Garden Variety

Visitors to the Malaysian island of Penang might find it hard to pull themselves away from UNESCO-listed George Town, but two educational spots outside the city are a must for families. Near Batu Ferringhi,

Tropical Spice Garden ( tropicalspicegarden.com) offers guided tours and night walks that showcase its collection of 500 plant species. Just up the road lies Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm ( entopia.com), a discovery center sheltering all manner of insects, small reptiles, and more than 15,000 free-flying butterflies. Both offer nature learning programs for kids.