Langkawi Island from the Sky Bridge
One of the reasons we came on this trip was to discover the culinary delights we had been told awaited us in Malaysia – Georgetown in Penang in particular. So that is where we headed. After the busy tempo and hustle of Singapore we wanted a slower pace and the chance to enjoy thinking time with our family that this would give us. Scout enjoys the people and the challenge of doing stuff and Singapore gave us that. Now it was time to go somewhere to relax. So we departed Chiangi Airport (what a wonder it is) and flew the hour and a half it took to get to Langkawi with Air Asia. I had very little idea what this island offered other than seeing some photos of beautiful beaches and green forests. Langkawi Island and archipelego (a group of 99 islands) lies on the Andeman Sea in the Strait of Malacca, 30 kms off the north western coast of Malaysia and almost parallel with the Malaysia/Thailand border. This is a part of Malaysia about 420 kms north west of Kuala Lumpur as the crow flies. The main island known as Langkawi is 29 kms long and 21 kms wide, the entirety of which is surrounded by stunning white sand beaches. The Malay word for eagle is halang and the native red brown eagle, actually a brahminy kite is colloquially known as lang while kawi is a red stone -hence the name – Langkawi. It was all we could have wished for.
The Beach at Centai Penang – Attitude Resort was on the beach at the western end
On the surface Langkawi appears like a slightly upmarket Bali – the pace is slower and the roads and infrastructure well presented. Everything just seems cleaner and there are no locals continually hastleing tourists. It is just not part of the culture while tipping is also not expected. A service fee is however usually added to a restaurant bill. The main difference though is that Malaysia is essentially a Muslim country. There are a few full burkas on display and you will see headscarves and kufis for the men but generally the people practice their religion in an open and generous way. The island is scattered with some beautiful mosques. Nevertheless Langkawi has a diverse population with different cultures all of whom seem to live harmoniously. A friendly and open acceptance of tourists makes it a happy and easy place to visit.
Attitude Resort and enjoying the Night Market spoils on the beach out front
We stayed at the Attitude Resort which offered nice rooms, a continental style breakfast and lovely staff. But its real attraction was that it fronted onto the beach with its white sands and warm deep ocean water. Unfortunately it also offered as its neighbour, a construction site. Our time there was accompanied by a continuous thumping of pile drivers and machinery noise. For those of you who know Asia you will know that they don’t keep office hours. The work continued from 8am to 10pm most days although we were lucky to be there on the Sultan’s birthday when no one worked. There was mutinous talk of moving resorts within our group but the attentive and lovely staff and a rather attractive price convinced us to stay. And there was that beach at our doorstep.
Our arrival coincided with the Kuah Town Wednesday evening Night Markets so off we went for the 15 minute drive which took 40 minutes due to some navigational difficulties. I am sure you have all experienced the phrase “haven’t we passed that building before?” It was worth it. There is a night market every evening on the island, each in a different small village but the Huang one is the most popular. These are essentially food markets with row upon row of stalls offering everything Asian in food from from all kinds of fried chicken and seafood to curries, noodle and fried rice dishes, satay sticks, soups packed with seafood and vegetables and a variety of fruits and pancake desserts. If you haven’t tried a mango and dragon fruit smoothie you really haven’t lived. We gorged on spiced and fried food and noodles washed down by delicious fresh fruit juices. A quick late night drink on the beach and we were well ready for bed.
Island hopping with Akif – the Pregnant Maiden Lake, onboard and stopped for a swim
Langkawi offers the tourist many different experiences. A drive around the island and occasional stops to swim or eat is fun and the beautiful beach at Tanjung Rhu on the north coast is not to be missed. While Langkawi is an island in the Andeman Sea it is also an island archipelogo of over 90 islands. We explored these with an island hopping trip on a wooden dhow with Akif, a very pleasant local guide. Firstly was a visit to Dayang Bunting Island which encloses Pregnant Maiden Lake, a freshwater lake surrounded by limestone cliffs and forest. The lake is so called because of the remarkable resemblance of the island ridge to a, you guessed it, pregnant maiden. After a swim and a walk Akif took us to watch the white bellied sea eagles diving for food then lunch and a swim in the warm blue waters on the small Beras Basah Island finished us off. A three hour boat tour that showed off the magic of these tropical islands.
The Sky Bridge and view
We spent a morning at the Sky Bridge on the east coast of the island. The skybridge itself is accessed by cable car up the mountain. The bridge is a breathtaking piece of engineering which spans 125 meters across the skies of Langkawi. Each piece was prefabricated and placed by helicopter and the marvel is it is suspended from one single massive pylon. It is one of the longest curved suspension bridges in the world with breathtaking views over the island —don’t miss it if you are in Langkawi. The Oriental Village below where the cable car starts has shopping and eateries on offer but also a 3D Art Gallery which is interactive with over 100 exhibits providing the chance to pretend you are part of the scene – so much fun.
3D Art Gallery at the Oriental Village, Sky Bridge
Kilim Geoforest Park is on the north eastern tip of the island and is where we gathered for a morning of kayaking through the mangroves. After a boat trip along the Kilim River to a floating base and restaurant where we jumped into kayaks our guide, Wuan, took us along the river for a walk through a bat cave, some more eagle watching and a study of the park and its unique tropical surrounds. Then it was the mangroves. We paddled away from the large motorboats on the river into extremely tight, shaded mangrove tributaries and small canals where only a single kayak can pass at a time. We slowly paddled through dense roots accompanied by mudskippers, kingfishers, kites and at one point a large monitor lizard. This is really being with nature but so accessible and safe. Thanks Wuan for such a great experience.
In the mangroves where Wuan explains it all
Our four days on Langkawi had come to an end. The island and its surrounds are quite understated but packed with so much to do for those who want to explore. Of course you can just lie in the sun on the beach if you want. The more upmarket resorts offer pools, restaurants and sand. The Malaysian ringitt is about a third of an Australian dollar so eating and shopping is cheap. The township at Pantai Cenang where we stayed has duty free shopping (Langkawi is a duty free island so goods are very cheap in the duty free shops), bars and restaurants of all food styles including western. The Asian restaurants are good and varied including Malay, Indian and Thai. But we came for a simple holiday with a bit of adventure. Which is what we got. Looked after by a very friendly people who live on an island of great beauty and simplicity.
Now for Georgetown, Penang. Also an island off the coast of Malaysia but very different in its way of life and bustle. And a food tour to remember.
Wow Mike, you and Scout are getting more and more adventurous as you get older, that is quite a story, and well related I might add.
Cheers Randal and Gayle