Blogs from Langkawi, Malaysia, Asia - page 10

SUNDAY 2.6.2013 Docked early hours in Langkawi, at the Star Cruise Dock, quite a way out of town. Teamed up with some lovely people from Newcastle(who know the Nolans) at breakfast and with two other people hired our own mini bus that took us all over the island. We had a fantastic day, great company and lots of laughs. Loads cheaper than the ship tours and you don't have to put up with 45 people getting on and off buses, we were all on the same page, no tacky souvenir shops or the like just a good look around. First stop was to the cable car but unfortunately the weather was so bad it was closed for the morning, so we continued on our trip, stopping off in the main town Kuah for sightseeing and lunch, ... read more

We have just had an extremely relaxing last few days. Lots of fun, delicious food and more wonderful wildlife. After days of waiting the monkeys came out in abundance, jumping in the trees overhead, spitting fruit skins onto the floor beneath whilst we relaxed at the beach. They really are photogenic. We even had a naughty macaque visit us at the villa before leaving. We finally left Langkawi late Friday night after saying goodbye to our Datai friends, the glorious sunshine and a wonderful setting. From Langkawi to KL, then onto Dubai with a brief risk of missing our onward flight to Manchester. Luckily the fog settled and we were permitted to land in time. To our surprise we were upgraded to first class with a real personal service, with your own host/hostess on tap to ... read more

We arrive into Penang at about 8pm and the minibus spits us out somewhere in Georgetown. I heave The Bastard on and start looking. All the accommodation is between $5 and $10 but i'd rather pay more for somewhere half decent. It all looks prefabricated like they've just shoved a load of compartments into a warehouse and then plonked a fan and a bed in each one. Its a bit like prison – and in the heat of March – a fan just isn't cutting it. I leave another one wearily, followed out by the owner and his sidekick. I can't understand a word he's saying to me even though he's trying to speak English. “Look can I just leave this bag here while I find another hotel” I ask. I know its rude and wouldn't ... read more

Day 1 Upon disembarking from Captain Sleepybear's craft, we made our way towards the man holding a plastic case containing everybody's passports. High-tech security here! With the case opened like a tray of samples, people were able to select a passport of their choice. Luckily for us, ours were the only blue ones. Herded into a taxibus, we were taken to immigration for the penultimate stamp in our passports. All that was left to do was check-in and find somewhere to eat. Vilified on Trip Advisor, I wasn't confident that our hotel was going to pass muster. We had only booked for two nights, hoping to find something else cheaper the next day. The imposing grand entry was certainly welcoming, although Dean reminded me that someone had said not to judge this book by its cover. ... read more

Mention Asian holiday islands, and before the debate is through, there will always be some advocate of Langkawi in the mix to sing the praises of this SE Asian island of considerable renown. The question is whether Langkawi has enough in terms of vital resort island substance to compete with the best of them, and the answer lies within the extent to which your preferences might run parallel to the island's set of credentials. The west coast, namely Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tenggah, are where you will find the island's most famed and developed beach resorts, but arguably further north are stretches of beach considered even more secluded and praiseworthy. Scope for affordable beach sports abounds here, and indulging in something such as parasailing will allow a bird's-eye view of the splendour of the coastline and ... read more