evening takes place beside the beach, beginning with sunset cocktails and continuing with a gala dinner overlooking the Andaman Sea. Principal ballerina and Save Wild Tigers ambassador Maria Sascha Khan will host the closing reception and dinner.
Dates, inclusions and booking
Tiger Express runs from Sunday 9 May to Saturday 15 May 2027: one night at Raffles Singapore, two aboard the train and three at The Datai Langkawi. Belmond lists the transfer to Woodlands Station, all train meals, the Raffles welcome cocktail reception and the final Datai gala dinner among the inclusions, together with a personal limousine transfer to Langkawi Airport on departure.
The organisers say tickets are limited. Bookings can be made through Belmond, or by contacting Simon Clinton at simon@theclintonpartnership.com. When enquiring, ask for the fare for your preferred cabin category and confirmation of arrangements for optional excursions and meals during the hotel stays.
