It was an 8-hour drive to reach the Kuala Kedah jetty from home, about 450km +/-. That included breakfast of dim sum and white coffee in Ipoh and a couple of pee stops. Slowed down when we were near Ipoh to appreciate its beautiful limestone hills. Looked exactly as those in Halong Bay, Vietnam and picture perfect as those in postcards on Guilin, China ( Have yet to visit and one of the must do's ). Another good reason to slow down was police speed traps, which were common in this area. The PLUS Highway has a speed limit of 110km/hour.
Along the Butterworth - Alor Setar stretch, we were treated with vistas of golden paddy fields ready for harvest. Known as the rice bowl of Malaysia, locals like us unfortunately took these sights for granted.
In Kuala Kedah, we found a school leasing out its premises as a giant car park. This was the logical choice to park the car for the next 4 days, as it was near the jetty. The salty smell of the sea hit immediately and the sun was in its element. Heat and smell entered our lungs. Took more than 1 hour by ferry to Kuah, the main town in Langkawi. Entertainment was the noisy but action packed Hindi movies screened on television sets in the central aisle of the ferry.
Upon arrival in Kuah town, we were assailed by car rental agents. Chose our national car, a Proton Saga Aeroback for RM$50/day as it was the low season. Kuah was a linear town and we drove past a few shopping centres on our way out. As we wanted to check into the hotel early, we did not stop at any. Drove around the island a bit and passed its famed marina. Looked good on that wet afternoon.
Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa ( promotion RM$120.00/room, 3rd night free! ) was superb for family holidays. Total cost was MYR$252.00, what a treat! The hotel was built on a generous land size of 35 acres, one of the biggest that I have been to. It was suitable for walks, cycling and two well landscaped swimming pools for everyone. The place was dotted with low rise wooden chalets which gave it a relaxing kampung ( village like ) feel. Definitely 5 star.
Were treated to the customary welcome drink of fruit punch in their custom designed mugs. Dumping our bags in our chalet, we scouted the area & enjoyed the beautiful tropical gardens, pools and water features. Unlike other hotels which tended to mimic Balinese design, this place had the traditional Malay village setting in its feel.
The next day we checked out the Langkawi Cable Car which stretched from the Oriental Village to the top of Gunung Mat Cincang, about 2000 ft in height. The base of the cable car station was modern and filled with outlets selling souvenirs, tees and cafe. The ride from the base to its middle station was one of the steepest and seemed scary as the two supporting towers were far apart.
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| Cable car entrance |
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| Up we go higher and higher |
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| Station after the longest stretch |
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| Connecting hill tops |
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| Langkawi archipelago panorama |
Concluded the day with a hike up Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls which meant the "7 wells waterfall". It had an impressive drop-off of about 100m and can be fatal if being swept over. Atop the waterfall, we enjoyed the scenic view of Mat Cincang nearby but you can't see the base of the waterfall. There were instances where curious visitors clambered over the edge for look and lost their lives when they slipped on the rocks. We were careful not go near the water's edge.
Resident macaque monkeys here were ever ready to grab a bite of food from unsuspecting visitors. Therefore, we made sure no food was carried with us, walked confidently in a non threatening manner as a safeguard. That evening the macaques were rummaging through rubbish scattered around the area and we got through safely to our car.
Our hotel which was near Pantai Cenang, a happening place by Kedah standards. Restaurants, shopping and nightlife revolved around this part of the island. Bought some necessities like water, biscuits, milk etc for the kids and coffee for the night. We drove around and found a Chinese restaurant filled with guests and proceeded to patronise the place. Looked like it was a halal restaurant as we could see tourists and locals tucking into its fare. Suited our taste buds and inexpensive.
We had only 2 breakfast buffet vouchers each morning and we did not want to break our budget. Therefore my wife and I rotated to take a child each on different mornings. The rest of the troop was treated to roti canai and teh tarik breakfast outside. The kids enjoyed it and we saved $$$.
Mornings were spent at the swimming pool to keep an eye on the children. The swimming pools here were great. There were no boring rectangular pools at Pelangi. Instead, we were mesmerized by well designed and landscaped pools. Coconut trees, palms and green foliage were grown strategically to give rise to its true name, a beach resort.
Evenings were spent in walks around the resort. The resort was well thought out. The chalets and buildings blended well into the topography. Low rise design helped preserve the overall charm and ambiance. Kudos to the architect. There were many nook and corners to give this place a unique touch. Water features with natural growth of lilies and hyacinth attracted a plethora of insects and bird life to the area. We borrowed bicycles ( $12.00 rental ) to reach the farthest part of the resort.
The weather can be unpredictable though. In one of our drives, we landed at the beach front of another resort which was bordering Thailand. The weather was hot and humid when we arrived. After a quick tour around the property, the weather turned for the worse. Strong winds blew and rain came in a gush. Was really glad we did not go for island hopping.
This trip was an eye-opener as the Langkawi that I knew in the late 1990s was more rustic. Could see that there were efforts to develop the island and the hotels sprung up like mushroom after the rain.
Mornings were spent at the swimming pool to keep an eye on the children. The swimming pools here were great. There were no boring rectangular pools at Pelangi. Instead, we were mesmerized by well designed and landscaped pools. Coconut trees, palms and green foliage were grown strategically to give rise to its true name, a beach resort.
Evenings were spent in walks around the resort. The resort was well thought out. The chalets and buildings blended well into the topography. Low rise design helped preserve the overall charm and ambiance. Kudos to the architect. There were many nook and corners to give this place a unique touch. Water features with natural growth of lilies and hyacinth attracted a plethora of insects and bird life to the area. We borrowed bicycles ( $12.00 rental ) to reach the farthest part of the resort.
The weather can be unpredictable though. In one of our drives, we landed at the beach front of another resort which was bordering Thailand. The weather was hot and humid when we arrived. After a quick tour around the property, the weather turned for the worse. Strong winds blew and rain came in a gush. Was really glad we did not go for island hopping.
This trip was an eye-opener as the Langkawi that I knew in the late 1990s was more rustic. Could see that there were efforts to develop the island and the hotels sprung up like mushroom after the rain.
