Hello everyone,
Today I would like to share with you a journey that left a huge mark on me : 5 days on the Island of Langkawi, not far from the Thai border. Initially, I had planned to stay for 4 nights but I enjoyed it so much that I ended up staying one more night.
During my stay, I stayed at a hostel called Motodorm in the capital Kuah. This is the city where the ferry arrives (about 2 hours crossing from Kuala Kedah to Kuala Jetty) from Alor Setar (a city about 3 hours’ drive from Ipoh). This hostel only cost me about $25 for 5 nights, and it felt really comfortable. I highly recommend this place : perfect for low budget travelers. Additionally, the advantage is that the owner also rents scooters for 35 MYR for 24 hours, which is about $7 per day. For my part, I preferred to rent a car because riding a scooter when you’ve never done it before can be dangerous. This cost me 80 MYR for 24 hours, which is about $15.
The only downside of this island is that without taking a taxi, you can’t do anything without a scooter or car. There are no buses on the island and it’s quite large, so walking is not possible.
Activities
Firstly, I highly recommend taking the Sky Cab. It’s a huge cable car that takes you to the heights of the island. At the top, you’ll find the Sky Bridge, an exceptional walkway between two mountains. At the top, you’ll have an amazing view of the Malacca Strait and the surrounding lush mountains. At the foot of the Sky Cab is the Oriental Village. It’s a kind of mini-park with attractions, shops, and restaurants. To be honest, it’s not really my thing, but you might find something you like in the many souvenir shops or restaurants there.
Nevertheless, the entrance ticket included several attractions, so I did them (because I like that kind of stuff!!). So, I did the Sky Rex : it’s a 3D animation where you’re in a moving car. Maybe hard to understand like this, but I won’t say more to spoil the surprise. Anyway, it was cool, despite my 3D glasses not working. I also went to the 3D Art Museum, hundreds of square meters with drawings on the walls where you can take funny photos. Honestly, the perfect place for funny photos. Well, for my part, I was there all alone so the fun was less, but with family or friends, it must be great! There was also the Sky Dome included in the ticket, I liked it less. It was more an activity for children, but if I have the opportunity to try something, I do it 🙂
So, that’s it for these activities, I recommend you budget about 4 hours to do everything and enjoy. However, an activity like this comes with a price tag and it wasn’t cheap. Expect to pay 84 MYR for the Sky Cab + Sky Bridge package, about $17.
A few steps from the Sky Cab is one of the places I preferred during my stay : the Seven Wells Waterfall. During a hike, you can go see the waterfalls and even swim in them. It’s quite sporty to reach the waterfalls because there are many steps but honestly, it’s easily done. In 10 minutes (from the parking lot at 2 MYR), you’ll have reached the first level and see the bottom cascade. Then, 15 minutes later, you can see the cascade from the top with a magnificent view of the sea. You can even swim with this view. Then, you can go up to the mountain peak but plan for a 2-hour ascent (and honestly, it’s steep). I wanted to go up to level 6 called the Blue Lagoon but unfortunately, I never found it. There was a lack of explanation about that one.
After these two activities, your day will probably be over, but you’ll have plenty of memories.
If you like waterfalls and you’re in Langkawi during the rainy season, I recommend going to Temurun Waterfall. In 10 minutes of walking on a paved path, you’ll be there (from the site’s parking lot). Don’t forget to watch out for the monkeys 😉
To conclude with activities, you can easily find jet skiing, island excursions, snorkeling (according to reports, it’s not the best place for it), mangrove tours… lots of activities, you won’t get bored.
The beaches
Well, hiking is great but if you’re going to an island, it’s also to relax on the beach. So, I’ll share some beaches with you.
So, on websites, everyone will say that Pantai Cenang Beach is the most beautiful. Well, it was spacious and lively but I didn’t enjoy it. It was beautiful but lacked charm for my taste because it was too developed, too many people, and no shade. Obviously, if you like “lively” beaches, without a doubt, you should go there. In addition, the sunset there is beautiful. But in my opinion, the most beautiful beach to watch the sunset is Pantai Tanjung Rhu. You’ll have the sun right in front of you, and the colors in the rocks will be very beautiful. However, be careful with this beach because, although it’s very beautiful, there are jellyfish.
Now, I’ll share my two favorite beaches
In second place, Pantai Kok Langkawi. This beach is very beautiful and not crowded. At low tide, you can walk to a very charming and pretty little island. On this island, I saw a monitor lizard, macaques, spectacled langurs (monkeys), and hornbills. It was really pretty and it was cool to walk to an island.
And the top 1 is Sandy Skulls Beach. This little beach is well hidden and easily accessible by car. You’ll find very few tourists there and the place is beautiful. The water is crystal clear, the sand is white, and with a little luck, you’ll see monkeys in the trees. Every morning, around 8 o’clock, two people come to maintain the beach, so it’s very clean (you’ll quickly realize that not all beaches are clean). This beach is a little lost paradise, quiet. Despite my advice, keep this beach secret 😉 it’s a secret between you and me.
That’s all from me, I hope you enjoyed these explanations and we’ll see you very soon for another destination in Malaysia ! 🙂