Lounging in Langkawi

Stunning

According to the brochures about Langkawi, it's a paradise you won't visit just once. Either you never make it here at all, or you keep coming back for more. Having just spent the night in a beach front hut, with gentle turquoise waves lapping a powder-fine palm lined beach, we can understand the slight over statement.

With some 99 individual Paulus (islands) and a population of 65 000 (same as Bermuda) and a landmass of 475 square kilometers, it has a remarkable number of reasons to visit. Not only is it a designated tax free zone, it also has a rich bird life, an alligator park, several golf courses, outstanding diving, waterfalls, reefs and a long list of other attractions.

Unfortunately, as so often is the case, such a powerful draw comes with a heavy price. A huge number of foreign visitors (like us...) detract from what would otherwise have been a real paradise. As you lift your eyes momentarily from your book, perhaps to re-apply some sun block and gaze out over the dramatic coastline, you suddenly see a couple of fat middle aged Germans in oh-so-tight leopard print speedos bouncing along on bright rental Jet skis, their wrinkly over-tanned wives desperately clinging on to their colossal bright pink beer guts. Look behind you and you see rows of tacky resort hotels, all boasting to be the best value for money and gaggles of Scandinavian teenagers drunkenly staggering from bar to bar, clearly thrilled to, at last, be done with university. Damn it, one cannot escape the feeling that had one should have visited this place long ago.


Traditional fishing boat

Having said that, Langkawi is still a beautiful place. Last night we had one of our top three meals of our travels so far, a fusion of African, Asian and Western cuisine. Mere had spicy prawns, which took a good half hour to free from their intricate shells, Chia-ti (our recent travel buddy) had an outstanding pumpkin soup and Sami gave in to his first Sirloin Steak. Afterwards we walked along the moonlit beach until we came upon an improvised reggae bar, with tiki torches for lights and old sails for blankets. Over some watery Tiger beers (less than $1) and a distant lightening storm, we discussed the perils of American foreign policy and the impending presidential elections. That was, until a sudden monsoon shower ended the night and forced us to flee along the beach back to our wooden hut. Seems Langkawi ain't too bad after all.