Our first taste of the beach and warm waters of the Andaman sea came in Langkawi. Duty free since the eighties, Langkawi is a favourite holiday destination for tourists and Malaysians alike. With fine white sandy beaches, heaps of restaurants and even an airport this is not quite a secluded tropical paradise although pleasant and relaxed. Whilst certainly a worthwhile destination in its own right, not up there with the best of Thai beach destinations.
We stayed at the Rainbow Lodge, 5 minutes from the beach and offering air-con, en-suite doubles for 80MR (£16). A minor bit of a treat. Activities on the island primarily evolve around the beach and watersports of which we partook although the snorkelling direct off the main beach was poor, both cloudy and lacking features. However not a bad place for Em to practice.
Our most interesting day was centred around hiring scooters for a trip around the island. Although we would certainly baulk at scooter hire in anywhere busy, Langkawi's smooth tarmac roads, almost traffic free off the main drag, made this the cheapest and best way to see the island. Jumping on three bikes, newly made friends Jamie and Erlend on the other two, we headed off. With the cable car, to the islands high point closed, due to wind, the journey itself was the highlight, especially enjoying the smooth winding road to Langkawi's other high point, a cool and relaxing climb through monkey and bird rich rainforest.
As well as plenty of beach bumming, the food on Langkawi provided some hidden delights. An evening spent wandering a small local night market which shifts around the island offering a feast for two for 16RM (£3 ish). Crunchy spring rolls, tasty stuffed murtabak bread, barbequed whole squid and smoky satay all featuring. With a desert of coconut coated rice balls hiding a sweet cane sugar syrup centre providing the dessert. After dinner drinks in the Babylon bar, with its beach front real estate, mats nestled around coffee tables in the sand, cheap beer and house band reggae was a popular way to end our Malaysia leg.
Em and I, as well as Jamie and Erlend boarded a speed boat for our first taste of Thailand courtesy of Koh Lipe.
No comments:
Post a Comment