Blogs from Langkawi, Malaysia, Asia - page 17

First impressions - BOILING. 35c and 90% humidity. Short taxi journey took us from Kuah Port to Zachry's Guest House on the west of the island. It was extremely basic but adequate for our beach break. As the photos demonstrate we did sweet F.A. Lots of reading, sleeping, sunbathing and drinking Tiger beer. Again we were successful with our temporary loan of the sun loungers belonging to a nearby 5 star hotel......until yet again we were rumbled by their security staff (jobsworths) and told to immediately vacate the loungers - "YOU ARE NOT RESIDENT,GET OFF LOUNGER, LIE ON SAND!" We met some interesting travellers in the hostel, some of which were booked in for 6 mths + (?!) we were convinced that they were on the run/ex-cons who had gone 'under the radar'. Langkawi is a ... read more

We go the taxi to drop us off at a guesthouse that had been recommended by Mick and Karen who we met in Nah Trang. They had spent a lot of time in Lankawai and couldn’t speak highly enough of this guesthouse, unfortunately they didn’t have rooms until tomorrow so it was back to the drawing board. Kate waited next door in the Gecho guesthouse, which was indefinitely full, while I walked around for nearly 2 hours looking for somewhere else. After traipsing up and down the road we ended up in the guesthouse next to Gecho, OBVIOUSLY!!!! I think the lady in Gecho felt sorry for me as she said that they may have a room the next day. So as the heat had well and truly sapped my energy we rested for a few ... read more

Friday Afternoon was spent on a little trip to Kuala Lumpurs Batu Caves, A Hindu Shrine in the mountains to the North of Kuala Lumpur City Centre. We took our first bus ride which wasn't that bad ie we got the right bus and arrived without any drama. The bus dropped us in the middle of a busy intersection so we had to manouver our way through traffic. We eventually got to the safety and were greeted by a huge golden staue and 270+ steps up into the mountain!! The cave itself wasn't what we were expecting to be honest a little disapointing, in fact I was more interested by the hoards of monkeys checking us out. You can see their beedy little eyes spying for stuff to steal, when they realise you have nothing, you ... read more

Welcome to Langkawi! This is a fabulous island in nothern Malaysia. The people are a local Malay, Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern. Heavy Muslim presence. It's the Canada of Southeast asia. Needless to say the food is incredible, and eat seafood daily. We even bought a Wok so we can cook our own fresh seafood on the beach. This combined with the Satay chicken, fresh pineapple and cheap prices makes eating an event every day. The nicest part about this country other then the beachfront villa for 40 cdn dollars a day is the people. They don't hound you when you walk down the street as in many tourist based countries. Bali was nice, but constantly being baraged by locals wears thin. Langkawi is much different. You seek things rather then be seeked. Drove (not rode ... read more

A delightful place this. Gone are the showers of Singapore and the clouds of Kuala Lumpur. We're further north here so I suppose it's a bit like Darwin in the southern hemisphere (ie with a rainy season and a dry one.) There has to be some rain sometime to sustain the rain forest. We're getting used to the heat a bit more now, but yesterday lunchtime we'd had enough heat for one day after descending on the cable car to the little shopping area below. And not a traditional pub or cafe in sight! We ended up drinking the local Coke and Lemonade! The macaque neighbours squat under our floorboards (between the stilts) and climb all over our roof and verandah at dusk and dawn. And they have very little fear of humans. If we stare ... read more