Melanie Ordas Mata“Travel… Escape… Nature… Love… This is what Langkawi is all about. The oasis of the seas, the pearl and pride of Malaysia.”
Near the borders of Thailand, situated in the northwestern part of Malaysia, is Langkawi . The word itself, according to the natives means Reddish brown eagle. The malay word ‘helang’ means Eagle and ‘kawi’ which means the color of reddish brown .
Langkawi is a one-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur and it was such a good thing that my boyfriend and I were able to grab a cheap round trip fare of SGD140 via Air Asia. We stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights.Personally, I could say that the short trip was not enough to accommodate all of Langkawi’s finest tourist attractions, but the islands that we visited were amongst Langkawi’s famous landmarks.
Transportation
Some of Langkawi’s areas are a bit secluded so if you are planning to roam around, I suggest you rent a car instead of travelling around with a cab/taxi. This is mainly for three reasons: comfort, money and availability. Cab rentals may be available ranging from RM100- 200 per day depending on car type and season. Car rentals are most likely to increase during peak periods/Holidays. Buses are also available for public use, but I think their timings are a bit off if you want to exhaust yourself with the place.
Hotel
Our hotel is situated in a very tranquil area, Pantai Tengah. I chose the area because there is a long stretch of beach. It is just around 15 minutes away from the airport and we just spent RM25 from the airport to the hotel. The place is suitable if you want to unwind because aside from the beach, Pantai Tenga is just adjacent to Pantai Cenang , which hosts a few high-end restaurants, bars and pubs. The street is your one-stop destination if you are looking for nightlife activities.
We stayed at Sunset Beach Resort. A five-minute walk towards Pantai Cenang , and a few metres away from the beach. The place displays a carefully landscaped tropical garden façade. Our room was intimately decorated with furnishings and western-inspired artifacts.
If you are planning to have a laid-back vacation, the resort is a very good place to unwind as it is just adjacent to the beach. It is isolated from the crowd and the ambience offers a relaxing mood which will definitely satisfy your craving for serenity. The room is a bit pricey for a RM200 per day rate so if you are into adventure and nature trip, you can also find average rates ranging from RM70- 100 per day (and yes fellows that’s for SGD50 only! )
Food
If there is one thing I always look forward to in travelling it is always the food that the place could boast and since Langkawi is abundantly gifted with bodies of water, seafood is the ‘magnum opus’. I especially loved the steamed muscles and the sweet and sour fish that was served in a very large quantity. Food prices may range from RM4- 50 (incredibly cheap and can leave you with a happy and satisfied tummy for that matter).
Aside from the seafood, you might also want to try their “Nasi Ayam” (grilled chicken). This is superbly delectable especially when you mix it with chilli sauce. You can also try the Nasi Ayam with “Nasi Goreng” (fried rice). There is one native food place in Tanjung Rhu where I tasted the most delicious “Nasi Goreng Ayam”. Boyfie’s housemate also introduced me to one Thai food, Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad or for Filipinos, it is relatively called ‘Achara’) .
People
Just by simply wandering around the area, you will notice that the place is visited by people of diverse culture and mixed races. Approximately around 30% of the tourist population are Europeans who would usually take-off for the holidays during this time of the year. By the looks of it, I think they prefer the tropical weather experience rather than the descent snowfalls of October.
One thing I noticed about the native occupants of Langkawi is that they speak malay only. In the short span of time that we stayed there, I learned to speak and understand few malay words, which is almost the same as the few words that I learned from my short trip to Jakarta. According to few Indonesians whom I get to know during my short trip, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are almost the same. Malaysians and Indonesians can even communicate using their own languages!
The beach
Most probably, this is the top reason why I choose Langkawi as my next destination for travel. The beach is too enticing for skinny-dipping. Sunday morning, we woke up at around 7am. Boyfriend had to do his own “shoe photo shoot” so I soothed myself enjoying the early morning ambience. We took time capturing random photos of the place and the people around us. (He takes great photos so I let him do his own thing so I can have photos exhibited here on my blog ;p )
After our dinner, we stayed by the shore for a 2-hour drinking session. Our travel buddies were generous enough to provide mats and drinks and so the beach was superbly alive at those nights for me.
The islands
We spent our Sunday on an island hopping adventure at an incredibly low price (for a Singapore standard cost of living ). For RM35, we were able to explore three islands in approximately 4 hours. It was raining hard and the speed of our boat was a lightning flash. You could just imagine how rough the whole ride was, but the feeling was worth it for an adventure-seeking type of person like me.
The first island that we visited was Pulau Dayang Bunting (Isle of the Pregnant Maiden). Its majestic formation depicts a pregnant woman lying down . On that island we discovered a secret sanctuary of abundant fresh water sea creatures. It was really nature at its finest, I can just sit there and watch myself being cradled by Langkawi’s conviviality.
Aside from the abundance of trees and sea creatures is the presence of these highly distinctive flying creatures called “Eagles”. You can watch them flying in circular motion above tourists as if showcasing their dashing features. You can definitely say that they are indeed the main attraction of the place.
Just a 30-minute ride from the borders of Pantai Cenang is another place called Tanjung Rhu where we did another set of activities: eagle feeding , fish feeding and river cruise where we stumbled upon a vast array of mangrove trees of different shapes and sizes. It reminded me of the mangrove trees I saw during one of my kayak adventures in Batam, Indonesia. The whole set of adventure was priced at RM25 per person and lasts about one hour.
The cable ride
Trip would not be complete without having the taste for Langkawi’s cable ride at a cheap price of RM60 (compared to the SGD30 Singapore cable ride). We were able to conquer the heights. If you are planning to take the cable ride, make sure to check the weather so you can enjoy the scenic view of the place. We arrived there but unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to appreciate the top view since it was entirely covered with clouds. Anyway, here is a picture of us, savouring the attraction (me pretending to be the brave bull).
According to sources, the highest peak of Langkawi’s cable car is situated 700 metres above sea level, that would approximately be the height of a 200- storey building (if there is an existing one).
The waterfalls
Just 5 minutes away from the cable car is the Telagah Tujuh Waterfalls. The heavy gushes of water from the peak of the falls is music to my ears, and the warmth of the clear waters that nestled my feet the moment I stepped into the water slacked me off. I really had the most laid back feeling that day. Langkawi never fails to amuse me from Day 1 . It is like bringing Malaysia’s beauty into a whole package.
The travel buddies
Sometime in May, I was already all-set for my supposedly “solo” flight to Langkawi . I never thought that I would end up spending it with people whom I never thought I would meet along the way. Thankfully, I stumbled upon someone who would spoil my leverage for travel and relaxation.
Bottomline is, the trip was worth the price we paid for it. I saw the place, I came, I was satisfied and happy. I will definitely go back there sometime… hopefully with the same person I came with the day I discovered the beauty of Langkawi. 
Contributed by Going Beyond the Cliche.
