This gorgeous little island in Malaysia is literally a slice of paradise. It is just the perfect size to be able to drive around the whole island in one day and everything is so accessible. The amazing 'Holiday villa beach resort and spa' served us well despite the socking first world problems - no free wifi and no included breakfast... Mum bartered down the price of the buffet by about $3 each and we splurged on out first and last mornings!! There was plenty of time spent reading and sun baking, or should I say getting extremely hot and sweaty, then jumping in the pool every 15 mins or so to cool off again!
**typical Basia wins - disappointed there was no free wifi - expressed this to hotel staff who offered us free 10 mins daily; aforementioned breakfast buffet deal; complimentary bottle of water only given on arrival, but mum called every morning for 2 more; one night the air con was leaking so mum requested a late checkout (
6pm instead of
12pm) as compensation for the inconvenience!! :)
Langkawi adventures
Day 1 - swim 40 laps in the pool, buffet breaky pig out - roti bread, veggie curry, rice, wedges, waffles, eggs, bacon, pastries etc (also made sandwiches- to take away for later hehe), sunbake and read books, check out our private beach, walk to Cenang beach but never quite make it due to stopping at a tourist info place - special deal for you today only - $8 for island hopping tour... When does it leave? Now!! Ok sold!!! Speed boat to the island of the pregnant maiden (looks like it) and small hike to a freshwater lake within the island - swim. Beautiful! Boat to another gorgeous island with pristine white soft sand, pale blue/turquoise water and towering palm trees amongst an abundance of greenery. Overall a fantastic spur of the moment trip - $8 well spent!!!
Day 2 - hire bikes and ride for approx 2 hours about 1/4way round the island to 'telaga tuju' (seven wells waterfalls). Most of the ride was lovely and flat, with just a few steep windy hills towards the end. Mum did a fabulous job - a lot of the time I had to work hard to keep up with her, the fit bunny!!! Feeling completely buggered, we got to the base of telaga tutu, and hiked for another half hour to the waterfall- lovely. Swam at the base and in a small violent natural bath/spa which had been created in the rock formations. On our way back, we noticed there was an option to keep going up along a rainforest-looking path. ... Why not eh?! At least let's see where it leads after 10 mins?! .... After about 45 mins, mum lost her footing and grabbed onto the trunk of a palm tree for stabilisation! ... Sharp spindles now lodged into her thumb, palm and fingers, mum is very distressed. After calming down, we decided to keep going, just in case we were almost at the end. About 5 mins later we hear this loud noise, not too far away, honking groaning type echo throughout the forest. Mum freeeeeaks out. I probably got a bit more worried than usual because of mum's reaction and started playing out the scene in my head ...where the massive bull-elephant-monster comes charging for us, we can't escape and are eaten alive!!. After we hear the noise again mum is outta there before I can blink, racing back to the start. We then bump into a group of ladies from Sydney who also decided to see what was down the rainforest path (also not expecting it to be so long). Frantically, we tell them about the noise and casually and simply, they ask (or moreso say) ah, so you heard the monkeys!! Hahahaha!! Duh, of course it was a monkey! :) So take two, we turn around again and follow the ladies for another 45 mins of steep trekking. Pouring with sweat, starving for lunch, muscles burning and shaking, devoid of all energy and seriously hanging out for the top to enjoy a great view, food and water, we finally arrive at a sign saying "1736m above sea-level, U-turn" !!!! No real end point, no great view, the sky was not even remotely visible above the trees....Anti climax!!! After 4 hours of biking, 3 hours of hiking, litres of water lost as sweat, and super sore leg muscles, we were home for a well deserved, delicious meal at a local restaurant - spicy chicken, sizzling beef and seafood fried rice.
Day 3 - rest day!! Lazy swim in the morning, few hours by the pool, kayak out to the island opposite our private beach, which was quite hard esp with a breeze blowing the boat in every direction other than where we wanted it to go! So peaceful being out on the water surrounded by mountains, islands and bright blue sky. Evening- walk to Cenang beach and watch the most glorious sunset, with the entire sky changing colours brilliantly and rapidly after the sun had set-orange, yellow, pink, red, magenta. Wow. Kept pinching ourselves!! Green chicken curry, piña colada, G&T on the beach in candlelight :)
Day 4 - hire car for the day. Head to 'gunnung raya' and go up a tower to the highest point on langkawi for 360degree views of the island and surrounding ones. Then drive to 'tanjung rhu', a beautiful beach- prob the best one I've come across in a while. Gorgeous white sand along the slightly concave bay, palm trees and other large green trees behind, mountains flanking the horizon, 2 strange, irregularly shaped rock jutting out of the water in the middle of the bay creating a stunningly unique backdrop for the most amazing sunset - for the second night in a row!! ... Must be a langkawi specialty!! There was barely anyone else around and it was so peaceful and glorious. Mum and I just stood there speechless staring directly at the sun which was a fluorescent orange/pink, savouring every moment as it gracefully slid below the horizon, immediately followed by the sky doing that spell-binding colour changing thing again.
Day 5 (last day) - buffet breakfast pig out no.2. (Reckon I ate about 6 meals worth in one hit!!) and then slothed by the pool for the rest of the day!!!
Bye mum!! :(
