Where are the people? I mean, I haven’t seen anyone since we went off?, I inquisitively asked our driver as we started to roam the island. I noticed how peaceful and quiet the roads were as we travel it. There were monkeys and cows but no people. The driver just laughed and went on with his stories of how simple life is in Langkawi. I’m starting to like the chill vibe of this island.
It was our first time in Langkawi and all we knew was that this archipelago (with 104 islands) on the northwestern side of Malaysia is a tax-free island. Located on the Andaman Sea, it is near the Thai border which makes it a nice pit stop for hopping around different islands. We had a week to explore the islands of Langkawi and we carefully planned our day-to-day activities.
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| Pufferfish for souvenir, anyone? |
Hotel Bahagia in downtown Kuah, the largest and capital town, was our home for three
nights. Its perfect location provided a quick preview on what to expect in
Langkawi. The place was quiet in the morning and much more peaceful at night. You
could stroll at midnight and no one would bother you. And one more thing, nice
cars were everywhere like top-of-the-line brands.
Okay,
so we had a half day tour around the island (private car with driver from
Ekomegah Tours) where we had freedom to choose where to go and what to do the
problem was, we weren’t prepared for that freedom.
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| There are no public transportation in Langkawi, Malaysia. It's either you rent a car or join shared tours. |
Me
and my two favorite travel buddies in the world started the day at the famous Eagle Square (Dataran Lang). Facing Kuah Bay, the 12-meter statue of a poised
eagle ready to take flight is one of the most notable structures on the island.
We braved the 10 o’clock heat and visited the famous eagle which is the celebrated
icon of Langkawi. The word Langkawi is said to be derived from two Malay
words “helang” which means “eagle” and “kawi” which means “reddish-brown” or “strong”.
It
was just a quick stop. We were asked by our friendly driver if we wanted to
check out the duty free shops and we politely declined. Again, we were given a
lot of places to visit but we’re all hyped up when he mentioned beach, we knew right away that we wanna
explore some of the beaches of Langkawi. We drove to Pantai Cenang, probably the most famous one on the island, after
the quick stop to Eagle Square.
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| The most notable icon of Langkawi |
All
my questions about the people’s whereabouts were answered when we passed by
some restaurants, shops and hotels that signaled our arrival on the famed beach
of Langkawi. I was hoping to find local ones who were enjoying the sea breeze
but no, tourists were everywhere enjoying the heat and tropical vibe of
Malaysia.
 |
| Pantai Cenang |
We
got off on a driveway near the shore and were greeted by the scorching heat and
ivory white sand of Pantai Cenang. I was ready to jump into the water when I
saw warnings about jellyfish, I ignored the yearning for saltwater this time.
There
were some almost naked women lined up on the shore hoping to get that perfect tan while some guides were offering all sorts of
water activities, we weren’t in the mood at that time.
 |
| Tan. Bronze. Lechon. |
We
settled under the shade of coconut trees and realized that it was a perfect
time to booze up. We walked a few hundred meters to the main road where we
spotted a duty free shop and hoarded cartons of beers in can (incredibly cheap
at RM1.8 each | US$0.45). We went back to the beach, spread over my sarong, popped the
cans and started our beer nights, oh I mean, beer noons.
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| Everything for US$5 |
The
boozing up sesh lasted for about two hours, (and) that almost filled up the half day
tour.
 |
| Pantai Cenang at night |
 |
| Tanjung Rhu |
Tanjung Rhu is famous for its limestone precipices
near the UNESCO Global Geopark of Kilim. The crystal clear waters and ivory white
sand with lush trees is picture-perfect. It felt deserted compared to the
previous one which I definitely love. Aside from two resorts and a few
restaurants there’s nothing much here. People usually go here for lazing around
and practically do nothing. We wanted to explore more but we had no time left,
too bad.
 |
| Next time... |
We
were brought back to our hotel and ended the day with another beer sesh with
our hoarded stuff. We could’ve hiked the Seven Wells Waterfalls or ride the
famous Cable Car but no, we chose to bum around. We could’ve walked to Langkawi
Sky Bridge or probably visit the Underwater World but no, we wasted time and
boozed up at noon. But we do love the beach (it’s all about beaches on our
Beach Hop Asia 2016 summer backpacking trip) and to do nothing. That’s what I
love about my travel buddies, we’re like on the same page all the time.
The
next day we were off to another adventure. The three of us, again, availed a
full day package to Pulau Payar Marine Park from Ekomegah Tours. We were picked
up by a car and brought to Kuah Jetty where we boarded a ferry going to the
marine park, the trip lasted for an hour.
 |
| Pulau Payar Marine Park |
We
had a brief overview about the island and certain regulations before we were
led to our specific area.
Pulau
Payar Marine Park is a popular diving and snorkeling site thirty kilometers
south of Langkawi’s main island. There are four uninhabited islands surrounding
the marine park and the area is controlled by the Fisheries Department of Malaysia’s
Kedah State.
After
a simple lunch meal (included on the package), we scanned the area for the
perfect base camp and lounged a bit. We found refuge underneath the wooden
boardwalk which provided a good shade near the beach.
The crystal clear water was too tempting that the moment we arrived, I put my goggles and snorkel on then enjoyed exploring the marine life. I loved how clear the water was and the excitement (or maybe the fear) of swimming with baby blacktip sharks.
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| Swim with baby blacktip sharks |
 |
| Beach. Bronze. Booze. |
We’re
starting to love Langkawi after exploring it for two days. We can’t wait for
another round of adventure and booze sesh, haha, you can’t help it while in
Langkawi.
Ekomegah Holidays
No.
68-78 Persiaran Bunga Raya,
Langkawi
Mall, Phase II, Kuah,
07000
Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia
Contact
Number: (+60) 496.959.89
Email
Address: ekolgk@gmail.com
Such a beautiful place! So many beautiful beaches in Malayasia, it's so dreamy!
ReplyDeleteOh yes Rosemarie :)
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