A 'Satay'-sfying trip 📍
Into Malaysia. Langkawi was stop number one
So ‘Lang’ and Thanks for All the Fish! 🐟
The sun shined as the train rolled into Padang Besar. I couldn’t help but think of the pathetic fallacy. Rainy season and flooding in Thailand had put dampener (pardon the pun) on the end of my time in old Siam. A sun drenched Malaysia gave me the pick me up no cup of tea or coffee ever could. After a patchy nights sleep on an overnight train I was finally out of Thailand and into Malaysia. The island of Langkawi was stop number one.
Situated off the west coast of the Malaysia/Thai border, Langkawi is a stunning tropical island. Tall mountains, lush jungle, and pristine beaches every where you look are enough to cause a visual indigestion. See for yourself in the picture below…
It is a far cry from the popular bustling islands in Thailand. Few people and virtually no party scene create an incredibly laid-back environment. Thailand take note! Furthermore the entire island is duty free so everything is remarkably cheap.
Cenang beach is the main beach on the island and is where most tourists stay. The major road behind the beach is where most hotels, hostels, bars and restaurants can be found. I stayed at a hostel called Gecko which epitomises the relaxed atmosphere on the island. Small wooden huts with hammocks gently swinging in the porch overlook a semi enclosed common area. The plants, free roaming chickens, and other wild visitors added to the chilled and natural environment.
The first night we were treated to a live band. The group were staying at the hostel whilst working in the local bars and had decided play a free concert for us. As a bonus they also had a BBQ for the entire hostel to enjoy. Lamb, beef, chicken accompanied sweet corn, rice and salad. An amazing treat. Just not for the one vegetarian at the hostel. The evening was spent chatting to fellow backpackers. China, England, Australia, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany were the countries represented at the table. All a mix of ages ranging from 20 to 36. Disunited in background and age we were all united in aim. To explore the island.
After multiple rounds of drinks and BBQ’d meat we decided that we should all rent scooters in the morning and convoy around the island.
Did you know….❓
‘Langkawi’ means red eagle. Lang means Eagle in Malay and Kawi means red in Sanskrit. It is derived from the many red eagles that can be seen on the island.
Quiz time….📚
Answer will be at the end of the blog
Smells Angels (It wasn’t Harley to bed)🛵
Still smelling of the night before, an 11 strong convoy of hungover, unshowered backpackers paced Langkawi’s streets on the back of scooters. Unsurprisingly, the agreed 9am meeting time ended up being pushed back to midday. Renting a car or scooter on Langkawi is essential. There is a multitude of waterfalls, beaches and hikes which would be virtually impossible to reach without motorised transport. The roads are very well maintained, and there is little to no traffic. The only danger is the hundreds of Monkeys that straddle the side of the road (and sometimes sit in the middle of it).
Our first destination was a hike to the ‘Seven waterfalls’. The first waterfall we reached was, as we later found out, actually waterfall number three of seven. Despite being out-of-sequence, the imposing stature of this tall waterfall was a delight to the eyes. See for yourself below…
Sat atop waterfall no.4 was where most fun was had. Centuries of water erosion had created an natural water slide into a plunge pool. Most of the time the slide was hogged by an Englishman, who I likened to Jay from the classic English TV show, the Inbetweeners. For those who don’t know the show, the character (prone to hyperbole) seems to have a boastful story for every moment. The childlike fun on the waterslide was complimented with eye-catching, panoramic views all the way down to the coast. Check out the views below…
We sacrificed the last three waterfalls for a spot of lunch and a beach trip. We stopped at a buffet on the side of the road where some local construction workers were sat eating. I had a plate filled with spicy beef and chicken curries, eggs, and samosas. The eggs were tiny, similar to a quails egg and the samosas were warm and sweet. It is possible the cook may have cautioned that the samosas were a desert. However, my Malay was worse than her English. It all adds to the colourfulness of the moment. The meal only cost 5 Ringgit (roughly just under £1 and around $1). It was some of the most delicious food I had eaten in a long time. For me, local cooking will always best restaurant chains. Always eat where the locals eat. Take a risk..
What is fast food like in Asia…🍔🍟
Malaysia McDonalds: Some strange things on the menu for sure. First up is the potato curry side:
‘Sail’ la vie 🛥️
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky on my third day in Langkawi. I woke to the sound of muffled voices and cats fighting. There was growing sense regret after I booked a room without air-conditioning. An afternoon boat tour of the surrounding islands was on the itinerary. We reached an overcrowded jetty crammed with likeminded tourists. The distinct smell of salt water and fish filled the air. Two swiss girls, an Englishman, and myself were first on the wobbly boat. Sounding like Lewis Carol’s Mad Hatter, there was perpetual need to tell other onboarding passengers to ‘change places’. The unstable boat looked likely to capsize should one side have too many people.
The tour guide killed the engines and pointed off to a gap in the cliffs. He shouted ‘Pregnant! Pregnant!’ whilst pointing to the ridge of a mountain. We were in sight of Pregnant lady island. The name stems from a shape of a pregnant woman that can be seen in the mountain tops (see picture above). A green freshwater lake sits in the middle of the island. For an extra 30 Ringgit you can enter the island and swim or kayak in the lake.
There was a brief stop on the way back. We stopped at an abandoned pier where other tour boats had anchored. Birds swooped down to catch food from the water. At first I thought nothing of it. The driver repeated ‘Eagles! Eagles’. Hundreds of eagles filled the air, frequently swooping down to catch food that had been thrown in by other boat drivers. A feast for the eyes.
Langkawi should at the top of everyone’s list when visiting the Malaysian peninsula. Few tourists, relaxed atmosphere and picturesque scenery create an ideal destination. The cherry on top is that everything is duty free so living is very cheap!
Georgetown on the Island of Penang awaits. Famed for food and architecture it will be a different experience all together from Langkawi…
All the best
T
Tom waiting for your next chapter!! Loving reading about your travels. 👍
Georgetown is fun !